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Monday, December 31, 2007

January 2008 Torrid Sizzler of the Month Award!

Torrid Sizzler Of The Month Award,
January 2008!
JACKIE'S BEANSTALK
has been chosen as the Torrid Sizzler this month!
Enter the title of the FREE ebook you want
in the comment box at check out
and they will email you
the FREE ebook of your choice!
Buy your copy here!
Jackie’s dated a long string of losers and is, quite frankly, fed up with men and the whole dating scene. That is until one day when she finds an enormous beanstalk growing in her garden. Not bashful, she climbs it and finds a whole world—and one very handsome man—living at the top of it.
Should she commit to the dream man at the top of the stalk? Or should she tough it out with the men that surround her in her own neighborhood? Only Jackie can tell whether her destiny lies at the end of a giant beanstalk.
5 Angels from Fallen Angel Reviews!

"Jackie's Beanstalk by Rusty Wicks is hot, sexy and fun! ... I got such a kick out of this take on the old fairytale. Ms. Wicks has a sense of humor that makes this story shine. It is smart and witty and it has heart, too. ... Jackie's Beanstalk shows that dreams do come true and happily-ever-after isn't only for fairytales! A must read!" - Fallen Angel Reviews

Island Treasures released!

ISLAND TREASURES, BOOK 1 releases on January 1st!

Available here at Whiskey Creek Press Torrid!

An excerpt from Island Treasures:

“Please, be careful with this one. Fragile. Fra-gile. It’s fragile, do you understand?”

Abby reached for the shiny silver container and lifted it gently from the dock to the waiting arms of the muscular man who stood on the ferry.

A gold tooth glittered as he took her case and set it beside him with more care than she’d expected. Although she doubted his ability to understand English, her wide-eyed look, friendly smile and incessant head nodding must have bridged the language barrier. Either that or it was the fact that she was the only woman on the dock who didn’t have black hair, brown eyes and a mustache. That may have helped her cause—and her camera equipment.

Whatever the reason for his friendliness, Abby was grateful. She just wanted to get her stuff transported without anything getting broken. This trip was going to be difficult enough without starting off with cracked lenses. Or worse.

Hefting her duffel bag to her shoulder, she reached out and grasped the hand the swarthy sailor offered. Her hand, small and fine-boned, disappeared inside his beefy grip as she stepped onto the deck and smiled up at him.

“Thank you. Thank you very much for your help.” She smiled so broadly her face felt stretched. It was the last smile she had in her, too. Exhausted from a series of trans-global flights, she knew one more smile would lay her flat. Just one.

“You. Are. Vel… Velcome,” he said, tipping his dun-colored cap. With a quick glance at her tight jeans and blue eyes, he nodded and smiled, flashing one last gold glint in her direction before he reached up and took a mesh crate containing a live chicken from a local woman.

Carrying the metal box to the nearest empty space, she placed it on the floor beside her, dropped her bag and let her legs fold. Settling onto the hard wooden bench as gratefully as if it was a tufted velvet sofa, Abby let her head fall back and her eyes close.

She had done it. Just one more ride—a short one, even—and the journey would be over. From Pensacola to New York to London to Split. And from Split by ferry to Hvar. Halfway around the world.

Hell, I hope one of the guys is waiting for me when I get there. I don’t think I’ve got the patience to hang around on some Croatian island waiting for them to get their asses in gear and—what am I ranting about? They’ll be there. They’re going to be curious as hell—no one’s going to want to miss the fireworks, will they? Probably the whole damn crew will be waiting for me when I get off this ferry. Waiting to see what I’ll do, what I’ll say…

New Year's Resolutions?

You Will Keep Your New Year's Resolution
You planning on making a resolution that's smart, attainable, and perfect for where your life is.
Will You Keep Your New Year's Resolution?

Sunday, December 30, 2007

Snowboarding

It's my new love. My honey bought me a board for Christmas and already I'm hooked. Why haven't I tried this before? Why didn't anyone tell me it's a world of fun zipping across the snow attached to a board? Huh?

Today I'm going snowboarding. What about you? What have you got planned for this Sunday afternoon? Hmmm?

I'm an enquiring mind. I need to know! *BG*

Saturday, December 29, 2007

Wrapping Up

Wrapping up the old year around here. Filing things, getting my computer tuned up, straightening bills and receipts so the accountant will be pleased when I hand them over at tax time. Yes, around here it's wrap-up time. That way, I'll be set to jump right in to 2008 when it arrives.

What's going on at your house? Wrapping up?

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Back to work

Yeah, I'm finally back to work. Writing, that is. I've been on a little bit of a writer's vacation, I guess you could call it, but I think now that the holidays are over I'm going to get my butt in gear and begin to work on a new story. Something hot. Something sexy. Something that makes this long, cold, snowy Maine winter speed by a little quicker. ;-)

Hope your holidays were wonderful. Ours were fab, but as I said, now it's time for me to get back in gear. You? Why don't you take a few more days off to rest, relax and spend time with the fam. Someone's got to eat all those leftovers and play with all the neat stuff Santa left, right? So have fun, live a little. This time of year only comes around once every 365 days, remember?!

Saturday, December 22, 2007

Cookies, cookies, cookies!

Egads! We've got cookies every damn place. Really. Really.

If you read this blog with any regularity you know I take baking lessons so I love to bake. I get great recipes from the bakery where I take lessons and I'm always trying new things. But this year, I think I went overboard. It looks like we've been under a Betty Crocker invasion.

Tea, anyone? Hot chocolate? Coffee? And maybe a dozen or two cookies to wash down? Please?

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Gloomy. Perfect for hot chocolate!

Today is one of those grey, gloomy days that come so often in Maine in the winter. I never mind them, not really. Sometimes I even bundle up and venture out to the beach on days like this. I walk and think, looking at the bits of beach glass, stones and shells thrown ashore by the high tide. Not today, though. Today is the perfect kind of day for settling in beside the fire place with a good book and a mug of hot chocolate. Maybe a movie this afternoon. A Christmas movie, yes, that's the thing!

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Let it snow!

Maine is already getting pounded by Old Man Winter! I think I've discovered new muscles in the last week, just by shoveling. Who needs a gym when winter is on the doorstep? And who can get to the gym with these roads?

Actually things are pretty clear here this morning. I'm going to dash out and pick up the last few gifts and some more baking supplies before the weather takes another turn. Too, I promised I'd stop by the bakery and help make some cookies. Tomorrow I just may have a new recipe to share.

That is, if I'm not shoveling!

Happy Wednesday. Now, dash away Rusty...

Monday, December 17, 2007

Christmas In Cheyenne

Thought I'd share an excerpt from Christmas In Cheyenne. Enjoy!

Spending Christmas Eve in a remote logging cabin in the middle of nowhere wasn’t Cheyenne’s idea of a dream holiday. It hadn’t been her intention to spend her holiday in the cabin but then things hadn’t been working out as she planned for a while. Ever since she left TJ three months ago it seemed her life had been a constant series of ups and downs, with heart-stopping dips in between. The past forty-eight hours had been one of the heart-stoppingest times she’d had so far.

It had never been her plan to be in the middle of a roaring snowstorm, stranded in a barren wilderness with a strange man. But that’s exactly where she was, at least until the snow let up some. And she would have to wait for the stranger to—well, to do whatever he was going to do. He had been out cold for nearly two days now and she had no idea whether or not he was going to live or die. Cheyenne wouldn’t leave him as long as he was breathing but if he died she was leaving, snow or no snow. She had no intention of being stranded with a dead man. Men had given her enough trouble when they were alive. She couldn’t even begin to imagine what sort of issues could come up if she was hitched to a dead guy. No—if he died, she was leaving.

There were no communication routes out of the cabin that she had been able to discover. She’d checked for phone lines or some sort of radio, but hadn’t found anything even remotely familiar. The battery on her cell phone had died the day of the plane crash. Its battery had been low when she’d boarded the small Cessna but she had thought she’d be charging it in her hotel room on Oahu within hours. Now she knew she’d be more likely to charge the damn thing on Mars than in Hawaii.

Cheyenne tossed another log into the oversized fireplace and stretched, hoping to pull some of the kinks from her neck. Sleeping in an old, lumpy armchair hadn’t done anything great for her back but the only other space was the bed and that’s where she’d put the guy. Had she been sure he wasn’t going to die anytime soon she would have gotten under the covers with him. But she wasn’t sure, and wasn’t taking a chance on waking up with a corpse.

Bunking in the chair gave her a sore body and stiff back but that hardly mattered. It was a reminder she was alive.

A rustling grabbed her attention and she turned to look at the man in the bed. He was staring at her.

Cheyenne rose, conscious she had removed her bra sometime yesterday. She was busty, and her breasts jiggled beneath the loose plaid flannel men’s shirt she had found in the cupboard. She hoped the stranger’s eyes were on her face and not on her other assets.

“You’re awake.” Her voice was loud in the small space, the only other sound the snakelike hiss and crackle of the fire. “It’s good to see you awake. How do you feel?”

She reached the side of the bed and looked down at him. Now that he was awake, she was acutely aware of their close quarters. That and the fact that they were isolated—very isolated.
There was also the matter of his nakedness. It was a situation she didn’t think he had noticed yet, but sooner or later he would figure out his clothes had been removed. Would he mind? Or would he change from lamb to lion and assume she was his dinner?

“I don’t know. Kind of fuzzy, I guess.”

She reached out to smooth his hair away from the bump on his forehead. It was a gesture that came instinctively.

“That’s understandable after what you’ve been through.” She stroked his hair again, more to touch the thick, black waves than to check on the bruised lump. It looked ugly but now that he had awakened she was pretty sure it wasn’t going to kill him.

Torrid Teasers Volume 40 is available from Whiskey Creek Press Torrid. You can purchase it here.

Grinch? Or no Grinch?

Nope, You're Not a Grinch
Although you may feel Grinch-like at times, it's just because you're worn out from the holidays.You get into the holiday spirit more than most people - and you truly enjoy celebrating with your family and friends.
Are You a Grinch?

Sunday, December 16, 2007

HO HO HO!!

Okay, so in Maine we're in full holiday gear. The stockings are hung, the mistletoe dangles in a number of places, and we've got cookies out the keister. I guess it helps that I take baking lessons and all year long I put aside cookie recipes that I think we should try at Christmastime. Ahh, my behind is going to be huge by New Year's!! But hey, I'm loving every minute of this!!

Snow. We've already got tons of snow. I wake every morning to the sound of the plow, and I love it. Yeah, I get a kick out of snow. Um, until February. Then I loathe the stuff. Really!

Hope your week before the big holiday season is going well. And whatever holiday you're celebrating, or not celebrating, I wish you well. At this time of the year, and any other. :)

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

What are you having for breakfast?

We're having Banana Muffins

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 bananas, mashed
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter


Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease 10 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers.


In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.


In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.


Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

Monday, December 10, 2007

12 Days?




For the twelve days of Christmas, your true love will send you:



Twelve punk rockers drumming

Eleven marshmallows a-puffing

Ten elves a-leaping

Nine ladies singing

Eight cows a-milking

Seven rumballs a-drunkening

Six kittens a-meowing

Five golden coins

Four calling bill collectors

Three French fries

Two Jesus action figures

And a crazy homeless person in an apple tree

Monday, December 03, 2007

Let the games begin!

Good God in heaven, I was in the mall yesterday and it is like the wild, crazy, free-for-all version of the Olympics! I saw free falls, shot puts with packages, sprints to Santa's lap and other stuff waaaay to weird to mention!

Oh, and did I say that I had a blast?! I love going to the mall during the nutty season. Love the music, scents, sounds and signs of the season. Even love driving in snow.

Go figure.

Saturday, December 01, 2007

Naughty or Nice?

You Were Nice This Year

You Were 35% Naughty, 65% Nice
Okay, so you weren't *entirely* nice this yearBut Santa doesn't expect a modern girl to be perfectYou were good enough - and you'll be rewarded for it

Were You a Naughty Girl or Nice Girl this Year?

12 Torrid Days of Christmas

Availabe beginning today from Whiskey Creek Press Torrid, is the sizzling hot, steamier-than-steamy volume, 12 Torrid Days of Christmas. If you like your holidays to smoke, this is the selection you've got to request to fill your holiday stocking!
Add a dash of passion, eroticism and sizzling sex to this turned-on version of the Twelve Days of Christmas! A partridge in a pear tree, lords a leaping, and maids a milking have never been so incredibly sexy! Jingle your bells and more with stories that will heat your Christmas days and nights!
Emma Sinclair, CJ England and I give a whole new meaning to the holiday story.
My stories are
Turtledoves, Meow,
A Ring and a Prayer,
Goose Steps in the Snow
and
A Dance and a Dream.

'Tis the season!

I'm so excited! It's December 1st and in our house, the holiday season has officially begun! One of the reasons I'm celebrating today is because Annmarie Ortega and I have a release over at Whiskey Creek Press Torrid. Our Torrid Teasers, Volume 40 is available starting today!

TORRID TEASERS Volume 40 by Rusty Wicks & Annmarie Ortega
Here's a bit about the two stories:
Jack’s Frost by Annmarie Ortega
Stranded on a deserted road on Christmas Eve, a woman meets a man named Jack Frost who will change her life forever.
Christmas In Cheyenne by Rusty Wicks
When a small plane headed for Hawaii crashes in the mountains a few days before Christmas there are only two survivors. Cheyenne manages to drag an achingly handsome, albeit unconscious, man to a cabin and they settle in as a blizzard rages. Chances for rescue are slim and as long as the snow flies there’s little hope of walking out of the mountains.
But when Jason wakes the couple finds that being stranded for the Christmas holidays in a remote log cabin isn’t the worst thing that could happen to either of them. In fact, as the heat in the tiny cabin increases they realize they’re being together is a gift that is too precious to ignore.

Thursday, November 29, 2007

Christina Aguilera baby talk!

Call me silly but I love it when women are open, excited and honest about the joys of impending motherhood. I love it, too, that this article shows a young celebrity being cautious and responsible with regard to the life she's bringing into the world.

This is going to be one pretty baby! :)

And I love this photos--baby bumps always make me want to sit back and sigh.

*Sigh*

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Holiday Craziness

In my house I'm in full-gear holiday mode. Trees, garland, lights, dinnerware with poinsettias...the whole shebang. I've got boxes strewn over every inch of free floorspace and honestly, it looks like Santa's workshop puked in my house.

There's stuff everywhere.

Hopefully by tonight I'll have it all organized, but right now it's really, really scary. And I love it. Hope you're getting set to have a wonderful Wednesday. Me? I'm hanging lights.

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Erect after orgasm...and more

You just never know what you'll find when you surf the web. Wondering about staying erect after orgasm? Look here. Besides that, there was some pretty interesting stuff there. Who knew? All we had to do was AskMen.



Huh.

Monday, November 26, 2007

Irish Eyes excerpt

Irish Eyes is available from Whiskey Creek Press Torrid. It is a fun, sexy story and I had a blast writing it. Here's a small taste...from Irish Eyes:

They ate in silence, listening to the sounds of the
stream and the singing of the birds. Now that she wasn’t in
agony, Maddy could appreciate the beauty of the place. He
had chosen a perfect spot for their lunch but she wondered
how many women he had entertained in this sweet patch of
grass.

“Walk?” Shamus asked.

They had packed away the lunch remnants. She was
glad that he hadn’t jumped her as soon as the meal was
ended. No, the man had class. She knew what his intentions
were, yet he held back and she appreciated that.

“I’d like that.”

Shamus took her hand as they strolled along the edge of
the water. They took off their shoes and socks and rolled up
their jeans. They stepped on some of the bigger rocks in the
water and followed them across the stream to the other side
where a glade of trees lined the stream.

Below a whispering poplar tree, Shamus kissed her.
She could feel the thrumming of his heart against her chest
as he aroused her with his lips, felt herself growing moist.
And she felt his erection pressing against her abdomen when
he pulled her close.

“Colleen, you taste good enough to eat. I remember
how you tasted last night.” He kissed her neck, below her
earlobe, and she shivered at his touch. He worked his
mouth down to the spot at the very top of her shoulder,
right at the bottom of her neck, and bit gently. The brief
touch of his teeth on the sensitive spot made her
temperature rise and she sighed, leaning against the smooth
bark of the nearest tree to support her wobbly legs.

Saturday, November 24, 2007

Man Secrets---Uncovered

Eleven secrets most men keep, including your husband:

1. Yes, he falls in lust 10 times a day -- but it doesn't mean he wants to leave you.

2. He actually does play golf to get away from you.

3. He is unnerved by the notion of commitment, even after he has made one to you.

4. Earning money makes him feel important.

5. Though he often protests, he actually enjoys fixing things around the house.

6. He likes it when you mother him, but he's terrified that you'll become your mother.

7. Every year he loves you more.

8. He really doesn't understand what you're talking about when you discuss "issues" in your relationship. It makes no sense at all to him -- even though he will nod in agreement and apparent understanding.

9. He is terrified when you drive.

10. He'll always wish he was 25 again.

11. Give him an inch and he'll give you a lifetime.
Translation: Let him be a dumb guy and play poker with his buddies or go on vacation alone, and he'll love you forever for that.

The full article is here.

Friday, November 23, 2007

The big "Aahhh..."

You've done it. You've either trekked over the hills and through the woods to Granny's house or you've been the "X" on the map that every member of your family made their way to. Your home is either blissfully silent or .... blissfully silent. Have the rellies come and gone? Have you returned home safely? Either way, you've --hopefully!-- had a super Thanksgiving.

Now, the day to sit back, relax, digest, catch up on everything you neglected yesterday, sigh and say "Aahhhh..."

Enjoy yourself!

And don't forget that there are tons of recipes using leftover turkey!

Thursday, November 22, 2007

Gobble Gobble!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!
Turkey slaughter

Four and a Half Hearts from The Romance Studio for Miami Honey! The full review is here. The book is available from Liquid Silver Books. I love this one! Janet is just too sassy for words. :)

Here's a bit of the review:

"...Miami Honey is a surprisingly enticing novella which copes with real-life issues of trust and life satisfaction in the context of a sultry, graphic tale. Janet is an exceedingly well-written heroine. William, her client Matt, her boyfriend, and Bruno, her manager, are also three-dimensional and realistic individuals. All in all, I highly recommend this story. I feel that I learned from it, even though unexpectedly, and that to me is one hallmark of an excellent tale."

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

12 Torrid Days of Christmas



From Anne, a Recommended Read at CK2S Kwips and Kritiques for 12 Torrid Days of Christmas! Here's the whole review. Snippets are below!

Christmas has never looked quite so sexy as it does in the 12 TORRID DAYS OF CHRISTMAS….

Turtledoves, Meow by Rusty Wicks is clever twist on the theme of the two turtledoves. Becky has to find those turtledoves for her son; she just can’t let him be disappointed! Percy’s Perfect Pets doesn’t have the turtledoves, but the very sexy Steve wants to help fulfill Becky’s dreams regardless.

Turtledoves, Meow is sweetly sensual. This is my first introduction to the writing of Rusty Wicks and what an impression she made! The chemistry between Becky and Steve is instantaneous as this is a story that will warm you up on cold days. What a beautiful and heartwarming story about the perfect gift for Christmas!

A Ring and a Prayer by Rusty Wicks is a take off on the five golden rings. What happens when you mix together angels, certain sex toys, and love?

Rusty Wicks certainly offers an innovative look at the five golden rings of the song. I’m not sure I’ll ever hear the song in quite the same way again! A Ring and A Prayer is a quick but tantalizing story that satisfies. I only wish it could have been longer as I wanted to see more of Joy.

Rusty Wicks then takes on the theme of six geese a laying in Goose Steps in the Snow. Trucker Matt Nolan is less than thrilled when he’s asked to deliver a load of geese to a petting zoo this Christmas. Sexy Kim Mendez is going to make him glad he made the trip!

What a hoot! I love the twist Rusty Wicks puts into this story. And the inclusion of the six geese is certainly clever. Readers will appreciate this sexy but humorous story as Rusty Wicks puts her own unique brand on the sixth day of Christmas in Goose Steps in the Snow.

A Dance and a Dream by Rusty Wicks takes on the nine ladies dancing. Anna is determined to train her ladies to properly leap for the theater production of The Twelve Days of Christmas. But it’s really John, one of the leaping lords, who has caught her eye.

Rusty Wicks does an excellent job at building Anna’s character. I can easily envision her reticence when it comes to her heart. John sees beneath her façade as well, and it is simply touching to see these two recognize their feelings for one another. It doesn’t hurt that A Dance and a Dream is pretty steamy, too!



12 Torrid Days of Christmas goes on sale on December 1st from Whiskey Creek Press Torrid. Wouldn't it make a wonderful Christmas gift for anyone? Especially yourself?!

Friday, November 16, 2007

Me? A Pilgrim?

Your Pilgrim Name Is

Prudence Abbott

Monday, November 12, 2007

Covers, covers everywhere!

I can't divulge completely yet but in the past few days I've seen covers that have me totally psyched. One is the cover for the Twelve Days of Christmas releasing from Whiskey Creek Press Torrid. OMG, this cover is too much fun!

The other I got last night and I am out of my mind thrilled over it. It is the cover for my January Island Treasures release, also from WCPT, and I love what Molly has done with it. There will be a series of Island books and I'd worried the cover wouldn't work with all of the books but Molly is a genius. The cover made me squeal when I saw it!

Can't wait to show them to all of you. Maybe in a day or two. Until then, you'll just have to take my word for it. They are beautiful!

Sunday, November 11, 2007

Still tickled by Mrs. Giggles' review of Timing

An 86 from Mrs. Giggles is something that makes me smile, for a long, long time. :)

The entire review is here.

"...Timing is more women's fiction than romance if we want to classify it as something because this story deals with Lisa trying to determine what the "right" thing to do is rather than a romance story of sweetness and sunshine. Tom is from all appearances a perfect catch - she likes him, he's gorgeous, he has a stable career, and he adores her. Is it "terribly selfish and immature", as Lisa puts it, to resent him for his inability to give her an orgasm and his turning sex into something she's come to dread? And oh god, he wants to do it all the time..."

Friday, November 09, 2007

Friday--YAY!

Admit it. From time to time you have one of those weeks. The car stalls at an intersection and needs to be towed. You delete the last 2,000 words of the book you're writing. The cookies burn to a crisp--and that was what you'd planned on eating for dinner.

Welcome to my world.

TGIF.

Tonight for dinner?

I'm trying the cookies again. Only this time, I'm adding a Bloody Mary.

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

The Cowboys are coming!

My Torrid Teasers Volume 38 is out at Whiskey Creek Press Torrid. I am so psyched about this set of stories. I love cowboys, love the masulinity that seems to ooze from their pores and the way they swagger! A Saltwater Cowboy is about romance in an unlikely place. Dallas Dreaming is the tale of a woman who hopes to learn to ride a horse. She gets a few more lessons than she expects to, but all of them are definitely pleasureable! I hope you'll check TT38 out for yourself. It can be purchased from Whiskey Creek Press Torrid here.

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

The Mead Steed is getting great reviews!

The Mead Steed released August 1st from Whiskey Creek Press Torrid. It's a fun, sexy romp that was a blast to write.

Rose is a woman in a loveless marriage, a woman who knows she deserves more than she's getting and is determined to make a better life for herself. She divorces her husband, moves to Maine, enrolls in college and almost instantly meets a man. Tom owns a small shop and the couple are attracted to each other like bees to honey. They date, and all goes well--or so Rose thinks. When Tom doesn't call, she does what any woman in her position would do. She gets annoyed. Then, she begins to see other men. But, for Rose, Tom may just be her happily-ever-after man. Now, how to make Tom see that?

An excerpt from my upcoming release, The Mead Steed:

Rose dropped her jeans on the white t-shirt, slid her lacy blue panties down to her ankles, then kicked them on to the top of the pile of sweaty, greasy-smelling laundry. After sticking her hand under the shower spray, she stepped into the tub. Heaving a sigh of relief as the warm water washed over her, she reached for the loofah and squirted a generous dollop of body wash onto the sponge.

“Damn, that place reeks. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to eat another french fry for the rest of my life—not even if I live to be a hundred,” she muttered as she began to scrub her body clean of the foul stink of hamburgers, fried food and stale coffee. After working the lunch crowd at the diner the only thing she yearned for was a long, hot shower. Which was good—since it was the only thing waiting for her when she retuned to the house she shared with her husband.

As usual, Jake wasn’t anywhere to be found. He had probably stopped off to have a beer—or two or ten—with the guys. But that…well, that wasn’t unusual. Jake had a habit of visiting the town’s watering hole after his shift was finished. He and the rest of the road crew practically had monogrammed bar stools, they were in the tavern so often.

As she washed her long, curly brown hair, she felt the strands begin to lose their coating of cheap vegetable oil. The oil clung to everything in the diner’s kitchen, and as she rinsed the first round of shampoo out she wondered, not for the first time, if there wasn’t somewhere she could work that didn’t involve such a rancid odor. It wasn’t until her hair and body had been scrubbed twice that she felt human again.

“I hate that place.” Rose’s voice echoed off the wet tile walls, a silky sound that made the empty apartment feel less lonely. She snorted. “The Diner. God, could it be any more ridiculous than that? How could anyone be so unimaginative? Naming a diner The Diner—jeez, it’s like calling a church The Church or saying The Store, The Gas Station…”

Beneath the warm droplets Rose’s hands traced a familiar pattern on her lean body. The routine never varied and she didn’t even realize what she was doing until her nipples hardened beneath her fingertips. A glance downward confirmed her feelings. Her body had reacted instantly to her touch. It demanded a kind touch, even if it was her own. As long as someone was prepared to attend to its needs, it was ready to comply.

With the tips of her thumbs Rose massaged scented soap bubbles across her taut nipples. Enjoying the tingling heaviness, she palmed her breasts, holding them as if she was weighing fruit at the market.

A smile played around the edges of her mouth. She knew she’d never be doing this at the Shop ’N Save.

I hope you enjoyed the small sampling of Rose's fun! And I hope you'll read The Mead Steed. Please drop me a line here and let me know what you think. I love hearing from readers!

Do you ever...

...just bloghop? I've got to admit I do it all the time. I should be writing, editing, researching the next book. Instead I'm bloghopping. Oh, the things I see and learn while on my daily hop through the blogosphere! Other authors' blogs are, of course, incredibly interesting to me. I want to know what's up in the worlds of my fellow scribes. But I visit random blogs, too. Sometimes I learn new recipes, gardening tips, see gorgeous photos or someone's baby take her first steps. *I wish I could remember the name of that blog, there were some adorable pix on it!* Anyhow, I love to bloghop. It's almost a compulsion with me.

What about you? Do you ever bloghop?

Monday, October 29, 2007

My animal personality?

Your Animal Personality

Your Power Animal: Deer

Animal You Were in a Past Life: Panda

You are a fun-seeker - an adventurous, risk-taker.
While you are spontaneous, you are not very rational.

Princess costume--Mission Accomplished!

Well I did it. I made the most gorgeous little princess costume for my niece. Glittery, flowing, a lavender creation fit for a perfectly wonderful princess. She's tickled and I'm...well, I'm exhausted! It was a real learning experience and when the stitches on my finger come out I'm sure I'll feel truly talented. For now, though, I'll just bask in the warmth of one gap-toothed smile. My niece thinks I'm the best aunt in the world. What more could I want?

Friday, October 26, 2007

Halloween fun

Yep, that's a completely sarcastic remark. I'm up to my neck in fabric, glitz and glitter and am trying desperately to come up with a princess costume for my niece. Argghhh! I am so not crafty. It's not even remotely funny, how not crafty I am.

Ah, well. Today a princess, tomorrow who knows? :)

Friday, October 19, 2007

Weekend reading

Just gathering my things together to head off for an extended weekend mini-break. We try to do that a few times a year, just go on a spur-of-the-moment short holiday, squeezing in some alone time away from our real lives. It's a great way to reconnect with that special someone and also to get a few hours of uninterrupted time for...reading. Yeah, I know, it's supposed to be a romantic weekend but you know my honey's going to be glued to the hotel room television at some point, watching some sort of sports. Me? I'm going to be indulging my desire to catch up on my reading.

What am I reading? Ah, I've got a bunch of books loaded on my e-reader. I love all sorts of stories, and my reading tastes are varied. Honestly, I'll read just about anything once. But for this weekend I've got a couple of books I've looked forward to for a while. Yeah, it's going to be a great weekend!

Hope you have fun, too. Maybe you'll do like I'm doing, mixing pleasure with...um, pleasure?

Monday, October 15, 2007

Irish Eyes

I love this book. It was such a blast to write. I mean, really, we all loved fairytales when we were kids, didn't we? I know I did. And I still do! So writing about what happens at the top of the beanstalk was no chore for me. ;-)

An excerpt:
His tongue slid wetly along the gentle slope of her neck as his mouth moved lower to nip her collarbone. Her skin warmed as his tender mouth touched her body with tiny kisses that were more whispers than touch.

As his lips circled her hard nipple, pulling it into his heat and stroking it with his tongue, she arched her body, pressing herself to his touch. She felt the delicious sensations, the tingling that began somewhere deep within her and would spread—she knew—to enfold her fully. She longed for the feel of his touch lower…much lower.

A moan escaped from her body. It was a long, long sound filled with remembrances of passion shared and the promise of delights yet to come.When his mouth danced along the flat planes of her abdomen, traveling toward what could only be—

“Shit!”
****
She felt the tremors fill her body as the riding mower bounced off the trunk of a spreading maple. Her jaw snapped shut, trapping her lower lip between her teeth and she tasted blood.
It took only a second to back the John Deere from its position against the tree, about the same amount of time that it had taken to collide with the maple. She climbed off the machine and strode to the front of the little tractor. There were scrapes in the green paint and a good-sized dent in the front by the right tire.
“Shit!” She swore out loud as she left the tree behind and headed for the rest of the large yard. Swearing out loud on a hot July day didn’t seem particularly unusual. After all, there wasn’t anyone to hear her, anyone to mind whether or not she swore or sang church hymns.

Jackie Wallace lived alone in the large farmhouse that had been her parents’ home. When they moved to Sarasota they left Jackie the keys to the house, the keys to their old Caddy and the key to the cupboard where they stored the economy-sized bags of dog food for their old dog, Lady. Jackie’s parents had been gone for a year and Jackie and Lady were falling into a lifestyle that, if not exactly adventurous, was at least comfortable.

She’d been especially thankful for the house—and Lady—to come home to when her boyfriend of two years tossed her out of his townhouse. He said he needed to “find himself” when in actuality what he planned to find was the recently divorced woman who had purchased the townhouse adjacent to his.

Jackie knew she had to stop thinking about Troy. It was driving her crazy, thinking about him and the things they once did together. Besides, if she hit that damn tree too many more times she was going to kill it. And what would she tell her father when she spoke with him on the phone? “Oh, by the way, I killed the tree you planted when I was born. How? Oh, I keep smashing into it when I mow the lawn. Why am I crashing into the tree? Oh, I just keep thinking about Troy and his incredible lovemaking talents, that’s all.”

Yeah, I’d better keep my mind off of Troy—his tongue, his cock, his talents—all of it. It was too dangerous to think about him when she was—

“Shit!”

Jackie looked over the dented front fender of the tractor. If she stood up in the seat and stretched her neck out far and to the left, she could just make out the edge of what remained of her mailbox. But just barely.
* * * *
“I don’t think so, Kerry,” said Jackie. She reached down to scratch Lady’s silky fur. The dog was lying on her foot but she didn’t have the heart to move her. “I think I’m just going to stay in tonight, channel surf and see if I can’t find a good old movie to watch. Something romantic. Something sappy and a perfect match for a pint of Ben and Jerry’s cookie dough. Thanks anyway.”

She listened to the conversation from the tiny cell phone and scowled. Her best friend could be infuriating at times, but especially so just after a break up. Kerry was in a secure relationship with a guy who would move heaven and hell to make her happy. What did she know about being single?

“No, you’re wrong. No, I am not hiding at home. There are just no single guys that interest me, that’s all. You’ve been parading losers past me for a month. I can’t take it anymore. No, I don’t want to go to The Dugout. What does this guy look like anyway? The last ‘friend’ of George’s was practically a midget. No, don’t even go there. The guy stared at my nipples all night like a baby at a nursing mothers’ convention. Remember?”

Jackie grimaced as she heard Kerry’s justification of the last man she and George had foisted upon her. They were spoken so loudly Lady’s ears perked up.

“Um…yeah. All right. But after this one, we’re paid in full for that whole thing, all right? You can’t expect me to pay forever for something that happened when we were seven. Fine. What time will you be here? Fine.”

Jackie slapped the phone closed with a sigh. Then she gazed at the dog.

“Sorry, Lady. You’re on your own tonight, but I’ll leave you the cookie dough. Just don’t touch the mint chocolate chip—that one’s mine!”

I had to know...

You Are Warm Nights by the Fire
Peaceful and romantic. The best part of fall.
What Part of Fall Are You?

Thursday, October 11, 2007

Timing

Got an email from a reader who enjoyed my Liquid Silver Books release, Timing. Here's a bit of what Karen said in her wonderful letter:

"I could identify with the characters in this book. I was once in a relationship like Lisa and Tom's. Unfortunately I was too stupid to deal with my issues as well as Lisa and Tom did. I lost a great guy. Wish I had read this first! You capture the way a person feels perfectly. Thank you for writing Timing. I can't wait to read more from your pen!!!"

Thank you, Karen, for your kind words!

Still writing my tail off

and loving it. Someone asked what I am writing but I am sort of leery about sharing the story until it's more fully formed. Just my own kind of weird about not wanting to lose the thread in my mind. Please bear with me. I'll divulge soon! Maybe with an excerpt!!

Too good

You've gotta try 'em, that's all I can say!



Pumpkin Dreams



1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 1/2 cups butterscotch chips


Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets.


Cream butter and sugar, then add pumpkin and vanilla extract.


Combine dry ingredients, then add to the creamed mixture. Stir in butterscotch chips. Drop dough by teaspoonsful onto prepared cookie sheets.


Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Writing my butt off--literally!

I usually don't diet. I know, I know, I can hear the groans and mutterings. Everyone should diet, right? Well, I don't. Especially not when I'm in full battle gear writing mode. Like now. Why not? Because when I'm caught up in writing something, just can't-get-my-mind-off-it obsessed, I forget to eat. Really. And between chapters, I jump on the treadmill for a few minutes to think. Yeah, I know...it sounds crazy but that's just how it is. I've just started a new story and I'm already feeling a little bit leaner. Not a bad feeling, really.

Anyhow, I'm writing, exercising and forgetting to eat. Life is good.

Tuesday, October 09, 2007

Samhain Scorchers



I love it that my story, One-Way to Venice, is in this anthology! Surrounded by scorching stories of love and things that go bump in the night, it feels right at home. Samhain Scorchers is getting rave reviews. Here's some of what the reviewers are saying:

Four Lips at Two Lips Reviews!

"...One Way to Venice is a touching short story by Rusty Wicks. Well written and poignant, this is a story that will make you cry. I fell in love with the characters and wanted their love to be ever lasting."

Five Enchantments at Enchanting Reviews!

"...I admit I have rarely found a book I have devoured as rapidly as I did this one. The stories just flew before me, sapping my control. All I wanted, all I craved, was to read it all...

One Way to Venice by Rusty Wicks nearly tore my heart with its bitter-sweet agony. The pain and sadness of the characters all but tears your soul. Yet, Ms. Wicks provides hope and a promise of a new future..."

From ParaNormalRomance...

"...Rusty Wicks has combined a touching love story with a wonderfully hot ghost story! Italy comes alive!..."

So what do you think? Ghosts....gargoyles...vampires...bumping in the night...any of that appeal to you? Hmm?

Samhain Scorchers Anthology is available at Whiskey Creek Press Torrid.

Monday, October 08, 2007

How anal am I?

You Are a Little Anal Retentive
Okay, so you're occasionally uptight, but it's not like you fill your day with little OCD rituals.You just like to exercise a little control over your life, and that's usually a good thing.As long as you limit your anal retentive ways to your own behavior, you're not annoying anyone.Deep down, most people are exactly like you.
Are You Anal Retentive?

October releases

I'm totally thrilled that I have two releases this month with Whiskey Creek Press Torrid, Jackie's Beanstalk and the Samhain Scorchers Anthology. Twice as much fun!

Jackie's Beanstalk is a torrid twisted tale, a revamping of a classic fairytale. It's been turned into a more, ah, adult bedtime story. Jackie is a woman like so many women, dealing with her share of date horrors. Man after man, mostly frogs in a prince-less world. The one guy who touched her heart in any way, back when they were in school, isn't the guy for her and she knows that. Still, should she give him one more try, just to see if there is any spark at all between them?

When Jackie finds a beanstalk growing in her garden, she's just got to climb it. What woman wouldn't? What Jackie finds at the top of her beanstalk is so hot that every woman who reads this story will want a garden--and a giant--of her own!

Tomorrow we'll talk about scorching samhain stories!

Thursday, October 04, 2007

Jackie's Beanstalk


I love this book. It was such a blast to write. I mean, really, we all loved fairytales when we were kids, didn't we? I know I did. And I still do! So writing about what happens at the top of the beanstalk was no chore for me. ;-)
An excerpt:
His tongue slid wetly along the gentle slope of her neck as his mouth moved lower to nip her collarbone. Her skin warmed as his tender mouth touched her body with tiny kisses that were more whispers than touch.
As his lips circled her hard nipple, pulling it into his heat and stroking it with his tongue, she arched her body, pressing herself to his touch. She felt the delicious sensations, the tingling that began somewhere deep within her and would spread—she knew—to enfold her fully. She longed for the feel of his touch lower…much lower.
A moan escaped from her body. It was a long, long sound filled with remembrances of passion shared and the promise of delights yet to come.When his mouth danced along the flat planes of her abdomen, traveling toward what could only be—
“Shit!”
****
She felt the tremors fill her body as the riding mower bounced off the trunk of a spreading maple. Her jaw snapped shut, trapping her lower lip between her teeth and she tasted blood.
It took only a second to back the John Deere from its position against the tree, about the same amount of time that it had taken to collide with the maple. She climbed off the machine and strode to the front of the little tractor. There were scrapes in the green paint and a good-sized dent in the front by the right tire.
“Shit!” She swore out loud as she left the tree behind and headed for the rest of the large yard. Swearing out loud on a hot July day didn’t seem particularly unusual. After all, there wasn’t anyone to hear her, anyone to mind whether or not she swore or sang church hymns.
Jackie Wallace lived alone in the large farmhouse that had been her parents’ home. When they moved to Sarasota they left Jackie the keys to the house, the keys to their old Caddy and the key to the cupboard where they stored the economy-sized bags of dog food for their old dog, Lady. Jackie’s parents had been gone for a year and Jackie and Lady were falling into a lifestyle that, if not exactly adventurous, was at least comfortable.
She’d been especially thankful for the house—and Lady—to come home to when her boyfriend of two years tossed her out of his townhouse. He said he needed to “find himself” when in actuality what he planned to find was the recently divorced woman who had purchased the townhouse adjacent to his.
Jackie knew she had to stop thinking about Troy. It was driving her crazy, thinking about him and the things they once did together. Besides, if she hit that damn tree too many more times she was going to kill it. And what would she tell her father when she spoke with him on the phone? “Oh, by the way, I killed the tree you planted when I was born. How? Oh, I keep smashing into it when I mow the lawn. Why am I crashing into the tree? Oh, I just keep thinking about Troy and his incredible lovemaking talents, that’s all.”
Yeah, I’d better keep my mind off of Troy—his tongue, his cock, his talents—all of it. It was too dangerous to think about him when she was—
“Shit!”
Jackie looked over the dented front fender of the tractor. If she stood up in the seat and stretched her neck out far and to the left, she could just make out the edge of what remained of her mailbox. But just barely.
* * * *
“I don’t think so, Kerry,” said Jackie. She reached down to scratch Lady’s silky fur. The dog was lying on her foot but she didn’t have the heart to move her. “I think I’m just going to stay in tonight, channel surf and see if I can’t find a good old movie to watch. Something romantic. Something sappy and a perfect match for a pint of Ben and Jerry’s cookie dough. Thanks anyway.”
She listened to the conversation from the tiny cell phone and scowled. Her best friend could be infuriating at times, but especially so just after a break up. Kerry was in a secure relationship with a guy who would move heaven and hell to make her happy. What did she know about being single?
“No, you’re wrong. No, I am not hiding at home. There are just no single guys that interest me, that’s all. You’ve been parading losers past me for a month. I can’t take it anymore. No, I don’t want to go to The Dugout. What does this guy look like anyway? The last ‘friend’ of George’s was practically a midget. No, don’t even go there. The guy stared at my nipples all night like a baby at a nursing mothers’ convention. Remember?”
Jackie grimaced as she heard Kerry’s justification of the last man she and George had foisted upon her. They were spoken so loudly Lady’s ears perked up.
“Um…yeah. All right. But after this one, we’re paid in full for that whole thing, all right? You can’t expect me to pay forever for something that happened when we were seven. Fine. What time will you be here? Fine.”
Jackie slapped the phone closed with a sigh. Then she gazed at the dog.
“Sorry, Lady. You’re on your own tonight, but I’ll leave you the cookie dough. Just don’t touch the mint chocolate chip—that one’s mine!”


Tuesday, October 02, 2007

Confession

I'm not very crafty. I envy people who whip up (seemingly effortlessly!) gorgeous creations from lengths of tissue paper, scissors and paper clips. Me? Every time I embark on a new craft project I end up glueing my damn fingers together. No, I'm not kidding. It's all right, laugh. It is pretty funny, in a pathetic way.

Recently my niece asked me to make her a Halloween costume. Should be easy, right? A princess. How hard could that be?

Why did I let her dazzling smile and sparkling blue eyes draw me in? She wrapped me around her fat litte Play-Doh smeared finger. She may be the weirdest little princess on the block by the time I'm done with this project. I'm going to give it my best shot but honestly, I can't see me making this costume look the way she envisions. Flowing lavendar skirt, sparkly crown and wings. Wings? What princess has wings? When I asked, she smiled and said, "Tinkerbell."

Tinkerbell? A princess? News to me, but hey, it's her dream, not mine. If the little dolly says Tinkerbell is a princess, who am I to argue?

Off to the fabric store today. First, I need coffee. Lots and lots of the stuff...

Monday, October 01, 2007

Jackie's Beanstalk released!


I love this cover! And this story was so much fun to write. A twisted fairytale that is sexy, too! Jackie has some adventures on her beanstalk and meets a giant that isn't like any found in ordinary fairytales! Available at Whiskey Creek Press Torrid.

Samhain Scorchers Anthology released!



If you like paranormal romances, this is the book for you! Sexy, eerie, an assortment of voices and with Halloween just a few weeks away, what could be better than this? Available at Whiskey Creek Press Torrid.

Saturday, September 29, 2007

Feline revival scheduled for?

The good news is: my cat's going to get well.



The bad news is: it's going to take a while.



So...that means the poor little fuzzball is going to want to sit on my lap constantly for how long? I wanted to ask the vet if the kitty couldn't get a big dose of vitamins or something, a sort of mega-boost but I know that would've gone over badly. Don't get me wrong, I'm sosososoooo happy she's going to be all right but honestly how am I ever, ever going to get anything done if I sit around holding her all day long? Huh?



Actually it does give me a good excuse not to do anything, doesn't it?

Friday, September 28, 2007

Sick kitty

One of my cats is sick. The poor thing kept me up all night, meowing and purring and just telling me she's feeling yukky. One of those misery loves company times, I guess. I am calling the vet this morning to see if I can get my little dolly in to see him. Just have to make sure she's all right, you know how it is. Don't we just love our pets? I know I do.

Now, to make coffee so that when the doctor's office opens I'll at least make some semblance of sense. :)

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Miami Honey Anniversary Contest winners!

There are two. I know I said I'd choose one winner, but so many nice people came, visited and left comments that I threw everyone's name into a hat and asked my niece to pull out two names. Thanks, everyone, for visiting with me. Please come back often. I'm sure I'll be having a holiday contest, so be sure to check back!

Now, without further ado, the winners to my Miami Honey Anniversary Contest are...Bobbie and Kaylene. Please email me at Rustywicks@gmail.com and we'll discuss getting your prizes sent out to you.

Again, thanks everyone!

^%(!*%@

Blasted link to finding out what movie your life is still won't work!

Let's try this.

Monday, September 24, 2007

An Indie Flick!

That was the answer to the quiz, "If your life was a movie, what genre would it be?" Indie Flick!

Sheesh! Blogger ate the answer! What a way to start the week...

What genre movie is my life?

The Movie Of Your Life Is An Indie Flick
You do things your own way - and it's made for colorful times.Your life hasn't turned out how anyone expected, thank goodness!
Your best movie matches: Clerks, Garden State, Napoleon Dynamite


Summer Scorchers!

I know it's officially fall but I love this book! Summer Solstice Scorchers Anthology by Whiskey Creek Press Torrid is selling like hotcakes. Have you seen it yet? Here's what Valerie at Love Romances said about it:

4 Hearts!

Phantom Lover by Susan M. Sailors: Christine works in a theater and does not believe in ghosts. But there is a ghost and he is very interested in her.

A Lover For Rachel by Lynn Crain: Rachel’s birthday is on the Summer Solstice and she is visiting Stonehenge. It’s no wonder a fairy appears whom she follows to another place and a very striking man.

Theft of Souls by RaeLynn Blue: Tara is the prisoner of King Diniji who uses her magic. She wants the soul-catcher who can not only free her but restore the elven kingdom.

A Taste of the Forbidden by Tambra Kendall: Izanna needs to battle a demon, go against the laws of her kind and bond with her true mate. The whole situation could kill them both.

What You Desire by Annmarie Ortega: Claire takes a trip to forget the trauma of finding her boyfriend with another woman. With her friend, they visit a fair and she sees the fortune teller. Her life is about to make a drastic change.

Unnatural Bonds by Michelle Houston: Kali has gone through hell to rescue Riordan from the mad scientist who wants to use the vampire to discover the secret of eternal life. Now what to do with him?

Dream Weaver by Shannon Peters: A demon is killing women in Sydney. Grace is dreaming of a handsome man, and this man is being distracted by dreams of Grace. Together they just could defeat this demon.

Vows by Rusty Wicks: Mariah and James have lived in Habour Street Inn for many years. They are bound by vows, Mariah to find a mortal love so she can become mortal again, James to get Mariah to love her. They both have lessons to learn.

Conjuring Cade by C’Ann Inman: When Bliss does a quiz in her sister’s magazine she doesn’t know that her sister had put a spell on it. This quiz actually conjures up her ideal man! Is he too good to be true?

This is a very entertaining anthology with some really good stories that are different and fun. Fans of the paranormal should enjoy this one. Just the right thing to take to the beach, as it is also available as a paperback... Each author gives the reader some really interesting characters, intriguing plots and plenty of hot sex. There are vampires, wizards, witches, elves, demons and ghosts. The reader, if reading by the beach, will certainly need to go take a dip every now and then.

This reviewer particularly liked Conjuring Cade, Vows and A Taste of the Forbidden. These three stories are very well written... Anthologies are a wonderful way of getting to know new authors and how they write. This reviewer has added some of these authors to her *watch out for* list and will be eagerly awaiting new releases as well as looking at their back list. Summer Solstice Scorchers is an anthology well worth the investment and this reviewer hopes that the reader will enjoy it as much as she did.

One day left...

before September 25th, the last day to enter my Miami Honey Anniversary Contest. Remember, all it takes is a comment here on my blog! What've you got to lose? Speak up, please! :)

One more day...

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Off to the weekly appointment

Ah, if you don't regularly read this blog you may be imagining I go to some wild, wooly appointment each week. Therapy. Tantric sexual instruction. Bikini waxing. Butt waxing. I don't know, something funky! In truth, I take weekly baking lessons. Really. With an expert baker, the owner of a local bakery, who has patience beyond reasoning because I have been known to, on occasion, burn whatever I'm baking.

Anyhow, today's my weekly lesson. I'm really looking forward to it. Baking relaxes me, especially kneading bread, and gives me a chance to "write" in my mind. See? I work out plot twists and the like while I bake. So really, I guess I'm multi-tasking. And that sounds much more trendy than saying I'm taking baking lessons, doesn't it?

Yeah. I'm multi-tasking. With sugar and flour. :)

I couldn't resist!

Your Sexy Brazilian Name is:
Danyela Barros

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

I love the 19th!

Today's my day to blog over at Torrid Temptations! I hope you'll come visit with me!

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

A taste of Tully

I'm so excited! Celtic Love Knots, Volume 4 is out at Whiskey Creek Press Torrid! I love Celtic lore so writing Taming Tully and Maidensong were truly labors of love. I hope you'll go check it out!

Here's a taste of what you'll find inside the pages of CLK4:

Taming Tully is a story filled with pookas, cluricauns and fairies—but it’s also filled with love. When Maureen meets Sean she promptly forgets all the strange things that have been happening to her since her arrival in Ireland.


An excerpt from Taming Tully:

“What are you looking for, Maureen? What is it that’s got you in such a state this fine morning?”

“My colored pencils…they’ve gone missing.” Maureen dropped to her knees and looked beneath the chintz sofa, assorted armchairs and knick-knack covered tables in the room. She didn’t see the expensive pencils anywhere.

Damn. Yesterday it was my red bra, today it’s my pencils. What the hell is going on in this place, anyway? How can anyone live where things disappear on a daily basis?

Maureen stood up and looked down to where her aunt sat, nestled on the sofa like a kite tethered to a tree. She seemed small and frail, as if a gentle breeze could lift her up and away. But despite the nearly translucent cast to her wrinkled face, Aunt Tess looked better than she had yesterday. And that was the point, wasn’t it?

The elderly woman had just gotten past a vicious bout with pneumonia. Since there was no one else in the family who could tend her during her recovery…well, Maureen found herself in Tully before she knew that the family whirlwinds had even convened.

She reached down and tucked a brightly patterned green quilt around her aunt’s shoulders.

“Have everything you need, Aunt Tess?”

When the woman nodded her cap of white curls and smiled up at her, warmth flooded Maureen’s heart. She knew that coming to Ireland had been the right decision. After all, putting her life on hold for a month or so wasn’t the most terrible thing in the world. It wasn’t as if her life had been going that well, anyway.

“I do, dear heart. Going for a walk in the glen, are you? That’s good, then. Don’t forget to take your jacket. It’s a stiff wind I’m feeling in my bones.”

Aunt Tess sipped from the ever-present delicate Beleek teacup before setting it on the table beside her.

“You sure you don’t need anything?” Maureen’s gaze passed over the table holding the tea things. She did a quick mental inventory to see that all of her aunt’s needs were spoken for.

“No, don’t worry a bit about me. I’ve got my e-reader, you know.” The elderly woman held up the small silver device and grinned. “Today I’ve a Maeve Binchy. What else could I need? Tea and Maeve on an afternoon…I’ve got it all.”

“I won’t be too long, then. Love you.” Maureen planted a fast kiss on the white curls.

“Don’t forget the jacket,” called Aunt Tess. “And mind the pookas, you hear?”

Just for fun

--but almost scary!!

Your Girl Parts Are Named:

The Flaming Lips

I am happy, oh so happy...

Ever wake up happy and smiling for no reason? Just happy? That's the way I am today. Woke up almost giggling. Hmm...hope I'm not losing my mind or anything like that?! :)

No, I think I'm just happy that HOT SUMMER NIGHTS with Bonnie Dee and Jayelle Drewry is out today. HOORAY!! Just thrilled about this release. The anthology is available from Liquid Silver Books.

Hope you have a wonderful day. Hope, too, you woke up with a smile on your face.

Monday, September 17, 2007

I had to know...

Your Mind is PG-13 Rated

Your mind is definitely a little dirty. You're naughty, but not trashy.
You don't shy away from a dirty joke, and you're clearly not a prude.

Release Day!

Finally, the wait is over! HOT SUMMER NIGHTS releases today from Liquid Silver Books!



Sunday, September 16, 2007

Men, dating pros?

No words are necessary. *Snicker*

Ten Fatal Online Dating Errors.

Saturday, September 15, 2007

Don't forget the contest!

All it takes is one comment on this blog to enter! Just say something between now and September 25th and you may be the lucky winner!

IRISH EYES Excerpt

Irish Eyes is available from Whiskey Creek Press Torrid.

An excerpt:

Dear Lily,

Nothing could have prepared me for this
place. Honestly, to say it’s beautiful is a colossal
understatement. This land takes beauty to a whole
new level. Not only the sights and sounds, but the
people, too. But more about the people later.
When I got off the plane I expected...I don’t
know what I expected, exactly—but it wasn’t
what I found. Even the airport was breathtaking,
surrounded by miles of open land covered in a
rich, deep green grass that looks more like real
carpet than the stuff that Mom had in our family
room at home.

And you know how we always thought that
Vermont was hilly? Mountainous, even? Well, we
were clueless. This place is so endlessly rolling
that I fear even a ship’s first mate could find
himself seasick. I hope I get used to walking on the
lumps and bumps of this new place. If not, I’ll be
spraining my ankles every day. Let’s hope the
sidewalks are flat, at least. Hell, I hope they have
sidewalks—I haven’t seen any yet.

Riding from the airport to my temporary new
home was an adventure. Irish taxi drivers are like
taxi drivers the world over; they talk nonstop and
spend more time pointing out the “sights” than
they do paying attention to the road ahead of
them. And what a road it was! Narrow and
unlined except for the ruts that look like they
were made by elephants, the “highway” between
Dublin and here isn’t one I’ll look forward to
riding again. I kid you not—my hip is bruised
from being bashed against the inside of the
decrepit little taxi. No exaggeration, Lily. It’s the
truth.

But I did get to see some things that you just
don’t see at home.

The driver—Shamus was his name, by the
way—was careful to show me places to eat
(Mulligan’s Pub being at the top of his list) and the
chemist’s shop (they don’t call it a ‘drugstore’
over here) for finding my ‘female fixings.’ I can
hear you laughing, but I promise you—that’s
exactly what he said. Can you imagine? A modern
man— in his thirties, probably—says ‘female
fixings’? Never in New York, huh? And he did it
all after he asked me out to dinner—did I mention
that yet? Well, more on that little tidbit later, too.
When I inquired about the castle, the ruddyfaced,
red-haired Romeo clammed right up. I
pushed him a bit, claiming that I wanted to learn
about all the old castles in County Meath, and
asked him to tell me what he knew about the
place. I wasn’t above turning on the flutteringeyelash,
hair-tossing routine, either. Sadly, neither
my pointed questions nor womanly wiles had a
positive effect on the now silent-as-the-tomb
driver.

Muttering something beneath his breath, he
made a point of showing me St. Brigid’s Church,
an imposing white brick building right in the
center of town. Under other circumstances, I
would have loved to learn more about the
building, since it’s undoubtedly an important
historical monument. There’s even a hilly little
graveyard with moss-covered slabs of granite
behind the church. Shamus made it clear, though,
that not only was he not interested in talking about
the Castle, he wasn’t at all as interested in me as
he’d first been. So I thought it prudent to keep my
mouth shut about the church—no comments on
that one.

When we reached the rental cottage, a
thatched fairy-tale fantasy like the ones we drew
with our crayons as children, Shamus unloaded my
baggage from the boot (it’s not a trunk here, no
matter how much it looks like the one on my
Audi). I swear I could hear him say something
about banshees and ghouls as he drove away.
Oh, and no second inquiry about going out to
dinner with him before he left, either. Which was
really too bad, since he was temptingly handsome
and, as we both know, I’m currently single.

Again.

Ugh, let’s not go there.

Did you think Ireland was going to be like
this? I admit that I didn’t. And I haven’t even
scratched the surface of my explorations—I
wonder what I’ll find when I get down to looking
around. I’ll keep you posted as things here move
forward.

For now, I’m off in search of a hot meal. I
didn’t see anything that even comes close to
resembling a Wendy’s or a Pizza Hut. I hope the
food here is easier to understand than the people
are!

I’m glad I came here, Lily. It’s going to be
good to get some distance from the mess back at
home. Maybe I can begin to figure out what I’m
going to do next. After all that’s happened, I’d like
to crawl into a hole and bury myself, but I know I
can’t do that. I know, I know...I can hear you
pressing the buttons, dialing Dr. Monroe as you
read this. But don’t. You don’t need to worry
about me. I’m going to be fine. I promise.

Now, I’m really going to find some food. I’ll
write again soon.

Love, Maddy

P.S. As soon as I get the Internet thingy
hooked up to my laptop I’ll send e-mails, too.
Don’t worry, though. The snail mail will keep
coming—I know how you love to examine the
strange stamps, tear open the envelopes and hold
the pages in your hands. I do, too. It must be one
of those silly family things, don’t you think?
Maybe all those letters we got at camp from
Granny when we were kids—you know the ones.
Anyhow, the e-mails will soon be on the way, too.
Just thought I’d let you know.

TIMING Excerpt

Available from Liquid Silver Books.

It would have been simple to fake orgasm. After all, she’d done it so many times in
the past, with such convincing results, that doing it yet again, moaning and panting,
squealing and shivering on cue as if she was the reincarnation of Pavlov’s dog, would
have been almost second nature to her. But in that instant, in that tiny flickering point in
time, she knew she couldn’t do it. Not again. Maybe not ever.

I deserve satisfaction, too—don’t I? And not with my own hand or the thankfullynearly-
silent flick-a-switch-always-ready vibrator I’ve got hidden in the bathroom,
either. No, I deserve to feel a full-fledged, no-faking-it climax—with a man!

“Are you ready?” Tom groaned, his body tensed for release as he held himself above
her. Supported by his elbows, his football-player’s body was still hard and muscular.
After college he’d kept up the weekly practices and weekend games, as well as daily
workouts at the gym. His love of sports had kept him in excellent physical shape. It was
too bad his lovemaking skills weren’t as well-developed as his biceps or his tackling
prowess. “Really, Lisa, I’m almost there. Are you ready, honey?”

Do I look ready to you? I’m lying here thinking about tomorrow morning’s meeting.
Shit, I’m anything but ready. But maybe I’m not doing my part, either. Maybe I should
concentrate a bit more, really try and get myself “ready.”

Shifting beneath him so that her clitoris came in contact with the base of his hard-on
with every thrust, she matched the rhythm of his hips perfectly. Almost all of the
lubrication she’d produced earlier, when they were kissing and touching, had dried up
and the slapping of flesh on flesh was uncomfortable.

“Oh, yeah. That’s it, baby. That’s it,” Tom’s eyes closed and his head tilted back as
he matched her movements.

“No, it’s not it,” she said. Pushing against his chest, she waited until his eyes opened
and he looked down at her. His eyes were wide, his hips had stopped moving and his
expression was one of pure shock. “It’s not doing it for me tonight. I’m sorry, but I’m just
not into this.”

“You’re not … are you kidding me?”

“Why would I kid you?”

“But I’m ready to explode. Can’t you feel how excited I am?”

Nodding, she said, “I can feel how excited you are. Can’t you feel how excited I’m
not?” She hated to hurt his feelings but sometimes the kindest cuts were the deepest.

It’s been a year. Let’s see what this relationship is made of once and for all. Will we
get past this? Figure out a way to make both of us happy in bed? Or will this be the end
of what has been, otherwise, a pretty good thing?

Tom looked like a man who’d just learned all his favorite things were illusions. His
erection stayed firm, and deeply situated inside her pussy, but his face fell. For a moment
it seemed he might simply get up and leave.

A part of her wished he would do just that. The other, bigger part of her prayed he
wouldn’t.

Friday, September 14, 2007

Miami Honey Contest reminder

Remember, any comment left on this blog before September 25th automatically enters the commenter in my Miami Honey Anniversary Contest!

What could be easier? :)

Friday Funny

This cracked me up!

Fifteen Things to Tell Your Daughters:

1. Don't imagine you can change a man - unless he's in diapers.
2. What do you do if your boyfriend walks out? You shut the door behind him.
3. If they can put a man on the moon -- they should put them all up there.
4. Never let your man's mind wander - it's too little to be out alone.
5. Go for younger men. You might as well - they never mature anyway.
6. Men are all the same - they just have different faces so we can tell them apart.
7. Definition of a bachelor-- A man who has missed the opportunity to make some woman miserable.
8. Women don't make fools of men - most of them are the do-it-yourself types.
9. Best way to get a man to do something is to suggest he's too old for it.
10. Love is blind, but marriage is a real eye-opener.
11. If you want a committed man, look in a mental hospital.
12. The children of Israel wandered around the desert for 40 years. Even in biblical times, men wouldn't ask for directions.
13. If he asks what sort of books you're interested in, tell him cheque books.
14. Remember, a sense of humor does not mean that you tell him jokes. It means that you laugh at his.
15. Sadly, all men are created equal.

Thursday, September 13, 2007

What are you doing today?

Me, I'm writing sex. Yeah, you heard right. I've reached a sexy scene in my latest wip and today is the day the um, story, moves forward. Or grows, if you will. Or becomes larger than life, LOL. Ahem! Right, I'll get ahold of myself. HA!



Well, whatever you're doing today, I hope you have fun.



Me? I'll be loving every minute of my job! :)

Coming October 1st!!


I love this cover! I love this story too because it was a blast to write. Imagine taking a fairytale and "tweaking" it a bit...a new spin on something old...making it grow until it's just the way you'd always dreamed it could be...

Hmm...sounds interesting, doesn't it?

Finding a huge beanstalk in her backyard is the beginning of an adventure that Jackie will never forget. She just may find her "And they lived happily ever after" moment just when she least expects to! And in the oddest place!

Available from Whiskey Creek Press Torrid starting October 1st!

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

One more tidbit, an annoying one!

I've taken down most of my book covers from the right side of this blog because they are not uploading or presenting themselves correctly. I've posted the cover for Hot Summer Nights so you all can see my problem. (Sorry April!!!) What's the deal with these things? They look short and wide and not at all attractive. I've tried uploading them a gazillion times and every time it's the same thing.



Help! Anyone have any ideas?!

Hot Summer Nights coming soon!


Hot Summer Nights with Bonnie Dee and Jayelle Drewry will be released next Monday! It will be available at Liquid Silver Books.
A short excerpt from Sun Kissed, my story in this hot, sexy volume...
“Bess?”
Her eyes flew open, and she sat up straight. Exposing her breasts to his view didn’t startle her as completely as the idea she may have let him glimpse her dream.
Nonsense. She had been asleep. He couldn’t know what was going through her mind. Could he?
Bess shook her head to clear it. Forcing herself to concentrate on Clay’s words wasn’t easy. Although she was conscious, her body was still highly aroused.
“I’m sorry to disturb you. I ... I knocked, but there was no answer,” Clay said. His eyes dropped, and his gaze lingered on her breasts. When he spoke again, there was a smile on his face. “I didn’t mean to bother you while you were bathing, but I hoped to speak with you. If you’d prefer I return later...”
“No, you can stay. But I don’t think I can talk with someone who’s fully dressed while I’m naked. If you’d give me a moment...”
“I could disrobe.”
The words hung in the air—but only for an instant. Perhaps the erotic dream had lowered her inhibitions, because despite her earlier doubts about being intimate with Clay, Bess nodded. Her pussy tingled in anticipation. Clay pulled his shirt over his head, unzipped and pushed his shorts and swimsuit down, and stepped out of them so quickly it made her smile.
“May I?”
Again she nodded, and he stepped into the tub. Sitting on the low ledge directly across from her, he placed his feet outside hers and settled back against the granite wall. The feel of his knees against her thighs was deliciously erotic; the knowledge that his penis dangled in the tub a few inches from her slick pussy was nearly too much to bear. Struggling to find some measure of control, she met his eyes without blinking.
“You wanted to speak with me?”
“I did,” he said, leaning closer. “Since we’ve been home I’ve been concerned that you were ... well, that perhaps you were...”
“Were what, Clay?”
He looked down, his brow furrowed, as he spoke.
“I was concerned that I’d chased you away, that perhaps you were here in your suite packing your things. I’ve been wondering whether or not you’d leave after what happened at the pool.” His gaze was tortured when he met hers, filled with things that she couldn’t begin to decipher.
“Do I look as if I’m packing? Do I seem to be running away?” Bess swept her hands through the air, then over her shoulders and down her slippery skin. They disappeared beneath the water, resting on her thighs. Clay had followed her movements with his eyes, and now they were fixed on that part of her anatomy she’d just stroked.
“No,” he grinned, “not at all.”
“So I’d say you’ve got nothing to worry about.” They still hadn’t touched, and the desire to feel his skin against hers grew steadily. “Anything else?”


Irish Eyes on bestseller list!

This morning I saw Irish Eyes on the Whiskey Creek bestseller list at Fictionwise. Woo Hoo, I am thrilled!

To spread the happiness, I'm posting a teeny tiny excerpt from Irish Eyes. This book is available in print or download from Whiskey Creek Press Torrid. I hope you'll check it out!
The purchase link.

From Irish Eyes:

“Good to see you tonight, Brian,” said Mrs. Quinn. She smelled faintly of mothballs and that had a momentary quelling effect on his libido. Just momentary, though. Before she opened her mouth to continue talking, the mothballs had lost their effectiveness.

“Nice evening, isn’t it? A good evening for a dance, eh? You young folks should be using up some shoe leather, I’m thinking. Why not ask the wee lassie to take a spin?” prodded Mrs. Quinn. She bestowed a gap-toothed grin on him and he glanced at the other half of the crone’s matchmaking target.

One glance was all it took.

Brian’s jeans were growing so snug that he was nearly ready to bolt from the room.

Concentrate on her words, man—not her eyes—or that gorgeous face, with its dark skin. Pay no attention to the firmness of her breasts. Keep your eyes away from her—good God, is that a nipple? Hell, how’s a man to behave himself with a nice nubbin like that pointed at him?

“Would you like to dance, then?” Brian asked, staring pointedly into Maddy’s eyes. It was not the most romantic request, he knew. But under the circumstances, it was the best he could manage.

“Dance?”

She found that she was having difficulty speaking. The music and crowd seemed to be miles from her and she felt like she was in a vacuum. A vacuum that was only big enough to accommodate two people.

“Yes, a dance,” he asked again. He forced his eyes to stay on hers as he felt his penis give another strong pulse.

“Oh, I think I’d like that,” Maddy answered, hoping that she sounded sufficiently aloof. After all, she reasoned, that’s precisely what he deserved.

She had been dreaming about this moment for days. Ever since he had almost loved her and left her, she had been hoping for her chance at revenge.

As she put her glass of punch on the table and took Brian’s hand, she felt her stomach quiver. She knew that it was more than a desire to pay him back for teasing her that was making her crotch slippery. Much more.

Brian managed to make his way out to the center of the dance floor without embarrassing himself. He saw Shamus glare at them but pretended that he hadn’t caught the killer look. No, he had enough to deal with without concerning himself with the jealous taxi driver.

He wondered how he was going to manage to act casual when his cock was taking on a life of its own.

Miami Honey Contest! Easy, easy, easy to enter!

To mark the anniversary of Miami Honey's release, I'm holding a contest here at my blog. No bells or whistles, just me being me and you all being you. Everyone that leaves a comment will be entered to win a copy of their choice from my backlist. That's it. Just leave me a note anytime before September 25th.

Please enter! I love contests and I'm hoping to have a hatful of entries to rustle through my fingers before pulling one lucky winner out of the bunch!

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Romance Studio reviews Miami Honey!

From The Romance Studio:

"Janet is a high-class and highly-paid call girl in Miami Beach, who loves her job and generally enjoys her life. One night she meets William, an eye surgeon, who turns her viewpoint around. Her reactions to lovemaking with William, even as a client, are much more intense than usual, although as a very sensual woman, she never has to fake her reactions. Afterwards, he asks her about herself, and she finds herself amazed to tell him the truth about her life, her sociology degree, and her boyfriend.

Life moves on and Janet has other appointments and spends time with boyfriend Matt; but suddenly she finds herself wondering, is it enough to have a man who loves her? Shouldn’t she be with a man for whom she feels love, too? While she’s considering this, William is urging her boss to make another appointment for him with Janet, who’s apparently made a very deep impression on him as well. William has high social status and wealth, and an intense magnetism.

Miami Honey is a surprisingly enticing novella which copes with real-life issues of trust and life satisfaction in the context of a sultry, graphic tale. Janet is an exceedingly well-written heroine. William, her client Matt, her boyfriend, and Bruno, her manager, are also three-dimensional and realistic individuals. All in all, I highly recommend this story. I feel that I learned from it, even though unexpectedly, and that to me is one hallmark of an excellent tale."

Overall rating: 4 1/2 Hearts
Sensuality rating: Explicit
Reviewer: Annie
November 15, 2006

Fallen Angels review, Miami Honey

4 Angels from FAR for Miami Honey!

"Enjoying her work as a Call Girl in high demand, Janet Buck is happy and content with the results of her physical labors. From the odd to the basic ménage, Janet is there, willing and pumped about each new client she takes on as well as her regulars. What more could a girl ask for when she has an understanding boyfriend and a great boss? Things change after her tried and true rules start to wobble with a client who causes her to rethink her life and relationships.

This is not a story for anyone looking for a traditional journey to the world of living happily ever after. Janet Buck is a skilled modern day courtesan doling out pleasure as her customers see fit. The encounters she winds up in had me either wide mouthed or pealing over with laughter. William, Janet’s client who brings with him acceptance and the trust she’s lacked in her personal dealings, is a good and kind man. He just happens to be brilliant and kinky! The kind of man every woman needs, working woman or not in her life and bed." -Rachelle, Fallen Angel Reviewer