Guest Blogger: Clare Dargin

It’s not the years, honey, it’s the mileage.

A very cool quote that meant absolutely nothing to me when Indiana Jones first said it back in 1981 but now that its 2013 I totally understand it.  And now that I think about it, I guess it was the same thing that the makers of the Expendables were trying to say when they made those two movies.  Some guys just get hotter with time.

From Edward Norton, Patrick Wilson, Shemar Moore to Dwayne the Rock Johnson, I love a man with a little mileage on him.  Be it with experience, age or a combination of both there’s nothing hotter than a man who’s a bit older and still got it.  Yes there are some hotties out there rockin’ their twenties but thirty-somethings and older should not be left out the game!

 

Han and Leia Kiss

 

I guess it all started with Star Wars.  You see, when I was a kid, my dad took me and my brother and my mother to see Star Wars when it first came out.  And of course like everyone else I was blown away by the whole thing.  But my six year old mind, though enthralled by all the characters on the screen, only saw Luke as the cool friend but was enthralled by Darth Vader and had a major crush (or my child like equivalent of one)  on Han Solo.  The loveable rogue who’d seen it all, Han Solo with his cool ship and loyal best friend made me swoon.

Luke-rotjpromo

 

Of course that dissipated as he fell madly in love with Leia and while Luke morphed into his acrobatic sword wielding Dark Jeddi.  I soon kick Han to the curb and fell for Luke and his hardened gaze.  The black double breasted shirt (yes ladies and gentlemen it was the 80’s what can I say? He was sharp!) pants with the tall boots and the black glove on the injured hand, he was hot!  Yes the dye was cast.

The difference between the Luke in Star Wars and the one in Jeddi was age and experience.  He’d seen it all and lived to tell the tale.  Not only did he have that compassion in his heart for the people he loved but he was willing to do what he had to in  order to defend them from the threat that sought to destroy them.  And then that hot bod too.   Mmmmmm.

Some of the coolest heroes of late have not been in their twenties.  Like Tony Stark, Bruce Banner, Hawkeye in the Avengers.  Or if you go to tv don’t forget Aaron Hotchner and Derek Morgan in Criminal Minds two men who are forty plus!  So who says an alpha male hero has to be in his twenties to be hot?  Not me!

Colonel Medoro Keegan is just such a man.  Forty-two years old he’s seen it all and  somehow managed to keep that boyish gleam in his eye despite having lived through his fair share of hell.  A passionate man who knows what he wants and not afraid to go after it, he still understands that none of it means anything without someone to share it with.

The second book in my futuristic romance series The Cold Warriors Universe is now available.

 

Ice and PeaceBlurb-

A New Threat? After a long and vicious war, peace is on the horizon for Earth and its allies. However, a series of mysterious attacks on several secret military installations causes hostilities to rise once again.

Redemption. Having left under a cloud of disgrace, retired Marine Colonel Medoro Keegan is called back to duty.

Bound. His wife Caitlin, the only surviving member of her team, chooses to embrace life, albeit grudgingly, as a cryo soldier. Seen as sub-human, she is forced to serve a planet that denies her rights as a person.

Driven. Guided by their sense of duty and belief that some things are bigger than them, they are determined to risk it all.

Hope. The cost of war is high. Can their love and marriage survive? Or will it be killed off by the very same mission that brought them together?

 

~Excerpt~

Caitlin was a sight for sore eyes. She was beautiful. Her petite frame was perfectly accented by the curves of her figure. And her brown eyes and coffee-brown skin was smooth, creamy.

Standing at attention, she did not meet his gaze. Though it was customary not to do as a sign of military courtesy, he could tell she was not doing it for that reason. Her gaze was different. Circling her, he tried to see if he could catch her watching him out of the corner of her eye. In fact, she appeared to be staring blankly ahead.

Peering directly at her, he spoke in a soft tone. “At ease.”

She relaxed.

“Cate. Can you hear me?”

“Yes, sir,” she responded mechanically.

Pain pierced his insides. She was definitely not there. Keegan placed his hands on his hips and hung his head in defeat. The one thing that was supposed to go right did not. For whatever reason, they had placed her in a deeper state of mental control than she’d ever been in. He controlled the hostile emotions brewing with him. Touching her face gently, he felt her icy skin.

This is unacceptable! Not here. I will not let this happen here. Not under my command.

“Chief, listen up,” he said in an authoritative tone. He knew in this state, it was the only way he could speak to her and still have her respond.

“Yes, sir.” Her gaze became even more distant.

Her response fueled his anger. “You are going to hightail it down to the doc and receive a full examination. Tell him it is based on my orders. He will know what to do. Is that clear?”

“Yes, sir.”

Knowing that she was under the influence of cryo neurotransmitters, Keegan figured the only way to combat it was to get someone to reverse it. They usually wore off once she was away from the stimulus triggers for a long period of time. But considering her stimulus triggers were high-ranking officers in uniform and combat situations, being around here meant she was going to be in a drone zone for a very long time. The last thing he needed was a zombie on board, especially one in charge of the lives others.

Only the jerks in psyche warfare thought doing this to someone would be a good idea. As long as he was running the ship, none of that would be allowed. There weren’t going to be any super zombies soldiers on board his ship. And he’d rollover in his grave before he let them do it to his wife.

“After you come back from the doc, you will report to me, understood?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Are there any questions?”

“No, sir.”

“Dismissed.”

She did an about face before leaving the room. Keegan clasped his hands behind his back. In the blink of an eye, his joy had turned to sorrow. Now faced with the responsibility of looking after his wife, he wondered how could he handle the burden of command and still protect the woman he loved.

You can buy it at Decadent Publishing, All Romance Ebooks, Barnes and Noble and

Amazon- http://www.amazon.com/Peace-Cold-Warriors-Universe-ebook/dp/B00DZV25QS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1374531936&sr=8-2&keywords=clare+dargin

As well at other Ebook Retailers.

 

Also visit me on the web at:

Clare’s Blog 2: The Haven–  http://www.claresblog2thehaven.blogspot.com

Facebook-  http://www.facebook.com/clare.dargin

Twitter- http://www.twitter.com/clare_dargin

Irish Kisses Trailer Reveal

Irish KissesIrish Kisses, the complete collection, is now available in PRINT.

http://www.amazon.com/Irish-Kisses-JoAnne-Kenrick/dp/1613335148/

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Irish-Kisses-JoAnne-Kenrick/dp/1613335148

More buy links to follow – and you can order it direct from your book store

ISBN NUMBER: 1613335148

~IRISH KISSES~

A collection of five romances set in Bell’s Irish Pub, each with its own special tasty treat served by the staff of Bell’s. The 1Night Stand dating service shakes and stirs things up for Bell’s. When Madame Eve puts two people together for just one night, anything is possible…. Throw in sexy cocktails and to-die-for Irish hotties, and it’s a recipe for sweet Irish kisses and perhaps even wedding Bell’s.

~SWEET IRISH KISS~

Can he win her over with his secret weapon, a Sweet Irish Kiss, or is Rachel still too scared to love?~SHAMROCKED~Will his Irish charm and toys be enough to hold onto his leading lady, or will his heart be Shamrocked into next week?

~THREESOME SWEETNESS~

Is a dash of Threesome Sweetness the remedy each is looking for, or will the date leave a bitter aftertaste each will regret for the rest of their lives?

~HOT WINTER KISS~

Can she hack it in the real world of romance, or are life’s complications and treacherous snowstorms best left to the pages of a book?

~MARRY ME, I’M IRISH~

Does she love him enough to leave the comforts of England? And is there something behind his sudden proposal?

Or buy the ebooks separately

http://www.joannekenrick.com/p/books.html

Irish Kisses Print Edition Coming This Summer!

Irish Kisses

www.JoAnneKenrick.com

The boys from Bell’s Irish Pub have been delivering tasty treats to digital readers around the globe, and hitting bestseller lists at Amazon, All Romance, and Bookstrand. And now, they’re coming to PRINT!

A collection of five romances set in Bell’s Irish Pub, each with its own special tasty treat served by the staff of Bell’s. The 1Night Stand dating service shakes and stirs things up for Bell’s. When Madame Eve puts two people together for just one night, anything is possible…. Throw in sexy cocktails and to-die-for Irish hotties, and it’s a recipe for sweet Irish kisses and perhaps even wedding Bell’s.

SWEET IRISH KISS

Can he win her over with his secret weapon, a Sweet Irish Kiss, or is Rachel still too scared to love?

SHAMROCKED

Will his Irish charm and toys be enough to hold onto his leading lady, or will his heart be Shamrocked into next week?

THREESOME SWEETNESS

Is a dash of Threesome Sweetness the remedy each is looking for, or will the date leave a bitter aftertaste each will regret for the rest of their lives?

HOT WINTER KISS

Can she hack it in the real world of romance, or are life’s complications and treacherous snowstorms best left to the pages of a book?

MARRY ME, I’M IRISH

Does she love him enough to leave the comforts of England? And is there something behind his sudden proposal?

Publisher: www.DecadentPublishing.com

Cover Artist: www.EstrellaCoverArt.com

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Guest Blogger: Cate Masters

Playing with fire

We’re often warned against it, aren’t we? Don’t play with fire! Sometimes in the figurative sense, but it can also apply in the real world.

But if you watch this video of a real firedancer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMgOMFuaClM you’ll see how beautiful and elegant a fire dance can be. And yes, dangerous! I held my breath a few times for this girl, lol. Wow, isn’t she amazing though? So confident and beautiful, glowing in the light of the flames she’s twirling around her so deftly.

Exactly like my heroine!  Melina Weaver is tired of her boring life. Yes, she loves her work as a genetic scientist, but it does nothing to fuel her wild side. So she learns this unusual type of performance art. From a professional, of course, and it takes many hours of practice before she’s confident enough to want to share it with the world.

Where better to show it off than at Carnevale? After all, it’s not something one can simply do in a back yard. Well, maybe, but plenty of neighbors might become alarmed, lol.

And with good reason. Many components make up the art of fire dancing such as twirling combined with dance moves. Beginners learn using unlit equipment for safety reasons.

My heroine doesn’t take it as far as some of the fire dancers in real life. Some are more extreme and actually perform fire breathing or fire swallowing. Fire breathing is said to be the more dangerous of the two due to the toxicity of the fuel, which they must hold in their mouths before sending out a plume of flame, sometimes up to ten feet high. A spectacular sight, I’m sure!

My heroine surprised me with this unusual talent, and it made me love her all the more. Sure, she’s a geek girl, but she’s not boring! And it turns out, her fire dancing attracted a certain alpha male – also someone who’s not exactly as he seems.

*****

CursedHere’s a peek at Cursed:

Cursed

The Vitruvian Man, book 1

by Cate Masters

Paranormal romance novella

Available April 24 from Decadent Tease: http://www.decadenttease.com

Blurb

Ten days of freedom. That’s all Fate had allotted me each year. In the streets of Venice, I could walk among them. Mingle. Belong.

During Carnevale, they had no idea who I was. What I was.

For ten days, it didn’t matter.

Until I met her.

Bruno diCesare lives alone by necessity, not choice. An experiment performed by Leonardo da Vinci, who believed having a dual DNA would grant a person immortality, used magic to render Bruno a chimera – the head of a lion, body of a dragon. The only time he can mingle with people is during Carnevale, ten glorious days of masked anonymity, frivolity and intimacy.

Melina Weaver learned fire dancing to enliven her dull existence. A scientist, her long hours at the lab leave no time for a social life. For ten days at Carnevale, she can pretend to be someone else. Someone sexy and daring, who lives on the edge.

Once she meets Bruno, her wish comes true, but everything goes terribly wrong. Beneath Bruno’s costume lurks an alpha male, but is he dangerous? Worse, can she return to an employer who sells her research to the military to make an army of efficient killers? Her only hope may lie with the man she’s just met and never seen.

Watch the book video: http://youtu.be/Zwp1Xdg0Dd8

*****

Excerpt

Light danced in his dark eyes. “I must admit, your fire dancing fascinated me. What made you choose such a dangerous skill to master?”

“The thrill of the challenge, I suppose.” It balanced the rest of her mundane life, to a degree. Mastering each new level gave her a sense of achievement, where work couldn’t.

Something flashed through his dark eyes. “Mistakes must be very painful.”

“I practiced a long time before I worked up the nerve to actually light the wands. I found the fire great incentive to focus, however.” God, her grin must be goofy, the way he stared. Such gorgeous eyes, such a deep brown they almost appeared black. He probably had rugged features, if his large hands provided any indication. Too bad he wore gloves, another barrier between them.

“Yes,” he said, “I imagine so.”

“What about you? What other magic do you know?” Oh please, can you get any more ridiculous? It sounded like a line from a bad chick flick.

The crinkle around his eyes was the only evidence of his smile, but enough to charm her.

“Lifetimes of studying the dark arts have provided me with many tricks.”

“Lifetimes?” she blurted.

He stiffened in her arms. “Pardon?”

She watched him carefully. “You said ‘lifetimes’. Plural.” And what the hell did he mean by ‘dark arts’?

Rigidity masked the grace of his movements. “I’m sure you’re mistaken.” He stared over her head as they whirled to the song’s rhythm.

Mistaken my ass. How very strange. More strange that the question upset him. He’d clammed up, and his muscles were so tense, she expected him to bolt. Better to drop it. For now. “Must have been a slip of the tongue.”

“Yes.” Relief sounded in his tone, though guarded.

This man had something to hide. How intriguing.

*****

Cate Masters has made beautiful central Pennsylvania her home, but she’ll always be a Jersey girl at heart. When not spending time with her dear hubby, she can be found in her lair, concocting a magical brew of contemporary, historical, and fantasy/paranormal stories with her cat Chairman Maiow and dog Lily as company. Look for her at http://catemasters.blogspot.com and in strange nooks and far-flung corners of the web.

Cate loves to hear from readers! Email her at: cate.masters@gmail.com

Catch up to Cate

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Guest Blogger: Liz Crowe

The Tulips of …Turkey?

Many of us have a pre-set image of “tulips,” that typically involve a field of them surrounding a windmill in Holland.

images-6While this is certainly a legit image, I’m here to tell you that if it were not for Turkey, those ubiquitous, cupped flowers of spring would not be in Europe, much less America.

The Turkish word for “tulip” is “Lale” (pronounced “Lah-ley”). Images of tulips abound in classic Turkish art, pottery, and cultural images. When you tour the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul and peek into the “harem” (or “forbidden place”) there are entire walls of them, painstakingly painted onto tiles.

In the 16th Century, tulips were exported to Holland from the central parts of Turkey and became wildly popular. At one point the “tulipmania” was so rampant the Dutch government tried to outlaw the black market trading that had grown up around the prized bulbs, but eventually supply outstripped demand and they became just another pretty flower.

The years 1718-1730 were called the Tulip Era in Turkey, under Sultan Ahmed III and were marked by peace and happiness (for most) but ended as many of them do by a revolt which unseated the Sultan from his throne.

images-5And those really fancy ones you admire in the spring after spending freezing days in November planting the bulbs and praying the squirrels don’t eat them (the ones that seems to have “flames” shooting up their petal)? That sort of coloring was originally from a virus that messed with the solid pigmentation of the flower, passed into them by a louse.  Of course the ones we admire are merely hybridized versions of the solid color ones but those first really pretty ones? Merely sick.

One of the main female characters in The Turkish Delights series name is “Lale.” And while her parents certainly wish the “calm beauty” of the flower upon their only daughter, that was not what she was about. She was a wild kid from the beginning and when she loses one of her twin brothers in a terrorist attack she goes off the deep end, partying, drinking, screwing any man she can find who is willing and generally not living up to her name. It finally takes family intervention, and a move to the States away from Istanbul to settle her—but really it takes a hot, large, Greek Dom named Andreas….but you’ll have to read the books to find out how!

The Turkish Delights series is now available in e-book bundle format and in print under one beautiful cover.  The series is made up of 5 books, ranging in length from 9000 words (a long short story) to 35,000 (a novella) and encompasses decades in the life of the Deniz family.  It has a bit of everything including cougar action, forbidden yet fated love, man love, BDSM, intrigue, suspense, funny and poignant family dynamic and one of the flat-out happiest ever afters I have ever written.

I hope you get a chance to enjoy them soon!

*****

Turkish DelightsA young American woman comes face to face with her destiny in Istanbul in the 1960’s and an epic dynasty is born.

When Vivian Kinkaid turns around in her college classroom and makes eye contact with a man who was once her forbidden childhood friend, her life is changed forever.

A sweeping saga of family, love, loss and recovery—The Turkish Delight series begins with a special sort of magic. Then  Madame Eve works her miracles for the Deniz family, but even she can’t overcome the harsh realities that force this Turkish/American family all to deal with tragedy when one of their own is ripped from their close-knit circle.

“The Turks” opens with best-selling classic romance for the ages.  Then ends with a thrilling novella that brings all the players back together.  Set in Istanbul, Las Vegas, and Southern California, The Turkish Delights series has it all—heat, heart, intrigue and a deep, family connection that transcends all barriers.

Available from:
Amazon UK
Amazon US

*****

Microbrewery owner, best-selling author, beer blogger and journalist, mom of three teenagers, and soccer fan, Liz lives in the great Midwest, in a major college town.  Years of experience in sales and fund raising, plus an eight-year stint as an ex-pat trailing spouse, plus making her way in a world of men (i.e. the beer industry), has prepped her for life as erotic romance author.

When she isn’t sweating inventory and sales figures for the brewery, she can be found writing, editing or sweating promotional efforts for her latest publications.

Her groundbreaking fiction subgenre, “Romance for Real Life,” has gained thousands of fans and followers who are interested less in the “HEA” and more in the “WHA” (“What Happens After?”)

Her beer blog a2beerwench.com is nationally recognized for its insider yet outsider views on the craft beer industry. Her books are set in the not-so-common worlds of breweries, on the soccer pitch and in high-powered real estate offices.  Don’t ask her for anything “like” a Budweiser or risk painful injury.

www.lizcrowe.com
www.brewingpasssion.com
www.a2beerwench.com
www.facebook.com/lizcroweauthor
www.twitter.com/beerwencha2
www.facebook.com/groups/romanceforreallife
www.facebook.com/jackgordonrealtor

*****

Follow Liz’s Tour:

2/25 www.backwardsmomentum.blogspot.com
2/26 www.harliesbooks.com
2/26 www.twinsietalk.blogspot.com
2/27 www.stickgirlbookreviews.blogspot.com
2/27 www.christinatetreault.com
2/28 www.msspencertalespinner.blogspot.com
2/28 www.literatiliteraturelovers.com
3/1 www.sevensexyscribes.blogspot.com
3/1 www.cindyspencerpape.com
3/2 www.shhmomsreading.com
3/2 www.melissakeir.com
3/3 www.desireeholt.com
3/4 www.kimcharmichaelnovels.com
3/5 www.markofthestars.com
3/7 www.nicolezoltack.com
3/8 www.carrieannryan.com
3/9 www.lucyfelthouse.co.uk
3/10 www.decadentpublishing.blogspot.com

Guest Blogger: Becca Dale

DP_MillionaireAndGND_medA fantastic snippet from Becca’s latest release, The Millionaire and the Girl Next Door.

Tired of chasing his family’s need for money and power, millionaire Jake Wescott heads to Freewill, Wyoming and the beautiful piece of heaven that calls to him.

The girl next door, Christa Dunham puts family first, and she’s determined to protect them from the city boy before he ruins their hunting grounds or steals her heart and then walks away when the lonely nights get too long.

Neither of them expect the attraction that pulls them together nor the lost spirit who wants to drive them apart. Confronting the past leaves them both anxious to find a love beyond a lifetime.

 

Excerpt:

“Try this.” She tossed a crowbar to him, and the wicked piece of steel whizzed toward his head.

He dodged the wild throw. Irritated for a moment, Jake bent to pick up the bar then caught her checking him out. Her blatant appraisal made him want to forget the cabin and haul her off to his bed. She affected him too much for the amount of time he’d known her. Everything from her hair, just long enough for a man to wrap his hands in, to her tiny feet encased in chunky work boots turned him on. A smart man would kiss her until she gasped for breath, snuggled her soft curves against his chest, and let him strip her naked. Shaking off the inappropriate desire, he stuck the crowbar beneath the hinge pin and pried upward, but it slipped out of the niche he’d made.

Jake tried again, several times. Finally, she took it from him with a wry grin. “How do you dress yourself?”

He probably should have been offended, but since she treated him to a nice view of her backside while she bent to work the lower hinge loose, he didn’t see a reason to complain. Her faded jeans stretched when she moved and clung to her hips. His body tightened, and he stuffed his hands in his pockets, desperately thinking of the boardroom and stockholder meetings to ward off the need to caress her rounded curves.

Chris worked until the hinges and lock gave way, but the door remained in place despite her efforts to push it open. She looked over her shoulder at him and lifted an eyebrow. “Are you going to lend some muscle or let me do all the work?”

“I don’t know. I could get hurt. I broke a nail this morning putting on my socks.” He held back a grin. Ready color brushed her cheeks and made her skin glow. She deserved to be embarrassed. The brat tried to make him feel incompetent at every turn.

“Smart ass.”

He chuckled. “Arrogant know-it-all.”

Chris turned to stand inches from him. Merriment danced over her face. “Worthless urbanite.”

Jake moved closer still. If she wiggled at all, her breasts would press to his chest. “Hick.”

Her gaze shifted to his mouth. Jake nearly groaned aloud when she bit down on her lower lip and swayed toward him. “Is that what you really think of me, city boy?”

A soft moan slipped from him as he steadied her with a hand on her hip. “Your brothers would gut and hang me from the nearest tree if they ever heard what I really think about around you, sweetheart.”

 

Buy Links

Decadent Publishing:http://www.decadentpublishing.com/product_info.php?products_id=652&osCsid=34ipt9g1f8e41i1lqa1qrdac84

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Millionaire-Girl-Western-Escape-ebook/dp/B009YLKYRA

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-millionaire-and-the-girl-next-door-becca-dale/1113687392

All Romance: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-themillionaireandthegirlnextdoor-986152-140.html

 

Contact the Author

Website: http://www.authorbeccadale.com/

Blogger: http://beccadale.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/becca.dale.71

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BeccaDaleAuthor