Conference Call

My next book comes out this Friday - April 2 - Conference Call from Ellora's Cave. I'm quite in love with the cover, especially the guy, and hero in the story I'm writing now looks like that, too!

This is a quick fun little story which came out of a business conference I attended a few years ago. While I was there in Vancouver, staying all by myself in a gorgeous downtown hotel, of course I started thinking about what kind of trouble you could get into...far from home, with nobody you know there. What if there was a sexy guy you were going to meet up with...and then to my surprise, another sexy guy showed up in the story!

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Here's the blurb and a little excerpt!

A software conference with a lot of techie geeks sounds boring, but Kenzie’s excited about this one. She’s going to see Noah Chambers again! After meeting once, she hasn’t been able to get his sexy smile out of her head. Noah’s looking forward to seeing Kenzie again too. He knows it should be strictly business, but dammit, she’s hot and he’s kind of hoping four days in a hotel with her might lead to more than tech talk.

When an old flame of Kenzie’s shows up at the conference, and Shaun clearly has the same hopes as Noah, how to resolve the competition between the two men for Kenzie’s attention? How about by making her ultimate fantasy come true—with a hot threesome?

Reader Advisory: This book contains a scorching ménage scene with light male/male touching.


EXCERPT:
The two men sat there, saying nothing. Noah played with his fork. Shaun drained his wine glass.


“Well,” Noah said.

“So,” Shaun said.

They glanced at each other, then away. Then Noah sighed. “Kenzie’s a sweetheart. She doesn’t deserve two assholes acting like idiots.”

“You’re right,” Shaun bit out. “So stop acting like one.”

“Me! Hey, I’m trying to make an effort here. You could do the same.”

Shaun blew out a breath. “Yeah, okay. Sorry, man. It’s just...Kenzie’s a pretty special friend.”

Noah eyed him, jealousy like a rock in his gut. “I gather you two are more than just friends.”

Shaun grinned, then at Noah’s stern look, sobered. “Yeah, we hooked up a couple of years ago. We kept in touch, but it’s not anything serious.”

“Then why the hell are you acting like you own her?”

“Why are you?” Shaun lifted his chin in a challenge and Noah grimaced.

“Hell if I know,” he muttered. His reaction to Shaun showing up surprised him too. He wasn’t sure what he’d wanted to happen tonight. He’d been looking forward to seeing Kenzie, despite telling himself this was business, but from the moment her soft curves had collided into him, he’d been hot for her. He knew it wasn’t a good idea to get involved with a colleague, but...

It wasn’t like it never happened. Merritt had no rules about relationships between employees and the truth was there were lots of married couples who worked together at Merritt. There were also lots of divorced couples, but he’d only known one situation where the divorce was so bitter that they’d had to move the couple to different teams. Then Julie had hacked into her ex-husband’s e-mail and started sending offensive memos to senior executives. She’d been pretty good at covering her tracks, but really, she should have known in a business full of software specialists someone was going to be able to figure out who did it.

Anyway, he knew he should keep things strictly business, but hell, the truth was, he wanted to fuck Kenzie’s brains out. He got hard just at the thought. Then this guy had shown up, pissing him off. His insides burned with thoughts of Kenzie with Shaun.

“Look, I like her too,” he said. “I don’t know her very well, but I was hoping to get to know her better while we’re here. And then you came along and...”

Shaun shrugged. “Not my fault. I didn’t even know she was going to be here. Can’t help it if she likes me.” He grinned.

Noah resisted the urge to punch him. They were both silent for a moment, looking down at their plates.

“So,” Shaun said slowly. “You want her. I want her. What are we going to do about it?”

They looked at each other. “Pistols at dawn?” Noah suggested dryly. Shaun laughed. “Wait, I know. Arm wrestling. Go on over there.” He nodded to Kenzie’s chair. “We can wrestle for her.”

“A couple of software geeks arm wrestling.” Shaun guffawed. “We might as well thumb wrestle.”

“Hey,” Noah said, offended. “I work out.” He tightened his biceps.

“So do I.” Shaun folded his arms across his chest and leaned back in his chair. “I was making a joke.”

Again, silence. No way was Noah going to bow out. He might have struggled with his conscience on the way here, told himself he had to stay professional, but now that he’d seen Kenzie, now that he knew she was even sweeter than he remembered, he had no intention of giving her up.

Apparently Shaun felt the same.

“There is a way we both can win,” Shaun said slowly, lowering his arms to the armrests of his chair.

Noah waited. And waited. “Okay, what?”

“How about we both have her?”

Noah stared at him. Huh? “What? Like me tonight, you tomorrow night?” He curled his lip. “She’s not a doll we can just pass around.”

“No. I mean, we both have her...tonight.”

Noah’s brows shot up. “You mean...” Shaun couldn’t mean what he thought he meant. He eyed Shaun uncertainly.

“A threesome,” Shaun said. He lifted one shoulder. “You, me and Kenzie.”

“Uh...” Noah was stunned speechless. Jesus.

It wasn’t like he’d never had a threesome before. There’d been that time with the Taylor twins—Christ, that’d been hot—and he’d had his share of fantasies about three in a bed. But in his mind it was always him and two girls.

Was Shaun gay? Bi?

He was still waiting for Noah to say something.

“I’m straight,” Noah blurted.

Shaun grinned. “Don’t worry, dude, it’s not you I’m interested in. We can just concentrate on making Kenzie feel good.”

Oh, yeah. He could get into that. He shook his head, still hardly believing they were having this conversation. “You know, Kenzie might not be up for that.”

Shaun’s knowing smile taunted him. “I think she might.”

Guest Blogger Nina Pierce - How Hard Can it Be?

Over the years I’ve had numerous jobs. And when I say numerous … I mean like over 50. Really. I’m the female version of George Plimpton. (Only he was into sports. And a writer. And he made TONS of money … but you know… kinda like him.)
Anyway, I started working when I was 15 at the local Micky D’s. This was the beginning of drive-throughs and when we used to make shakes the old-fashioned way, with a mixer. A squirt of flavoring and ice cream, then blend. That stupid machine and I didn’t get along. I can’t tell you how many times it exploded all over me. But my most memorable moment was when a container of strawberry topping slipped from my hand to the floor. It hit the tiles flat on its bottom which caused the most interesting eruption of strawberry sauce, easily 5 feet in the air. How do I know this? When it was done, it was dripping off my face and the brim of my hat, and down the front of my uniform. And all of this happened in slow motion in front of a lobby filled with the lunch crowd. FULL! Oh, yeah, that was a fun job.
Let’s see, I’ve worked at a jean store, a mortgage company, an aquarium, a frame store, a processing plant, an overnight summer camp, and a daycare. I’ve been a waitress, a “go-fer” for a game warden, a science teacher, a lab assistant, a janitor, an ed tech, a tutor, a resident assistant, a substitute teacher, and a secretary at a job recruiter and a real estate office.
Some of those jobs I didn’t really like. Being a janitor in a girl’s dormitory wasn’t really something I enjoyed. I’m not even going into the whole bathroom situation. Nor the job working second shift at a processing plant for computer components. I spent the summer straightening wire leads with pliers and boiling components in oil to watch for bubbles. *shudders* Those were long days. But the summer I worked on an island off the coast of Maine at an overnight camp was awesome. Working as a lab assistant, teaching physics labs in college was pretty cool as well. And I didn’t really suffer when I worked as a waitress. All those people to visit with … yeah, it was fun.
But I have to say this current job … this writing career I’ve chosen. Man, this is hard. Five years ago when I sat down without any idea about the publishing world I was in absolute bliss pounding out my first novel. Which, at the time, I believed was an absolute masterpiece … ummm, not so much! (I can confess now it’s hidden waaaay under my bed… never to see the light of day.)
I looooove stretching my imagination and creating plots. It’s a hoot when it all comes together. But sometimes it’s just work. Don’t laugh. Of course it’s work. I just didn’t expect it to be. And working for myself? Well, that requires more discipline than I have some days. It’s too easy to find something other than weaving new stories to fill my days. Like shopping on the internet, playing on twitter, visiting forums, or … blogging.
Writing is a difficult journey. It’s so easy to let things just slow me down or completely block up the works. To help me over this hump and support my career, I’ve joined a goal group through my local writing chapter of RWA. We’ve agreed to support each other in our writing journeys. It’s the habit of writing every day that successful authors develop.
It’s baby-steps that get a book written. 100 words in a paragraph, paragraphs adding up to pages, pages to chapters and chapters to a complete manuscript. Then voila … I’m sending a finished story to an editor! And I tell you there’s nothing more thrilling in this business than a publisher offering you a contract for your story.
So this may be a really hard profession, but it’s worth all the work. My favorite quote by Michael Kanin says it all … “I don’t like to write, but I love to have written.”

My most recent release, Healer’s Garden, a futuristic erotic suspense novel is available from Ellora’s Cave. It was a wonderful challenge to create a world that didn’t exist. A world where men are submissive to women and are used only for procreation.

Buy Link: http://www.jasminejade.com/p-8077-healers-garden.aspx

BLURB:
In the female dominated society of the 23rd century, mating with a male, even if it is to save the human race, is a distasteful task and one Healer Jahara Hriznek has successfully avoided—until now.

Brenimyn is a gifted breeding instructor at the Garden of Serenity. Forced to copulate with all females requesting his services, he yearns to find the one woman who responds to his touch. When Jahara arrives with the new class of breeders, Brenimyn’s body immediately aches for her, but convincing the stubborn healer that sex between a man and a woman is more than just an act for procreation proves to be a challenge he refuses to fail.

Jahara doesn’t want to enjoy the sinful rapture only Brenimyn brings to her body. Brenimyn has no intention of dousing the flames of desire licking at them until Jahara is completely his—body, mind, and heart. But when the government finds their loving relationship a threat to the natural order, there may be more than their stubborn wills at stake.
Healer's Garden Trailer

Nina Pierce on the web:
website: http://www.ninapierce.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ninapierce
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ninapierce

Are We There Yet?

I'm hoping that by the time you read this, I'll be on a sandy beach in Hawaii, soaking up the sun and reading Lucy Monroe's newest paranormal. But thanks to the wonders of scheduled posting, I'm writing this the night before we leave, and life is very different at the moment. Here's how I'll get from here to there:

1. Drop kids at school.
2. Take paperwork to office, where I'm waylaid by three separate people who've been to Hawaii and have suggestions for places to visit and restaurants to explore. I take notes on scraps of paper in my purse that immediately disappear, only to resurface three weeks after I get back.
3. Go to superstore, where I overbuy on everything from first aid supplies to snacks for the plane.
4. Bank.
5. Other office. More travel advice.
6. Another store.
7. Another bank.
8. Home for a minute, where I stuff first aid supplies and sunscreen in large ziploc bags.
9. Haircut.
10. Pick up kids from school.
11. Kids' haircuts.
12. Home. More packing.
13. Dinner.
14. Stare at packing list blindly.
15. Pack some more.
16. Unpack some stuff.
17. Pack more stuff, wondering just how much we really need to bring.
18. Head to airport hotel, with stop at bookstore on the way so everyone has reading material for the plane.
19. Collapse in hotel room after making arrangements for shuttle and wakeup call in the morning.
20. Finally get on flight, trusting that I remembered everything or, failing that, at least my husband and kids.

*collapses* I think at this point, I'll have earned my vacation!

So am I the only one who runs around like a chicken with her head cut off right before vacation? Or does anyone have planning advice to make the process run more smoothly next time around?

Va-what-ing?

Some things I would never do:
1. Sky dive.
2. Eat a live bug.
3. Let spiders crawl on me on purpose.
4. Give up chocolate.
5. Have sex in public.


So you might now be wondering what brought this up? The radio talk show I listen to in the mornings. Maybe this is only new to me. I do live in Iowa, after all. I love it, of course, but we are not always on the front line of cool new trends. So, I’m willing to entertain the idea that this is old news to the rest of you. But they were talking about tattoos, piercings, etc. Including tattoos and piercings on more intimate and sensitive body parts. Yep, you guessed it, including the most sensitive of all girl parts. Then, they read a story about how the newest trend is to put little gems there. Right, down there. They said it was like bedazzling t-shirts (yeah, I’m not sure it’s exactly like that for obvious reasons)! And surprisingly it took very little Googling to find out that it’s called Vajazzling and yes, ladies, you can get do-it-at-home kits if you don’t want to go to the swanky spas



The point is, this is very, very, very likely going on my ‘never would do’ list. BUT, would I have one of my heroines do this? Hmm… that’s a pretty probably maybe. That’s the fun. They are their own people, not mini-mes and I have them do all kinds of things I wouldn’t, don’t, or can’t do.

For instance, Jaden in No Matter What is an avid runner. Not. Me.
Jaden also married a millionaire. Ahem. Not me either. (love you, honey!)
Jaden threw a stapler at her boss when he ticked her off. Wanted do, but haven’t.
Then there’s Jessica in Just Right. Jessica can shoot pool with the best. Definitely not me. Jessica also has hot sex in a store dressing room. Hmm… can’t say I’ve ever…

Anyway, the point is, that’s what great fiction is all about--- living for awhile in another world, doing some wild and crazy things or some amazingly heroic things or some super, horrible scary things through someone else’s eyes, life and experiences.

So, I think I’ll leave the Vajazzling in the books. How about you? What’s something that you love to read about but would never do? (sex on the back of a camel, for instance… Cherry Adair anyone?) How about the Vajazzling thing?! Come on, 'fess up!

Oh, and just for those of you who are curious… (and you know you are!)
http://gawker.com/5482004/this-is-what-getting-your-vagina-vajazzled-looks-like

More Meet the Heroines!

It's the ladies' turn now to spill their deep, dark secrets! Drum roll please...

Jessica Bradford from Just Right by Erin Nicholas (available March 30!)
1. Favorite way to escape after a hard day at work?
Ice cream. Lots and lots of ice cream. And old tv re-runs. Nothing that requires any deep thought or action on my part!

2. What do you do for a living and how did you get into that?
I'm a nurse and the director of nursing in the busiest ER in the city. Nursing school was something I could handle doing while raising my two younger siblings and I'm very drawn to bringing calm and order to chaos. The ER at St. Anthony's is definitely full of chaos!

3. What's the first thing you noticed about Ben?
His take-charge, solve-every-problem attitude. And he has this sexy little, I-can-get-you-to-do-whatever-I-want smile. I simply can't resist it!

Learn more about Jessica and Ben at www.ErinNicholas.com

Lara Brunner from Maison Domine by Skylar Kade (out in print July 1; ebook out now)
1. Favorite way to escape after a hard day at work?
Would it be too nerdy to say I read journals for organic chemistry? Other than that, one of the best escapes is Jax, my love and my Dominant. He's always ready with kisses, cuddles, and more of my favorite contact sport (we're keeping this PG-13, right?). Nothing relaxes me more.

2. What do you do for a living, and how did you get into that?
I'm an organic chemist. I think being an only child with socialite parents who was too inquisitive for her own good was just the right formula to point me toward that career. Besides, I think lab coats and goggles are sexy. Not to mention I spend all day playing mad scientist, synthesizing new chemical compounds, and getting paid for it!

3. What's the first thing you noticed about Jaxon?
His voice. The few times we'd run into each other at faculty events, he always seemed a little too good looking to talk to. But his voice always sent shivers down my spine. I never had the courage to chat him up, but I always loved being near just to catch his voice.

Learn more about Lara and Jaxon at www.skylarkade.com

Dani from Challenging Carter by Kate Davies
1. Favorite way to escape after a hard day's work?
Don't laugh, but lately it's strip aerobics. It's a great way to explore
my sexy side, which has been under wraps for way too long. So even
though I ended up in the class by mistake, it's become one of my
favorite activities. And Carter's a fan, too!

2. What do you do for a living and how did you get into that?
(sighs) Most people would think I've got the most boring job in the
world. I'm an accountant, the money person for Carter's outdoor
equipment company. But I love it. I've always been an analytical type of
person, better with concrete numbers and calculations than with messy
things like emotions and love. Probably why I'd never made a move on
Carter in all the years I've known him. At least, not until lately.

That's the other great thing about my job. I get to go to work every day
with the man of my dreams. Even back in the days before he knew how I
felt, it was a pretty damn good trade-off.

3. What's the first thing you noticed about Carter?
Oh, man, that's so far back I can't even remember. We've been friends
for what seems like forever. I can't even remember a time when we
weren't in each other's lives. But if you ask about the here and now,
I'd tell you that every time he sees me, he gets this little smile on
his face that absolutely melts me. Nothing better than that.

Learn more at www.kate-davies.com

Guest Blogger Desiree Holt - Younger Man/Older Women-why men love it

Okay, so the whole cougar thing is hot, hot, hot. As an older woman I can certainly agree with the yen for a hot young stud, whether it’s for a day or forever. Pick one with brains and physical stamina and you’ve struck gold. I write about it a lot. And I mean a lot! You should see my gallery of young hunks I keep on my computer.

But what about the men? What attracts them and makes them jump into this kind of relationship?

First of all, older women are supposedly taboo. Usually it’s the other way around. And anything forbidden is always attractive. That’s with a capital A. Men of all ages still have that kid inside that wants something they aren’t supposed to have.

Secondly, mature women make men feel a lot more comfortable. Younger women have less experience with men and tend to be both less stable and less giving sexually. Plus, if they are attractive in any way at all, they have dozens of men chasing after them. Sometimes the competition gets fierce, and when the prize is won, it often isn’t what it promised to be. Plus, men think it’s great to be attractive in the eyes of a woman who has a lot more to compare him to.

Third, older women have less drama in their lives. Usually they’re at a point where they’re financially and mentally independent. Men looking for a serious relationship often find that younger women too immature for them. Since they are independent and mature, older women tend to give the man room in the relationship to be his own person. She understands why you need a boy's night out. She is less clingy and does not need attention all the time.

Fourth, older women know who they are and what they want. There are no mixed signals any more, no guessing games. They know how to make a relationship work and last. They’ve played the field and they know what they want, and they tend to be clear about that from the start.

Fifth, for the men being with an older woman is a sign of conquest. A definite plus factor. It gives the impression the boy is now a man, with all that implies. It’s like being giving a very high compliment.

And finally—but definitely most important—the sex is amazing. No more worries on the part of the man that he isn’t satisfying his partner. If he isn’t she won’t be shy about letting him know what she wants. And returning the favor.

The Bargain

Lara McKee‘s life came to a crashing halt the night her husband was killed in a carjacking and she lost their unborn child. Now she channels all her energy into her job as assistant to Cole Cassidy, sexy CEO of Alamo Construction. Cole’s own life is a mess. A shotgun marriage based on a lie and the fiery death of his wife on the highway have left him with a child to raise that’s a constant reminder of his first wife’s lies and deceit. Both of them have written marriage out of their future.

But Cole desperately needs someone to mother the child and take charge of his personal life. When he proposes a marriage of convenience to Lara, who still yearns for motherhood, she shocks herself by accepting. And so these two people, carrying a van load of emotional baggage, begin to build a life together under almost impossible circumstances. Conflict builds over the child, whom Lara falls in love with at once and Cole ignores.

Beneath the daily conflict, love unexpectedly begins to grow. But at the moment they dare to explore their feelings, anger over the child erupts and the night turns into a disaster that nearly destroys the marriage. Slowly, bit by bit, they begin to re build their relationship, carefully nurturing these new feelings. But it takes another near-tragedy before they can finally get past the hurdles to complete happiness and truly become a family.

Desiree Holt has lived a life of excitement that brings the color to her writing. She was a summer fishing guide, a summer field hand where she was one of only three women working, a member of a beginning ski team that skied in competition (and no, no broken bones!). She spent several years in the music business representing every kind of artist from country singer to heavy metal rock bands. For several years she also ran her own public relations agency handling any client that interested her. She is twice a finalist for an EPIC E-Book Award, a nominee for a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award, winner of the first 5 Heart Sweetheart of the Year Award at The Romance Studio, and is published by four different houses. Romance Junkies said of her work: “Desiree Holt is the most amazing erotica author of our time and each story is more fulfilling then the last.”

You can find her at www.desireeholt.com and www.desireeholttellsall.com

Must Love John

Last night I was planning to write about being afraid that I've forgotten how to write, but when I got channel surfing and ended up watching Grosse Pointe Blank, I was reminded of my hardcore LOVE of John Cusack. He's one of those actors that often comes across the same in most of his movies, but I think it's because he's so natural and boy-next-door or something that makes it work so well for him.

So feeling a wee bit more inspired by John, I decided to share some of my favorite John Cusack movies instead. :)

Grosse Pointe Blank is one of my favorite movies of his. Love the hitman humor and dealing with a pending high school reunion.

Favorite quotes:

[Talking to his psychiatrist about going to his high school reunion]
Marty: They all have husbands and wives and children and houses and dogs, and, you know, they've all made themselves a part of something and they can talk about what they do. What am I gonna say? "I killed the president of Paraguay with a fork. How've you been?"

And

Debi: You're a psychopath.
Marty: No, no. Psychopaths kill for no reason. I kill for *money*. It's a *job*. That didn't come out right.

Must Love Dogs was just an all around cute movie, and while there wasn't quite enough John in it, I loved watching him spend a lot of time saying the wrong thing in this movie.

Favorite quotes:

[Jake and Sarah are trying to buy some condoms because neither of them had any; Jake returns from a store to the car]
Jake: They're out!
Sarah: How can they be out?
Jake: I have a theory about this. Everyone in the city is having sex at the exact same time... except for us. But we will press on.

And

Jake: She did not see my A game!
Charlie: Sounds like she didn't see your B or C game either.

Serendipity is another favorite, and since you come across a lot of stories in romance where love is fated or destined, I think that was one of the things that really appealed to me in this movie.

Favorite quote:

Jonathan: So are you gonna meet your boyfriend now or what?
Sara: No, I think he's out probably doing what you're doing.
Jonathan: Getting a crush on somebody else's girlfriend? No, I'm sorry, I just meant I had a really nice time. You know, maybe you should give me your phone number. Just in case.
Sara: In case of what?
Jonathan: In case of life. I just had a really great time and for all we know I wouldn't be able to find you again.
Sara: Well, if we're meant to meet again, we'll meet again. it's just not the right time now.
Jonathan: Maybe we're supposed to meet on British time and we're five hours too early.

1408 Creepy. Creepy. Creepy. Not only is Stephen King a master horror storyteller, but watching John Cusack's character, a writer who specializes in disproving paranormal phenomena, get the crap scared out of him was just...creepy.

Favorite Quotes:

Gerald Olin: You do drink don't you?
Mike Enslin: Of course. I just said I was a writer.

And

Mike Enslin: [after the toilet paper has been turned down, and the chocolates appear] Finally! Something to for me to write about! A ghost that offers turn down service!

Con Air is another movie he only had a secondary role in, but if I was a wrongly convicted felon on a plane that's been taken over by seriously deranged criminals, then I'd want John (or US Marshall Vince Larkin) on my side. Plus this movie was just all kinds of fun.

Favorite quotes:

Vince Larkin: You with me, or do you need me to draw it in crayon, like usual?

And

Vince Larkin: [to Sims] We pick up Mr. Cindino in Carson City. From then until the plane hits Alabama, we've got two hours to get him to talk. We got you a seat right next to him, and he's known to be somewhat garrulous in the company of thieves.
Duncan Malloy: Garrulous? What the fuck is garrulous?
Vince Larkin: That would be loquacious, verbose, effusive. How about "chatty"?
Duncan Malloy: [to Devers] What's with Dictionary Boy?
Vince Larkin: "Thesaurus Boy", I think, is more appropriate.

So what's your favorite John Cusack movie? Any favorite quotes?