Saturday, December 28, 2013

Excerpt from Deliciously Obedient!

Excerpt from Deliciously Obedient! Jeremy and Lydia are back from Iceland, at the campground, and as Jeremy learns more about her family he falls deeper for Lydia…all while Mike decides his next move. This scene starts from Jeremy's point of view, then moves on to Lydia's:

Hi!” Speaking of her, Lydia bounded into the cabin, surprised by the computer. “You're…gaming? Surfing the web?” 
He shut the silver laptop quietly. “Something like that.” Funny how she didn't even think to mention business. 
Anything interesting?” 
Nothing more interesting than you. “Nope. What's going on?” 
Dad won't stop about the damn talent show.” 
Maybe you and I should try that marshmallow thing.” 
I'll be the thrower, not the catcher.” 
Hold on, now…” 
Then again,” she said in that throaty voice that gave his cock a zing, “I've put worse things in my mouth.” 
You're comparing my cock to snot?” 
She shrugged. “You ever taste cum? It's pretty close.” He stayed silent as she became increasingly uncomfortable. “You've never…tasted cum…have you?” 
He laughed. “No, Lydia. I've had some wild adventures, but swallowing is one thing I haven’t done. Not on a man.” 
How could you swallow on a woman?” she asked rhetorically. 
He answered as if it were a real question. “When a woman ejaculates.” 
Women…isn't that a myth?” 
An arched eyebrow was his reply. 
You mean…” she stumbled, clearly rattled. 
I consider this a challenge.” Pulling her into his arms, he sank into her with a long, slow kiss. They took their time, hands roaming and appreciating, tongues dancing, his mouth reveling in the warm softness of her. Those curves were abundant and strong, breasts swollen, with pert nipples at attention for his attention. Their bodies were so primed by having time together, the luxury of open-ended days an invitation to enjoy each other’s bodies as much as they explored getting to know each other. 
It was divine. 
She pulled away, wiping her mouth with a look of regret he wanted to take away with a few hours naked under the sheets. “Can't. Not now. Dad and Mom want to talk to us.” 
Alarm spread through him. “They do?” 
Jesus, Jeremy, you look like I told you my dad found his shotgun and is hunting you down.” Her laughter stung. She wasn’t far off. 
Oh.” 
I'm sorry. You've only been here for two days. I should be more sensitive. My family can be…overwhelming.” 
They're wonderful, actually,” he said with a deep sense of truth. 
Even Miles?” 
Even Miles. And besides, so far all he really does is make snarky comments and drive around in that little red thing of his, helping people. He hasn't set a single bathroom on fire since I've been here, either.” 
Ooof. She elbowed him in the gut as she marched out, laughing. 
What the hell did Pete and Sandy want to talk to him about? Following that luscious ass down the stairs and on the path to the office, he caught up to Lydia and grabbed a handful. A yelp was his reward. 
You're so grabby!” 
Quit making me want to grab!” 
Do I grab your crotch in public?” 
Not nearly enough.” He halted. “Go ahead. You have my permission to touch me whenever you like. You called me the North Pole yesterday. Come sit on Santa's lap anytime, my dear.” 
She rolled her eyes and resumed her walk. “Men.” 
I'll take that as a yes.” With that he goosed her again, and she took off at a sprint toward the rec hall, hair flying in the wind. Even his long legs couldn't compensate easily for her speed, and he found himself breathless when they bounded up the steps to find Pete and Sandy resting on well-worn chairs around a lovely wood stove nestled in the corner of the giant hall, the pool table empty behind them. 
Breathing hard, he tried to get his bearings. Her parents seemed happy and composed, so why the summons? Curling against the edge of a loveseat, Lydia patted the seat next to her and he bent into it, knees high and hands awkward. Why did he turn into a teenager around her mom? 
Because you care what she thinks. 
Don't look so glum,” Pete said to him, pointing to a small cooler next to his chair. “Want a beer?” 
Sure.” Jeremy reached in, found one, popped the top and took a swig. Sour and sweet at once, it was dark and intense, like cherries on top of coffee. 
What is this?” 
A sour ale. Like it? People either have the palate for it or they don't. It's not to everyone's liking.” 
Another taste and Jeremy weighed it out. “I like it.” 
Pete's smile widened. “I thought you might. Sour ales aren't an acquired taste. You know right away whether you're in the club or not.” Another smile, this one completely reaching his eyes. 
I can't stand that stuff,” Lydia said, crinkling her nose. 
Me neither,” Sandy added. 
You got the bad genes,” Pete muttered in Lydia's direction, making Jeremy choke. 
Don't make me waste the good stuff,” he hacked, coughing through laughter. Sandy reached over to pound him on the back as Lydia shot her dad an eye roll identical to the one she'd given Jeremy on the way there. 
We just wanted to take a few minutes before the craziness of the talent show kicks in—”
Two days!” Sandy interjected, interrupting Pete. “In two days!” 
Pete rested a calm hand on her knee. “—to ask how you're doing and to enjoy a drink with you two.” Pete reached into the cooler and pulled out a lemon-flavored wine cooler, which Lydia grabbed with glee. 
Thanks, Dad!” 
Sandy reached for a cup of tea on the end table next to her as Pete held the neck of his beer forward, initiating a toast. The rest joined in. 
To the talent show, and old traditions. And to new friends,” he added, looking pointedly and Jeremy, then Lydia 
To no flaming cats!” Sandy added. 
MOM!” 
Clink. They toasted, and as Jeremy drank deeply, gulping down half the ale in one fell swoop, he felt a warmth no alcohol or wood stove could generate. 
We have a new entrant in the talent show. Mike Davis wants to play guitar,” Pete said. 
Mike Davis?” Lydia asked. “Who's that?” 
A guest. Been here for nearly a month. Nice guy. Sticks to himself, mostly, though he was more interactive when he first came.” 
Paid for his cabin in cash,” Sandy said, as if this were remarkable. “The entire month.” 
Lydia let out a low whistle, drinking more of her wine cooler. “You sure he's not running from something?” 
If he were, why would he perform?” said a voice from behind them. Miles walked in, grabbed a blueberry beer from the cooler and folded his legs under him, sitting on the floor by Pete. 
Good point,” she conceded. 
Speaking of the talent show, one of the guests sent me a link to this YouTube video,” Pete said. 
Miles and Lydia froze. Jeremy felt a creeping dread fill him. Pete pointedly did not look at Lydia. 
YouTube?” Lydia squeaked. Jeremy squeezed her hand, a silent show of support. 
It was…interesting,” Sandy said, eyebrows high. “I've never seen anything quite so explicit.” 
Jeremy could feel Lydia's breathing stop. 
Explicit?” he said calmly as Miles shot him an unreadable look. 
Have you ever seen a woman do certain…things..with her…” Pete tried to explain, looking to Sandy for help. 
Oh, holy hell. What was this about? 
* * * 
Lydia could feel her heart exploding and imploding all at once. Mom and Dad had seen the video. 
Mom and Dad had seen the video. 
This was why she'd been asked to come here. And with Jeremy. Why with Jeremy? 
Wouldn't they want to leave him out of it? There was no reason to think he was the guy in it—the news covered the fact that it was Michael Bournham all too well. 
And why now? It had been a month. More than a month. Maybe it took that long to get on their radar screens, because Mom and Dad weren't exactly hip to social media. She gave Miles a searching look, and he mouthed, “Not me.” 
She believed him. 
Then who? 
Sandy pulled out her smart phone and handed it to Lydia. “You have to see for yourself.” 
No. God, no. Of all the scenarios she'd imagined in which her parents learned about the video, sitting together and watching it at the same time had never played into her nightmares. 
This was just too much. 
A few taps and Sandy hit play. 
On a video that was, blessedly, not her and Mike. 
It was a video of a woman playing “God Bless America” on a kazoo. 
Except she didn't use her mouth to play it. 
Jeremy and Miles watched the video with her, faces impassive, then shocked, then intrigued, and—finally—the whole group rolled with laughter, tears streaming down faces, Lydia's belly shaking with joy a little too hard, her chest swelling with giggles that poured out for a tiny bit longer than they should have, sheer relief driving her. 
Oh, thank you, universe. 
Dad, are you asking me to—um, to do—” 
Jeremy's voice rose above the titters. “Can you do that? If so, please marry me.” 
Another round of laughter. 
Can you believe a someone sent that to me and asked if she could perform that skit in the show?” Pete said. “Your mother just about did.” 
Let me guess. Was it Grandma? Because I could totally see grandma wanting to perform that.” 
Pete's turn to roll his eyes. He drained his beer and said, “No, thank God. If I had to watch Madge do that it would be an early grave for me.”

Watch for the book on January 8! ;)

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Next up: Deliciously Obedient, coming January 8, 2014

Watch this space for excerpts as the final touches are being made to Deliciously Obedient.  Happy holidays and enjoy your time with family and friends (and book boyfriends ;) ). Now I'm off to wrap 1,876 gifts (that's how it feels…).

<3

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

iBooks published Random Acts of Trust

iBooks folks can finally get Random Acts of Trust!

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id775467384

Happy reading -- $.99 sales ends very soon, so download it now!

Saturday, December 14, 2013

My books on Google Play!

If you enjoy buying your eBooks on Google Play, you can now find most of my books there.

Check it out!

Her Billionaires: Boxed Set
Random Acts of Crazy
Random Acts of Trust
It's Complicated
Maliciously Obedient
Suspiciously Obedient

On being asked what I write...

I am still caught off-guard when people in real life ask me what I write. First, it was hard getting accustomed to saying "I'm a romance novel writer," or "I write romance novels" when asked what I do for a living.

(But I got used to that nice and fast! ;) )

Now, I'm asked, "What do you write? What kind of romance novel?"

Uh….

A few of the awkwardly-phrased responses I've given recently:


  • raunchy romantic comedy
  • erotic romantic comedy
  • new adult romance with an edge
  • just your typical contemporary romance (cough cough)


It's not that I have a problem telling people what I write. it's more that the "elevator speech," that one-liner, doesn't come easily to me.

So I turn to you, dear readers, and ask for some help in the comments. How would you describe what I write?

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Yes, there's an app for that

Due to reader response about Random Acts of Trust and a certain scene, I thought I'd chime in. 

Yes, there really ARE vibrator apps for smartphones. 

Here's an example: iVibe

Go ahead and do your own search in the App store or Android Market.  Shhh…I won't tell. And also -- yes, there are documented medical cases of women who do what happened to Amy (no spoilers!). Truth IS stranger than fiction. But not funnier. 

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

SIX stores -- Random Acts of Trust on Nook and more...



It's here! Random Acts of Trust, the next in the Random series -- just $.99!

Giving up is hard…but giving in is even harder.
 
When did my life become a demented episode from The Mindy Project?
 
Moving to Boston to begin grad school meant I was supposed to start a new life -- not dig through a past I thought I'd left behind four years ago. But when I saw the poster for Random Acts of Crazy, all I could think about was the drummer, Sam Hinton, the boy I'd loved in high school and who disappeared with my heart.
 
Who knew I'd become the living version of Magic Mike?
 
Seeing Amy Smithson at my gig and watching her win a kiss from my bandmate, Liam, was a gut punch. Four years ago we squared off in a high school debate that had higher stakes than we ever imagined, and here I was…wanting what I'd walked away from. Are there too many secrets between us to allow her to trust me again?
 
And can I trust myself?
 
The second book in the Random series after the wildly successful New York Times and USA Today bestseller Random Acts of Crazy, Random Acts of Trust is a New Adult romantic comedy that explores the love between one man, one woman, and ends with one Happily Ever After (and no cliffhangers or chickens!). Fate took their lives by storm four years ago and put an unbreachable gulf between Sam and Amy. This 87,000 word/346 page book asks: Can time really heal all wounds…or are some scars too deep? 
 

Random Acts of Trust is just $.99 for a limited time!

 


And more AMAZING books by author friends!

A Naughty Little Christmas Boxed Set: $.99 for 8 seasonally-hot books!

The Hitman: $3.99 and a top 100 Amazon New Adult book!

Diving In: $.99 for romantic comedy at its finest!

Bad for You: $2.99 for the sequel to the NYT bestseller!


(Prices may change quickly, so act fast!)

Saturday, December 7, 2013

Random Acts of Trust GIVEAWAY! Win prize packs with items from the books (a KINDLE FIRE and more…)

If you haven't read Random Acts of Trust yet, please stop reading this post and go to the store of your choice:

Amazon
B&N
Kobo
All Romance eBooks
Smashwords
Bookstrand



It's just $.99 right now, on sale. Go get it. Then come back.
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OK. Good. NOW you can read on about the GIVEAWAY! As you know, I insert a lot of little local items into my books, like talking about the amazing Barrington Roasters coffee, or 1369 Coffeehouse in Cambridge. So, I thought, why not do a different kind of giveaway to celebrate Random Acts of Trust? 

Why not have prize packs with goodies like A KINDLE FIRE, signed paperback copies of my books, and also some neat items from places I talk about IN my books.

Join the contest/giveaway by following the instructions below in the Rafflecopter contest and HAPPY READING!

(And please note: a speculum is not included in any of the prize packs. ;) )

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

RANDOM ACTS OF TRUST IS LIVE! $.99 on AMAZON



It's here! Random Acts of Trust, the next in the Random series -- just $.99 on Amazon!

Giving up is hard…but giving in is even harder.
 
When did my life become a demented episode from The Mindy Project?
 
Moving to Boston to begin grad school meant I was supposed to start a new life -- not dig through a past I thought I'd left behind four years ago. But when I saw the poster for Random Acts of Crazy, all I could think about was the drummer, Sam Hinton, the boy I'd loved in high school and who disappeared with my heart.
 
Who knew I'd become the living version of Magic Mike?
 
Seeing Amy Smithson at my gig and watching her win a kiss from my bandmate, Liam, was a gut punch. Four years ago we squared off in a high school debate that had higher stakes than we ever imagined, and here I was…wanting what I'd walked away from. Are there too many secrets between us to allow her to trust me again?
 
And can I trust myself?
 
The second book in the Random series after the wildly successful New York Times and USA Today bestseller Random Acts of Crazy, Random Acts of Trust is a New Adult romantic comedy that explores the love between one man, one woman, and ends with one Happily Ever After (and no cliffhangers or chickens!). Fate took their lives by storm four years ago and put an unbreachable gulf between Sam and Amy. This 87,000 word/346 page book asks: Can time really heal all wounds…or are some scars too deep? 
 

Random Acts of Trust is just $.99 for a limited time!

Regular price for this full-length novel will be $3.99.

Stay tuned for future emails when it goes live on Nook, iTunes, Kobo, All Romance eBooks, and Bookstrand!


Also get Random Acts of Crazy on Amazon for just $.99 to celebrate! See how the series started with Darla, Trevor and Joe...

 
 
New Releases from my author friends! You definitely don't want to miss these wonderful new books!

Breathe by Lauren Jameson
Diving In by Gretchen Galway
Cowboy's Way by Cathryn Fox
Barely Undercover by Sarah Castille
Last Hit by Jessica Clare and Jen Frederick