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Guest Post—TEMPTATION RETURNS by Lisa Carlisle
I’m happy to share the lovely Lisa Carlisle‘s newest release, TEMPTATION RETURNS, with you today. Isn’t that a hot cover?
Temptation Returns
Lisa Carlisle
Antonio returns from the Marine Corps to begin a new life as a civilian. While visiting Cape Cod, he meets a strange woman who reads his Tarot cards. He doesn’t believe in such nonsense; after all, he’s a Marine. When he returns to Boston, he receives a ticket to a rock club where he runs into the one woman he never forgot.
Lina can’t believe Antonio is back in town, right before her wedding. Being around him again resurrects long-buried feelings. Will she be able to resist temptation in the form of a dark-haired Italian Marine, the same man who once broke her heart?
Available now from:
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Excerpt
“These guys are awesome,” Krystal shouted over the music. “Impossible not to have a good time at their shows.”
“Glad I brought you,” Lina replied. “I doubt this would be Brett’s scene.”
They danced and sang along for several songs until the singer announced, “We’re going to take a break. Get a drink, take a piss, and get ready for the second part of the show, which will blow away the first.”
Lina and Krystal were among the first to get to the women’s room. By the time they came out, a line was forming out the door.
“Drink?” Krystal suggested.
“Yeah, let me think. What do I want?” She glanced up at the bar. “Oh, my God.” She turned away and looked up to the ceiling, which had dozens of rubber bats hanging from the rafters. “Oh, God. Oh, God.”
Krystal turned to her, perplexed. “What?”
“My ex is here.”
Krystal scanned the room. “Who? Where?”
“The tall one at the bar. Black hair, black shirt. Tattooed arms.”
“The guy standing so straight like he has a rod up his back?”
“Yes. He can’t help it. He’s a Marine.”
Krystal’s mouth became a perfect O. “Holy shit. The one you were crazy about?”
Lina couldn’t respond so she nodded, unable to tear her eyes from him. Three years had passed, but he appeared as young and as vibrant as when he was a teenager. His black hair was shorter than when they’d first started dating, but not as close cut as while enlisted in the Marines.
His eyes still conveyed a sense of amusement and burned with an intensity that could render women speechless, including her when they’d first met at a club like this one. His body was leaner than when she’d last seen him; he’d lost some weight that further defined his muscles. He resembled a boxer more than a bodybuilder. The whole package was one she’d never been able to resist. A sucker for dark, brooding Italian boys, he captured it so well he should have been on tourist brochures. It would get her on the first flight to Italy.
Krystal brought her back to earth. “Are you going to say hi to him?”
Lina’s mind scrambled. “I don’t know what to do.”
He must have felt her eyes staring as he turned her way and caught her eye. She froze, unable to break the stare.
“Looks like he knows you’re here now.”
“Uh, ah, um…”
Krystal nudged her arm. “Snap out of it, Lina. No matter what happened between you, he’s still just a guy. It was a long time ago, and you’ve moved on. You’re a strong, confident woman. Don’t let that hot shit with a poker up his ass undermine that.”
Lina faced Krystal. “You’re right. It’s—unexpected. Last I heard he was over in Afghanistan.”
“And now he’s coming your way.”
About Lisa CarlisleLisa Carlisle is a USA Today Bestselling author of romance and suspense. She loves stories with dark, brooding heroes and independent, caring heroines. Her romances have been named Top Picks at Night Owl Reviews and All Romance Ebooks. When she was younger, she worked at a variety of jobs in various countries. She backpacked alone through Europe and lived in Paris before returning to the U.S. and draws on her travels for inspiration for settings. Lisa also owned a bookstore for a few years as she loves to read. She’s now married with two kids, has a cat and many fish.
Connect with Lisa:
Newsletter • Website • Blog • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads • Amazon
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Guest Post – Knights of Stone by Lisa Carlisle
Today I’m happy to share a new release by the lovely Lisa Carlisle. Congratulations, Lisa!
Knights of StoneHighland Gargoyles 1
Gargoyles, tree witches, and wolf shifters have divided the Isle of Stone after a great battle twenty-five years ago. When Kayla, a tree witch, hears about the unconventional rock concerts in the gargoyle’s territory, she sneaks from her coven and into their territory to see for herself. Night after night, she returns to see one in particular shift into human form and play guitar at these unconventional shows.
For several nights, Mason has kept watch for the pixie-like female. He plans to seduce her, thinking she’s a visitor from another island. When he discovers she’s one of the tree witches, he retreats, attempting to keep his distance. The temptation is strong, but forbidden.
Kayla and Mason attempt to meet in secret, but other elements on the isle command their attention. A magical cloak created by the three clans on the island is thinning, leading to repercussions for all the clans. Kayla and Mason are caught in the middle of it, and their actions may change the fate for all.
This novella was originally released as part of the USA Today bestselling Highland Shifters paranormal romance boxed set.
Excerpt
The crowd pushed Kayla closer to the stage as the last trails of fiery sunset faded. They knew what happened once darkness fell. She recovered her footing and focused again on the five life-sized stone gargoyles perched on pedestals on the perimeter of the stage. The space between them was set with instruments—guitars, a drum set, mic stands, and massive amplifiers, while a bonfire in a pit behind them cast the statues in a warm glow.
A stagehand with tartan draped over one shoulder climbed onto the stage and walked to the closest statue. He fastened the kilt over its shoulder and around its waist with a thick belt, covering the statue’s massive thighs. Kayla flushed, picturing why the coverings were necessary once the transformation began. The kilt had become a key detail in her fantasies about the guitarist, since it was the only clothing he wore. The stagehand continued dressing each statue with the same brilliant blue tartan worn by the gargoyle clan.
The last vestige of sunlight disappeared from the sky, and night draped the stage like a closing curtain. The statues loomed, dark silhouettes barely discernible by the crescent moon with the backdrop of the craggy cliffs and the rugged peaks of waves in the Atlantic Ocean behind them. The murmur of voices was replaced by silence. Waiting…
Five torches blazed on the stage all at once, lit by an unseen force. The audience erupted in cheers as the dancing lights from the flickering fire basked the statues. The flames lowered, casting the gargoyles in an eerie, almost reverent glow.
Movement. So slight, Kayla wondered if it was simply a play of light and shadows in her anticipation for the change. She fixed her gaze on the statue in front of her, the one she’d gravitated to each time she’d had sneaked out to see the show. Its massive gray form stood straight on two legs built for sturdiness. Its chest jutted out proudly. Gray wings with detailed feathers etched in the stone arched from a point below its shoulder blades. Eyes cast straight ahead on a face that appeared to be a mixture of canine and lion. Its right hand twitched, so slightly she would have missed it if she hadn’t stared so intently. Then a clawed foot inched forward.
Murmurs of astonishment burst from the crowd as the transformation began. Their cries of fervor grew louder as the monstrous statues transformed into taller, slimmer figures with the bronzed skin of warriors who battled under the midday sun. The tartan fabric fell over their thighs as they stood erect, covering their nudity.
Kayla barely blinked, mesmerized as always, as the statue before her stood to full height, taking on the form of a human male, but with beautiful raven wings. Hair just as black snaked rebelliously past his chin. The stony eyes flickered with animation, turning to a mossy green. His deep gaze seared the audience, seeming to burn anything in the path. When he found Kayla, he stopped. His expression was unreadable, but the intensity in his unblinking eyes made her swallow. She froze under the scrutiny as if hypnotized, unable to break eye contact. Her stomach lurched, heart pounded, and every muscle in her body tightened, fueled with blood now scorching through her veins. His penetrating appraisal affected her so. When his eyes took on a smoldering glint, her skin tingled and a red-hot awareness grew between her thighs.
He broke the stare and continued to assess the audience. She gasped, not realizing she had been holding her breath, and panted while she tried to breathe at a normal rate.
He turned on robust legs and strode to a guitar stand. She tore her eyes from him to note the other gargoyles. They, too, had shifted into the form of striking males. One had black hair draped further down his back, one had long blond hair, and two had reddish-brown hair—one wavy and shaggy, the other straight. They took their place at other instruments. She sought the guitarist again and caught the first sound of the pick striking the strings. On hearing the guitar projected through the amp, the crowd roared again, pressing Kayla forward.
The freak show was about to begin.
Spotlights flooded the musicians, powered by solar panels near a massive amplifier. The guitarist continued playing and the others joined in, playing a raucous crossover between hard rock and heavy metal. The one with long blond hair grabbed hold of the microphone and belted out a shattering cry that sounded like a call to battle. The crowd went pin drop silent to listen and then cheered in unison as the band played on. The front man sang piercing growls and low croons about the Knights in Stone, the protectors of the ancient forests, battling against the evil tree witches.
Kayla’s coven.
KNIGHTS OF STONE is available now. Pick up your copy here:
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Connect with Lisa online:
Newsletter ♦ Website ♦ Blog ♦ Twitter ♦ Facebook ♦ Goodreads ♦ Amazon
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Lisa Carlisle—New Release
I met author Lisa Carlisle at EC’s annual RomantiCon convention. She’s adorable & a lovely person. She has a new release this week, so let’s check it out!
Better Than Cake by Lisa Carlisle
After the worst fight of their relationship, the last place Stephanie wants to be is a wedding reception. She still can’t get over what happened. Could their five years of marriage be destroyed after a blast of heated words? Johnny suggested separating. Separating! Now with her marriage on the line, she has to put on a brave face and pretend love is grand.
Johnny doesn’t know why he’d freaked out the way he had and is left with one emotion. Regret. He doesn’t want to lose Stephanie. He must find her and make things right.
Stephanie enters the reception, fearing the end of her marriage. Johnny has something else in mind—a much more decadent proposal that will turn her friend’s wedding into an event they’ll never forget.
A short erotic romance for only 99 cents!
Amazon ◊ B&N ◊ Kobo ◊ All Romance
An Excerpt from Better Than Cake by Lisa Carlisle
Who gets ditched at a wedding? Stephanie paused and took a deep breath before walking into her friend’s reception. Something like this could only happen to her.
Ditched wasn’t a strong enough description. “Maybe we should try separating.” Johnny’s words echoed in her mind, lashing her psyche raw with repetition.
Separating! She closed her eyes. Unthinkable.
It’s okay. You can do this. Stick it out for a couple of hours and then you can deal with the mess.
How would she explain her husband’s sudden absence? He was at the ceremony, but wouldn’t be at the reception. What would be a reasonable explanation? They were spending the weekend here in Cape Cod so it would be tough to feign a work or family excuse.
Illness. Yes, something about seafood. That would be plausible at a seaside resort. Food poisoning. She had an excuse—but it didn’t make her feel any better about the situation.
Beyond the Sea wafted out from the ballroom, appropriate for this Cape Cod seaside resort. She glanced up at the imposing exterior of the multi-level hotel. Her hand trembled so she clutched her silver purse tighter. She raised her chin to steel herself and entered the hotel.
Stephanie scanned the place settings to find hers. Mr. and Mrs. John Silvio. Table nineteen. She dropped her purse to her side, but her fingers still clenched it. The last place she wanted to be after a killer argument with her husband was a wedding. She forced herself to enter the reception area, squeezing through all those decked in suits and evening gowns. Searching the table numbers for nineteen, she followed them to the back of the room. She guessed she’d be furthest from the head table, since she was neither family nor close friend, but an old college roommate of the bride. She made her way to the back of the room, braved a smile, and introduced herself to the couples already seated.
“Hi. I’m Stephanie.”
“Elaine,” a heavyset woman with puffy blond hair said. “You’re alone?”
Great. Just fantastic. Starting right with the topic she wanted to avoid. “Yes. My husband couldn’t make it tonight. Something he ate earlier,” she babbled. “Probably the shellfish.” She shrugged.
The others introduced themselves as she sat down and peppered her with questions about where they bought the seafood. A few shared their stories of food poisoning.
It was going to be a long night.
Once the attention was off her, she replayed the fight for what had to be the fortieth time since it happened. After a ripple of snide comments evolved into a tsunami of a fight, she stormed away from Johnny and ended up talking to herself like a crazy person as she pounded through the surf.
“Separating? Why does he take a small argument and blow it up into something like this? How could he do this to me at my friend’s wedding? What the fuck!”
A couple of miles later, she had calmed down. It wasn’t all his doing. She was the one who’d dragged them here when he had other plans. Her fury decreased as the sun sank lower in the sky, replaced by a cloak of sadness.
She didn’t want to split up.
Her eyes began to water. How the heck would she make it through the night without breaking down? Her marriage could be over. How long could she sport a brave face before it dropped?
“Excuse me,” she said and hurried into the ladies room. She barely made it through the door before her eyes pooled with tears.
She grabbed tissues and blotted them, fixing her smudged makeup the best she could.
“You can do this,” she told her reflection in the mirror.
As much as she dreaded being at a wedding while her own marriage hung in jeopardy, she had to put her feelings aside for the sake of Caryn. She’d only get married once.
Hopefully.
* * * * *
Johnny caught glimpses of the ocean from the cab and couldn’t help but brood on what he had said to Stephanie down the beach this afternoon. A cold black cloak had surrounded him since, fastened with shackles of regret. The same question echoed in his head ever since.
Why?
Why had he freaked out the way he had? Said the things he had? The day had started out great. They woke up at the bed and breakfast and had the morning free before the ceremony. They’d rented bikes on the Cape Cod Rail Trail and had ridden past sand dunes and shacks, cranberry bogs and duck-filled ponds, villages and pine forests, and even a couple of lighthouses. The scenery was one thing, his beautiful wife riding alongside him something else. He could barely keep his eyes off her lithe body and on the trail.
When they’d stopped to buy sandwiches from one of the beachside shacks and had a picnic lunch on the beach, things were still good. It wasn’t until after the seaside wedding ceremony this afternoon that he’d opened his mouth and all kinds of stupid fell out. And for what? Something trivial, not something to throw away a marriage over.
Their argument had stirred weeks before. He resented her for dragging him to a wedding when he’d already had plans for his monthly camping trip with his buddies, He had stormed about it for days, but downright exploded on the beach earlier. Telling her she was too controlling, she shouldn’t speak for him and make him cancel his plans to do something she wanted. How his outdoor trips were how he decompressed from work and if she didn’t get it by now, she didn’t get him. She’d countered, saying he used the same justification for his softball games, and sometimes he had to suck it up and act like an adult. Snide comments had escalated into verbal jabs. Past grievances were drudged up as their defenses rose. Accusations flew, growing uglier, and digging up past perceived injustices, until finally, he had suggested a trial separation.
He still wasn’t sure why he’d said it. A heat of the moment incident, blurting out something to end the fight with something he didn’t even mean.
Her shocked expression had turned to one of hurt as she blinked back tears. Then she’d lashed back at him. “If you’re so shallow and selfish that you consider a weekend away from your buddies such brutality, then yeah, maybe we should.”
When she had stormed away from him across the beach, he had turned away thinking to hell with her and pounded through the sand in the opposite direction. It wasn’t until he had turned back several minutes later to see she was gone that he realized he might have made the biggest mistake of his life.
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About the Author
Lisa loves stories with dark, brooding, isolated characters and tough, independent, caring heroines. Her reading tastes very widely and she’ll read almost anything—especially mysteries, romance, and non-fiction on any new topic of interest.
She is thrilled to be a multi-published author writing since she’s wanted to write since the sixth grade. Her travels and many jobs have provided her with inspiration for novels, such as serving in the Marine Corps in Okinawa, Japan, backpacking alone around Europe, or working as a waitress in Paris. Her love of books inspired her to own a small independent book store for a couple of years.
Lisa lives in New England with her husband and their children. She spends her days writing for corporate clients and her evenings writing stories and novels.
Visit her website for more on books, trailers, playlists, and more:
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Lisa loves to connect with readers. You can find her on:
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My Writing Process Blog Tour Meme
It’s my turn in the Writing Process Blog Tour meme. The lovely Cara Bristol tagged me last week, so here I go, answering four questions about how I write. On March 24th, visit the authors I’ve tagged to participate — A.S. Fenichel and Lisa Carlisle.
1. What am I working on at the moment?This one is exciting to answer, because for the first time, I’m working on a series. The document I have open these days is called “Icing on the Cake” and it’s Book 2 of my ‘Close to Home’ series. Each book features a new romantic couple and will be able to stand alone, but I do think readers will get more out of the stories if they read in order. That’s usually the way, isn’t it? 😉
Icing on the Cake is scheduled to release in June.
2. How does my work differ from others of its genre?
That’s rather a loaded question! And one I don’t think I can answer, frankly. Is my work different from others of its genre? I don’t know. I don’t try to write “different”, I just write what I enjoy, the way the characters and their stories unfold. I write hot (sometimes very hot) contemporary romance. My stories have banter and humor, intensity and teary parts, steamy sex, and happily ever afters. They’re different from other books in the genre because they came out of my head, that’s all I know for sure.
3. Why do I write what I do?
This one is easy to answer. I write what I write because those are the stories that pop into my brain and demand to be written. I don’t choose to write a certain kind of story or theme, ideas just come to me like little sparks. The ones that keep pinging around in my head, developing into something more, are the stories I sit down to write.
4. How does my writing process work?
Ha, that’s a joke, right? 😉 Okay, this is how I write.
I’m out walking my big doggie and a spark of an idea pops into my head. I pull out my phone, bring up the notepad app and jot whatever it is down. Maybe it’s a concept, maybe it’s a few sentences. Whatever. Then I put the phone away and keep walking the doggie. (Isn’t she adorable?)If that idea keeps niggling at me, I open a blank document and write a beginning. Maybe it’s a paragraph, maybe it’s a page. Whatever. Then I save and close the document and go on with life. Dishes, laundry, scooping the cat’s litter box… the glamorous stuff, you know?
If the story keeps unfolding in my brain, I open the document again and write some more. (This part could repeat for days. Weeks, even.) Maybe I end up with three pages, maybe a first chapter. I save and quit. Save and quit. Do more glamorous life stuff.
Hooray, the story is still unfolding in my brain! So I take a long shower or walk my dog, to see if “scenes” pop into my head. This is how it happens for me — entire scenes play in my head, sort of like movie snippets. I grab those scenes and scribble the gist of them in a notebook. Around those scenes, I *try* to make an outline. Aside from those scenes I can see quite vividly, the rest of the outline is loose and vague. A bony thing that with A LOT of determination and a healthy dose of luck, *may* become a book.
Using the outline, I make a Post-It note for each scene, be it specific or general, and stick them to the wall near my desk. There’s no better motivation than being able to rip those suckers down as I go! Using the Post-Its, I estimate the word count for each scene to calculate the approximate finished length of the book, as well as a possible completion date. Assuming, of course, that unplanned scenes don’t crop up out of nowhere and demand to be added to the story. And you know what they say about assuming. 😉
I give myself a deadline for completion based on the estimated word count ahead. I tell myself I am absolutely, without a doubt, going to buckle down and meet THE DEADLINE. (Insert hysterical laughing here.)
Then, I write. Sloooowly. Because I edit constantly while writing. (And maybe because I get distracted by the internet just a teensy-weensy little bit.) Anyway. 😉 I’ve never been able to fast-draft or rough-draft. Instead, I pick, pick, pick and wordsmith every single time I open my document. I also write in a linear fashion. If something is really tripping me up, I highlight the section and attempt to move past it temporarily. This rarely works. Usually, I send needy messges to my friends, who pull me back from the ledge, lovely people that they are.
When I finally reach The End, I head back to the beginning and edit some more. And some more. After that, I send it to my beta readers and try not to totally freak out because I KNOW THE WHOLE THING SUCKS BIG HAIRY BALLS. I binge eat, alternating between sweet treats and salty snacks. Then I walk my dog so that I’m too busy to message the poor beta readers every half hour to see if they hate it.
While I’m out walking my dog… a new idea pops into my head, and the process begins again. And that’s how I write. 🙂
Next Monday, click over to my friends’ blogs to read about their writing processes.
A.S. Fenichel gave up a successful career in New York City to follow her husband to Texas and pursue her lifelong dream of being a professional writer. She’s never looked back. A.S. adores writing stories filled with love, passion, desire, magic and maybe a little mayhem tossed in for good measure. Books have always been her perfect escape and she still relishes diving into one and staying up all night to finish a good story. Multi-published in erotic, contemporary and historical romance, A.S. has several books currently contracted to multiple publishers, and will be bringing you her brand of romance for many years to come.
Lisa Carlisle loves stories with dark, brooding, isolated characters (like Heathcliff, Dracula, Darth Vader, and Severus Snape) and tough, independent, caring heroines. Her reading tastes very widely and she’ll read almost anything–especially paranormal romance, mysteries, and non-fiction on any new topic of interest. When she was younger, Lisa served a short time in the Marines, serving in Parris Island, South Carolina, the California desert, and Okinawa, Japan. She then backpacked alone through Europe and lived in Paris. Returning to the U.S., she owned an independent bookstore for a few years and started to write. Currently, she lives in New England with her husband, two children, a cat, and too many fish.
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Dark Velvet by Lisa Carlisle
I met the lovely Lisa Carlisle at Ellora’s Cave’s annual RomantiCon convention in October 2013. What a sweetheart she is! And interesting too. So glad I had the opportunity to meet and connect with Lisa last fall. ☺
Let’s jump to the present so I can share Lisa’s newest release — a new-adult erotic paranormal, DARK VELVET.
Dark Velvet
Lisa Carlisle
Chateau Seductions series
Grad student Savannah Evans is thrilled to be accepted as a resident to a prestigious art colony. Where else would she be able to focus on her craft of writing poetry in a setting like that of the medieval-styled castle? The remote New England island is a respite from her hectic city life. When she meets her benefactor, a mysterious French sculptor, her expectations for carefree days writing near the ocean are distracted by unprofessional fantasies about her sponsor.
Antoine Chevalier built Les Beaux Arts on DeRoche Island to bring purpose back to an existence that has lost meaning. He’s wandered the earth for decades and finds solace in returning to art. When Savannah applies for a residency, something about her words touches him. After her arrival, a physical attraction grows between them, which he struggles against. She deserves more than someone of his kind.
Antoine proposes they become lovers during her stay. But the situation turns complicated when Savannah discovers his secret. She had suspicions about his identity, but finds the truth overwhelming. Consumed by her desire for Antoine and faced with a tough decision, she is blind to the danger that has arrived at DeRoche Island.
New adult erotic romance
Paranormal / gargoyle / vampire / shapeshifter
Sounds good, right? Go grab your copy from
Connect with Lisa online:
website ◊ facebook ◊ twitter ◊ goodreads
