When Sparks Fly - Blog Hop and Giveaway!

The sparks tend to fly in all my books - so how could I resist this hop?

For a bit of summer loving, I've got you a hot Spaniard who is offering more than tapas....

Excerpt - 'Spice It Up'

Don’t –’ Too late. Her hair tumbled down and her whole body swayed towards him of its own accord. He slowly twirled a ringlet of her hair round his finger and she didn’t feel like she dare move; a tug, a gentle pull that sent a tingle through her scalp, all the way down between her thighs. She swallowed. ‘Maybe I …’ Should go, but she didn’t want to. His thumb brushed over her lips and they parted automatically so that she could taste his skin, run the tip of her tongue over the salty flesh. ‘I can’t, I shouldn’t, you’re bad news for me, you know.’

He ran the thumb up over her cheekbone. ‘Really?’

‘You’ve just given me a day to remember for all the wrong reasons.’

‘I could make it a day to remember for all the right reasons.’ His breath was warm against her neck. His fingers played in her hair, sending bad thoughts through her body.

‘No.’ It didn’t sound convincing even to her own ears. ‘Who was that woman?’

‘Later.’

His finger moved slowly across her lips and she caught the tip instinctively between her teeth, circled it with her tongue, her gaze locked with his.

‘Can I kiss you?’ There was something about the catch in his voice that seemed to tug her closer to him.
She might have nodded, or she might not, but he knew. The warmth of his palm was against her neck, his fingers at the nape and then threading through her hair, massaging gently until she couldn’t help but close the gap between them. She wanted him, needed him. His mouth was above hers; the tip of his tongue ran over her lips as his hand reached out for her waist and he eased her gently back until the cold of the wall hit her shoulders.....

If you enjoyed the excerpt, you can grab a copy at - Amazon (UK), Amazon (US), Xcite Books
or why not enter the giveaway? Leave a comment and I'll pick out one winner who will receive an e-copy of 'Spice It Up'.

Don't forget to visit all the **other spots on the blog hop** for more great prizes!

TagLine Tuesday! #TLT

Welcome to another Tagline Tuesday and some more great taglines (and covers!). Click on the links to find out more.

If you're an author and  want to take part then drop me a line at ZaraStoneley@gmail.com - all I need is a cover, buy links and a catchy tagline.

If you enjoy reading contemporary romance why not check out Tagline Tuesday over on my Susie Medwell blog.

TOO COLD TO LOVE by Doris O'Connor

In a marriage based on blackmail can passion turn into love, or will secrets and lies destroy all?

Buy from -  Amazon,  ARe Books, Evernight, Bookstrand

CAT'S EYES by Melissa Jolley

For Sarah, being a shape-shifter means having a wild side that craves variety. Can one human man tame her animal instinct?

Buy from -  Amazon (US), Amazon (UK), Breathless Press, Barnes and Noble, ARe Books

 

 

 

 

RIDING HIGH by Zara Stoneley

 

Sometimes lessons in lust can lead to love...

 

Buy from -    Amazon (UK), Amazon (US), Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Xcite Books

Shocks, Sex and Sharing... 'bye, 'bye to 2012

It's been a bit of a shocker (in a good way) 2012, so I thought I'd have a very quick run down of 'my' 2012 and look at some of my resolutions, good and bad, for 2103.

So, the shock bit first.... Well, on the personal front I was offered my first publishing contract - minor shock - and it was for a (very) erotic romance - bigger shock. I've been writing fairly spicy contemporary romance for a while, but an Xcite Books competition tempted me to write something a bit naughtier, and it erm, came naturally!
'Forfeit' was written in February 2012 and hit the virtual shelves in April, followed fairly closely by 'Freefalling' and then 'Riding High'. I also had my first short story published in an anthology, and my erotic Christmas romance 'Good Enough to Share' hit Amazon and a Bestseller list in December. (Big smile!)

My first paperback will be out next spring, which is quite special, and I've also just signed a contract with Breathless Press. Phew... So, 2012 was big on the shock and sex and ended with some great sharing!! If you've not read them yet, and have a new kindle dying out for some stories, why not check out my books and reviews here on the blog, or on my website?

Quite a few people have asked about the impact of 'that book'. Well, I don't write BDSM, but I'm sure that love it or hate it, it hasn't done any harm! The rise and rise of e-book readers has had to have had an impact on sales of erotic books - they're more readily available, easier to buy and can be read discretely, but yes, maybe all the hype has made it acceptable to admit to reading something a bit naughty!

On the less erotic side, I've signed a contract with Lyrical Press for a contemporary romance, 'Text me, Tweet me, Need me' to be published as Susie Medwell, and am looking forward to seeing that hit the shelves in the Spring.

And what's up there on the 2013 list? Well, I'd say shocks, sex and sharing should still feature! I've decided 2013 should be the year for working hard and playing hard (I'll try my best to keep up).

If you're one of the people who've been asking about a a sequel to 'Riding High', then it's on the way. How could I possibly keep James to myself? He's a story that's just crying out to be shared. I just love my dark, strong, sensitive, mysterious men. And, James is one hell of a strong, silent type with a hurt that's buried so deep inside that.... okay, I'll stop there, but I promise you'll be able to find out more soon.

And once again, thank you so much if you downloaded a copy of 'Good Enough to Share' and helped send it straight on to the Bestseller lists. Book 2 in the series is on the way, look out for a few teasers early next year, followed by the next episode in the lives of the four friends. (I promise you will have learned so much more about them by this time next year).

I've also got another contemporary romance simmering away, which will follow on nicely to 'Text me, Tweet me, Need me' .....

Soooo.. I'm going to have to strictly limit my time on Facebook and Twitter, and hope that 2013 brings longer days!

If you've not checked out my new website yet then have a peek, and keep an eye on it as I'll be making announcements there about new books, as well as here on the blog. And on that note I'm off to make the most of what remains of 2012. It has been a great year, and I'm looking forward to all the challenges of 2013.

Massive thanks to everyone who has shared 2012 with me, I've met some wonderful new friends, had some great guests on the blog and visited all kinds of people in all kinds of places!

I hope you've had a great Christmas - and may 2013 be a brilliant year for you,
Zara x

Winners!! And the 'Look' Challenge!

Well Christmas is certainly on its way! We've had our first frosts, my Christmas story is available on Amazon - and I've got winners to announce from my recent blog tour for 'Riding High'.

So, first things first... a massive thanks to Doris O'Connor for hosting me on her blog http://thetardisscribbles.blogspot.co.uk/ and the winner of a copy of 'Riding High' is Rhonda D.

And big thanks to Kath too at http://www.bookreviewsandmorebykathy.com/ and the winner of a copy of 'Forfeit' or 'Freefalling' is Laurie G.

I got tagged by Jane Linfoot recently to take part in the Look challenge... so I've got a snippet from 'Good Enough to Share' for you containing look/looked/looking... and I am tagging Allie A Burrow, Christy McKellen and Tea Cooper - go for it girls!!

My snippet... (warning, this is a cheeky one!)

And, as I watch he closes his eyes, throws his head back, his perfect lips parting as they always do in that moment of suspense just before he comes. And I can’t stop myself looking down, and all I can see is his cock, his slender, long cock in a firm male hand, a hand that is pumping him with steady assured strokes. A hand that isn’t his. A hand that just over twelve months ago shattered my complacent little world into a zillion sharp splinters, and made me open up my mind and my heart….

Six Sentence Sunday

Hi all, hope you're having a great Sunday.

I decided to do something a bit different this week. Just for fun I went to the sixth paragraph on page 66 of Forfeit, and these are the six sentences I found. Hope you enjoy them.

The stroke of his hand over her hair was comforting, warm, possessive, and she could feel herself melting further into him in a way she didn’t think was possible, then gradually the sweeps lengthened as strong fingers twirled her hair so that she could feel it feathering against her back. She gave an involuntary shiver, not wanting to move, to say anything that might stop the sensual pleasure. She could feel her nipples hardening against his chest. ‘I love the way your body responds to me.’ His soft voice stirred feelings deep in her stomach, a voice thick with promise and seduction. The warmth of his hand travelled down her back in smooth, steady strokes, cupping her bottom and then moving back to her shoulder, smoothing down her sides, making her tense as it hit her sensitive waist.

Don't forget to check out all the other great excerpts, you can find the links at www.sixsunday.com  or follow the hashtag #sixsunday on twitter.

Trust me!

I'm over at Delighted Reader today talking about trust, honesty and BDSM!

I wrote 'Forfeit' because I had this character in my head, Cat, who was sexy and in control, she was everything outwardly that you can admire in a girl - but she was just too much in control. She'd learned that it was better not to trust people with her emotions, not to show too much of the girl she really was. And then she met Brent, a man who never settled for second best, he wanted to let the real Cat loose on the world!

Now, could you resist the type of man who loves you just for who you are? One hundred per cent you. A man who doesn't want to change a single thing about you - except the doubts you have about yourself. Sexy hey?

I'd love it if you've got time to pop over and let me know what you think about Cat, Brent and the inspiration for their story :-) Just click here to go to Delighted Reader and read my guest post and a review of the book!

'Forfeit' - available for pre-order!!

Cat’s life is falling apart – her boyfriend’s dumped her, she’s lost her home and she’s about to quit her job. Her boss, Brent, has a solution: become his wife for a year, to help him land a big promotion. But Cat’s had a taste of Brent before, and she knows he’s a bad boy who loves women and leaves them. So she agrees to marry him, but tells him there’s to be no sex. He adds his own condition: if she as much as talks to another man in that time, she must pay, by acting out 12 of Brent’s kinkiest sex fantasies. When she breaks the rule, the forfeit is on: but opening up and letting Brent into her heart, as well as her bed, could be the most dangerous game of all …

Forfeit... An erotic romance novel with themes including sex in public, spanking, exhibitionism and ménage.

Publication date is the 19th April 2012, but if you want to pre-order (or just read the excerpt!) then click here to visit Xcite Books.