In Bed With Mr. Perfect

In Bed with Mr. Perfect

Genre: Contemporary erotic romance
Flame rating: Scorching
Released: 9/4/2013
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Word count: 20K
Dates: 1/1/2014 thru 1/31/2014
Giveaway: $25 Giftcard to Amazon or B&N

Hi everyone, I hope this New Year is starting out with a bang. I’m so happy to be here. Thanks for stopping by.

I’m here pimping my newest release In Bed with Mr. Perfect. Curvy Ann Griffin has a secret—she’s in love with her longtime best friend and business partner Joe Mathews.

After suffering through a date from hell—which definitely wasn’t worth putting on her strangling shapewear for—Ann heads home.

How was she supposed to know the night would end with her throwing herself into his arms and allowing him to fulfill her every fantasy?

What’s a guy to do when the woman he loves kisses him senseless? Go with it, that’s what.

For more than a decade, Joe has fought back his needs for the voluptuous beauty. In his mind, the only thing missing in their relationship was the ability to explore every inch of her luscious body.

Although sleeping with Ann could destroy everything they have, Joe won’t allow that to happen. He knows they’re made for each other. Now he only needs to convince her.

If you’re like me, you LOVE friends to lovers stories. Ever since I picked up Tears of the Moon. By Nora Roberts I was stuck on friend to lovers romances. The Irish Trilogy (Jewels of the Sun, Tears of the Moon and Heart of the Sea) made me want to go to Ireland so bad I dream about it weekly still to this day.

One day I will go and stay in a cottage just like the American Jude did in the first book. Hubby says he’s fine with that as long as I don’t find a sexy Irish man and forget that I’m married.

Let me know about yours favorite books.

Happy Reading!

Heidi Lynn Anderson

Bio:

By day, Heidi Lynn Anderson is a wife, mother, and owner of a small Green-Cleaning company. By night, she spins erotic tales featuring hunky heroes and the women they love. When not working or writing, Heidi likes spending time with her husband and son, doing what Florida has to offer. Visit Heidi at www.heidilynnanderson.com
Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/heidi.l.anderson.9  https://www.facebook.com/heidilynnanderson1

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/SteamywriterHLA

Blurb: 

Curvy Ann Griffin has a secret—she’s in love with her longtime best friend and business partner Joe Mathews. After suffering through a date from hell—which definitely wasn’t worth putting on her strangling shapewear for—Ann heads home. How was she supposed to know the night would end with her throwing herself into his arms and allowing him to fulfill her every fantasy?

What’s a guy to do when the woman he loves kisses him senseless? Go with it, that’s what. For more than a decade, Joe has fought back his needs for the voluptuous beauty. In his mind, the only thing missing in their relationship was the ability to explore every inch of her luscious body.

Although sleeping with Ann could destroy everything they have, Joe won’t allow that to happen. He knows they’re made for each other. Now he only needs to convince her.

Purchase Links:

http://www.ellorascave.com/in-bed-with-mr-wonderful.html

http://www.amazon.com/In-Bed-With-Mr-Perfect-ebook/dp/B00F0SDBLC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1385741597&sr=8-1&keywords=Heidi+Lynn+Anderson

https://www.google.com/search?q=barnes+and+noble&oq=Barns&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0l5.3651j0j7&sourceid=chrome&espv=210&es_sm=119&ie=UTF-8

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Legal Information:

- Entering this contest means you have read, understood, and agree with all rules and regulations stated.- Entrants must be 18 or older (or age of majority in your country) to enter and to win.- No purchase necessary.- Void where prohibited.- All stated rules are subject to change without notification or reason given.- Chances of winning vary widely based on the number of entries received.- Prize is as stated. No substitutions or exchanges.

- Contest host/organizer is not responsible to misrepresented/mis-typed email addresses, spam filters, mailer demons, and other internet wackiness that may crop up at the time of winner notification.

- Winners are final.- Contest Starts 00:01EST January 1, 2014 and Ends 11:59EST January 31, 2014 and open to International participants- Winners will be notified via email, twitter, or facebook no later than 12:00EST February 4, 2014 -Respond by date to collect prize is 14 days from notification date.

Guest Blogger, Sabrina Garie

I'm so pleased to welcome Sabrina to my blog today. She's celebrating the release of Thirteen Nights, which came out on December 6th, 2013, and is here to tell us about the book and also to talk about writing warrior women... just my kind of post! So, take it away Sabrina!

All characters grow throughout the course of their story. Strong women romantic heroines, I would argue, develop along their own unique trajectory. Part of that arc is to accept their female vulnerabilities that the wider world, for one reason or another, has prevented them from developing or forced them to keep hidden.

In Thirteen Nights, the heroine is an Amazon warrior, required by culture and vows to be strong. And alone. She has sworn never to permanently bond with another, never to raise her own children even though she is required to try to conceive them. Casual sex partners are organized through a speed dating event.

Annie’s empathic—softer emotions of mercy, love, belonging are a real part of her DNA. On her journey, our heroine comes to realize that strength as she has known it cannot be measured by battle victories or number of kills, but by the courage to follow her own path, and question authority when authority should be questioned. Love, she learns, is not the weakness as she’s been told it was, just a different source of strength.

Here’s her moment of internal choice: Where she accepts her love, and by extension her true self.

Tai made love like he lived. Fiercely. Passionately. He demanded everything, gave everything, never allowed either of them to be less than whole. Stars burst behind her eyes, her body tightened, she was on the edge, so ready to explode into the oblivion he delivered so well. He stopped, ripped his lips from hers. No.

“Say it, Annie,” he whispered against the edge of her mouth, his breath hot against her cheek.

She knew what he wanted, could read the feelings he projected loudly. “I feel love, Tai, but I don’t know if those feelings are my own, or I’m reflecting yours.”

“Yes, Annie, you do.” He did a slow lunge in, pushing his chest tighter against hers.

He was forcing her to choose, asking her for a different kind of courage. Not that of a warrior picking up a sword or a gun and running into the fray of battle, a job she’d trained for since she was four. He asked her to find the courage of an ordinary life, of choosing to love when the world said no, to break the rules that bound hearts and minds from reaching their potential. Did she have this kind of courage?

A bite on her chin. “Annie?”

Her moment of external choice, when she decides to act on the internal moment of choice.

“Do you want to stay with me, raise our child together?” he whispered into Annie’s hair, his arms held her tight against him, his mind and heart willing her to say yes.

“What do you mean, Tai?”

“The blood bond.” A lifetime commitment, like a human marriage, but more.

“The Amazon Elders haven’t permitted a bond since they ruled all conception matches required prior genetic approval and launched Thirteen Nights.”

“I’m not asking the Elders, Annie, I’m asking you.”


Thirteen Nights is Annie's journey. I hope you have as much fun reading about her and Tai as I did writing about them.

Who’s your favorite strong female heroine? What do you like about her?

Thirteen Nights

Divine Temptation

Book 1
Sabrina Garie

Genre: Paranormal/Fantasy
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Date of Publication: December 6, 2013
ISBN: 9781419941764

Buy Links:
Elloras Cave: http://www.ellorascave.com/thirteen-nights.html
Amazon :
:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GXDNHNA?ie=UTF8&tag=httpwwwgoodco-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00GXDNHNA&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2
Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/thirteen-nights
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18996479-thirteen-nights

Book Description:

Annie’s always been different. An empathic Amazon, she hides her emotional anomaly beneath her legendary fighting skills. To avoid passing on her genetic disorder, she’s always avoided the Thirteen Nights Ritual—the annual breeding rite among the warrior races of the Greek Pantheon. Only months away from 30, she is now duty-bound to participate. When she meets Tai, a half-human warrior who revs her up beyond legal limits and nurtures the gentleness she’s had to keep secret, thirteen nights of pleasure don’t seem nearly enough.

As a half human, Tai has survived by being faster, more lethal, and a whole lot smarter than his brethren. While the male warriors accept him for his achievements, the Amazons have never given him a second look. Until he meets Annie, whose smile is warm and real and whose body shudders with desire—for him. Determined to have her, he hacks into the Thirteen Nights database and rearranges the pairings to make Annie his breeding partner. Together, their strength and tenderness combust into pure love.

But Tai’s actions are forbidden under Amazon law, subject to a death. To stay together and alive, they must take on the Greek Pantheon and win.

About the Author:

Sabrina Garie is on a journey to create the most kick-ass heroine romance fiction has ever known and the hero who can take her. A believer that big, audacious goals spice up life, she relies on coffee, red wine and laughter to make those goals (and her characters) come alive.

When not at the computer, she wrangles vegetables and extra helpings of homework into her fashion-loving progeny, kowtows to a fat cat and reads, a lot.

Since it is more fun to travel in packs, come along for the ride.

Blog/Website: www.sabrinagarie.com
Facebook: facebook.com/sabrinagarieauthor
Twitter: @sabrinagarie
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/Sabrina_Garie

Release Day...

WOOT, it's finally here!

It's funny, but I was so focused on the guest blogs I've been doing I almost forgot to post about my own release here, on my own blog! Mind you, it wouldn't be the first time this happened LOL! But, here it is, in all it's glory...

And it's not only available at Ellora's Cave but also on Amazon!

Now to get started on the next book, tentatively titled Shifting Passions... Happy reading!

Anya

Jaguar in the Sun

Anya Richards

 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

The Build Up...

On the Twelfth Day of Pre-Release the author gave to me…

The final build-up to the main event!

Oooo…it’s almost here! Tomorrow is release day for Jaguar inthe Sun and I’m so excited I can hardly stand it… J

During my Twelve Days of Pre-Release tour I’ve talked about so many aspects of this book and I was a little stumped for what I should do for this last post. Then I thought, hey, the tour was the foreplay, tomorrow is the Big Event, so this post should be that final little extra something that happens just before the release hits. Yep. Pun intended.

So here’s a little look at what happens when the heroine Cassandra and the hero Xbal are finally alone:

He got the tight sleeves partway down and paused, his gaze slipping down to devour her body just as effectively as his lips had consumed her mouth. The tightening of his fingers on her upper arms, the flare of desire in his eyes and his low moan of appreciation made her shiver with anticipation. It would be easy to pull the sleeves the rest of the way off herself but she stayed where she was, arms trapped slightly behind her body, basking in the heat of Xbal’s perusal. Passivity wasn’t her usual style. She liked being an active participant during sex and still wanted, oh so badly, to experience the feel of his body against hers. Yet here, now, it felt right to let him take the lead, to lie back against the door with her back slightly arched, breasts thrust out, offering herself up for his delectation.

Xbal took a deep breath, his nostrils flaring slightly as he did.

“Gorgeous,” he growled. His gaze still tracked along her body, flicking over her legs and torso, bringing the sparks of arousal beneath her skin to full burn. Cassie couldn’t remember ever feeling as beautiful—or as wanted—as she did in that moment. Couldn’t recall ever craving a man as much as she craved Xbal.

“Are you just going to look?”

Try as she might to make the words amused and inviting, they came out rushed and breathy—far needier than she intended.

Releasing her arms, Xbal flicked open the clasp at the front of her bra, holding on to the edges of the cups to slowly let them part. The spidersilk got caught on her nipples, the soft brush and minute drag making her gasp, and he left it clinging there. His eyelids lifted, and she found herself once more held captive by the dark enticement of his gaze.

“No.” Stark need and blatant intent made the word scrape across her consciousness, sending a shock of fire along her spine. “Now I make you mine.”

Umm… *fans self* Xbal is a sexy beast, and Cassie is a woman after my own heart, strong, determined and, once she makes up her mind, almost unstoppable.

Tomorrow I’ll be celebrating release day over at CristalRyder’s blog, and I hope you’ll stop by for a visit! *does a little jig* I love release day!

Anya

Blurb:

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

A Sexy Bucket List

On the ninth day of pre-release the author gave to me…

…a sexy bucket list.

Most people think at some point or another about what they’d do if they knew they had a finite amount of time left. Some say they’d go skydiving or travel to that one special place they’ve always wanted to see. For the heroine of my upcoming release Jaguar in the Sun, book four in the Unveiled Seductions series, she’s drawn to have one day of passion with the man she’s been attracted to for ages:

The elevator doors opened and she stepped into the sleek, leather-lined interior to admire, as she always did, the murals stamped into the skins. Done in a primitive, Mesolithic style and colored with a variety of bright dyes, they were a feast for the eyes. Unable to resist, she traced the figure directly before her, a half-man, half-jaguar she always assumed to be Xbal. Her finger trembled as it struck her she may very soon be touching the real thing, discovering and exploring what she’d only dreamed of up to this point. The lurch of her stomach had nothing to do with riding the elevator to the tenth floor but made the breath catch in her throat and a shiver course over her back and shoulders.

As the lift came to a smooth halt, she let her hand drop back to her side and took a deep breath, trying to put it all back into perspective. In a little while she may or may not be sleeping with a man she found entirely enthralling. In a short time she’d know whether or not this particular long-held dream would come true or not. Yet, as much as anticipation and trepidation crackled under her skin, and as exciting as the prospect of fucking Xbal was, it wouldn’t be a life-changing moment.

Strange how knowing the end of your existence was imminent gave one the kind of cutting clarity that would be beneficial if you had more time to make use of it.

Oh, Cassie, if only you knew. Perhaps if she’d thought about it a little more, she’d realize people don’t put something like this on a bucket list unless it has deep, deep meaning to them. She’s opening Pandora’s box by propositioning Xbal, and what lies ahead will indeed be that life-changing moment she so easily dismissed!

Anya Richards

Journeys Through Seduction

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Jaguar in the Sun

Anya Richards

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

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

Jayne Kingston's Series Tour

Today I welcome the awesome Jayne Kingston with her Mischievous Matchmaker tour! Jayne kindly answered a few questions for us, and has offered a gift card and Key Party key tag as a prize to one lucky entrant. And check out some of her other stops for additional chances to to enter. Have fun!

Unearthly Musings10/15- Tue Illustrious Illusions10/16- Wed I am a book addict...and proud of it10/17- Thur Lusty Penguin Reviews10/18- Fri Literary Nook10/19- SAT Kick Start Your Heart Romance10/19- SAT The Jeep Diva10/21- Mon For the Love of Bookends 10/22- Tue AJ Jarrett10/23- Wed All I Want and More10/24- thur

Series: Mischievous Matchmaker

Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Flame rating: Scorching
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Tour long Giveaway: $25 GC to Ellora's Cave and a "key party" beaded key chain
Dates: 10/15 thru 10/25

Bio: 

When Jayne Kingston was growing up she spent many hours daydreaming about a time when she could flee the too-small town in Ohio where she grew up and run laughing for the sunny West Coast. Of course she stuck around and raised her family in that small town instead, and doesn’t regret it for a moment. Now she spends her days dreaming about the delicious fun two people can have while falling in love.

Find Me Here Links:
Website: http://www.jaynekingston.com
Email: jayne@jaynekingston.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jaynekingston.writer
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/jayne_kingston

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5806691.Jayne_Kingston

Jayne Kingston Interview

In your opinion, what makes a great hero?

In any type of story and in any type of situation, I want my heroes to react with integrity when they’re challenged to do the right thing. Even if he starts out as the most self-centered, self-serving creep on the planet, I want it to be their first gut reaction to be to step up and run into the face of danger. Bold fearlessness goes a long way with me.

Do you prefer strong women for heroines, or the ‘damsel in distress’ type?

You know, my first reaction to this question was “Ugh. Damsels.” And then I stopped to think about my stories and realize I write them quite a bit. I got a kick out of writing Bree in Cupid’s Choice because she’s sort of a reluctant damsel. She’s extremely independent for the most part—until she finds herself in a situation where she needs to be rescued, that is. And it was too much fun that she wasn’t especially thrilled about the hero on hand at the time.

Do you have anything in common with your characters?

I sneak a little something of myself into my characters here and there. I’m sure most writers do. Slipping in a belief here or a principle there not only adds another facet to the character, but it helps me, the writer, connect with them in a personal way. Especially if one of my characters has a vastly different personality from mine, which most of them do.

Having superficial things in common with them helps as well. Rachel from Key Party used to be a massage therapist on a cruise ship—when I was a massage therapist years ago I toyed with the idea of working on a cruise ship once my kids were grown and out of the house. ALL of my characters drink coffee—I can’t live without the stuff.

What item, or items, is absolutely necessary to your writing mojo?

I have a drawing of a hand with a finger pointing—think Uncle Sam and “I want YOU!”—that’s pinned to the corkboard above my desk. One of the writers in my Saturday morning group always points her finger at all of us when it’s time to stop chatting and start working. That drawing reminds me to get my butt in my chair and write, no excuses.

I also have a framed quote from Dita Von Teese that says “You can be the ripest, juiciest peach in the world, and there’s still going to be somebody who hates peaches” that helps me keep things in perspective.

What’s the strangest (neatest, coolest, etc) thing you’ve ever done?
Back when my oldest was just a baby my husband and I stayed with friends at a cabin they had on a small lake up in Canada. We had to take a boat from a dock to the cabin itself. It had no running water or electricity and the outhouse was something out of a bad dream. (Seriously. The spiders that lived on the ceiling were the size of plums, I swear.) We ate fresh fish cooked on an open fire every night and bathed in the lake, and one night we got to see the Northern Lights, which were both eerie and spectacular. It was the most amazing vacation I’ve ever been on.

What are you currently working on, or what’s on the horizon?

I’m currently working on a short story to tie up one last loose end in the Mischievous Matchmaker series. I kind of left someone hanging, and I tried to tie his story up at the end of Luck of the Draw, I really did, but then someone twisted my arm and I *had* to write this last book. (Just kidding. She said she “would like to read” so-and-so’s story and I caved. I’m so easy.)

After that’s finished I’ll be getting back the series that has spun off last year’s Ink Lust.

Luck of the Draw: Book 3

Blurb:

Turnabout is fair play. Or maybe karma is a bitch is more fitting.

Wanting to repay the favor she did for them, Petra’s friends throw her a key party to help her move on from a months-old heartbreak. While she is not interested in falling in love again, getting her stunted sex life back on track doesn’t sound like a bad idea.

Except someone sabotages the key drawing before she gets her turn. Instead of spending the night with the ultra-hot doc her friends intended to “accidentally” set her up with, she winds up drawing her good friend Alex’s keys instead.

A night with Alex is coveted among players. Petra quickly finds out the reality of Alex far exceeds his legendary reputation. The moment they kiss they discover a chemistry so combustible it’s positively nuclear. Instantly engulfed in a red-hot haze of passion, neither of them sees it coming when Petra’s ex returns, repentant and threatening to ruin their newfound happiness.

Buy Link:
Ellora’s Cave: http://www.ellorascave.com/luck-of-the-draw.html

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Legal Information:

- Entering this contest means you have read, understood, and agree with all rules and regulations stated.- Entrants must be 18 or older (or age of majority in your country) to enter and to win.- No purchase necessary.- Void where prohibited.- All stated rules are subject to change without notification or reason given.- Chances of winning vary widely based on the number of entries received.- Prize is as stated. No substitutions or exchanges.- Contest host/organizer is not responsible to misrepresented/mis-typed email addresses, spam filters, mailer demons, and other internet wackiness that may crop up at the time of winner notification.
- Winners are final.- Contest Starts 00:01EST October 15th, 2013 and Ends 12:59EST October 25th, 2013 and open to International participants- Winners will be notified via email, twitter, or facebook no later than 12:00EST October 29, 2013 -Respond by date to collect prize is 14 days from notification date.

Big Cocks & Broomsticks Blog Hop

I'm still buzzing from Romanicon 2013. It really was one of the highlights of my year to date, an occasion where I got to meet a bunch of people I'd only ever met over the internet, made some new friends and caught up with old friends I hadn't been in contact with for a while.

And one of the big surprises of the conference was, along with all my fellow authors, winning an award from Ellora's Cave for our Fondled and Gobbled series! It really was a thrilling moment.

The Cabal of Hotness, left to right: Lea Barrymire, Cristal Ryder, Piper Trace, Sasha Devlin, Cassandra Carr, Amy Ruttan, Justin Whitfield, me, Cara Carnes, Danica Avet, A.M. Griffin, and our wonderful editor/publisher Raelene Gorlinski.

Of course, getting hugs from may favorite Caveman, Rodney, and the new Alpha Caveman, De Angelo, were also highlights LOL! Which red-blooded woman would pass up opportunities like these?

Yeah... that was all kinds of awesome! 

So, in honor of the wonderful memories, I'm giving away a copy of either Fondled and Gobbled, Someone Had To Do It, or Fondled and Gobbled, One More Slurp-- winner's choice. Just comment on this post for a chance to win, and be sure to visit all the other blog stops for a chance to win one of either a $100, $50 or $25 gift card for Amazon or Barnes & Noble! A full list of participants can be found here.

Go forth and win! Good luck to everyone, and thanks for stopping by!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Loving Dangerously Scavenger Hunt and Hop

Space. The final frontier.

I guess from that quote you can guess my favorite sci-fi series. I'm a Trekker and have been for a long time. My favorite of all the franchises is Star Trek, The Next Generation and my favorite character? Worf. He started out as the on-board barbarian, so to speak, but his story arc just kept getting better and better. So many layers to that warrior soul! *sigh* I still love him.

And the thing with that series is that so much of what was science fiction in the original series, and even some of the newer ones, is now science fact. Such forethought is, in my opinion, what makes for really good science fiction. As a reader or viewer I want to be able to imagine what is happening could actually become reality, allowing me to immerse myself in the book or show. There was a joke back in the 90's, when the series Babylon 5 had fans as rabid as we Trekkers are. Someone said the difference between the B5 fans and Trekkers was that while Babylon 5 fans thought that world could someday exist, Trekkers knew Star Trek was real, and I thought to myself it was so true. There were times when my personal life was so difficult I would simply transport myself onto the Starship Enterprise and live there for a while, having adventures and (of course) winning Worf's heart with my mixture of strength and compassion.

So, now we get to the fun part! There are some instructions below and the quote you need for your chance to win an awesome swag pack (which includes, among other amazing items, a copy of my e-book Arctic Destiny). And remember to visit all the other blogs to increase your chance to win! You can find the list of participating bloggers plus the list of prizes included in the swag pack here.

Now, go forth and explore!

Blog Hop Sci-Fi Quote Instructions:

Each stop contains an awesome quote from a science fiction book or movie. They are all found on out-of-this-world photos. Figure out what movie or book the quote is from and post in the Rafflecopter. DON’T post as a comment on the blog stop! That’ll give away the answers.

Have fun and good luck!

Blurb:

After aliens invade and conquer Earth, Eva is transported to a distant slave trading planet. Escape and freedom are her only priority, but none of her martial arts training prepared her for what she faces. She finds herself enslaved to the warrior King Taio. Eva’s drawn to this sexy alien male who ignites her heart and body.

Taio is disgusted with the idea of owning a slave—until now. From the moment he sees her, he knows Eva is his for the taking. Torn between lust and duty, Taio knows nothing will stop him from protecting his little warrior.

Publisher’s Note: This story was previously published elsewhere under the title Taken: Eva and has been revised for Ellora’s Cave.

Reader Advisory: Eva’s sexual awakening includes brief female/female exploration.

Ellora’s Cave: http://www.ellorascave.com/dangerously-mine.html
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Dangerously-Mine-ebook/dp/B00AO5CWSY/
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dangerously-mine-am-griffin/1113984147?ean=9781419939631 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Lynne Silver Heated Match tour!

Book one in the awesome Lynne Silver's Coded for Love series, Heated Match, is free until August 25th on Ellora's Cave and Amazon! And to celebrate, Lynne is giving away a Coded for Love tote with swag. If you're not familiar with it, here's the series blurb:

Engineered with superior strength, agility and acumen, the genetically enhanced soldiers of the top secret Program do the dangerous assignments no one else can. Now, they’re tasked with one additional job. Breed.

But finding and convincing their perfect DNA match they are the right men for the job may be their most dangerous mission to date. And the hottest. Good thing, they’re Coded for Love.

So now that we've wet your appetite, don't you want to hear about Heated Match? Yeah, I'm sure you do *grin*, so here we go.

Blurb:

A lead byline and a cover story—that’s what journalist Loren Stanton wants most. Until she meets genetically enhanced soldier Adam Blacker. Team leader of a top-secret covert ops group, Adam never wanted to search for his genetic match, but whenever he gets close to Loren, things turn hot quickly, making him forget every reason he had for retaining his bachelor status. After a scorching night together, neither doubts they’re connected at a DNA-deep level, although both fear the high stakes of what it means to be together.

Loren gives Adam two weeks to prove he’s bred for more than war. He must convince her that he’s also coded for love.

About the Author:

By day, Lynne Silver lives the suburban soccer mom life; volunteering with the PTA, doing laundry and working. By night she enters the sensuous world of alpha males and passionate heroines.

She calls the nation’s capital home and lives in an old fixer-upper with her husband and their two sons. When not writing romance, she reads it. Lots of it. Over and over and over again, preferably with a bag of M&Ms in hand.

She is represented by literary agent, Jessica Alvarez of Bookends LLC

How to Find Lynne:

Website: http://www.lynnesilver.com/
Blog: http://www.lynnesilver.com/blog/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lynnesilver
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LynneSilverAuthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4441166.Lynne_Silver
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Lynne-Silver/e/B004FQXSAE

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Wired In Sin Release Day and Tour!

Today I'm welcoming the awesome Lea Barrymire who's celebrating the release of her newest book, "Wired In Sin" with a blog tour and giveaway. Thanks for stopping by and remember to enter to win a $15 gift card and a swag pack!

Wired in Sin

Release: 7/24/2013
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Erotic Romance
Paranormal/Twilight line
Flame rating: Scorching
Tour long Giveaway: $15 GC to Amazon, B&N or ARe AND Swag pack

About Lea Barrymire

Lea lives in Western New York with her hubby, three children, and miscellaneous critters. Before the rugrats, she lived a life of adventure, following her husband all over Europe with the US military. She’s slept in a car outside Paris, drove six hours just to see tulips in the Netherlands, and knocked ash from her shoes at Pompeii. Now she spends her time in life’s adventures at soccer games, PTA meetings and school plays.

Lea has loved reading from a very young age, spending many sleepless nights devouring books. Science fiction and paranormal were her favorite genres to read as a teenager, and that love bled into her adult life. She started writing during a bout of insomnia, to fill time, and found it filled a creative void. Now she communes regularly with the characters in her head and tries not to laugh out loud when they say something funny.

When Lea isn’t reading, writing or corralling kids, she enjoys watching movies and sciencey shows, or just kicking back and listening to some music.

Find Lea on her Website – Facebook – Twitter - Blog

Blurb:

Victoria is a business owner, a friend and a succubus, the latter being something she despises with her whole heart. As she works to free others like her from the daily need to feed from sexual partners, she stumbles across her mate. Now she’s fighting destiny and the call of his lust, refusing to sate her need on the one male made for her.

Dominick is a technowizard used to living his life his way. When he arrives at a business meeting and senses his mate, he’s intrigued. When she slams walls up around herself and refuses to even look at him, he goes on the prowl. He uses her sex phone business to get her attention, but can he keep her on the line long enough to capture her heart?

Purchase Link: Ellora’s Cave http://www.ellorascave.com/wired-in-sin.html

Excerpt:

Dominick knew the moment that she started feeding off his energy. The magical pull was slight but still there in the back of his mind. He couldn’t stop from smiling when her face finally relaxed and a beautifully peaceful look descended. She’d been distant and cool when first materializing in his mind. Now that he was feeding her, he could feel her loosening up, releasing some of the control she had on their session and her mind.

Moving his hands up under the dress was a taste of delicious torture. He could feel her smooth skin under his palms, feel her heat, but could only imagine what she looked like. Were her legs long enough to wrap around his waist if he hoisted her against the wall? Would they look pale against his tanned skin? Did she have any freckles on her ivory skin, or was it creamy and unblemished? He groaned, his imagination fueling his thoughts, feeding his desire to unwrap her like a present. He wanted to push the fabric off her legs and catch a glimpse of the prize he was after, but the longer he waited the better it would be.

He watched her face as he stroked both hands up along her legs. He stopped at her knees and skimmed his palms back down to her ankles, lightly running his fingers over her skin. He grinned as she shivered under his ministrations. He did the circuit again, up slowly along the outside of her calf then back down to her ankles. The feel of goose bumps under his touch made him want to shout in triumph. She was reacting to the session even if she didn’t want to.
 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Legal Information:

- Entering this contest means you have read, understood, and agree with all rules and regulations stated.- Entrants must be 18 or older (or age of majority in your country) to enter and to win.- No purchase necessary.- Void where prohibited.- All stated rules are subject to change without notification or reason given.- Chances of winning vary widely based on the number of entries received.- Prize is as stated. No substitutions or exchanges. Residence of the United States only.
- Contest host/organizer is not responsible to misrepresented/mis-typed email addresses, spam filters, mailer demons, and other internet wackiness that may crop up at the time of winner notification.
- Winners are final.- Contest Starts 00:01EST July 24, 2013 and Ends 12:59EST August 17, 2013 and open to US residence participants ONLY- Winners will be notified via email, twitter, or facebook no later than 12:00EST August 20, 2013 -Respond by date to collect prize is 14 days from notification date

Danica Avet "Caption This" Tour

Woot! It's a fun tour, in honor of Danica Avet's new release, Primal Flavor, Book Three in the Cajun Heat Series. When you get a taste of Book One, Primal Song, from the excerpt in this post, I think you'll want to buy all three books!

Make sure to read the instructions for the Caption This contest, and have at it!

Primal Flavor

Series: Cajun Heat
Genre: Erotic Paranormal Romance
Flame rating: Sorching
Released: 7/2/2013
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Word count: 80K

Tour long Giveaway: $50 gift card (Amazon, B&N or ARe) and set of 3 ‘Primal’ ebooks 

Book Specific ‘Caption This’ Contest:

To enter the Book specific ‘caption this’ contests you need to add your ‘caption’ as a comment on this blog. The author will be selecting a winner for each book-level contest from the captions left throughout the tour. Winners will be selected by author based on actual comments, not on random selection. ‘Best Caption’ wins. Make sure to leave your EMAIL address along with your caption in the comments. Winners will be notified via email.

Bio: 

Danica Avet was born and raised in the wilds of South Louisiana (that would be somewhere around Houma) where mosquitoes are big enough to carry off small children and there are only two seasons: hot and hotter. With a BA in History, she figured there were enough fry cooks in the world and decided to try her hand at writing.
Danica is the lucky pet of a compulsively needy dog and two cats. The pitter-patter of little feet has been known to make her break out into a cold sweat.
Writing is how she gives the voices in her head a way out. When she isn’t writing, working or contemplating the complexities of the universe, she spends time gathering inspiration from her insane family, reads far more than any sane person would want to, and watches hot burly men chase an oblong ball all over a field.
WEBSITE:http://danicaavet.com
http://www.facebook.com/DanicaAvet
http://twitter.com/@DanicaAvet
BLOG: http://danicaavet.wordpress.com/
EMAIL: danica.avet@gmail.com

Blurb: 

Deputy Daisy Picou is not impressed when Ram Reinhardt prowls into town all rock star swagger and big cat ego. She’s been burned by a lion before and has no intention of playing the fool twice. But with one scorching glance the mating frenzy ignites and passion trumps reason. An intense first encounter levels Daisy’s reservations—and most of her living room. And she’s not so sure she minds.

Ram Reinhardt has burned through and brushed aside just about every adrenaline-inducing thrill life’s thrown at him. But Daisy sets the gold standard for a premium rush. Her combative personality should turn him off, but every time they fight they end up in bed, or on the floor, or against a wall—and the sex is always more combustible than the time before. He’s not about to give that up. Ever.

Buy Links: 

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Primal-Song-Cajun-Heat-ebook/dp/B008SEBBDK
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/primal-song-danica-avet/1112392569?ean=9781419941085
Ellora’s Cave: http://www.ellorascave.com/primal-song.html

Excerpt:

“I can’t do this,” she whispered.

“My nose tells me otherwise.”

Some big-ass bear she turned out to be. She wilted at his words. Her robe slid off her shoulders to pool on the floor, the tie having given up the fight when he knocked her down. He bent his knees so the hard crown of his cock nestled right up against the slick lips of her pussy and glided back and forth. Her heart thumped in time with his slow, easy movements. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment and arousal at how wet she was for him, for a complete fucking stranger.

“I…physically, yes, I can do this, but I shouldn’t,” she protested weakly. Hell, she leaned forward and arched her hips back.

Ram’s cock settled between her folds, their combined slickness helping him slide along her groove. Her breath hitched every time the head of his cock brushed over her clit. She clenched her hands into fists against the wall, rocking her hips back to meet his gentle thrusts.

“Why not?” he whispered against her nape. His fingers pinched and teased her nipples. “Why not enjoy this?”

Yeah, why not? You want him, he wants you. It isn’t like he wants to mate you. It’s just sex. Oh the temptation was there, or rather behind her with a huge cock and clever hands, but she’d promised herself she’d settle down. This was not settling down and being responsible. This was insanity.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Legal Information:
- Entering this contest means you have read, understood, and agree with all rules and regulations stated.- Entrants must be 18 or older (or age of majority in your country) to enter and to win.- No purchase necessary.- Void where prohibited.- All stated rules are subject to change without notification or reason given.- Chances of winning vary widely based on the number of entries received.- Prize is as stated. No substitutions or exchanges.
- Contest host/organizer is not responsible to misrepresented/mis-typed email addresses, spam filters, mailer demons, and other internet wackiness that may crop up at the time of winner notification.
- Winners are final.- Contest Starts 00:01EST July 2, 2013 and Ends 12:59EST July 26, 2013 and open to International participants- Winners will be notified via email, twitter, or facebook no later than 12:00EST August 2, 2013 -Respond by date to collect prize is 14 days from notification date.

Amy Ruttan Release Day & Book Tour!

I'm so excited to be kicking off my good friend Amy Ruttan's virtual book tour, and on the release day of Private Release to boot! I'm telling you...this book is awesome. I'm so lucky, I get to read a lot of Amy's stuff before it gets published and I loved this book so much. I think everyone else will too, and I asked Amy to tell me how she started writing her bear shifter books (the heroes are sooo yummy!) and this is what she had to say. There's an excerpt and a giveaway too!

Private Release

Genre: Paranormal/shifter Erotic Romance
Flame rating: Scorching
Released: 6/7/2013
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Word count: 30K

Tour long Giveaway: Bear shifter charm bracelet, ebook copy of Private Release and Mounted Release

I want to thank Anya Richards for having me here today. Not that she had much of a choice, as she’s my critique partner. *insert evil laugh here*

She wanted me to talk about my bear shifters, or my bears.

I still remember when I sent Private Release to her, to read before I sent it to my awesome editor, Shannon. Anya’s words were, “I almost missed my bus stop because of you!”

That was music to my ears.

I never intended to write about bear shifters. They came about because of the Oh! Canada call for submissions at Ellora’s Cave.

I was writing something with the RCMP in it, but it was falling flat. I couldn’t get past 1k and the deadline was looming fast. Out of the murky depths of sheer PANIC Gordon Thomas (the hero from Mounted Release) walked into my brain and shifted into a bear.

I chose a bear because I wanted to keep it a Canadian animal and having a Loon or Beaver shifter wasn’t what Gordon was. He was a bear, through and through. As was my heroine.

This is a picture of me and Jasper the RCMP bear at Jasper National Park, July 2012. See, I’m not totally crazy in my idea of a Mountie Bear!

The next thing I knew my world of the Mukswa was born and Mounted Release was finished.

And that’s honestly where I intended to stop it…until the reader mail and reviews came in.

People wanted Jared (the heroine’s brother) and honestly, Jared wanted his story to be told.

Because of other commitments, an epic road trip across Canada and working on my first Harlequin release it took me a year to write Jared’s story, but Private Release was finally born, finito in January 2013 and I have to say I loved writing Jared’s story.

So much so, there’s another one in the works.

And maybe another…and another! ;)

Bio:

Born and raised on the outskirts of Toronto, Ontario Amy fled the big city to settle down with the country boy of her dreams. When she's not furiously typing away at her computer, she's a mom to three wonderful children, who have given her another job as a taxi driver.

A voracious reader, she was given her first romance novel by her grandmother who shared her penchant for a hot romance. From that moment, Amy was hooked by the magical worlds, handsome heroes and sigh worthy romances contained in the pages and she knew what she wanted to be when she grew up.

Life got in the way, and after the birth of her second child, she decided to pursue her dream of becoming a romance author.

Amy loves to hear from readers. It makes her day, in fact. You can find out more about Amy at:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amy.ruttan.3?ref=tn_tnmn
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ruttanamy
Website: http://www.amyruttan.com
Blog: http://amyruttan.blogspot.com

Blurb: 

Jared Stevens hasn't been the same since he was shot. His duty is to marry a Mukswa woman and be a strong leader. He lets the elders of his clan choose his bride, because the woman he wants is only in his fantasies, the only woman who brings him to exquisite release.

Adele Banks loved being a Mountie, but one shot ended her career and altered her world forever. Adele is determined to make a life for herself. She's hired to recover Beare Enterprises embezzled funds, but what she didn't count on is being extremely attracted to her client when meeting him for the first time as he's naked in his shower.

Adele is Jared's mystery woman, but she's taboo. He bonds to her, but has to keep his society secret, as much as he wants to mark her as his own.

As Jared fights his own inner beast, remnants of the prior chief's wrath is affecting the clan and Adele. To save Adele's life, Jared may just have to betray his clan's secret and risk his heart.

Buy link: http://www.ellorascave.com/private-release.html

Excerpt PG

“Chill, Bri. I was sleeping. Look, I have to go. I’m running late.”

“Don’t hang—” 

Adele hung up the phone. She loved her sister dearly, but jeepers. She was obsessive when it came to checking up on her. Adele was disabled, not helpless for fuck’s sake.

The phone rang again. Adele growled and answered it. “Damn it. I have to pee, leave me alone.”

“Pardon?” The gruff male voice on the other end said.

Adele cursed under her breath. She recognized Jared’s scary body guard’s voice anywhere.

“Never mind, I thought you were someone else.”

There was silence, painful silence. “You often discuss urination with others?”

“No. Look, don’t worry about it. How can I help you?”

“Mr. Stevens will be sending around a limo to escort you to work today.”

“Really, that’s fine. I don’t need it.”

“Mr. Steven insists. The limo is on its way. Please be downstairs in ten minutes.”

The other end went dead and Adele hung up.

Dammit. There was no way she could shower, dress and eat in ten minutes.

Well, since they sprung this ride on her she was going to make them wait. It wasn’t as if her car was broken or anything. Sure it wasn’t the coolest ride, but the engine worked and she owned it outright.

They could wait.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Legal Information:

- Entering this contest means you have read, understood, and agree with all rules and regulations stated.- Entrants must be 18 or older (or age of majority in your country) to enter and to win.- No purchase necessary.- Void where prohibited.- All stated rules are subject to change without notification or reason given.- Chances of winning vary widely based on the number of entries received.- Prize is as stated. No substitutions or exchanges.

- Contest host/organizer is not responsible to misrepresented/mis-typed email addresses, spam filters, mailer demons, and other internet wackiness that may crop up at the time of winner notification.

- Winners are final.- Contest Starts 00:01EST June 7, 2013 and Ends 12:59EST June 28, 2013 and open to International participants- Winners will be notified via email, twitter, or facebook no later than 12:00EST July 1, 2013 -Respond by date to collect prize is 14 days from notification date.

A.M. Griffin Dangerously Yours scavenger hunt!

Welcome to A.M. Griffin and her Dangerously Yours scavenger hunt! Make sure to read the Super Duper Important scavenger hunt instructions and the excerpt at the end of the post. And enter to win a $50 gift card to Amazon or Barnes & Noble, which you could use to buy up all of A.M.'s books...just sayin' :)

Dangerously Yours

Genre: Sci-fi erotic romance
Flame rating: Scorching
Released: May 24, 2013
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Word count: 62K

Super Duper Important- Scavenger Hunt Instructions:

There are 17 (seventeen) stops for this Scavenger Hunt. Each stop contains a picture/button with a letter on it. All 17 letters form a message or phrase that is associated with the book. The letters are scattered randomly to the hosts. You will need to collect all 17, unscramble them, and then enter the decoded message in the Rafflecopter for the ‘extra entries’. Good luck!

Schedule:

A.M. Griffin	5/24- Fri
Candlelight Book Promotions	5/24- Fri
Lea Barrymire	5/25- SAT
I am a book addict...and proud of it	5/27- Mon
AJ Jarrett	5/28- Tue
Amy Ruttan	5/29- Wed
For Whom The Books Toll	5/30- Thur
Unearthly Musings	6/4- Tue
Anya Richards	6/5- Wed
Deal Sharing Aunt	6/11- Tue
Cristal Ryder	6/12- Wed
Tattooed Book Review	6/13- Thur
Find Your Next Read	6/14- Fri
Bookswagger	6/18- Tue
The Jeep Diva	6/19- Wed
For the Love of Bookends	6/20- Thur
BadBarbsPlace	6/21- Fri

Bio: 

A. M. Griffin is a wife who rarely cooks, mother of three, dog owner (and sometimes dog owned), a daughter, sister, aunt and friend. She's a hard worker whose two favorite outlets are reading and writing. She enjoys reading everything from mystery novels to historical romances and of course fantasy romance. She is a believer in the unbelievable, open to all possibilities from mermaids in our oceans and seas, angels in the skies and intelligent life forms in distant galaxies.

For more information please visit www.amgriffinbooks.com

Links: 

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Dangerously-Mine-ebook/dp/B00AO5CWSY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1366989050&sr=8-1&keywords=A.M.+Griffin

Website: http://www.amgriffinbooks.com/books.html

Blurb: 

The steamy standalone sequel to Dangerously Mine.

Kane Epps divides his life into two distinct parts—before the alien invasion and after. Before the invasion, he had a pregnant wife and a high-powered job. After the invasion, he’s left with only himself and his hatred for all things alien. He channels his bitterness by captaining a vessel of renegade humans—space pirates who don’t think twice about taking what they need.

Princess Sa’Mya is on the run. She and a few trusted advisers fled her home planet, only to be captured by the sexy, dangerous Captain Epps. He claims to hate aliens but can’t seem to resist touching her or kissing her…everywhere.

As Kane introduces Sa’Mya to ever-increasing, unimaginable realms of pleasure, the princess becomes determined to earn his trust. She’s used to getting what she wants. And this time, what she wants is Kane Epps. 

Inside Scoop: This space-opera romance contains male/male sex scenes, girl-on-girl action, group sex and some good old-fashioned voyeurism.

Buy Links: 

Ellora’s Cave
Amazon
ARe

Excerpt:

“Did they leave?” Anna asked in a hope-filled whisper from behind his shoulder.

“I’m not certain.”

He dared not move. They could still be out there, waiting.

“I think they’re gone. I don’t hear anything.” Relief was apparent in her voice as she stepped away from him. He watched her ease onto one of the broken stairs. “My stomach is hurting.” She lay back on her elbows, rubbing her oversized belly.

“Stay put. Try to stay calm. Once I know for sure that they’re gone, I’ll go out and find you some food and water.” He peered through the peephole of the door.

Where are those bastards?

“I don’t want you to leave me here alone. What if they come back?”

“You need water.” He gave her a reassuring half-smile before turning to the peephole. “Plus, you’re not getting rid of me that ea—”

A roar deafened his ears. Wood, metal and plaster erupted through the air. Direct hit.

Pain shot through him as debris rained down. His hands flew up to protect his face. He dropped to the floor, rolling to a fetal position. The house creaked and rocked around him.

He strained to open his eyes. Dust settled in them and burned. He snapped them shut.

“Anna!”

No answer. A dull ache thrummed in his ears.

Inhaling a lung full of dust, Kane coughed. “Anna! Come to me.” He threw out his hand, grasping at air. “We have to get out of here!”

Nothing.

He forced his eyes open. A cloud of dust obstructed his vision. The outline of the caved-in roof was the first thing he saw. He willed himself to a standing position and stumbled forward with outstretched arms. If he found the stairs he would find Anna.

“Anna! Anna! Answer me!”

His shoe brushed against something soft. Anna? His heart dropped to his stomach. Where would he find a doctor? What if she needed medical help? He grabbed at it.

An arm.

Anna.

Dropping to his knees, he frantically pushed the wood planks and shingles from her body, throwing debris in every direction.

Anna, please baby, be okay.

He pushed a piece of drywall off of her. His gaze settled on the broken body lying sprawled at an odd angle.

“Nooooo!” He gathered the remains of his wife’s charred, limp body. “Please God! No!”