Written Fireside Blog Hop

It might only be August, but there's a reason Christmas has come early....

Fifteen HarperCollins authors have all been given the same opening paragraph and challenged to write a 'Christmas by the Fire' short story. That brilliant first paragraph was written by competition winner Georgia Beyers. To join in the fun follow the hop, read excerpts from all the stories and enter the giveaway and be in with a chance to win lots of books and a 70$ Amazon Gift Card!
To read the stories in full, look out for the Christmas e-book anthology which will be published later in the year. So, here's the opening paragraph, followed by a snippet from my story...


Charlotte sat at the bus stop wondering whether she would make the naughty or nice list this year. Last year she had rescued a stray kitten and therefore considered herself most definitely ‘nice’. This year she had broken Daniel’s heart into a million tiny pieces, so ‘naughty’ seemed to be the only answer. There’d be no Santa Claus coming down her chimney anytime soon. - Georgia Beyers

Threes…
 Charlotte sat at the bus stop wondering whether she would make the naughty or nice list this year. Last year she had rescued a stray kitten and therefore considered herself most definitely ‘nice’. This year she had broken Daniel’s heart into a million tiny pieces, so ‘naughty’ seemed to be the only answer. There’d be no Santa Claus coming down her chimney anytime soon.

Seriously though, naughty or nice, she seemed to be hurtling headlong towards the obligatory three bits of bad luck. Why did it have to come in threes? And why now, when she really could do with a bit of festive encouragement?

Actually, thinking about it, luck was a bit like buses, all or nothing, and right now her bad luck was piling up like a road block and the buses, well… there was a distinct lack of anything big, red and warm.
She glanced down at her watch, for the umpteenth time, if one didn’t come soon she’d be shattering (well shattering might be a bit on the strong side, severely denting more like) more than one little heart, and she’d actually BE blue, not just feeling it.
Although not as blue as Daniel. Poor, poor Daniel. No festive cheer for him. He was the first bit of bad luck, if you could call it that, some might call it clever engineering. And talking of engineering (or should that be mechanics?) black cloud two on her horizon was her car.
For the first time in like ever, their whole entire relationship, it had spluttered as though it had swallowed something down the wrong way, and then given up the ghost altogether. Which did just about sum up her past relationships (the human, not mechanical ones). The one with her car had probably been as good as it got.

 Maybe it was enough that her car had broken down just when she needed it most, leaving her waiting for a bus in the freezing cold. Maybe Santa could strike the Daniel thing off the list and call it quits – which left her in the good camp didn’t it? Well evens, because apparently the kitten wasn’t actually a stray. Long story, but hey she’d tried. And didn’t they say it was the trying that mattered? And it had been attempted rescue, she had climbed up the tree even if she’d missed the fact that the darn thing had decided a suicidal scramble down the other side was a better bet than being saved by her. Okay, so that left it about evens. Clean slate, hello Santa. Or maybe the third bit of bad luck would be no bus, and a lot of un-festive bad temper and maybe even tears.
 And the whole Daniel thing wasn’t really her fault anyway. Oh, why wasn’t life ever simple?

 ***

“Have you got any idea what you look like dressed like that?”
Charlotte instinctively jumped back as the car pulled in at the kerb, determined not to get her tights sprayed by yet another wave of slushy snow, then thoughts of Daniel, ungrateful kittens and naughty lists took a hike as she registered who it was.
“Like Santa’s little helper I was hoping.” She grinned at the girl inside the car, who had wound the window down and seemed to find the whole thing quite entertaining. Amy.
“And there was I just thinking green tights were the in thing this Christmas. Come on, get in, I’m freezing my bits off here.”
Charlotte pulled opened the car door and stepped as carefully as she could in, studying her by now drooping boots. Well, the perky points were drooping. Getting changed before setting off had been a good idea when she’d thought she had a car. Not so good when you have to trudge the streets.
“Crumbs it’s hot in here.” The tips of her fingers were already tingling seconds after she’d shut the door. “Don’t complain, if you’d stood out there much longer you would have either got picked up or arrested.”
“I wouldn’t say no to a nice policeman.”
“As in picked up, or arrested by?”
She shrugged and Amy laughed and steered her way back into the traffic. “I thought you were off men.” “Only other peoples.” Charlotte sighed and closed her eyes for a second, although surely the fact that Amy had turned up was a good sign. A sign that she may be forgiven? “And my look not touch policy is working just fine.”
“That so wasn’t your fault. And I can’t believe he actually cried. I mean cried. Real tears.” Her best friend glanced at her briefly, with a look of mock horror then turned her concentration back to the road.
“Real man tears.” She looked glumly out at the garishly decorated shop windows that were whizzing past in glorious Technicolor. “That, apparently, was one of the things Holly liked about him. His sensitive side.” “Until she decided to swap him for a fireman.”
“He has a big pole apparently.”
 Amy giggled, then beeped the car horn angrily as a man, half hidden behind a large conifer stepped out in front of the car. Charlotte made a grab for the door handle as the car shimmied on the ice, but Amy didn’t seem to notice. She was warming up to the subject. Holly assassination. “She is such a cow though, expecting you to do the dirty for her. Sorry, but she is.”
Diversionary tactics seemed in order. Much as Charlotte didn’t like the way her sister took advantage of her good nature, she was prepared to forgive and forget. The festive season and all that. “A lucky cow, you should see the fireman. And she probably knew Dan would cry, she only does soft sides when it works for her. I mean she just wouldn’t know what to do, would she? She’s not exactly the type to hand out tissues.” 

“More the type to give him the money so he can go buy a packet. I can’t believe you two are sisters. Here we go, grotty grotto time.” Amy pulled the handbrake on with a flourish and stared at the entrance door. “I suppose we should be thankful we’re not reindeers. The little horrors kept pinching Becky’s bum last year, they said they just wanted to see if her tail was real. One of them tugged it so hard she thought the elastic in her knickers was going to pop.”
“Knickers?”
“It was attached. Safety reasons. Elf and safety.” Amy giggled at her own joke.
“Very funny.” Charlotte passed Amy her elf hat. “Nor can I, believe we’re sisters I mean.” And sometimes she couldn’t. Holly was tall, slim, had perfect nails and breathtakingly outrageous dress sense. Charlotte stopped at outrageous. She was small, on the verge of a donut-too-many and generally wore the first thing that fell out of the wardrobe. Or, as in tonight, an elf costume. Holly would never be seen dead in green (despite her name), it clashed with her skin colouring apparently. And as for the curly toed shoes and the perky hat… “Hang on.” Somewhere from the depths of the elf tunic a merry Christmas tune announced an incoming text. “Oh.” She re-read the text just to be sure. “Apparently she’s moved on to the fireman’s mate now.”
 “So he didn’t light her fire exactly?”
Charlotte shook her head and tried to look disapproving. “You’re on form tonight.”
“It’s my mental preparation for coping with two hundred hyper kids. Shall we go find Santa?”
“I think my boots are running.”
“Sorry?”
 “The colour,” she swung her feet out of the car and watched the snow turn emerald. “It’s running. My feet are in a bit of a green puddle. Oh, shit.” Charlotte paused, half in and half out of the car. Which wasn’t a good idea as her feet nearly shot from under her on the ice. She straightened up reluctantly, which meant she couldn’t hide behind the car door any longer.
“What? Oh.” Amy walked round and stood at the side of Charlotte, and stared at Santa Claus, standing stock in the centre of the doorway. His white beard tucked under his chin. A bashful grin on his face. Amy wasn’t bothered about displaying herself in full elf costume to Santa. “Er, I mean oo.” She dropped her voice a notch, but it still seemed far too loud to Charlotte. She leant in closer, dropped to a stage whisper. “Well, I mean wow, but what is with the ‘oh shit’, girl? That is one hell of a Santa, Christmas has come early. I’m a believer.”

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The Keepers: Declan - Rae Rivers Launch Tour + Giveaway!

 

The Keepers: Declan, the book fans have been eagerly awaiting, is finally here! We're celebrating the release of the second book in Rae Rivers' paranormal romance series today with a launch tour and giveaway. Find out all the details and be sure to get your entries in to win a copy of Archer, the first book of The Keepers.

  What they say: '“You lied to me, misled me, attacked me,” Declan murmured, dipping his head toward hers, “but what we had three months ago wasn’t fake, was it?” Kate's gaze faltered to his lips, heat pulsing between them. But she didn’t deny it. Declan Bennett has zero tolerance for thieves. He and his brothers, the Keepers, are fiercely protective of their witch, Sienna, and their privacy. So when Kate Carrigan breaks into their estate, he'll be damned if he lets the little wildcat get away with it – especially after she seduced him three months ago, leaving him buck-naked in a New Orleans hotel. Declan wants payback – and some answers. Before she was murdered, Kate's mother ingrained it in her not to trust anyone. Kate’s magical powers make her a pawn in the war between good and evil, a war she’s always avoided. Declan is everything she’s been taught to fear, even if she can’t forget the memory of his touch that one night… Trouble is brewing as the powers of evil regroup - bolder and hungrier than ever - and Kate is forced to choose a side. Hot romance, epic battles and action abound in Book 2 of The Keepers.' Click Here To Buy The Book - UK Click Here To Buy The Book - US   Author Bio: I’m an avid reader and writer with a passion for writing romance novels. I live in Cape Town, South Africa, with my gorgeous husband, two beautiful children and a zoo of house pets. Besides writing, I love family time, the outdoors, travelling, watching TV series, reading and chocolate. For more information about my books, or me, please visit www.raerivers.com. I can also be found here:

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If you haven't already had the pleasure of reading one of The Keepers' stories, you can find information on Archer, the first book, HERE and why not download the FREE prequel to the series, The Keepers: Sienna HERE.

Otherwise, enter via the Rafflecopter below for the chance to win one of two copies of Archer*

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*Giveaway copies of The Keepers: Archer will be gifted to the winners via Amazon. Rae Rivers and Candle Lit Author Services reserve the right to amend or cancel the giveaway at any time without prior notice to entrants.

 

Winner! And a great weekend event...Romance Festival 2014!

Yay, I'm pleased to announce my winner of the 'Is It Summer Yet?' blog hop. And, it's.... Tina B! A copy of 'Summer of Surrender' is on its way to you. Enjoy!


And what am I up to this weekend? Well, I've just hit 'send' on my latest book, which is winging its way to my editor, and now I'm getting ready for a weekend of fun. It's the Romance Festival!

Have you signed up yet? Whether you just love reading romance, or you're an author, or would love to write then there is something for you! It's free, and it's online. And I'll be sharing some big news!!

So, if you want to find out more about this fabulous event you can sign up here - Sign Up! Just check out the amazing line up, and events that are going on, cover reveals, advice, author chats, giveaways...

Or, check out the blog here - Romance Festival

Have a great weekend!

Zara x

Written Fireside - 'Changes' Part 5

Welcome to Part 5 of the latest Written Fireside story, Changes. If you've not read any of the previous parts, catch up with them here -

Part 1 – Lori Connelly

Part 2 – Teresa Morgan

Part 3 – Lynn Marie Hulsman

Part 4 - Sue Fortin

Part 5 ...

“You dare me?” She could feel the smile playing over her lips as she dared herself to do what she’d been wanting to do since he’d walked into that art class. Reach out and touch him. The sizzle of heat burned through his shirt, set her fingertips tingling.

Zach had always been able to set her all-a-tremble with the lightest touch, she’d let him do what he wanted, let him take control. But that had been then.

He nodded, his dark eyes alive and dancing with a mix of fun and confidence. “I dare you, Marie. Take a risk.” The unspoken ‘for once’ hung between them.

“Okay.” She drew the word out long as she let her fingers trace a path down his chest. If she had changed, this was the test. She’d faced the future, decided it was time to do things differently. And now she had to face the past. She finally had a chance to draw a line under what had happened between them, rather than bury it under the carpet. End it properly, with her eyes wide open rather than letting the fantasy man come between her and every other man she’d tried to date. She stood up on her tip toes, so that her lips were level with his. Resisted the temptation to kiss him. “I will if you will.”

Zach slammed the passenger car door shut a little harder than he’d meant to. He’d wanted Marie to accept his offer, but if he was honest he hadn’t thought she would. He didn’t really deserve even an acknowledgment from her, let alone the time of day. But there was still something between them, he could tell she was still as drawn to him as he was to her. Which was why he’d dared to stop and talk to her. Why he’d offered to help.

He got in the car, started the engine up and risked a glance in her direction. And although he had a thousand and one questions he wanted to ask, he was tongue tied. Which wasn’t something he was used to.

She grinned back, raised an eyebrow. She’d changed. He’d loved the old Marie, but he had a horrible feeling he’d love the new one even more. Except she would never forgive him. He’d blown his chance long ago, even if he’d had no choice.

“Whenever you’re ready.” Her tone was teasing, something else that was new.

He pushed the car into gear. “What did you mean, I will if you will?”

The sexy chuckle sent him straight back to that summer. Made it all worse. “Dare. Take a risk.”

“Risk, what risk?” He was confused now.

“Explain to me why you did it.”

Don't miss the rest of the story! 

Next up, on the 6th May, is part 6 by Jane Lark. While you're waiting why not discover a bit more about her, and her books
Contact - Website Facebook Twitter Blog History

Her books - I Found You Just You The Illicit Love of a Courtesan The Passionate Love of a Rake The Scandalous Love of a Duke

Part 7 by Mandy Baggot
Part 8 by Linn B Halton
Part 9 by Erin Lawless

New Release - 'Catch My Breath' by Lynn Montagano

I'm thrilled to have Lynn Montagano here today - sharing some background info about her new release.

‘Catch My Breath’ 

Lia Meyers' plan for a relaxing Scottish vacation is short-lived when one uncharacteristic moment of clumsiness lands her in the arms of her very own Knight in Shining Armani…

The perfect opportunity for a much needed holiday romance? Wrong! Lia’s still reeling from the mother of all bad breakups, and she really doesn't have the patience for Alastair Holden – despite his effortless charm and cute British accent.

Arrogant and totally inscrutable, he's exactly the sort of guy she wants to avoid but can't:  the man behind the mystery proves just too tempting to resist.

Drawn to him, Lia is forced to battle with her own insecurities, and the closer they become, the more she recognizes her own weaknesses as she peels away his layers with every night they spend together. Discovering the past Alastair is so desperate to conceal, Lia must decide if they can heal one another together or if their deepest fears will tear them apart.

Lynn has been kind enough to answer a few questions, and give some insight into the characters and setting for her book. I hope you enjoy finding out more...

Okay, starting off with the book…

1. Have you ever been out with a Chief Financial Officer (like Alastair)?! If not, what made you pick that as his career?

Can’t say that I have! For my hero, I wanted to give him a career that, on the outside, made him look very well put-together and in control of things. It’s important for him to appear that way to the world and this job suited him.

2. Can you tell us a bit more about Glasgow and why you used it as the setting for your book?

The book starts with my heroine on vacation in Scotland for her sister’s wedding. I’ve been there a few times, as well as London, and absolutely fell in love with it. Or should I say, the accents? The idea of a trans-Atlantic romance gave me a chance to write about several places instead of just one area, so even though their story begins in Glasgow, it travels through Orlando and London as well.

3. If you had a choice where would you choose to live, and why?

I want to live in so many different places! For starters, I’d have to be independently wealthy to actually achieve all of this but for the sake of the question, here goes: London. I love it there. Every time I visit it gets harder and harder to leave!

I’m an East coast girl originally from Rhode Island so I’d also definitely want to live somewhere close to NYC and Boston.

4. What comes first when you write a story?

Dialogue. For some reason, the characters have non-stop conversations in my head and if I don’t write it down they keep chattering on and on. Sometimes the conversations are inspired by ones I’ve had with friends or something I overheard. It’s always dialogue though. The settings, etc comes later.

5. Can you name five characteristics we’re likely to find in your heroes, and same for heroines?

Stubborn, humorous, caring, intelligent, curious

6. What’s your idea of a perfect day?

This will probably make some of you shake your heads but I absolutely LOVE winter, so my perfect day would be snowy and cold. I’d spend it one of two ways: snuggled up on the couch with some hot chocolate or outside at a football game cheering on my favorite team. I’ve done both and equally enjoyed it. =)

And before you run off, can you share a little excerpt?

Excerpt –

 “You’re quite lovely, Lia. Pity you’re leaving soon. I’d like to take you—” he paused, tracing his thumb over my lower lip. I shuddered. “—out. Again.”

“You would?” I asked hoarsely.

Nodding, he stroked the curve of my cheek. “Are you coming back to Glasgow after the wedding?”

“Yeah…yes. Saturday.”

Backing away from him, I bumped into the arm of the couch. I almost toppled over it, but managed to steady myself. Being in his presence made me so damn skittish, it was frustrating.

“I’m supposed to make an appearance at a cocktail party for my grandfather’s company.”

Oh good, he’s busy.

“You should come. Or we could go out to dinner.” Like an apparition, he was in front of me, stroking his fingers along my arm. “What do you say? Fancy spending the night with me?”

The unspoken promise behind that question nearly shattered me on the spot. This was supposed to be an easy trip across the pond. Go to the wedding, hang out with the family and go home. Not fend off an amazingly sexy, impossible-to-resist guy.

“Stop overthinking,” he ordered.

Stormy, dark eyes carved a path through my skull. I wilted beneath the strength of his stare. A shaky breath escaped my lips as he traced his finger along my jaw and down my neck. He drew me into his hypnotic orbit with such ease. I was powerless to resist.

“This is inevitable, Amelia. Don’t deny it.”

Inevitable? Each stroke of his fingers left a fiery trail in its wake. The smooth, soft skin of his cheek brushed against mine.

“Come with me.”

Oh Jesus, those three words. I jolted out of his seductive haze like I was on fire, trying to avoid his eyes. His expression was one of pure lust.

“No,” I whispered.

His mouth fell open slightly in surprise. “No?”

“No,” I repeated, louder. “Do you not hear that word very often?”

Impassivity dominated his features. He studied me as though I was the most confusing creature on the planet. We stood so close to one another I was overcome by his intoxicating scent. 

“Why not?”

“Because,” I sighed. “I’m not interested.”

“In what, Lia? Food or drinks?”

“You know what I mean.”

***

Buy links – Amazon: http://www.smarturl.it/CatchMyBreathBook

                  Google Play: http://www.smarturl.it/CatchMyBreath_Book

Thanks for stopping by Lynn!

About Lynn Montagano  -

A fresh, new voice in contemporary romance, Lynn is a former TV news writer who decided to take the plunge and write a novel. She's thrilled that her debut, Catch My Breath, will be published by Harper Impulse in April 2014.

Lynn grew up in a small town in Rhode Island before venturing out into the world. An avid traveler, she's been as far away as Australia and as close as Canada. Her favorite place to visit is London. 

For now, the small town New Englander hangs her hat in Northern California. If you can see her through the fog, wave hello.

Where can your readers find you?

Author Page Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLynnMontagano

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LynnMontagano

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7706026.Lynn_Montagano

‘The Call’ – A two book deal with Harper Collins!

I'm absolutely thrilled I can finally announce that my next erotic novel will be published by one of

‘The Big Five’! I have signed a contract with Harper Collins for two erotic romances, which will be published under the company’s digital first imprint HarperImpulse.

And even though I have had other books published, this was the first time I’d actually got ‘The Call’.....

I sent ‘Summer of Surrender’ to Harper Collins on impulse(!). I’d read so many positive stories about them, and I loved the covers and stories they were publishing – they looked like a dream team to me - but I still had those doubts about whether it was worth sending my story in. What if it was too racy for them? They hadn't yet released any erotic stories and I just didn't know what they’d think about mine! (They have released one now, by the wonderful Aimee Duffy, and more are on the way).

I hesitated, sent it off to another publisher and packed my suitcase for an early morning flight to Barcelona. But, sitting on the plane, I still wasn't sure I’d done the right thing – I wanted to be part of the HarperImpulse team. On the beach next day, with the mojitos flowing I suddenly decided that if I didn't try, I’d never know, and if it was too spicy then I could always write something a bit sweeter. Luckily my other half had his laptop with him (at the apartment not the beach!), and the story was saved up there in the cloud. So, sat on a sunny terrace in Barcelona I wrote a covering letter and hit send. Then had another mojito!

A couple of days later I had an offer from the other publisher. What should I do now? I emailed the lovely Charlotte Ledger and explained the situation to her. I got an email response almost instantly, she had just left the office and would be away for a few days. Could I wait until next week for an answer?

I waited, bit my nails. Waited. Couldn't wait any longer (I'm not very patient). Sent a very apologetic email asking if there was any news, then went out. When I checked my emails on my mobile ten minutes later she’d already replied. She had been looking for my phone number when my email had popped up, could we have a chat? Yes, yes, yes! I raced home and sat by the phone. Nudged it. Checked it was working. Filed my nails. Annoyed the cat. Annoyed my other half. Then she rang, ‘The Call’!!

The instant she spoke I knew I’d made the right decision in sending my manuscript to HarperImpulse, I’d been right to wait…. And I was so relieved that I hadn't shocked Charlotte with my scorching story! I can’t remember everything she said, but I did gather that she loved the story and wanted to publish it! My other half came up to sit with me on the bed and listen to all my ‘yes’, ‘wow’, ‘thank you’ and ‘pleases’. Then he took me out to celebrate. Since then things have just got better and better, Harper are a great team to work with – I already love them to bits and the hardest bit has been keeping the secret until now!

Next week I'm off down to London for a party at Harper Collins (me, at an author party with my publisher, wow!) and I can’t wait to meet Charlotte and the team, some of their other authors and romance readers and writers. I will report back!

So, that is my call story. I'm thrilled, excited and still a bit shell shocked. My first book with HI, ‘Summer of Surrender’ will be released as an e-book on 7th November 2013, and will be available as a paperback at a later date. You can pre-order it now from Amazon (com) or Amazon (UK) and I’ll be updating my website www.ZaraStoneley.com with more news and an excerpt soon!

And, in case you've missed it, here is the stunning cover.....

Guest Post - Sommer Marsden talking about 'Boys Next Door' and why fear is good

Today I'm lucky enough to have Sommer Marsden stop by. I must admit, I've read lots of her stories and have loved them all. She's here today talking about 'Boys Next Door', read on for a hot excerpt and more details.

Boys Next Door

Three Men, One Woman, Maximum Passion

Never in her hottest dreams did Farrell McGee expect a move to Tower Terrace to be such an erotic roller coaster ride. 

"Good luck getting your key. I’m the middle house across the road should you need anything. At all," he said. The tone, the words, the accent on the anything. Oh god, he was one of those men. Men who had tons of self assurance and sexual prowess and total faith in their bedroom abilities. Those men were dangerous.

Starting over at twenty eight, Farrell McGee discovers sleepy Tower Terrace teeming with handsome men. Well, maybe not teeming, but three heart-stopping men do live across the road from her.

Despite feeling she's fallen backwards into a fairytale, complete with a big stone tower, a local legend and missing love letters, it becomes clear that all three of her neighbours have a sensual grip on her. She's powerless to choose just one, and just as powerless to get them out of her head or her bed. Deke, the devilish good boy who's superb at being bad. Coop, so often annoying in his gruffness, but oh so dominant where it counts. And Stephen the pretty, sweet, slightly submissive one. Her sex life has never been so good and her heart never so torn. She needs to choose one man, when she's not ready to give up any of them. But deep down she knows who she wants.

Fear is Good

I found myself, when writing Boys Next Door, creating another strong female lead. Or should I say—taking dictation from another strong female lead. I swear most days I do not feel as if I’m creating anyone, just eavesdropping on fully formed people who happen to reside in my head.

Anyway, put the butterfly nets away, for I digress.

Often people get ‘strong female lead’ confused with ‘woman who is not afraid, shows no emotion and doesn’t ever cry’. Crying seems to irritate some readers.

I must confess, my very strong female leads are often afraid—terrified even—show tons of emotion and do actually cry. They also lay down the law, defend themselves, make strong decisions, do things that they never dreamed they would do and have the guts to go after what they want. Regardless of who might think what about their choices.

To me that’s strength. And often that kind of strength is only spurred by fear. So, that gets us back to the title, fear is good.

Farrell McGee, my very feisty main character, is starting over despite fear. She’s set a goal for herself and is following through regardless of what anyone says. Not the guy she’s leaving behind, not the new small town chatter, not the three men she finds herself involved with, and even at one point—she goes forward—despite her internal dialogue about an event she’s decided to go forward with despite very real fear that she will fail or make a fool of herself.

But I won’t tell you what event that is, for it will spoil the book. I will cop to it being one of my favorite scenes (ever) to write.

In this book, Ferrell has many weeks of living wild with abandon. Living with a glut of sex and attraction and hope. And it’s all—underneath the exterior—fueled by fear. Fear of an ordinary life. Fear of not trying. Sometimes fear is good, it’s what gets you where you need to go. It can get you where you want to be.

XOXO

Sommer

Excerpt

‘What now?’ I sighed. I grabbed my mug and watched him appraise me with that sharp stare. Why did I still feel naked?
‘That is your sump pump, Farrell.’
‘Oh.’ To be honest, I had no idea I had a sump pump.
‘It’s on a battery backup in case of …’ Coop waved his hands around. ‘This.’
‘Ah,’ I said.
Brilliant. One word answers, dingbat.
I listened to the infernal beeping for another moment and tried not to squirm as he studied me, that mysterious twist of a smile on his sensual lips. Coop crossed his arms and there was a Celtic cross, a feather that might or might not be a raven or a crow, a swatch of blue and … he crossed them the other way and there was the hint of a scaled tail. A mermaid?
When I took a shuddery breath and simply could not stand the beep-beep-beeeeeeep anymore I blurted, ‘My God, how do I make it stop?’
He chuckled, gave me a decisive nod and took my hand. ‘Let’s start by going in your basement where the sump pump lives.’
‘Yes, let’s,’ I echoed, rattled by his strong hand on my wrist. When he held my arm, though, I saw more of that tail and yes, it had to be a mermaid. Or a very curvy fish.
‘It’s a mermaid,’ he said, following my gaze.
‘Oh, I didn’t – I wasn’t –’ I shook my head and we took my very steep, wooden, horror-movie-esque basement steps slowly.
‘Have you been down here yet?’
‘No,’ I admitted. ‘I have a basement phobia.’
‘Spiders?’
‘Nope. Just basements.’
Another smoky laugh and then he was tugging me into the corner by the washbasin and the laundry area.
He squatted down and I tried very hard not to study the firm line of his ass and thighs in his dark blue work pants. Or the way his work boots made my body flash all hot like and needy. Or how the small swatch of skin I could see and the slice of boxer short waistband was visible, or how any of that made my breasts feel tender and my mind sizzle like I’d been electrocuted.
I was learning about my sump pump. Sump. Pump. And that was all.
‘This red light,’ he said, pointing.
I nodded. Thankful, suddenly, for the flood of sunlight from the small window high over the washbasin. I realised without it we’d be down here in the darkness – okay, murky daytime ‘darkness’ but darkness nonetheless.
‘Yes?’
‘If it goes off on a glitch, you push it for one second. Once it stops beeping you move your finger.’
‘Got it. But this isn’t a glitch. This is an actual outage so …’
‘So you do this,’ he said. ‘You push the button down and count to five.’ He pushed his finger to the button near the red light and looked up at me. ‘One … Two …’ On two I blanked out because I was watching the plump invitation of his lips and yes, my eyes had darted back to that lovely strip of exposed skin and his ass. Oh, man, the man had an ass.
‘Are you counting?’
‘Yes,’ I whispered.
‘What number are we on?’
I blinked, took a step back, right into a clothesline strung from the rafters and I promptly freaked the hell out and started waving my arms, dancing in place, screeching – convinced I’d backed up into the world’s largest spider web.
Then I tangled myself in the slack line and screamed in earnest. It wasn’t until Coop, who I could tell was mightily trying not to laugh, grabbed my arms and whispered, ‘Settle down,’ that I stilled.
I’d looped one arm up and one under and had effectively twisted myself up. He reached overhead. ‘Let me just find where it’s hooked and I can …’ he stopped talking, feeling around in the rafters.
‘Spiders,’ I wheezed, reminding him that they were waiting to eat his hand.
‘I think I’ll be fine.’ He looked me in the eye and smiled and that was that. My cunt flexed wetly, my stomach bottomed out and I licked my lips without thinking.
I moved my arm and managed to get my wrist unwound. ‘I think I’ve got it –’
‘Here.’ He gave up trying to find where it was tied and untwisted my other arm as I worked on the right one. I had caught a flash of tattoo at waist level when he’d raised his arms.
‘What is it?’ I asked.
‘What is what?’
I gave up. I’d gone from scared of him, to panicked lunatic twisted up in ropes, to tentatively bold. ‘This?’
I lifted the tail of his shirt and touched the small swatch of colour visible above his waistband. But the blue work pants shielded the rest of the picture from me. When my finger brushed his skin, electricity – real or imagined – hummed along my own skin.
‘Be careful doing that, Farrell,’ he said, catching my hand in his. ‘I’m just a man. And you’re just a new, very beautiful, very intriguing neighbour.’

Buy links

HarperCollins: http://www.mischiefbooks.com/books/boys-next-door/

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Boys-Next-Mischief-Books-ebook/dp/B008LQ9MJ0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1348935240

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Boys-Next-Mischief-Books-ebook/dp/B008LQ9MJ0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1349105040&sr=1-1

All Romance Ebooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-boysnextdoormischiefbooks-957573-144.html

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/boys-next-door-sommer-marsden/1112032934?ean=9780007479313

Bio

Sommer Marsden’s been called “…one of the top storytellers in the erotica genre” (Violet Blue), “Unapologetic” (Alison Tyler), “…the whirling dervish of erotica” (Craig J. Sorensen),and "Erotica royalty..." (Lucy Felthouse).

Her erotic novels include Boys Next Door, Restless Spirit, Big Bad, Wanderlust and Learning to Drown. Sommer currently writes erotica and erotic romance for HarperCollins (Mischief Books), Xcite Books, eXcessica, Ellora's Cave, Pretty Things Press, and Resplendence Publishing. The wine-swigging, dachshund-owning, wannabe runner author writes work that runs the gamut from bondage to zombies to humor.

Sommer's short works can be found in well over one hundred (and counting) erotic anthologies. Her short stories have also been included numerous adult and romance magazines--both in print and online. Visit sommermarsden.blogspot.com to see what’s up and drop her a line.