See you in September!

September 1st my Celtic Love Knots, Volume 4 is being released from Whiskey Creek Press Torrid. I am so excited about this release. Taming Tully and Maidensong were fun to write, especially since they deal with a topic I'm very much interested in--Celtic lore. I hope you'll check the CLK4 out. It's getting rave reviews! :)

And now, a short excerpt from Maidensong. Enjoy!

“Interested in Pictish symbols, are you?”

The voice startled her. It came from directly behind her and she whirled around so quickly that she became off-balance. Her body tipped and she banged her shoulder into the ten-foot-high pink granite stone she had been examining.

“Shit!” Dianne cried as she grabbed her shoulder. Stars danced behind her eyelids as the pain raced through her body. When it subsided she opened her eyes.

The owner of the voice was tall and handsome in a rugged sort of way. His hair fell in full ebony curls across his brow and his eyes were a deeper, richer green than the lush grass that they were standing on. He was tall, with broad shoulders and a muscular body and wore the outfit of every hiker in the Scottish highlands: jeans, a woolen sweater and hiking boots. His sweater was a deep loden green that matched his eyes.

“Didn’t mean to scare you. Are you all right?” He leaned closer to where she stood, rubbing her shoulder, and looked into her eyes with such intensity that she wondered what he was doing.

“Do I look all right?” she asked, scowling. “And what are you looking for, anyway?”

He pulled away from her and smiled. When he smiled it was as if the sun dimmed, she was so overwhelmed with the way his features moved on his face.

Handsome when you’re serious, Lord-have-mercy gorgeous when you’re smiling.

“I was looking to see whether or not you had a concussion,” he answered. “Apparently you do not.”

“I smacked my shoulder, not my head. And what were you doing, sneaking up on me like that? Did you try to scare me half to death?”

He tilted his head and a lock of black silk fell across his eye. “I am sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you at all. And I wasn’t sneaking up on you, either. I didn’t try to conceal myself in any way.”

“So what, then? What were you doing if you weren’t trying to scare the pants off me?” She stopped rubbing her shoulder and stood with her hands on her hips, waiting for an answer.

“I was merely trying to meet you, that’s all. It’s not every day I find a beautiful woman at the Maiden Stone,” he said. He surveyed her the way she had examined him. When his eyes met hers again he grinned. “And I did not say I wasn’t open to getting your pants off of you, mind.”
He waggled his eyebrows rakishly and, coupled with his thick Scottish accent, the effect was hilarious. She threw her head back and laughed out loud, a sound that reverberated through the trees at the edge of the clearing.

“Fair enough. Hard way to meet someone,” she said.

“Ach, I did not say anything about hardness, either,” he answered with a grin. “Let me introduce myself. I’m Cabe Pitts, and you’re…” He let his words trail off as he lifted an eyebrow and tilted his head, his intention obvious.

What have I got to lose? A handsome man appears out of nowhere in a romantic spot and wants to know my name – how did I get so lucky? So what if he’s broken my shoulder first.

“Dianne Tomes.” She put her hand out to him and when he surrounded it with his big one she felt a distinct jolt. Her nerves tingled and her nipples puckered beneath the thick sweater she wore. And she felt other slippery sensations, too. She rubbed her thighs together as she let his hand go. “Nice to meet you.”

“The pleasure, fair Dianne, is all mine. So, what are you doing here, in this magical spot? What brings you here?” Cabe leaned against the mammoth stone and crossed his arms. She saw his muscles tense beneath his jeans as he crossed his legs at the ankles.

This guy is hot. Who knew Scottish men could be so rugged? But where’s his kilt? I’d pay to see his legs!

“The Maiden Stone, of course.” Dianne ran a hand across the cool granite, touched her fingers to the carved symbols. “I read about it and decided to look for it when I visited Scotland. I’m staying at the Inverurie Inn for a few days, so here I am.”

She realized she was babbling but felt powerless to stop it. He grinned at her as if he knew it, too. She wondered if he had this effect on every woman he met.

I’ll bet you drive all the women wild, Cabe. And I’ll bet you know that you’re doing it, too.

“You’ll know, then, the legend of the stone,” Cabe said. He looked at the Celtic cross above his head with a serious expression on his face. “You’ll know that this stone is the result of a wish that was granted. It’s said that any wish uttered here will come true—eventually.”

“I’ve heard that,” answered Dianne. “This is the spot where a beautiful maiden met a handsome young man, isn’t it?”

“Aye.”

“And that handsome man pushed her into making a bargain with him,” she said.

“Well, I canna say for sure that he pushed her. It’s quite likely that she stumbled or fell but yes, a bargain between the two was struck,” said Cabe, nodding his head.

What sign is he?

You Should Be With an Air Sign!

Your best match is a Gemini, Libra, or Aquarius Why? You crave excitement and playful banter Only an Air Sign can match your wit - and keep you on your toes As for fun, an Air Sign guy will show you plenty? with tons of surprises Just be sure to introduce him to some new playful experiences as well!

What Sign Guy Should You Date?

Jackie's Beanstalk cover!

OOH, I just love this cover! Really, truly love it! So much fun, so sexy and pretty, too!

Just to celebrate the new cover, I'm going to post a small, early excerpt from Jackie's Beanstalk. Enjoy!!

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-size 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, thought Jackie. 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!”

Hot Summer Nights excerpt...

In September the anthology Hot Summer Nights will be released from Liquid Silver Books. I'm thrilled to be part of this volume with talented authors Bonnie Dee and Jayelle Drewry. It is a hot, sexy trio of stories that is sure to heat up any night--or day!

My story is titled Sun Kissed. Here's an excerpt:

“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?”

Celtic Love Knots, Volume 4

September 1st is the release day for Celtic Love Knots, Volume 4 from Whiskey Creek Press Torrid! I am beyond thrilled about this release. I had such a blast writing the stories for it because they involved a bit of research into an area that I'm very much interested in--Celtic lore. Maidensong and Taming Tully are getting rave reviews!

Marlene at Fallen Angel reviews said..

"I loved Celtic Love Knots, Volume 4 by Rusty Wicks. This is a small volume that is big on entertainment and I had too much fun reading it!...Maidensong is clever, and fun, and I enjoyed every bit of it. Dianne’s internal dialogue is wonderful and the reader gets a true glimpse into the mind of this character. The plot is fast paced and well written. ...Taming Tully is sharp and witty, with a twist at the end that made me laugh out loud. It was a mystery of sorts, with romance and humor thrown in as well. The writing is clear and concise, and vivid enough that I felt I could see the whole picture before me as the story unfolded. The premise of this story is enchanting.Kudos to Ms. Wicks for a perfectly wonderful read!" - 5 Angels

Brandywine at Enchanting Reviews said...

"I was enthralled from beginning to end!" - 4 Enchantments

Baking? Nuh uh!

Baking lessons? Today, when it's a gazillion degrees in the shade, even in cooler-than-most-other-spots Maine? Nuh uh, not me! Sorry! If you're here looking for a scrumptious recipe then I'm going to disappoint you. Again, sorry! But really, I just couldn't face the hot bakery ovens today. I just couldn't!!

Instead, I hit the beach. Now, that's more my style for a sweltering Friday afternoon. Lying in my beach chair, a copy of a new romance open in my hand and a tall glass of--well, you'll just have to fill that in yourself. Hey, some info is private! ;)

Hope you're having a wonderful Friday!

~Rusty

Monday Fun

Ah, I love a man in a kilt...

In Scotland, the most important time for a young lad is when he "comes of age" and is allowed to purchase and wear his first kilt.

A young lad went to a tailor shop and found the material he wanted for his first kilt. He took the material to the tailor and said, "I'd like ye to make me a kilt with this material here and, if ye don't mind, I'd like ye to make me a pair of matching underwear for it. I hear it gets a might drafty up dem tings!"

So the tailor took the material and promised to call the young lad when the order was completed.

A few days later, the tailor called the lad back to the shop. "Here's ye kilt, and here's ye matching underwear, and here's five yards of the material left over. Ye might want to take it home and keep it in case you want anything else made of it."

The lad rushed home with his order, threw the material in his room and donned his kilt. So pleased, he decided to run to his girlfriend's house to show off his new purchases. In his excitement, he forgot to don his underwear.

When his girlfriend answered the door, he pointed to his kilt. "Well, what do ye think?"

"Ah, but dat's a fine looking kilt," she exclaimed.

"Aye, and if ye like it, ye'll really like what's underneath," he boasted, lifting the edge of his kilt.e

"Oh, but dat's a dandy!"

Still not realizing he didn't have his underwear on he nodded. "Aye, and if ye like it, I've got five more yards of it at home!"

An 86 from Mrs. Giggles

I'm still smiling over the fact that Mrs. Giggles gave my latest release, Timing, a score of 86!

"...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... " --Mrs. Giggles

Friday's Baking Lesson

Just a quick blog post. Wanted to share one of this week's baking lesson recipes. Thankfully I love beach walking with the dogs or my behind would be huge from eating so many yummy treats!! Enjoy!

Berry Bundles

1 cup softened butter
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups flour
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam

Glaze:
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Cream butter and sugar together. Add extract. Gradually add flour. Cover and chill dough for one hour.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Make an indentation in the center of each ball, then fill with jam.

Bake at 350°F degrees for 15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Combine glaze ingredients, and drizzle over cooled cookies.

The Mead Steed, Timing--All Good!!

Just such a happy time for me. The Mead Steed has been in the "Hot Titles" top ten list since it's release on August 1st. Please go on over to Whiskey Creek Press Torrid and take a peek. Irish Eyes is on sale this month, so it's a good time to pick both up!! *hint, hint* ;)

Liquid Silver Books' Homepage still has my latest release, Timing, there for all to see. I love that cover, loved writing it and I'm hoping readers will really enjoy Lisa and Tom's story. Check it out, please. There are some really interesting, hot titles up on the Homepage with my book. I know you won't be disappointed if you take a peek!

Have a great weekend!

Giggled

I've been Giggled.

Mrs. Giggles has reviewed Timing on her site. I've been smiling since I've seen her review.

She gave it an 86!

Take a peek at the review, please. In case you missed it, it's here.

Oh, it's been a good week!

Timing released August 6th!!

Ooh, I just love this cover!

Timing was released with Liquid Silver Books on Monday. I have been so thrilled about this, because honestly, I love this story. It may be rude for a writer to say that but it's the truth. This is a tale of two people who love each other, but who have a real problem they need to either work out--or not. Even though I wrote Lisa and Tom, I wanted them to find happiness. Their trials were important to me. I guess I feel an attachment to all my characters, but this pair found a special spot in my heart.

It’s said that timing is everything, but does that hold true in the bedroom, too?

Tom and Lisa are compatible in every way—or so Tom thinks. They love each other, have a great apartment and share so many mutual interests. Most people would think the couple has it all. And they do—almost. The truth is that Lisa hasn’t been feeling nearly as sexually satisfied as Tom thinks she has. He just doesn’t rock her world—in that way.

When a handsome co-worker invites Lisa to his posh beach house for the weekend, she dutifully fills him in on Tom and her unavailable status. But John is gracious enough to extend the offer to include Tom in the weekend getaway, and Lisa accepts his invitation. After all, why shouldn’t they have some fun?

Maybe a weekend of sun, sand and sex is just what the couple needs to get their urges in sync. At least, that’s what Lisa and Tom are hoping. And John? What’s making him grin is still a mystery, but one he’s willing to share—for a price.

Check Timing out here.

Thursday Baking

Yesterday's baking lesson wasn't so much a lesson as it was...well, it was work, plain and simple. My baking teacher is catering a children's birthday bash this afternoon so I helped prepare some of the food. It wasn't just toil, don't get me wrong. But the kid-friendly cookies aren't going to impress anyone at a fancy dinner or swanky lawn party I may hold. Sometime. In the future. In another lifetime.

Hey, here's the recipe. You decide. Swanky? or comforting? I know what my vote is! :)

Chocolate Pillows

1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1-1/2 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts, if desired

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine brown sugar, butter and chocolate in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring until chocolate melts. When mixture is smooth, add milk and mix. Then remove from heat and add remaining ingredients.

Drop cookie batter by teaspoons onto greased cookie sheets. Place sheets into pre-heated 350-degree oven and bake for 12-18 minutes or until cookies are just set. If desired, frost with ordinary buttercream frosting.

Mead Steed Numero Uno!

All right, I'm screaming and jumping up and down here. I just took a look at the WCPT home page and my latest release, The Mead Steed, is number one on the top ten list!!

WOO HOO!!

Yeah, I'm excited. Very excited!!

The Mead Steed in Number One!!

THE MEAD STEED is number one on the Whiskey Creek Torrid top-selling list! I'm so jazzed I can hardly keep myself from screaming!!

Yesterday's baking lesson

Love it that my baking teacher has found her health again. I can't tell you how much I missed my lessons!

Yesterday the topic of study was...drum roll please... Cinnamon Babka.

Cinnamon Babka

Dough:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup plus 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
4 egg yolks
1 package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour

Topping:
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 pound butter
1 large egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup all-purpose flour

Cream the butter and 1/2 cup sugar in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks until frothy.

Mix the yeast in warm water with the 1/2 teaspoon of sugar. Add yeast mixture to egg yolks. Then add milk, vanilla and salt.

Add the yeast mixture to the creamed butter mixture. Slowly add the flour, mixing until a soft dough forms.

Turn dough out onto a floured work surface and knead until dough is smooth.
Cover the dough and allow it to rise in a warm place until it doubles.

Butter a 3-quart pan and shape the dough into it. Allow the dough to rise again for about 2 hours.

Combine topping ingredients, then coat the top of the dough with the topping.

Bake in a preheated 350*F oven for 35 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack.

The Mead Steed releases!

So excited! The Mead Steed was released yesterday! It is available here. I hope you'll check it out!!

When Rose arrives in Mead she’s hoping to find a new life. It’s a small place, where meteor showers and moose sightings are the big news in town. That’s where she meets Tom, the handsome owner of the local market. There is an instant attraction but there is one hurdle that must be jumped before the pair can find happiness. Tom has a secret . . . a very big secret. And it’s hidden inside his jeans.

An excerpt:

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.

Sliding her left hand down her flat stomach toward the spot between her long legs that begged to be touched, she thought longingly of the handsomest man she knew. Closing her eyes, she thought of his hard body and envisioned how he would feel pressed up against her, fitting himself into her, riding her until she exploded with the waves of pleasure that she imagined only he could give her.

Rose spread her legs, arched her hips forward and ran her fingers through the curly tangle of hair that covered her sex. She ventured into her slit with one finger only, tantalizing herself with the first tender touches for a long moment. When she felt the first tremulous tingles of pleasure she groaned.

“No…not yet. It’s too soon.”

With one hand Rose adjusted the spray so it fell in soothing bursts on her hips and, most importantly, on her pussy. She reached for the bottle of body wash, tipped it and deposited a fat, creamy drop on her palm. Working the drop into a frothy lather, she wondered how it would feel to have his slippery hands on her body.