Look What Evernight Did in May 2012!

Azia Clemmon's husband has been on deployment for a little less than a year. On a whim she agrees to go out with a girlfriend. While at the club her girlfriend leaves and Azia is left to her own devices. Feeling empowered, wearing a little black dress, she decides to spend her night out on the town.

She meets a man and sparks fly.

Jase thought he was surprising his wife when he came home without telling her. He was the one in shock when he discovered her gone. Unsure what to do, he goes by the local club for a drink. That's where he saw her. It was wrong, he was a married man. She was a married woman. That didn't stop the desire that rocked his body for her. One night was all he asked for.

Come morning they would both have to go home and all they had promised each other was no regrets.

***************

Army Medic, Private Michael Crest, is quite content in his life with the exception of one thing—he’s in need of a good man and has his sights set on another medic, Specialist Jared Prophet.

The problem? Jared’s in deep denial about his sexuality.

After an unexpected, erotic exchange, Jared decides his only recourse is to distance himself from Michael and plans a trip to his family’s lake-house with friends, which would have worked, if one of his friends hadn’t invited Michael to tag along.

As a tropical storm hits the Texas Gulf Coast, the two men give into unbridled passion. But more than the weather gets rough when the storm passes and Jared learns his parents are among the missing.

Can the lovers endure the fallout or will unearthed truths prove more devastating than any natural disaster?

After all, just because they aren’t gonna ask, doesn’t mean they want you to tell…

Be Warned: m/m sex

***************

Lady India will settle for nothing less than a grand passion, but she’s convinced her fiancé wants nothing more than a marriage of convenience. So she hardens her heart and does whatever it takes to make Lord Bartholomew break their betrothal…including tangling with one of the most hardened rakes in London.

Bartholomew is enraged when he finds India in a shady alcove with another man. Enraged but also excited. Clearly the proper restraint of a gentleman is no longer necessary, and he resolves to make India his at last. If that means anticipating their wedding vows, then so be it! It's time his flighty fiancée was taken in hand.

***************

The editor is always right... Katia Lane, a down-on-her-luck writer, finds this out the hard way. When she submits an erotic tale to Daring Desires Publishing, one headstrong woman meets another as an author/editor war ensues. There's no room for a diva in the publishing industry, and Sylvia L. Avers means to demonstrate this to the fledging writer. When you submit a manuscript to Daring Desires, you submit more than a book...you submit yourself.

As a BDSM conference nears, both women prepare to face off. Which one is going to be on top?

Be Warned: f/f sex, sex toys, BDSM, public exhibition

***************

Caught up in a centuries old battle for power, Kate finds herself thrown back into ancient Egypt, when the priests of RA, using the Black Book of Fire, resurrect the Scarab King, and use it to send him back in time to defeat the evil queen SobeKnefru.

Cursed, buried alive and waiting for over four thousand years to feel the sun again, Setti realizes that freedom bears a heavy price. His desire for revenge and the woman with red hair who makes his blood boil and heart beat with life, threatens to destroy what he must do to remove his evil sister from power and restore Egypt. Can he ignore what he feels for Kate and embrace his curse for the sake of his country or will he defy the Gods and claim the woman from the future as his?

***************

Chosen, 2

Caroline is the key to fulfilling a prophecy. Her marriage to Prince Sloane is the final seal on his destiny to unite countries and lead an empire. He declares war on a rival vampire clan, but before he leaves he makes one request of Caroline. That she take her childhood sweetheart, Lord Luke Stone, as a Second.

A Second is man who binds himself to a woman with the promise to protect her at all costs and acts as a surrogate husband. To appease Sloane, Luke and Caroline agree. After he leaves, the royals of Bernehart are sent away for their own protection. While in exile, Luke and Caroline find themselves drawn to each other once more. They not only have their desires to contend with, but also danger from their enemies. And the big question is, what will happen to their relationship when Sloane returns?

Be Warned: menage sex, anal sex

***************

Gideon ‘Lord Craven’ Broyles pursues his naughty, nocturne adventures in the secret, salacious underworld of the east-end of 1887 London. The sexy and dangerous viscount will try everything just to have any kind of emotional reaction.

Olivia Durham is known as ‘Mistress Birch’ at the infamous club, The Riding Crop. Wielding a crop of her own, she coolly dispenses lashings to her male, aristocratic clients. Her world is shaken when Lord Craven makes a shocking proposal.

Is it possible two emotionally closed off people can find intimacy? What lengths will they take?

Be Warned: BDSM, voyeurism, m/m sex

***************

Five years ago, Sam pushed Gabriel away because he couldn’t face his own fears about being openly gay in his small hometown. He had another secret too, but he believed no one could help him, not even Gabriel. He took actions that broke Gabriel’s heart, and his own, but then tragedy unexpectedly freed him from the need for secrecy. And Gabriel returned.

Gabriel told himself he only wanted to comfort Sam, but in his heart he knew he wanted more. He wanted answers, and he wanted Sam’s love. Just as Gabriel is convincing Sam they can be happy together, events force Sam to reveal all his secrets to his family. These revelations cause all the disharmony Sam always feared, and Gabriel can only hope that this time Sam will realize their love is worth fighting for.

Be Warned: m/m sex

***************

Kelly Minton hides away in a Manhattan apartment building, amusing herself by striking fear in the hearts of the other residents and especially the lazy superintendent. When she's not slicing into someone with her merciless tongue, she's writing erotic stories on her faithful computer and listening to Frank Sinatra at all hours, much to the irritation of her neighbors. Since her father owns the building, no one dares stand up to her notoriously frosty temper.

But all that is about to change for Kelly when the mailman delivers to the wrong box and she finds that the sexy new resident in the apartment below is not about to let her reputation as "The Shrew in 4C" stop him from getting to the root of her issues, as well as into her panties. And under her skin.

Be Warned: anal sex, sex toys, public exhibition

***************

Could Dane Clark, respected reporter, be the serial killer Jill has tracked across the states? Worse yet, has her obsession to catch him turned into a bond of another kind?

***************

Cape Falls, 2

Welcome to Cape Falls, a town with old-fashioned values.

When Anna Myer’s parents died in a car accident, David and Paul Steer took her in and cared for her. For years she nursed a crush for the two men, only to be rejected and pushed away.

Crushed with the rejection and believing the Steer Brothers could never love her the way she wanted, Anna left Cape Falls.

Three years passed since she left the men she loved. Anna returns with a new determination and she knows the secret that David and Paul tried to keep away from her.

There is a rumor that the Steer men share one woman. Anna wants to be that woman.

Can she prove to Paul and David she is the woman they need? Can her men overcome their fears? And after so long of being alone will she finally belong to the Steer brothers?

Be Warned: menage sex (MFM), bondage, anal sex

***************

The Soul Collectors, 1

Discarded most of his life, Jamie had learned as a teen that he was a Soul Collector, one of a mysterious group who fought the demons that attacked fellow humans. Cast out into the world, alone, the orphan fought hard to find his way, ending up in a seminary of all places. But chastity wasn’t a problem. He had no time or trust for relationships, let alone love.

Ios felt protective of the Soul Collector, the one the prophecy claimed would one day be his mate. Following the human for years, Ios had done everything he could to ensure his safety without stepping out of the shadows. He also held his lust in check, knowing Jamie would never accept him.

The time was upon them to join forces. Could Jamie handle who and what Ios was, and trust the growing feelings between them before it was too late?

***************

Four-Letter Word, 2

What if you met your soul-mates after you crashed your bicycle? Would you recognize them?

For Sherry, the two men who come to her rescue are gorgeous, fun, and delicious to kiss. She forgets all about them until they meet again at a charity-kissing booth. Is it fate? Destiny? Who cares? Eli and Simon are rich, handsome, and eligible. Kissing them is awesome. Watching them kiss each other is even better, but Sherry knows not to take her infatuation too seriously.

However, when she encounters them for a third time at a deserted highway rest stop, the kisses they share leave her breathless and yearning for more. Something is different. Her lust for their lips might be turning into a desire for love and happily ever after, but her secrets may spell disaster. Can Eli and Simon heal her wounded heart? Will they kiss her qualms away?

Be Warned: menage romance (MMF), anal sex, mm sex

***************

What’s the harm in a little white lie?

Especially when it could carry so much good—a new life for a wounded soldier, catharsis after long years of war, and an opportunity for lady composer Olivia Delancey to finally hear her music played in public.

Newspaper publisher Will Marsh refuses to compound the sins of his father’s generation by taking money to print propaganda. But with the end of the wars in France and America, he needs something new to drive Londoners to grab his paper first. Why not publish the score of the “Tune That Took Waterloo,” by a wounded vet, no less?

As Olivia struggles to keep her secrets from this unsuitably alluring publisher, and Will fights to find the truth without losing his hold on this bright-eyed angel who has descended into his life, both discover another sort of truth.

Being the talk of London can be bad—or very, very good.

***************

Wade Linley never thought he’d live to see the day when he’d receive a frantic call from Emily Richardson asking him to drive out to the Mountain View B and B because she was about to be arrested for first degree murder. However, the evidence is overwhelming. Now she’s on her way to jail and has only one request—for Wade to phone call her granddaughter, Sophie, and ask her to come home. Wade knows having her back in town means nothing but trouble for his heart.

Sophie can’t believe it’s Wade’s voice on the other end of the line and that her grandmother has been arrested for murder. Going home is a must but things would be a lot easier if Wade wasn’t there. After all, she did break his heart eight years ago. Together, can these once childhood sweethearts clear Emily’s name and put their differences aside while rediscovering their love for one another?

***************

The Bound Tetralogy, 3

Unbound, in love, and betrothed, Isaac Ainsley and Liz Triest could not be happier to start the next chapter of their lives together. But trouble lies ahead for the engaged couple.

Without the binding, Liz is exposed to an onslaught of demons, as she is a source of great power. Isaac has his job cut out for him as he wards off masses of cambions, all vying for Liz’s affection. Will he meet his match when one of the cambions is his half-brother?

Be Warned: light bondage

***************

What would you do if night after night a dark, deliciously handsome man brought you to the brink of sexual fulfillment never letting you find that whirling orgasm his lips, hands and mouth promised? Then, you met him in the flesh unexpectedly? This happens to Farrah Williams and she will have her hands full with this wildly sexual man.

Only he is not an ordinary man but King Trey Hill, the guardian of the elements that keeps the balance of the Earth. The weight of mankind rests solely on his wide, muscular shoulders and he is facing a battle when his ability to shift into his mystical creature stops.

Together Trey and Farrah are like two flames that burn intensely. The sexual chemistry between them is white-hot. But is a relationship meant to be? Will Trey be able to solve the mystery of his inability to shift?

***************

Only two obstacles block Shelby Donaldson’s path to success at her new job—her sizzling hot supervisor and his freezing cold attitude. Maybe her flirting got a little out of hand at first, but that’s no reason for Mr. Sighs-A-Lot to screw her over in her performance review.

Colin Montoya is not going to fall for Shelby’s sex-in-a-suit brand of temptation. He’s got her number and is not going to dial it, nor is he going to allow Shelby’s philandering brother to marry his baby sister.

After an explosive one-night stand goes awry, battle lines are drawn. But can the warring co-workers negotiate a cease-fire long enough to realize their romantic fortunes might just lie in each other?

***************

Tales from the Vampire Scribe, 2

Fresh out of NYU’s School of Journalism, Savannah Blake is hungry for a story to catapult her career as a serious news reporter. She’ll do whatever it takes to get the scoop, even if it means sleeping with the enemy.

Vampire fledgling Bobby DuBois recently relocated to the Big Apple from the Louisiana Bayou. Taking a job as a bartender at The Crypt, a bar crawling with creatures of the night, he tries to stay under the radar. The task, however, is made difficult by a smart-talking blonde with killer legs and a million-dollar smile. Savannah struts up to the bar fishing for information on his boss, Andreas Kristopolous, the notorious leader of New York City’s vampire coven.

For the life of him, Bobby can’t figure out why the beautiful snitch looks so damn familiar. By the time the mystery is solved, it’s too late. He’s already addicted.

Be Warned: spanking, anal sex

***************

Naughty Fairy Tales

Max is a soldier down on his luck, and when the king sends out a call for volunteers to solve the mystery of the twelve dancing princesses, Max figures he has nothing to lose. Nothing, of course, except his head if he should fail. Max has faced death before and doesn't fear it, but when he meets the princesses, all lovely, light-hearted, and battling constant exhaustion due to their mysterious nightly escapades, he realizes he could lose his heart as well.

To win his princess, Max must break the spell. But he must face the truth that the twelve princesses are terribly naughty and do much more than just dance, and he will have to join in the amorous festivities himself to get them out.

Be Warned: spanking, public exhibition, menage sex, multiple partners, anal sex, bondage, voyeurism

***************

Russian born Dayd Radlavich, CIA watchdog, can't allow himself to feel sorry for this knockout ex-wife. She's a new widow and at high risk. He must keep his feelings in check or he could jeopardize the mission and possibly end their lives.

Nikki is deeply stirred by the debonair Russian, and with her life disintegrating around her, she yearns for someone strong she can count on. But experience tells her this hot guy with the European accent, who exudes danger and sexuality, is not that man. Or is he?

***************

Immortal Guardians, 2

Nitro has spent centuries committing crimes and slaughtering countless. As a fire demon, her Instinct to create chaos has made her one of the most feared demons in existence—both in the Lore and by humans who have witnessed her wrath. When she’s hired to work with the Lore-legendary Guardians, her own curiosity draws her into their world.

But when she’s introduced to Raider, a vampire warrior within the Guardians, her conviction begins to fade.

Raider has mourned the loss of his wife and children for a century. Only his duty to the Guardians has kept him from hunting down the fire demons that murdered his family. His resolve diminishes when Nitro—a bitchy, all-around pain in the ass—joins the Guardians’ ranks. Can he learn to love a creature that may have been responsible for his family’s death, or will his pride stand in their way?

Be Warned: violence

***************

The Giovanni Clan, 2

Marco Giovanni has shut off his emotions following a messy divorce. His small daughter and his chain of bakeries are all he needs in his life. The string of nannies are an unfortunate necessity he could well do without. So why does his body have to remember its needs now with the latest and most unsuitable nanny ever?

Elise has always been the responsible one, so when she receives yet another SOS phone call from her wayward twin, she does the only thing she can do, she steps into her shoes. Having to go back to nannying is hard enough, the unexpected attraction to her arrogant employer is impossible to deal with. Especially when she is forced to agree to a marriage of his convenience to pay off the debt her twin accrued.

In a marriage based on blackmail can passion turn into love, or will secrets and lies destroy all?

Be Warned: bondage, anal sex

***************

Darren Johnson never had much liking for his boss, Jensen Brookes. But when the two are thrown together on an impromptu business trip, they start to get to know each other for the first time and there's no denying that there's a strong mutual attraction between them.

After a hot encounter, both men have to return back to the office and their otherwise mundane lives doing their best to keep their feelings in check.

A line has been crossed and their professional relationship has changed into something much deeper. Could it be just lust or possibly love?

Be Warned: m/m sex

**************

The Brides of Darkness, 2

Gypsy girl Elisa has never fit in with her clan and has always longed for a wilder life. When she finds an injured wolf in the woods, she discovers a magical talent beyond her dreams, a man beyond her fantasies, and a new life that promises all the wildness and danger she could want.

Dark is a wulfen, both man and wolf, and his passion will sweep Elisa off her feet and force her to choose between her people and her freedom. If Elisa stays with the gypsies, she has nothing but an unwanted marriage to look forward to. With Dark she has rapture and excitement—but can a human girl truly survive amongst the wolves?

***************

A late night trek on a lonely stretch of highway gets Kellee yawning…that is until a hot stranger in a sports car catches up and begins to give her a naughty show. Enthralled, she can’t take her eyes off the dirty things he does, her eyes glued to his body more than the road.

When he points to a rest stop sign, she knows she’s at an impasse…keep on driving for home, or take a ride on the wild side? Should she take a chance for one wild, hot night?

Be Warned: BDSM, spanking, public exhibition, sex toys, anal play

ARe Interview

We are this week's featured authors over at the ARe Cafe! Come check out our interview and say "hi". Thanks, everyone, for your friendship and support!

Interview with Isabella Olivia Ellis

Please help us welcome Evernight's Isabella Olivia Ellis! She's stopped by Boundless as the Sea for a quick interview about her new release.

Caroline is the key to fulfilling a prophecy. Her marriage to Prince Sloane is the final seal on his destiny to unite countries and lead an empire. He declares war on a rival vampire clan, but before he leaves he makes one request of Caroline. That she take her childhood sweetheart, Lord Luke Stone, as a Second. A Second is man who binds himself to a woman with the promise to protect her at all costs and acts as a surrogate husband. To appease Sloane, Luke and Caroline agree. After he leaves, the royals of Bernehart are sent away for their own protection. While in exile, Luke and Caroline find themselves drawn to each other once more. They not only have their desires to contend with, but also danger from their enemies. And the big question is, what will happen to their relationship when Sloane returns?
AD: What first drew you to writing? Writing romance? 

IOE: I’ve been writing since I was old enough to form coherent words. My main genre is literary short stories and poems. I decided to try my hand at romance because I was tiring of the pompous attitude that can dominate that genre. The pretension got to be overwhelming, and I missed the joy I used to take from writing. I wanted fantasy and happy endings and hot sex. I wanted to be able to go in the direction I felt called in without feeling like someone would be looking down their nose at me.

Don’t get me wrong--writing romance is not easy. It’s not easy in the technical sense, and it’s not easy to get accepted. However, I just find it a kinder world than the one I used to write exclusively in. Fellow romance writers tend to be warmer, and I feel a greater sense of community.

AD: I hear you there and totally agree! Your first novel with Evernight was recently released (and congratulations on your bestseller star!). What inspired you to write The Vampire's Bride? What about its sequel?

IOE: Thank you! There were numerous things I desired to write when I began The Vampire’s Bride. I wanted a twist on the damsel in distress story. I wanted action and danger within a romance story. I wanted a historical tale that I could put my own spin on. Thus, these things formed together to make the plot of The Vampire’s Bride. With the sequel, I wanted to return to the story to tie up loose ends. Most notably, I wanted Lord Luke Stone to have a happy ending, and I just couldn’t see that happening unless it was somehow with Caroline.

AD: How long did each book take you to write?

IOE: The Vampire’s Bride was a labor of love despite being so short (approximately 15,500 words). It took me three to four months. I loved returning to the characters for The Vampire’s Second and since I enjoyed it so much, it was a much quicker process. It was about a month of daily writing.

AD: What was the most difficult aspect of writing The Vampire's Bride? The easiest? What about The Vampire's Second? Are there going to be more books in this series?

IOE: The Vampire’s Bride was difficult in the technical sense, as it was only my second completed manuscript (and first published). I was getting a feel for where to start new chapters, how to avoid head-hopping, and trying to avoid redundancy. The Vampire’s Second was more about deciding which angle to take. It almost went in a completely different direction.

AD: Please tell us one thing about each of your heroes and one about each of your heroines that does not make it into the book.

IOE: This combines two characters, but if Caroline had not been the Chosen, her father would have betrothed her to Luke Stone as his parents own land that borders her family’s estate. Thus, they would have ended up together anyway.

Sloane’s grandfather (the former king of Bernehart) is still alive, at over two hundred years old. After giving his son (Sloane’s father) the throne, he retired to an island off the coast of Bernehart.

AD: You have mentioned that you often begin stories but do not finish them. Is there a particular story you have begun that you intend to return to? Tell us a bit about it. If not, what makes the difference between a story you complete and one that you do not?

IOE: I have ideas outlined for a medieval fantasy ménage romance. The premise is a maiden who is about to be married off to an awful wealthy merchant, but ends up lost in the woods and is rescued by a pair of shifters. I even went so far as buying books to research the time period, but the project has been sidelined since I decided to start writing the third (and final) book in the Chosen series, The Vampire’s Sister.

AD: Which heroine is your favorite? Why? What about the heroes? Why?

IOE: Caroline Vaughan is the first to come to mind, but Sloane’s sister Emma is coming into her own in the second book. In the first book, Emma is aloof and cold. In the second, we begin to see more of her character, and she grows into a more independent person by Caroline’s example.

I try to keep it a secret, but I prefer Luke Stone to Sloane. I love an underdog, which a childhood sweetheart is when compared to a prince. The Fates seemed destined for Sloane and against Luke, so I feel right in rooting for him. In regards to looks, I also dig blonde haired, blue eyed men.

AD: Please describe a typical writing session for us.

IOE: These days, I get writing in whenever and wherever I can. My office doubles as the guest room and since we’ve had guests lately (and will again for the whole summer), I haven’t been able to lock myself away as I prefer to do.

AD: What is your biggest challenge in writing?

IOE: Sticking with a story. I have tons of ideas, yet few make it past a couple thousand words.

AD: What is the most surprising thing about you?

IOE: I’ve had readers message me after seeing a photo to express their surprise at how young I am. So, I’d say it would have to be being 25 and a published erotica author.

AD: Thanks so much for stopping by today! Find more about Isabella here. And you can follow her on her blog as well.

Raven McAllan's "Riding Ryder"

If anyone had told me, a year ago that I'd willingly give up the beach, the surf and ogling the hot bods, I'd have laughed. Bet my boogieboard on them being wrong, even on a temporary basis.

Oh fuck, how I'd have lost, big time. Er am I allowed to say fuck on here?

Hi, I'm Logan Millar. Aussie, surfer, traveller and all round good guy. I hope. Oh and I'm gay and in love.

Anyway, I'd gone to Scotland to meet a guy. A very special guy who helps people understand their sexuality. I wanted to learn from him. He helped my sister and I wanted to do the same sort of thing.

Instead I fell hook line and cock in love with Caleb Ryder.

But a guy who's a hands on—and sometimes cock in therapist—is one thing in the abstract. It's one hell of a something else when it's the guy you love.

Of course I told Caleb I could cope, well I thought I could, no problem, his mind wasn’t involved, it was only his body.

However, I shared that body, and the thought of those clever hands, that fucking amazing cock on some one else or in someone else was hard to swallow. I managed, not too badly with the help of his sister the inimitable Doris. (You know she reminds me of someone else with that name.)

And then…. Well, no, I'm not telling you any more, just that life has been bloody difficult. I love that man, he loves me, but is love enough?

You'll need to read our story to find out.

Adonis said they will do a freebie for me. Give one of you kind readers a chance to win a copy of our story. Well there is a catch of course. No sadly not me, though yeah, to some people I'm a catch, I'm really sorta hoping I'm caught! So anyway the catch is only a teensy weensy one. Hey, I so love that expression! Okay, get back on track Logan, right you need to click to follow this lovely blog, and Raven's…Then well who knows you may get to follow us for free.

Happy following to you all, thanks for listening.

***************

A taste of what's inside:
Caleb smiled, and it transformed his face; he looked both happy and satisfied. "Good. So…open your legs." Not a command. A plea? An entreaty? Said in a tone guaranteed to make you agree. Logan did. He moving his legs apart, feeling the gentle pressure of a jet of water hit him at the base of his cock. Involuntarily, he moaned.

"What do you feel?" Caleb's voice was softly insistent. "Shut your eyes and explore your mind. Enjoy the sensations your body is giving you. Move your hands. Cup your cock. Nothing else. Just cup, hold, and feel."

There was silence in the room, broken only by the sound of the rippling water. Even the birds seemed to be holding their breath. Logan sensed Caleb moving, felt him move behind him before touching his head lightly on each side.

"What do you feel?"

"You, your hands. Exploring my mind."

"And?"

Logan paused. Could he really describe how he felt holding himself? He gained the strength of resolution from the sense of Caleb with him. He moved his head slightly from side to side. To feel Caleb still there. The sensations grew even stronger.

"Lift your head. Move forward."

Water swirled and he felt Caleb sink into the water behind him. Caleb's legs enclosed him, one on each side of his body. He felt him sit on the bench behind him and pull him back into the cocoon he had created. Caleb's rigid cock was pressed tightly against him. He wriggled to feel its hardness.

"No," Caleb insisted. "You don't need me, not now. I'm your support, but you are your guide. My hands are where they are to help your mind. My cock is where it is, because it's part of my body. No other reason. Not yet. Focus. Feel you from you. What's your body telling you?"

That I want to fuck you? Maybe not the right thing to say at the moment. Logan tried to clear his mind of everything except feeling. "Um, warmth, happiness. Arousal." Logan struggled to put his feelings into words. "Jeez, my cock feels incredible. Hard and soft. Steel and velvet. Your hands seem to hold my heart. My emotions. Fuck, Caleb, it's incredible. I can feel our heartbeats echoing each other. I want to come, but then again I don't. I want to watch you come."

"Not yet. Explore yourself some more. Use your hands now if you want to. That gorgeous cock knows your touch. What other part of your body would like to feel your hands? Your nipples? Try them and see. Let the sensations build. Tell me what you sense." Caleb's voice was mesmerizing, but Logan knew he wasn't in a trance. He knew he was in charge of his own body, his own mind. But he was being given the chance to explore both, something if he was honest, he hadn't taken the time to.

He touched one of his nipples tentatively. Felt it blossom. Then moved to give attention to the other with the same incredible reaction.

"See how your body reacts to itself, Logan?" Caleb spoke softly, not breaking the mood. "That's you, making yourself respond. No one else, not me, just you. Are you thinking of someone? Have a picture in your mind?" Logan shook his head. "Exactly," Caleb said. "Your body is responding to you. Let's get out of here." Caleb put his arms under Logan's and helped him to stand up.

***************

Blog
Web
Facebook and Twitter, you can follow me at "Raven McAllan"

And where to buy the book? Breathless Press, Amazon, Allromance Ebooks, Bookstrand and 1placeforromance!

Alex Bowman's "Losing His Religion"

I'd like to welcome Evernight Publishing newcomer, Alex Bowman, who has exploded on the scene with a new release! 

The Soul Collectors, 1

Discarded most of his life, Jamie had learned as a teen that he was a Soul Collector, one of a mysterious group who fought the demons that attacked fellow humans. Cast out into the world, alone, the orphan fought hard to find his way, ending up in a seminary of all places. But chastity wasn’t a problem. He had no time or trust for relationships, let alone love.

Ios felt protective of the Soul Collector, the one the prophecy claimed would one day be his mate. Following the human for years, Ios had done everything he could to ensure his safety without stepping out of the shadows. He also held his lust in check, knowing Jamie would never accept him.

The time was upon them to join forces. Could Jamie handle who and what Ios was, and trust the growing feelings between them before it was too late?

Be Warned: m/m sex

***************

“So did you?”

“Did I?”

“Know I was yours the moment you saw me?” Jamie pinned him with a look of lust he’d never quite seen flash on the man’s face before.

Mine. Ios’s felt the rush of need spiral through him with such force that it nearly took him to his knees. His cock thickened and he felt his balls tighten. His whispered “Yes…” floated on the air, his body trembling with the hard-won control to stand in place and not cross the room and force the human to the floor under him.

“I don’t know that I believe in fated lovers, predetermined to find one another.”

“I’m not asking you to believe in anything.” Ios believed enough for the both of them.

“I will admit, there is something…”

Something? “What?” He needed Jamie to say it, that he wanted Ios. Needed Ios.

Jamie’s face flamed and he glanced down, apparently unable to put the emotions he felt into words.

Fuck it. Control is overrated.

Ios stomped across the small space, grasped Jamie’s head in his hands and pressed his lips against the smoldering heat of the human’s mouth. Swallowing the gasp of pleasure, he thrust his tongue into Jamie’s mouth and tasted the ale left lingering there, as well as the heat and taste of his male.

When he felt Jamie’s hands spreading across his chest and moving down his stomach, he tightened his whole body, needing for the hands to venture further south, needing the male to show him that he wanted more through his exploration. As warm hands rubbed against his hardened cock through his jeans he could have shouted in joy. He deepened the kiss, pressing his hips forward, languishing in the caress from his male.

Ripping the shirt open, baring Jamie’s chest, the tinkering of buttons hitting the stone floor echoed around him. Ios spread his fingers along the hard muscles before him. Jamie removed the shirt, dropping it to the floor. The material puddled around his feet and Ios wanted more to follow. His shaking fingers pulled at the belt buckle Jamie wore, and he tugged at the leather, not wanting to remove his lips from the human’s.

Pulling back, he was afraid the moment would be lost if he could not keep Jamie in a frenzy. His need was too great. He could not be denied this time. Ios would have the male now, or he would explode.

Warm hands steadied his. “Let me.”

Jamie gazed into his eyes, slowly removing the belt and dropping it to the floor. His hands then went to the top of his pants and he unbuttoned them. The slow pull of the zipper reminded him that he was overclothed as well. Ios removed his t-shirt in a flash and kicked off his shoes. By the time his pants were gone, Jamie also stood naked.

His hands ached to touch the male, to explore every single inch of flesh he had to offer up for his inspection. Jamie was beautiful. Small, firm muscles curved over his slim build, his skin nearly unmarred. The wound in his chest was no longer visible.

A small smattering of blond hair started below his belly button and thickened as it surrounded his jutting cock. Fully erect, it stood proud against his stomach, a pearl of fluid shining at the tip of the purple head. Thick veins spread along the shaft and Ios’s mouth watered to taste the flesh. Dropping to his knees before his human, he got a closer look at what the male had to offer.

***************

One lucky commenter gets a free PDF copy, so say "hi" to Alex!

Losing His Religion is also available at Amazon, Bookstrand, and All Romance Ebooks!

A Light in the Darkness VI

Today’s blog is in response to a couple of requests from fellow authors and editors. Today we shine the candle in a new direction: formatting. 

Now, there are multiple ways to do many of the things I am going to address, but, for simplicity’s sake, I will focus on one way each.

When setting up your document, check the requirements of the place you intend to send this work. If you have no particular place in mind yet, start by adjusting your font to Times New Roman. When using Microsoft Word (I know that it sucks like a starving vampire, but we’re stuck with it. I am a Linux-lover myself, but you do what you must.) there is a bar across the top. Toward the left-hand corner, but not all the way to the left, is a small box with a font name in it. Click on the tiny arrow in that box, and a whole selection of fonts will appear. Scroll through as necessary, and set it to Times New Roman. Next to the font type box is another, smaller box with a number in it. Click that box, and set that number to 12.

It'd be easier to write your manuscript if you took that stupid mask off.

Next, you should set the auto-indent. No, you should not be hitting the “Tab” button at every paragraph, and you really, really should not be spacing in. At the top of page there is tiny ruler. On the far left of said ruler there are two triangles pointing at each other. Beneath the triangles is a square. Do you see that? Good. Now drag the TOP triangle in half an inch. Yes, the inches are helpfully marked off. Go halfway to the 1. This will set the auto-indent. Now when you hit the “Enter” button, it will automatically indent the beginning of the next paragraph. 

And if you're lucky, your editor won't execute you.

The margins should usually be set to 1 inch on all sides. To do this, look once more at the bar at the top of the screen. This time, don’t look at all the little gadgets on it. Look at the line of text across the top. Third in from the left, you should see “Page Layout”. Click that. The whole toolbar will change, and you should see a button labeled “Margins”. Click it. “Custom Margins” should drop down when you do. Click that. A pop-up should appear in the center of the screen, and on it you should see all the margins listed out. Simply click the appropriate arrows until they are set to 1 inch. Don’t forget to click the “OK” button at the bottom when you have finished setting the margins.

Click this. Always. Your computer is insecure and needs the reassurance.

At the end of a chapter, do not press “Enter” until you hit the next page. Just … don’t do that. Instead, press Ctrl + Enter. The “Ctrl” button is usually in the lower left-hand corner of the keyboard. Pressing this in conjunction with the “Enter” button will create a page break.

As for the spacing in your work, please make sure that the whole manuscript is evenly spaced. On Microsoft Word, there is a section in the toolbar labeled “Paragraph”. This contains the justification options (in order, left, center, right, and justified), and then a button with lines and an up and down arrow on it. Click this button. It will pull up a pop-up with “Line Spacing Options” on it. There is a list of numbers, and it often appears to default to 1.15. Usually publishing houses or agents will prefer 1.5 or 2. Click on the number of your choice (again, I recommend 2). There are also, at the bottom of the line-spacing pop-up, two options. “Add/Remove Space Before Paragraph” and “Add/Remove Space After Paragraph”. It will have “Add” if you have it set to no paragraph, and “Remove” if you have it set to paragraph. Generally, it is preferable to have it set to no paragraphs. Choose the “Remove” option when possible. 

If you type your manuscript on this, you get bonus points.

Do not do fancy things. Do not give your manuscript fancy borders. It will not make an acquisitions editor think your work stands out; it will merely irritate.

That is all for this week, but if there are further questions or requests, I will do another special formatting spot. Keep those grammar candles burning!

A Light in the Darkness V

Over this past week I have noticed this particular problem coming up and casting its evil shadow across the grammar-scape. There was only one thing to be done. This week's grammar blog must address the issue of your/you're.

Yeah, I'm talking to you.

The difficulty with this issue comes from the fact that they sound very similar in speech, and they are very close in spelling. But their meanings are completely different.

“Your” is the second person (singular and plural) possessive. Here is an example.

“Your crossbow is out of blessed bolts, so the rakshasa will devour your soul.”

WTH is a rakshasa?!

Both the crossbow and the soul belong to you (at least until the rakshasa devours the soul), so the possessive “your” is correct.

“You missed with your last bolt, and you're as good as dead.”

“You're” is correct here because “you are” would be correct. Do you remember the apostrophe blog? The apostrophe here is the scar remaining from when the “a” was brutally ripped from the word “are”.

The easiest way to remember is if you could replace the word you want with “you are”, then then word you want is “you're”.

For a free bonus, the “they're” and “their” question is addressed in exactly the same way.

“They're” is the contraction of “they are”, and if you could use “they are”, then use “they're”. If you want to use a possessive, to show ownership, then use “their”.

“Their last battle with the vampires was fought here, and they're buried over there.”

Seriously, what is this obsession with vampires?

The battle belonged to them, so “their” is correct. You could also write “they are buried over there”, so “they're” is correct.

(“There” is another word entirely, and it deserves its own entry.)

Until next week, keep those grammar candles burning! I leave you with this, via Pam. Thanks, Pam!

Guest Spot: Lila Shaw

Konnichiwa! And thanks for inviting me all the way to Japan to introduce myself and my new book, All's Fair in Love and War.

For those who aren't familiar with me, my name is Lila Shaw and I write erotic romance and erotica. Lila is a pen name because I write under multiple names to differentiate between readership. I prefer to keep my real name semi-private, mostly because I work in a rather conservative branch of corporate America. I also don't want my seventy-something mother to have to defend my writing to her Sunday school class. She was already excommunicated from one southern Baptist church for her "sinful" views.

I've been writing as Lila since 2010 and as Claire Gillian (my mainstream adult fiction and non-fiction pen name) since late 2008. I also write for teens under a third name that I won't mention.

My erotic writings typically involve strong-willed women with feminist tendencies, and are often playful, sarcastic and even silly. I believe if you can’t occasionally laugh at the physical aspects of love, you’re taking life far too seriously.

Published works include my May 11th release, All's Fair in Love and War, short stories in the Midnight Seduction and Stockings and Suspenders anthologies, all from Evernight Publishing. As Claire Gillian, my debut novel, The P.U.R.E., a romantic mystery, was released April 16th. Upcoming works include short stories in the following anthologies: Conquest Through Determination (steampunk themed from Pill Hill Press) and Tidal Whispers (ocean creatures-themed from J. Taylor Publishing).

I live in the rainy Pacific NW USA with my very funny husband and two teenaged sons.

Domo arigato!


Blurb:
Only two obstacles block Shelby Donaldson’s path to success at her new job–her sizzling hot supervisor and his freezing cold attitude. Maybe her flirting got a little out of hand at first, but that’s no reason for Mr. Sighs-A-Lot to screw her over in her performance review.

Colin Montoya is not going to fall for Shelby’s sex-in-a-suit brand of temptation. He’s got her number and is not going to dial it, nor is he going to allow Shelby’s philandering brother to marry his baby sister.

After an explosive one-night stand goes awry, battle lines are drawn. But can the warring co-workers negotiate a cease-fire long enough to realize their romantic fortunes might just lie in each other?


Excerpt:
Colin watched Shelby leave, baffled as usual by her flighty behavior. She was the most frustrating woman he had ever met, in more ways than one. Having to work with her for three weeks had stretched his tolerance to the limit. He was grateful to finally be rid of her, the signed performance review in his hot little hands. If only his body felt the same way about her as his head.

He rose from his chair and followed her out. He checked his watch. Nearly five-thirty. Since it was also a Friday, happy hour at the usual location awaited. Good thing, too, because he always felt like a stiff drink after an exchange with Shelby Donaldson.

Shelby sashayed around the corner to her cubicle. Colin couldn’t help but track her hips as they swayed. Exasperated with his unbidden reaction, he made a hard right into his own cubicle and collapsed into his chair. After lingering over a few last minute client details, he organized and stowed his work, then headed out.

At Roscoe's Sports Bar and Grill in the heart of downtown Portland, Oregon, Colin zeroed in on the tiny table a couple of his buddies had staked out near the foosball tables. Pulling up a bar stool, he ordered a beer then dove into the order of nachos that claimed nearly the entire surface of the table. He and his friends caught up with each other, and he shared the reason for his tardiness.

"Isn’t that her over there?" His friend and colleague Allan pointed to a table of giggly women near the bar.

Colin turned and saw several women from his firm, including Shelby.

"Yeah." He spun back around, hoping she hadn’t spotted him.

"Which one is she?" his other friend, Christian, asked.

"She’s the one in the red sweater with long dark hair parted on the side, big hoop earrings with these stupid cats hanging from the bottom, sinister blood red talons for fingernails. You can't miss her if you look for the pall of obstinacy that surrounds her, sort of like Pigpen from Peanuts with his cloud of dirt."

"The one with the nice rack?"

"I hadn’t noticed." Colin feigned disinterest, struggling to keep all inflection from his voice.

“I guess you were too preoccupied with her pus – kitties.” Allen slapped him on the back, and both friends guffawed.

If Colin were being honest, he’d have to admit that not much about Shelby escaped his attention – hazel eyes that danced with amusement at the oddest things, a laugh that contrasted sharply with her delicate features in its bawdiness. And yes, she had a nice rack, as well as nice legs and a tight little body she obviously pampered. Every square inch of her was designed to distract and lure a man to his doom. Even her infectious laughter, which cut through the din of the bar, got to him. It always had, but that lethal package was marred by a personality made of piss and vinegar when she didn't get her way. Given the inappropriateness of dating a co-worker, especially a subordinate, he was almost grateful for the fatal flaw.

Colin escaped to the bathrooms to shut out the mirthful sounds. On his return, he met Shelby in the narrow hallway. They did the obstacle dance with each other before he stopped and stood to one side. As she nodded then passed, he got a whiff of her perfume, the same scent she wore every day. Over his shoulder, he watched her walk away before he continued back to his table, shaking his head. He absolutely hated how she turned him upside down.

***************

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Doris O'Connor's "Too Cold to Love"

Guess who's back? That's right! Doris O'Connor, the prolific writer I love to work with. Today she's here answering questions about herself and her writing, so pull up a chair and learn more about this fabulous author!

AD: Thanks for taking time out of your super busy real-life and writing schedules to talk to us today. So, how long have you been writing? Writing romance? Was writing always something you have wanted to do? Or is it something that just developed?

DO: I've always spun stories in my head, for as long back as I can remember. As a teenager I started countless novels, as you do, lol. As an adult, life got in the way for a while, but I always thought one day I would. Then a friend entered the Mills & Boon New Voices Competition back in September 2010, and I thought to myself, why not give it a go? I didn't get anywhere in that competition, but it sparked my muse, and I've been writing ever since. It had to be romance, because that's all I read really. I just love a HEA.

AD: What inspired you to write the Giovanni Chronicles?

DO: I heard about NaNoWriMo, again back in 2010 and with a few of my newly formed critique group decided to give it a whirl. I wrote the first draft of book one of the Giovanni in about twenty days. I'm a panster, so the story just evolved from a vague idea I had, and I enjoyed the Giovanni so much, I just carried on writing.

AD: What draws you to multicultural stories? Does this element show up in many other works of yours?

DO: Well, that wasn't a conscious decision. Though thinking about it, I shouldn't have been surprised. Hubby and I are very much living our own multicultural romance—I'm German, he's English/Irish—and family, well they can be interesting, right? So, it made sense to me to explore the dynamics of a huge Italian family. I like huge families. Hubby and I have a brood of nine kids, so it's a subject dear to my heart.

AD: *hugs* Too Cold to Love is your second story in the Giovanni series. Was it originally intended to be a series? If not, what inspired you to continue? Do you have any further stories in this series planned?

DO: I didn't intend to write a series, nope. But like I said above, I enjoyed writing about them so much, I just had to carry on. I had great fun, revisiting Alex and Kitty from Book One and seeing how they fared eighteen months on. Stella plays a big part in this book, too. I do like Stella! In fact she is niggling at me as I type, so she may well get her own story. I have a definite third book planned for the series. When I wrote Too Cold to Love it became clear that Marco's cousin Giorgio and Elise's twin Jemima have unresolved history, so naturally I will have to explore that in book three.

AD: What would you say is the greatest flaw that Marco has? Elise? What are their finest qualities?

DO: Hmm, you're making me think. Marco's greatest flaw is his cynicism. He has good reason for it, but he always assumes the worst of people. Elise's greatest flaw is her devotion to her twin sister. It's also her finest quality, her loyalty to those she loves. Marco's finest quality is how deeply he feels things. He gives a good impression of being a cold fish, but he so isn't, as Elise discovers. And he's very inventive. *grins*

AD: How long did it take you to write Too Cold to Love?

DO: I wrote the first draft in a month, and then didn't look at it again for ages. Once book one had been accepted by Evernight I knew I needed to give Too Cold to Love a serious overhaul. It was my early work, so there were a lot newbie mistakes in there, and I needed to spice it up, or so I thought, lol. I was quite surprised how hot it was in places. When I first wrote it I wasn't aiming at the erotic market, but clearly Marco knew me better than I knew myself ;-)

AD: Which couple was easier to write, Marco and Elise or Alex and Kitty?

DO: Alex and Kitty was easier! It took me a while to get Marco to open up and I didn't like him much at the beginning. Actually I didn't like him at all, and I was a tad worried that readers wouldn't either. But as Elise got under his skin, and he told me why he's acting in the way he is, I fell hopelessly in love with him. He was my first truly tortured hero, and I do like a tortured hero. Elise heals him as much as he heals her, as the story unfolds. If ever two people need each other, it's those two.

AD: Who is your favorite individual character from that series?

DO: Now, that has to be Stella Giovanni. She is such a character.

AD: Please describe a typical writing session for us.

DO: I would if there was such a thing as a typical writing session. No I rephrase that. Typically I get interrupted about a gazillion times, by baby, toddler, child, teen, husband, dog and at times even cat. I do my whirlwind impression of tidying the house, and wash and dry several loads of laundry in-between typing. I swallow a curse when baby hits a button and an hour's work deletes in front of my eyes. I snap at the toddler, as I lose my train of thought, and then spend the next three hours making it up to him, cause I feel guilty when his face crumbles, even though he'll have forgotten about it in five minutes. I talk to my characters out loud on the school run and scare the locals.

I cook dinner with the netbook perched on the side, because I just have to finish 'that' chapter. I get irritated because the kids will not go to bed. Don't they know I have a story to write, dang it.

And finally, when all is quiet, I type away feverishly and end up going to bed at two in the morning, because I'm in the flow. I can't sleep because those pesky characters keep talking to me. I get up at six am and finally start to function after about three coffees. I drop the kids at school and we start the whole thing all over again.

AD: What is the most surprising thing about you?

DO: I have no patience, none. Really I don't! Folks always assume I must have, because we have so many kids, but heck no. Ask them if you don't believe me. They will dissolve into fits of giggles. 

Thanks so much for having me here today!



TOO COLD TO LOVE

Marco Giovanni has shut off his emotions, following a messy divorce. His small daughter and his chain of bakeries are all he needs in his life. The string of nannies are an unfortunate necessity he could well do without. So why does his body have to remember its needs now with the latest and most unsuitable nanny ever?

Elise has always been the responsible one, so when she receives yet another SOS phone call from her wayward twin, she does the only thing she can do, she steps into her shoes. Having to go back to nannying is hard enough, the unexpected attraction to her arrogant employer impossible to deal with. Especially when she is forced to agree to a marriage of his convenience to pay off the debt her twin accrued.

In a marriage based on blackmail can passion turn into love, or will secrets and lies destroy all?


*****
A TASTE

Marco's knowing gaze met hers in the bathroom mirror, and the heat she saw in his eyes started a slow answering fire deep within her. Awareness sparked between them.

The towel slowly slipped from her fingers. The ice hit the tiled floor with a thud and broke the spell. She almost ran into the other room and frantically tried the other door.

"I have it on good authority that they are fire doors, my lovely, so I'd give up now. I like your shoulders just the way they are, cara mia."

Marco leant against the door frame propped up by his good shoulder, his arms crossed over his chest, a slow smile on his lips. He checked the lock on the bathroom door.

"And I'm pleased to note there isn't a lock on here, lest you decide to go hiding in another bathroom. I seem to recall you were rather fond of that on our honeymoon."

Elise winced, followed by a vivid blush as she remembered their wedding night.

Marco simply smiled. He slowly advanced towards her, and Elise backed away until she bumped into the wall. He reminded her of a predator stalking his prey.

"Marco, we need to talk."

One last long stride brought him so close his thighs touched hers, and he put one hand either side of her head. His big body crowded her against the wall, and his sinful mouth hovered over hers.

"So talk, cara mia. I'm all yours."

His hot breath fanned across her face, and Elise closed her eyes. She bit back a moan when he kissed her nose and rained butterfly kisses along her jaw line. He suckled gently on just the right spot on her neck to make her knees turn to jelly.

"Marco…please…stop…"

Somehow she found the strength to put her shaking hands on his chest, only to meet hot, hard, male flesh. This time she couldn't stop the very feminine moan escaping. Was that needy sound really her?

Apparently so, judging by Marco's low groan in her ear. He moved his hand to cup her breast, the nipple thrusting shamelessly into his caress.

"You don't sound as though you want me to stop, cara mia. In fact, I would hazard a guess that you're wet enough for me to fuck you right here."

The crude words should have shocked Elise, but instead she whimpered in response to his words. He ground his hips suggestively into hers until the full force of his erection rested against her pussy. Heat flooded between her thighs, and she pulled his head down for kiss.

"You're talking too much, Tarzan."

She caught a quick glimpse of triumph in his glittering eyes before his mouth claimed hers. His tongue tangled with hers, and they both groaned. One of his hands fisted in her hair, and the other lifted her skirt. He cupped her mound and murmured his approval.

"You're so fucking wet for me."

He bunched the sodden material of her underwear in his hand and pulled. The move brought delicious pressure to her clit, and Elise panted in excitement. Cool air hit her slick folds when the material gave way with an audible rip. His large hand replaced the fabric, and her pussy clamped down on the fingers he thrust into her channel. His teeth nipped her neck, nudging her arousal up another notch, and he kicked her feet apart to spread her wider. She clung to his shoulders, rubbing her breasts against his chest, and he swore. He thrust two more fingers into her hungry cunt, and she lifted her leg to give him better access. He withdrew his fingers, and Elise tensed when he inserted one slick digit into her anus.

"Relax, pasticcino."

His eyes sought hers, and he smiled. He kissed her, and Elise relaxed into the strange sensation. When he inserted another finger into her tight hole, she gasped into his mouth. He thrust slowly in and out of her, and Elise pulled him closer to her still, as her hips moved of their own accord. Unused nerve endings sprang to life, and darts of pleasure skittered to her clitoris. Her breath came in short gaps, as her arousal built.

"That's my girl. I knew you'd like this." Marco's strained voice in her ear was the sexiest sound she'd ever heard. She pushed down on his fingers, seeking more, and moaned her disappointment when he withdrew them slowly. He grabbed her buttocks and ground her aching clit into his still covered cock. He thrust into her, and the friction on her throbbing bud proved too much for Elise.

"Please, Marco."

"What, cara mia?"

Marco pulled away, and she groaned.

"What do you want, my wife?"

The heat in his ever darkening gaze stoked her arousal to fever pitch, and she impatiently tugged at his trousers.

"I want you in me, now, Marco."

His eyes darkened further at her whispered plea, and she breathed a sigh of relief when his hands helped her free his cock. It sprung out of its confines up to his taut stomach, and Elise licked her lips in anticipation. She cupped his balls, and it was Marco's turn to groan.

"Jesus, woman, you're killing me."

He pushed her hands away, and Elise arched into his palms, when he pulled down her tank top and exposed her breasts. He kneaded each aching globe, before he pushed them together and laved the nipples in turn. Every suckle sent shards of pure pleasure down towards Elise's clit where delicious anticipation built in waves. She moaned her protest when Marco released the glistening buds and kissed his way back up to her collarbone. She could feel his strained smile before she saw it.

"Wrap your legs around me. I need to get inside you right now."
*****


Too Cold to Love is also at Amazon, Bookstrand, and All Romance!


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A Light in the Darkness IV

Today I will be discussing apostrophes. Yes, those little ' marks, those things that seem to pop up without rhyme or reason. 

Actually, there is a very good reason for them. They stand for missing letters. They are used in contractions, such as “isn't”, “wasn't”, or “won't”. In those cases the apostrophe shows that letters have been taken out of the word. “Is not” has been squished together and its “o” forcibly ripped out to make “isn't”. If you think of the apostrophe as the scar left behind from the violent removal of a letter or letters, then it becomes easier to understand.

But, you will ask, what about possessives? Why do those get apostrophes? Except for the pronoun possessives, like “his” or “her”? WHY?! 

I'm confused!

Stay calm. Those apostrophes, too, stand for where letters have been removed. Yes, they do.

Possessives have different forms in different languages, and they are not always as straightforward as the English “apostrophe s”. Japanese puts a “no” particle at the end of the word; Latin has an entire case devoted to possession. But English is a mish-mash language, one that has been mangled on multiple occasions. (Yes, Viking invasions, I am looking at you. And you, too, Normans!) English possessives used to be a bit clunkier. Here is an example of a couple of older English possessives.

“John his sword is bloody from beheading the werewolf.”

“The werewolf her severed head is rolling down the hill.”

“John his sword” is awkward to say, and it eventually – through the process known as assimilation (not the Borg kind) – became “John's sword”. The “his” was dropped, and it left an apostrophe scar behind.

Your writing style is not distinctive. It's just wrong.

But what about the werewolf? Why did the feminine possessive of “her” get transmuted to the male possessive of “his”? No, it's not a sexist plot. Try saying the following.

Ooh, naked werewolf chick.

“The werewolf's severed head.”

Now try this:

“The werewolf'r severed head.”

It's much more difficult to say, and, as I mentioned above, English has had multiple forced alterations due to invasion. Assimilation in English has been increased due to the periods in which adults tried to learn the language and passed on their mangled understanding of it to their children.

Incidentally, this origin of possessives is the explanation for why the possessive pronouns in English do not take apostrophes. Those possessive pronouns – my, your, thy, his, her, its – were the only possessive indicators for a while. They did not have any letters removed; they were left unscarred.

Plurals do not take apostrophes. They just … don't. No letters were ripped out; no scar was left. Plurals do not take apostrophes. If you are not cutting out a letter, don't add an apostrophe.

Today is Release Day!

...for The Twelve Naughty Princesses.


This is a story we whipped out in two days, one of which we sat in a cafe with a laptop and just took turns writing. We were on fire and had no problem throwing this one together -- we just hope it doesn't read thrown together! :)
We hope you enjoy this erotic twist on a classic fairy tale!

Naughty Fairy Tales

Max is a soldier down on his luck, and when the king sends out a call for volunteers to solve the mystery of the twelve dancing princesses, Max figures he has nothing to lose. Nothing, of course, except his head if he should fail. Max has faced death before and doesn't fear it, but when he meets the princesses, all lovely, light-hearted, and battling constant exhaustion due to their mysterious nightly escapades, he realizes he could lose his heart as well.

To win his princess, Max must break the spell. But he must face the truth that the twelve princesses are terribly naughty and do much more than just dance, and he will have to join in the amorous festivities himself to get them out.

Be Warned: spanking, public exhibition, menage sex, multiple partners, anal sex, bondage, voyeurism.

Oops!

Hello, friends and fans!

Going through edits for our upcoming new release, we realized something shocking! All this time, we've just assumed people already knew that all our novels take place in the same fantasy world and are (somewhat) connected! Oops, I guess we should have been clearer on that point. Anyway, there it is. If you want a quality fantasy series from an original world with romance that keeps the bedroom door open, then look no further than the world of Gilalion!

Also available at evernight, b&n, all romance, and bookstrand.


Thanks so much for your support! Look for the fourth novel in the series, Love Comes Twice, coming June 2012!