-
Sunday Snippet—CROSSING THE LINE—Need vs Want
This week’s Sunday snippet is from the early pages of CROSSING THE LINE, my edgiest book, and one of my favorite stories. Derrick and Hanna have been married eight years, and her birthday is coming up. Derrick has one hell of a gift in mind for the woman he loves…
“You cue up a video,” her tongue slid along her plump bottom lip, “and I’ll grab a few things from the bedroom.”So they could act out a three-way scene, something they both loved doing. “The videos you watch, the stuff we pretend—we can do that if you want. Really do it.”
A couple of seconds ticked by before it clicked. “No, Derrick, I don’t need that…just you, you’re all I need.”
Ah, there it was, the importance of a single word. She didn’t need to be with two men at once, but she hadn’t said she didn’t want to be.
Check out the rest of the Weekend Writing Warriors’ offerings here.
CROSSING THE LINE
Lifelong best friends Derrick and Jeremy met Hanna at a bar ten years ago. Both wanted her—one married her. Now the other man has been invited to join in for one hot weekend.
Everything would’ve been fine if they’d had their fun that weekend, then gone back to normal. But they didn’t. And when past demons resurface, things will never be the same—for any of them.
$2.99 at Amazon • iTunes • Kobo • All Romance • more
-
Sunday Snippet — ICING ON THE CAKE — Presumptuous
Happy Easter to those who celebrate, and thanks for hopping by for another Sunday snippet. If all goes according to plan, I’ll have a new release to share with you in May, so for the month of April, I’m going to post from a variety of my backlist books for my contribution to the Weekend Writing Warriors.
This week’s snippet is from ICING ON THE CAKE. In this scene, Curtis and Sara are navigating the waters of their siblings’ wedding reception, and their budding…relationship?
Curtis’s big, hard body pressed against Sara’s back as he turned her away from his sister—and trouble. “Lindsay’s had one too many glasses of wine; be a good girl and walk away.”“Now you want me to be good? I thought you wanted me to be very, very bad.”
“Oh, I do,” his mouth brushed the shell of her ear, “and you will be—later.”
“Pretty presumptuous, lawman.”
“Part of why you like me.”
“Also presumptuous—I never said I like you.”
ICING ON THE CAKE is one of my favorites. 🙂 If a bossy cop hero & a snarky, badgirl heroine sound fun to you, here are some places you can buy a copy:
Amazon • iTunes • Kobo • All Romance • more
ICING ON THE CAKE
Close to Home series — Book 2
Nia and Conn’s wedding will be fairytale perfect…if their siblings can get along.
Free-spirited, anti-establishment Sara has always been on the outside of her family’s fairytale mold. Now she’s being forced smack into the middle of it at her sister Nia’s wedding. Alongside the cocky and annoyingly sexy best man—Conn’s cop brother.
Curtis doesn’t buy in to organized romance and fairytales. But for his brother, he’ll throw on a tux and fake it for a few hours. His flak vest would have been a better choice around the maid of honor. He should have brought his handcuffs too, because somebody needs to restrain the dark-haired spitfire—and he’s just the man for the job.
One night to indulge the spark between them, then goodbye—that was the agreement. Curtis isn’t looking for a relationship and he sure doesn’t want a troublemaker for a girlfriend. The last thing Sara needs in her daily life is a cop looking over her shoulder, no matter how hot he is.
But giving in to their chemistry is much more fun than giving it up…
-
Sunday Snippet — CUP OF SUGAR — Getting Educated
It’s Sunday snippet time, and Conn and Nia are steaming up that roadside motel room they’ve been forced to share.
Eyes locked with hers, he stroked her—lightly, firmly, circling, rubbing. Dipping inside, one finger, then two, then none as he focused his ministrations on her clit again. Making her crazy.“Stop teasing,” she whispered.
“Not teasing.” A naughty smile curled his lips. “Learning. Then I’ll have you at my mercy.”
You have to love a man who wants to further his education. 😉
CUP OF SUGAR
Visit more of the Weekend Writing Warriors here.
Nia has one rule—don’t date neighbors. Simple, except the guy next door is single, handsome, and not inclined to close his blinds while naked. When her car dies, Conn takes “being neighborly” to a new level by offering a ride to her long-distance destination. Nia has resisted his looks and charm for months. Surely she can handle a few hours in his truck…
For months, Conn has blatantly put himself on display, hoping his pretty blonde neighbor would tire of secretly watching and come knock on his door for a cup of sugar—or more. No such luck—until an unusual opportunity arises. After a six-hour drive turns into a sweet-and-sexy weekend, Conn wants more than neighborly status with Nia. To get it, he must convince her to break the rule protecting her heart—by putting his on the line.
-
Sunday Snippet—CUP OF SUGAR—Want Some?
Sunday, fun day. Time for another eight-sentence snippet from CUP OF SUGAR, part of the Weekend Writing Warriors meme. Conn and Nia are still stuck in the little motel room with only one bed. The TV’s on and they’re into the snacks. TV & snacking should be an innocent way to pass the time, right? 😉
She popped the first pretzel piece into her mouth and closed her eyes. Her lips moved in a circular motion and her cheeks hollowed, then she moaned. The woman looked and sounded as if she was on the verge of an orgasm—from pretzels.Jesus, how would she respond to his face between her legs, or his cock buried deep in her body while he kissed her? He was never going to make it through this night.
“Want some?” she asked, offering the bag.
Hell yes, he wanted some. So badly his cock could probably be used as a battering ram.
Want more Sugar?
Amazon • All Romance • more
Nia has one rule—don’t date neighbors. Simple, except the guy next door is single, handsome, and not inclined to close his blinds while naked. When her car dies, Conn takes “being neighborly” to a new level by offering a ride to her long-distance destination. Nia has resisted his looks and charm for months. Surely she can handle a few hours in his truck…
For months, Conn has blatantly put himself on display, hoping his pretty blonde neighbor would tire of secretly watching and come knock on his door for a cup of sugar—or more. No such luck—until an unusual opportunity arises. After a six-hour drive turns into a sweet-and-sexy weekend, Conn wants more than neighborly status with Nia. To get it, he must convince her to break the rule protecting her heart—by putting his on the line.
-
The Goddess’s Curse by Cara Bristol
It is my absolute pleasure to welcome Cara Bristol back to my blog to celebrate her newest release, The Goddess’s Curse.
![Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000040_00014]](http://www.karladoyle.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/CB_GoddessCurse_500x750.jpg)
Sharona women and barbarian Lahon men maintain separate lives until libidinal fever strikes, and the Sharona are forced to mate.
Stricken by a mysterious terminal illness, Reena, the Sharona queen’s daughter, jumps at the chance to accompany a cousin on her mating journey so she can at least see a Lahon before she dies.
Garat, leader of the Lahon, has only hatred for the Sharona because of the woman who birthed and killed his son years ago. Now that a massive earthquake has left his people with precious little water, he has the perfect excuse to avenge his son’s death by driving the Sharona from their homeland to take what the Lahon need.
When he encounters Reena on the mating journey he takes her hostage to force the Sharona to capitulate to his demands, but finds himself drawn to her instead. As his desire rises, lust for revenge wanes.
But after what he’s done, can he convince her of the evil that lies in the palace in time to save her life?
Karla: Congratulations on your newest release! I’ve read snippets from The Goddess’s Curse on your blog and I can’t wait to dive in and enjoy the entire story. Thanks for stopping by to answer some questions about the book.
The blurb is very intriguing. What were the inspirations that influenced The Goddess’s Curse?
Cara: Thank you for having me, Karla. You’re always so gracious about opening your blog! The Goddess’s Curse was inspired by the Amazon women warriors, a mythological race of women who lived separate from men until they needed to procreate. They would raise the daughters who resulted from their liaisons, but kill or give the sons to the men to rear. Another influence is the misogyny that has led to attempts to control or curtail female sexuality. I thought, what if women did have a sexual power that could be used against men? What if men were right to be wary? That power became “libidinal fever” in The Goddess’s Curse.
Karla: Very interesting premise! You’re known for your very successful Rod & Cane Society and Breeder series. Is The Goddess’s Curse going to be part of a series also?
Cara: I plan for it to be a trilogy, which I’m calling the Heartmates series. I’m a pantser so I won’t commit to a certain direction, but I think I’m going to focus on the same hero and heroine in all three books—unlike Rod and Cane and Breeder, in which each book has a different H/h. I did “seed” The Goddess’s Curse so I could write about other couples, however, think those relationships will be subplots.
Karla: How is The Goddess’s Curse and the Heartmates series different from your Breeder sci-fi romance trilogy?
Cara: It is the reverse! The background for Breeder was a male dominated culture/planet where women had little power or value. After writing that, I needed to give women equal time, so in The Goddess’s Curse, women are in charge! However, the men are still macho, hero types. I wanted to demonstrate feminine power. It’s different from male power, but it’s still effective.
Karla: You’re a very busy author. Do you make a schedule of upcoming projects and write to that agenda, or do you have a muse that dictates what book you will write next?
Cara: I keep a list in my head, but at the start of 2015, I finally wrote a business plan—and then immediately deviated from it when I wrote and published a thesaurus, Naughty Words for Nice Writers. I had that slated for late in the year. I approach writing as a business, but I don’t want to focus so much on goals that I lose the joy of following my muse, which is what drew me to writing in the first place.
You may not know this, Karla, but you influenced Breeder. I’d been planning to write Reasonable Doubts, Rod and Cane 5, when I got the idea for Breeder. I wasn’t sure if I should pursue RC 5, which had gotten “cold,” or work on the story idea that was burning a hole in head. You advised me to go with the one I felt the most passionate about. So I did, and wrote the Breeder trilogy before Rod and Cane 5. I’m glad I did, because not only did I have the enjoyment of writing the Breeder series, but Reasonable Doubts turned out to be a much better book than I think it would have been if I’d written it earlier.
Karla: I didn’t know that! I’m so glad I helped, and that you followed that idea and your muse, because Breeder is an awesome story (and series). It’s great that we can chat online, Cara, but one day, we must meet in person. I know we could talk for hours, plus I have dozens of questions I’d ask you. Before I let you get back to writing, I’ll settle for asking just one more—is there anything else you’d like to tell us about The Goddess’s Curse?
Cara: Thank you, Karla. Some day we will meet! I love your writing and the humor in your books. I would like to add a couple things about The Goddess’s Curse. First, it will be available in print besides ebook. I’d planned to release both at the same time, but ran into a glitch, so the paperback will be delayed by a couple of weeks. If readers want to be notified of its release, they should sign up for my newsletter. Lastly, I’m known for writing spanking romance, but there is no spanking in The Goddess’s Curse—nor will there be in any of the other books of the Heartmates series. Spanking is fun to write, but it limits story concepts and plots, and I wanted to branch out. Thank you so much for having me today!
Karla: I look forward to the day we meet face-to-face! Thank you so much for being here today, Cara!
The Goddess’s Curse is available now from
Amazon • Amazon UK • B&N • Kobo • iTunes • All Romance
About the Author
Cara Bristol continues to evolve, adding new subgenres of erotic romance to her repertoire. She has written spanking romance, contemporary romance, paranormal, and science fiction romance. No matter what the genre, one thing remains constant: her emphasis on character-driven seriously hot erotic stories with sizzling chemistry between the hero and heroine. Cara has lived many places in the United States, but currently resides in Missouri with her husband. She has two grown stepkids. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading and traveling.
Connect with Cara Bristol
Website • Facebook • Twitter • Subscribe to Cara’s newsletter
Read Chapter One of The Goddess’s Curse
Goddess Reader Drawing!
If you’re going to read The Goddess’s Curse anyway, why not enter the Goddess Reader Drawing for a $25 Amazon gift card? All you have to do is post a review (good, bad or ugly) on Amazon by March 31, 2015. Then email a link of your review to carabristol50 (at) yahoo (dot ) com. Put “I Read the Goddess!” in the subject line. And you’re entered. The winner will be selected by random drawing and announced on April 6.
An Excerpt from The Goddess’s Curse by Cara Bristol
Under a caress of sunlight, Reena floated in the pond, grateful to have escaped the watchful eyes of servants, advisers, and bodyguards. Well, most of them. She cracked an eyelid. Yep. Carinda was still there, keeping a firm grip on her electrical impulse disruptor and a steady gaze on the perimeter. Her bodyguard’s caution and devotion were admirable—but unnecessary. No danger could penetrate the protected grotto.
Reena rolled over and dove deep. Tiny fish scattered. She touched the sandy bed then swam along the bottom until the need for air forced her upward again. She broke the surface and flung her hair out of her eyes.
Hip deep in the water, Carinda splashed toward her. “Oh my Goddess. You scared me to death.” The big, burly guard looked like an oversized drowned rodent. Reena would have laughed except for Carinda’s contorted, stricken expression. She didn’t want to scare anybody; she only needed solitude. “You worry unnecessarily. I have been swimming since I was a little girl.”
“I can barely float, Princess,” Carinda replied. “Anything could have happened. I feared you were drowning.”
“I apologize. I shouldn’t have frightened you. Why don’t you return to the palace and get some dry clothes?”
Carinda shook her head. “No, I won’t desert you.”
“You’re not deserting me. You’ll be right back.” Please, give me a moment to myself. No attendants, no servants, no guards. “I’ll be safe. Promise.” She flashed her most beguiling smile.
“No, Princess.”
“I am not asking.” Treading water, Reena compressed her lips in frustration. “I command you to return to the palace.”
Carinda bit her lip then shook her head. “I’m sorry, Princess, the queen’s wishes supersede yours. I have been ordered not to leave you alone, in case…something befalls you.” Her hurt expression turned questioning. “I don’t know how you got out of the palace without anyone seeing you.” She stopped speaking, probably willing Reena to fill the silence with an explanation.
The bodyguard would have a long wait. The existence of the secret passage would go with Reena to her grave. She hadn’t shared that information with anyone, not even with her cousin Honna, her closest ally.
Reena lifted her chin, and Carinda conceded the battle. “It was fortunate I spotted you while patrolling the grounds.”
Unfortunate. Reena refused to feel guilty. “Please go to the palace. I won’t be long.”
“You are not well.” Carinda held her ground.
“I’ll stay with her.” Honna stepped from the path onto the beach.
Having her cousin nearby didn’t qualify as being alone, but Reena much preferred her presence to the guard’s. Despite a seven year age gap, they were best friends, as close as sisters.
“If anyone can take of me, she can,” Reena argued. She owed her continuing life to her cousin. The Goddess had gifted Honna with a natural talent for the healing arts, which she had honed by intensive training. If not for her, Reena would have already died. Once, she would have become Shara, but her mysterious illness cast doubt she would live long enough to ascend the throne currently held by her mother, Ellynna.
Carinda waded out of the pool. Dripping and shivering, she planted both feet on the bank.
“If you catch a chill in those wet clothes, then how will you protect me?” Reena called.
Carinda’s resolute expression wavered. “What if there are invaders? Barbarians who would catch a woman alone? The Lajon.”
“At the very center of the palace gardens? Unlikely,” Honna scoffed. “They would have to scale the perimeter wall, neutralize our guards, storm the palace, and then choose the right path to this bathing pool.”
And if barbarians did achieve the near-impossible and breach their defenses, a lone bodyguard would be no match for them. Pointing that out would cause worrywart Carinda to freak.
“I suppose you’re right,” she conceded, wrinkles of doubt lining her forehead.
Reena swam toward shore until her feet could touch the bottom and then stood. Water lapped at her shoulders.
“Go,” Honna said. “Everything will be fine.”
“Everything will be fine…” Muwahaha….Famous last words.
-
Sunday Snippet — CUP OF SUGAR — Sleeping Arrangements
Welcome back for another Sunday snippet from CUP OF SUGAR. This bite follows right after last week’s offering, when a horrible snow storm forced Conn and Nia to take refuge for the night in a small motel with only one room available.
The bottom dropped out of Nia’s stomach when Conn opened the motel room door. Yes, the “good news” could get worse—there was only one bed.“Where are we all going to sleep?” she asked, voicing the million-dollar question.
Conn made a sharp, clicking noise with his tongue and pointed to the carpet near the dresser. Zeus shook his big, reddish-brown body and sauntered to the spot. The dog stretched to a ridiculous length, then curled into an unbelievably small ball and immediately fell asleep.
“I hope you’re not expecting that to work on me.”
“Nope,” he redirected his outstretched arm and made that same clicking noise, “I’m ordering you to the bed.”
Amazon • All Romance • B&N • iTunes • Kobo • more
Make sure to check out all the offerings from the Weekend Writing Warriors!
Cup of Sugar
Nia has one rule—don’t date neighbors. Simple, except the guy next door is single, handsome, and not inclined to close his blinds while naked. When her car dies, Conn takes “being neighborly” to a new level by offering a ride to her long-distance destination. Nia has resisted his looks and charm for months. Surely she can handle a few hours in his truck…
For months, Conn has blatantly put himself on display, hoping his pretty blonde neighbor would tire of secretly watching and come knock on his door for a cup of sugar—or more. No such luck—until an unusual opportunity arises. After a six-hour drive turns into a sweet-and-sexy weekend, Conn wants more than neighborly status with Nia. To get it, he must convince her to break the rule protecting her heart—by putting his on the line.
-
Sunday Snippet—CUP OF SUGAR—Vacancy
This week’s Sunday snippet follows shortly after last week’s offering from CUP OF SUGAR. Nia’s hunky neighbor has saved the day (actually, the night) by offering to drive her through a nasty snow storm to reach her long-distance destination. Only the weather has forced them off the roads, to the only refuge they’ve come across in over an hour of treacherous driving. Conn has just returned from the small motel’s office.
He eased back in his seat, grinning as he killed the engine. “The good news is, we chanced upon the only motel in a hundred-kilometer radius before we ran out of gas or landed in a ditch…and it had a vacancy.”“A vacancy?”
“Yeah, one room left.” As if cued, the red “Vacancy” sign in the office window flickered to black. He held up a plastic fob with a single key dangling from its ring. “And it’s all ours.”
She forced a smile while donning her coat—sharing a motel room with Conn was definitely not good news.
Visit the other Weekend Writing Warriors serving up eight-sentence snippets this week.
CUP OF SUGAR
Nia has one rule—don’t date neighbors. Simple, except the guy next door is single, handsome, and not inclined to close his blinds while naked. When her car dies, Conn takes “being neighborly” to a new level by offering a ride to her long-distance destination. Nia has resisted his looks and charm for months. Surely she can handle a few hours in his truck…
For months, Conn has blatantly put himself on display, hoping his pretty blonde neighbor would tire of secretly watching and come knock on his door for a cup of sugar—or more. No such luck—until an unusual opportunity arises. After a six-hour drive turns into a sweet-and-sexy weekend, Conn wants more than neighborly status with Nia. To get it, he must convince her to break the rule protecting her heart—by putting his on the line.
Amazon • iTunes • Kobo • B&N • All Romance • more
-
Sunday Snippet—CUP OF SUGAR—Car Trouble
Since we’re in the middle of another frigid, snowy winter, this week’s Sunday snippet is from the first page of CUP OF SUGAR, which opens on a blustery New Year’s Eve. Conn and Nia are new-ish neighbors, but they don’t know each other very well—yet.
“My car won’t start.”Chalk this one up as a late Christmas present from the universe. Conn motioned at the passenger door. She nodded in response, so he opened it, stuck his head and shoulders inside. “I’m at your service—I can jump you or give you a ride.”
She squeaked—actually squeaked—and the frost melted from her expression. Oh, she was still pink in the cheeks, the color just didn’t look cold-weather induced. Maybe this New Year’s Eve wouldn’t completely suck after all.
Amazon • All Romance • iTunes • B&N • Kobo • more
Check the Weekend Writing Warriors website for a full list of this week’s participants.
Blurb
Nia has one rule—don’t date neighbors. Simple, except the guy next door is single, handsome, and not inclined to close his blinds while naked. When her car dies, Conn takes “being neighborly” to a new level by offering a ride to her long-distance destination. Nia has resisted his looks and charm for months. Surely she can handle a few hours in his truck…
For months, Conn has blatantly put himself on display, hoping his pretty blonde neighbor would tire of secretly watching and come knock on his door for a cup of sugar—or more. No such luck—until an unusual opportunity arises. After a six-hour drive turns into a sweet-and-sexy weekend, Conn wants more than neighborly status with Nia. To get it, he must convince her to break the rule protecting her heart—by putting his on the line.
-
Sunday Snippet—GAME PLAN—The Toys Are Coming Out
Happy Sunday! Today is a special day, because it’s the 3rd anniversary of my first pubished book. My debut novel, GAME PLAN, released February 15, 2012. The publisher has recently dropped the price on this book, so if you haven’t picked it up already, now’s a perfect time.
GAME PLAN is an older woman/younger man erotic romance. Andie, a 40-year-old divorced mom of a tween, meets Mason when he “accidentally” hits her with a baseball while warming up for a game. Here’s an eight-sentence snippet from their first meeting…
After inspecting her toes and her injured ankle a couple minutes more, he met her eyes again. “I’ve gotta go, I’m playing on the other diamond and my game is about to start. But you should call me later—for ibuprofen, cold packs, a foot rub, whatever you need—I deliver, 24/7.”“A foot rub…are you a registered massage therapist or something?”
“Strictly amateur. But I do more than feet, and I guarantee satisfaction.”
Well that about sealed it. The toys were coming out tonight—the big ones.
Don’t forget to check out the other Weekend Writing Warriors‘ offerings.
GAME PLAN
Recently divorced after seventeen years with a snooty, uptight, controlling man, forty-year-old Andie is definitely ready for some casual, sexy fun when a hot younger man “accidentally” hits her with a baseball. Mason’s interest is clear and he looks like a lot more fun than her overworked vibrator collection, so she goes for it, despite the obvious age gap. The young veterinarian is as easy to be with as he is on the eyes, making him an ideal summer diversion and the perfect man to help her make up for lost time and missed orgasms.
Mason had to meet the sexy woman at the ball diamond. The chemistry between them is instant and completely addictive. Andie is more than beautiful, she’s uninhibited and independent—totally unlike the needy twenty-somethings he’s been dating since his ex-fiancée deceived him five years ago. And yeah, Andie is ten years older than him, big deal. The more they’re together, the more his heart wants her as badly as his cock. Too bad Andie isn’t playing for keeps.
Amazon • B&N • All Romance • more
-
Sale Alert! ICING ON THE CAKE
February 13th only, ICING ON THE CAKE is the deal of the day at All Romance Ebooks! If you haven’t read this one yet, go grab a copy for just $1.50. That’s lots of laughs and steamy sex for less than a cup of coffee! Epub, mobi (Kindle) and PDF formats are all available. 🙂
Not sure? Read more about ICING ON THE CAKE, including the first chapter, here.