OCD Wednesday

I’m a woman with many obsessions. What can I say? When I love something, I love it passionately. Sometimes the obsession lasts a day, sometimes it’s eternal.

Here’s my OCD picks for the week:

-Project Runway! (I can’t pick my fave yet but isn’t Logan a cutie?)

True Love and Other Disasters by Rachel Gibson (Who knew a Canadian hockey player could be so hot?)

-Homemade book thongs

-Diet Coke (or Pepsi)

-Wine

-My hubby’s scent

Savior by Rise Against (Very intriguing lyrics!)

-My local library (built brand new, but in serious need of sizzling romance!!)

And last but not least, my favorite hero, ahum, from Heroes, Milo Ventimiglia (aka Peter Petrelli):

So, what is your obsession?

Celebrating with a Writer with Sizzle: Leigha Phillips

Today I’m celebrating with a good friend of mine. Leigha Phillips is an aspiring writer of erotic romance, and she is very, very close to publication. Recently her book, Stolen Nights of Passion, won first place in Colorado Romance Writer’s Heart of the Rockies contest. Congratulations, Leigha!

Please help me welcome the talented Leigha Phillips!

Lia: What is your favorite thing about being a romance writer?

Leigha: I get to create people with fantastic lives. And regardless of their struggles, I’m able to develop their ‘tools’ in order for them to overcome the difficulties that we often face in our everyday lives. And best of all, they get the happily ever after. Every time.

Lia: Great answer. What is your favorite sexual position to write about?

Leigha: Anything, (I use them all). My favorites though, are when the Alpha male takes control. A tug on the hair, bound hands, passionate and raw etc….

Lia: Yes, those scenes are very hot! Is there anything special you do to get “in the mood” before writing a sex scene?

Leigha: It was my first attempt at writing a M/M from Stolen Nights of Passion.

Excerpt:

Assured his entrance would not cause his partner any discomfort, he placed the tip of his cock against his partner and teased the man by running his heavy cock up and down between his cheeks.

“My lord, please stop this torture.”

Drake eased into his partner’s warm, tight, cavern. “How does that feel”? His partner groaned and backed into him. His body language begged for more.

“Fuck me, my lord. Just fuck me.”

Little by little, Drake pulled out. His body savoring each torturous tug and pull on the head of his dick.

“Mmm… that feels so good, my lord.”

The man’s response fueled Drake’s passion. He gripped the servant’s waist in a tight hold. With his dominance declared, Drake plunged his thick, heavy cock back into the welcoming chasm with a driving force.

Lia: I had the pleasure of reading this story and I just fell in love with the characters. It was both sizzling and touching. I can’t wait to see it published. Thanks so much for being a Writer with Sizzle, Leigha!

To find out more about Leigha’s writing, visit her at http://tricialeighwood.com/

I would love to have your vote!

Fatal Exposure is up for Best Book of the Week over at Whipped Cream Reviews, the erotic side of The Long and the Short of It. The voting is all day Saturday and Sunday, and I’d love to have your vote!

http://www.longandshortreviews.com/WC/recentrev.htm

This is what the reviewer said:

“Is it wrong, as a reviewer, to discuss how turned on you became while reading a story? Most of the time, I try to discuss the fundamentals of the work: the writing, the character development, the premise, and the intrigue/suspense/mystery. And let me assure you, all of those necessary elements are present here. You’ll soar through this one and your heart will go through the wringer along the way. But the truth is, when I read the last word on that final page of Fatal Exposure, my first thought was, “Damn, now that was hot!”

Lia Slater has written a story that is fantastic, with all the sultry twists and turns that keep readers on the edge of our seat. A girl on the run from an abusive lover falls for the P.I. hired to find her and bring her back. She’s someone that needs to be loved and protected, and he’s a man that doesn’t want to feel anything for his target and/or become emotionally attached. It goes without saying that they’ll find what they lack in one another–the perpetual yin and yang. That alone is enough to garner interest and snare attention, and the conflict it creates is gut wrenching. But the moment Ava and Kade meet the sexual tension and chemistry between them oozes off the page.

This ain’t your Momma’s romance. The sex is raw, gritty, and so hot you’ll be forced to take a nice cold shower–or if you’re lucky, commandeer your partner–to take the edge off! In fact, Kade is one of the most memorable heroes I’ve had the pleasure to meet in a very long time. After I was done, I wondered where I might find a P.I. of my own.” Fern, reviewer

Read the full review

Thank you!

Lia

Writer with Sizzle: Catherine Bybee

Please welcome the talented, Catherine Bybee!

Catherine: Thanks so much for having me, Lia. I’m so excited about the success of Kilt Worthy and I just love chatting about Logan and Jane.

Lia: Thanks for being here, Catherine! Have you ever cried or laughed out loud while writing a scene?
Catherine: I loved this question! Remember the movie Romancing the Stone? The opening scene our heroine is completing a romance novel and searching her apartment for Kleenex because her own book has her in tears. Happy tears, but big old fat tears nonetheless. This happens to me all the damn time. I laugh at my own jokes, get chocked up when emotions are high and yeah… get a bit wiggly in the seat when the sex is hot! Sometimes, when I finish a scene, I look back and say, “Damn, that’s good!” Like in this one from Kilt Worthy
“Do you really want to go, Jane? Wouldn’t you like more than the image on your camera to remember me by?”

How about your firstborn? Damn, where had that thought come from? It wasn’t like me to have so many naked thoughts running amok in my head, but Mr. Kilt was flippin’ gorgeous.

For the first time in my twenty-three years, I thought about how delightfully sinful it would be to share a stranger’s bed, if only for one night. I couldn’t believe I stood there contemplating a brief affair but, good God, had I ever been so sexually charged in all my life? The weight of my attraction for this man collided with my good sense.

“What do you have in mind, er…” Geez, Mr. Fantasy didn’t even have a name. “What was your name again?”

He moved closer. “My name is Logan, Logan MacLaren.”

I watched, surprised, as he lifted my arm and brought my very lucky hand to his lips. No one had ever kissed the back of my hand before, but I’d read about the experience in so many romance novels I thought I’d know how it would feel. I was wrong. Warm lips, gently pushing against my skin with a breath of hot air, made the world around me disappear.

My eyes locked with his, and his thumb stroked my wrist with subtle, suggestive circles. My nipples tightened in response, and my thong, tucked beneath tight denim, would need to be chucked into the hamper the minute I got home.

“You don’t want to rush off, do you, lass?”

I instantly shook my head, but words failed me. Distracted by my unexpected arousal, it was a wonder I could still stand.

One corner of his mouth lifted in triumph. “Well then, follow me.”

Lia: Um, yeah, I would definitely follow Mr. Kilt. 🙂 What a fun, clever excerpt! And hot too!! What is your favorite thing about being a romance writer?

Catherine: Being able to say I’m published is high on the list. LOL. I love setting my own schedule. I enjoy having a place to let all my fantasies go crazy. And I love shocking my family and friends.

Lia: Is there anything special you do to get “in the mood” before writing a sex scene?

Catherine: All I really need is a quiet house without kids running amok asking Mom for anything. If I’m interrupted while writing a sex scene it tends to be choppy and in desperate need of edits. I’m sorry if that answer disappoints some readers, mainly husbands… Mine would love it if I needed to have sex to write sex… sadly for him, I don’t. hehehe

Lia: I hear ya. A quiet house helps tremendously! Thanks for being a Writer with Sizzle, Catherine!

Catherine: Thanks again for having me, Lia.

Kilt Worthy is available at The Wilder Rose Press
Soul Mate ~ Werewolf Novella is available at Red Rose Publishing

My Website ~ http://www.catherinebybee.com/
My Blog ~ http://catherinebybee.blogspot.com/

Supporting a Writer with Sizzle – Desiree Holt

Desiree Holt has a new release with Ellora’s Cave today. I LOVE this cover! So sexy!

Buy it HERE!

Blurb:

Rachel Windsor knew nothing about Gabriel Peralta except that he was walking sex appeal. He blew into her life without notice, here today then always gone on a puff of wind. But each time he appears, he does things to her body that even her fantasies haven’t conjured up, driving her to orgasms that shake her like a raging storm. His mouth knows every inch of her body. The imprint of his intimate kisses linger long after he disappears.

Now he’s back again, his life unexpectedly on the line. But even in the danger zone his sexual demands are more scorching than ever and this time, Rachel is determined not to lose him—or the erotic lifestyle that binds them.
 
You can find out more about Desiree’s writing at: http://www.desireeholt.com/
 
Lia

Writer with Sizzle: Paris Brandon

Please welcome the talented Paris Brandon! Paris is giving away a free copy of her eBook Assasin’s Kiss so be sure to read on to find out more.

Lia: What is your favorite thing about being a romance writer?

Paris: I love the beginning of the creative process, the “what if” stage where I imagine the best and worst things that can happen to my hero and heroine. This is the fun stage where all things are possible. Then of course that leads to the stage where I have to determine what is logically possible and what was an idea fueled by too much coffee and not enough sleep! LOL! It’s amazing how many ideas end up in my “What were you thinking!” file.

Lia: Oh, I can so relate! Do you have any advice for the budding erotic romance writer?

Paris: I think it would probably be the same advice that I received and that was to know your market. Study the genre you want to write. Read stories that appeal to you and ones that you think might not. You could get the surprise of your life. If you’ve already written your story, check out the publishers that you think you want to work with and see if your story might be something that they’re interested in. Find the submission guidelines and follow them to the letter. Your submission will be the publisher’s first impression of you as an author. Make it as professional as possible.

You never know when you’re going to sell but treat each book you submit as if it were going to be published. Have a marketing strategy in place so that you can hit the ground running. If you don’t want the expense of a website at first, start a blog, network with readers and other authors online and get to know and be known in the writing community. Writing can be a very lonely profession and there is an overwhelming amount of support in the writing community. I’d urge everyone interested to take part.

Lia: Great advice, Paris! Now for the sizzling stuff: Which scene in your book do you think will leave the readers squirming in their seat?

Paris: There’s a scene between the heroine, Kira and the hero, Sebastian where they’ve been growing more frustrated because they are unable to have sex. Sebastian is trapped in his Jaguar Warrior nature, making it anatomically dangerous. The villains are on their trail, Kira is in heat and Sebastian is reverting to his most primitive nature. Here’s an Adult snippet of the scene…
Excerpt from Assasin’s Kiss (Love this cover, btw!):
He questioned his sanity for the moment it took to slip his hand beneath her blouse and close over her breast, molding the firm globe with his palm.
She sucked harder on his nipple, seizing it between her teeth and tugging. The delicate pain sizzled through him, making a beeline for his cock. He didn’t dare lower his other hand or he would throw her down in the dirt and fuck her just as hard and fast as they both wanted. He dug his claws deeper into the bark and circled her waist with his other hand. It glided down, molding her hip as he’d molded her breast, squeezing and rubbing, teasing himself as he teased her.
He could scent her rich, musky arousal, taste it on his tongue. Curling his hand, he covered her sex, cupped her vulva and dragged one lean finger up her slit, separating her.

She drew back her head and he caught a glimpse of his wet nipple before she latched onto the other with a ferocious nip that made him hiss. She groaned and widened her stance. He crooked two fingers and slid them into her wet heat.
She went up on her toes and came back down with a force that surprised him, shifted the angle of her hips and met his thrusts with her own. Her mouth over his nipple grew slack and then her hands were around his waist. She leaned back into the tree, biting her lip as he pumped her and felt her inner flesh spasm around his fingers, her cream pouring over them as she shuddered and shook.
He slid out of her and held up his hand, daring her to watch as he sucked his fingers into his mouth and licked them clean.
Lia: Yep, I’m squirming! Hot excerpt, Paris.
Paris: Thanks for having me as your guest today! If your readers would like to know more about me or my books they can find me at: Ellora’s Cave: http://www.jasminejade.com/ or visit my website: http://www.parisbrandon.com/

And if you’d like a chance to read the rest of the story for free, make a comment. You could be the person who receives a free copy of Assassin’s Kiss!

Lia: Thanks for being a Writer with Sizzle, Paris! Can’t wait to see who the lucky winner is! Readers, stop back tomorrow (Wednesday) to find out if it’s you.

Fatal Exposure – 5/5 Cherries!

Fatal Exposure received a 5/5 Cherry review from Whipped Cream Reviews! Fern, the reviewer, had this to say:

“Is it wrong, as a reviewer, to discuss how turned on you became while reading a story? Most of the time, I try to discuss the fundamentals of the work: the writing, the character development, the premise, and the intrigue/suspense/mystery. And let me assure you, all of those necessary elements are present here. You’ll soar through this one and your heart will go through the wringer along the way. But the truth is, when I read the last word on that final page of Fatal Exposure, my first thought was, “Damn, now that was hot!”

Lia Slater has written a story that is fantastic, with all the sultry twists and turns that keep readers on the edge of our seat. A girl on the run from an abusive lover falls for the P.I. hired to find her and bring her back. She’s someone that needs to be loved and protected, and he’s a man that doesn’t want to feel anything for his target and/or become emotionally attached. It goes without saying that they’ll find what they lack in one another–the perpetual yin and yang. That alone is enough to garner interest and snare attention, and the conflict it creates is gut wrenching. But the moment Ava and Kade meet the sexual tension and chemistry between them oozes off the page.

This ain’t your Momma’s romance. The sex is raw, gritty, and so hot you’ll be forced to take a nice cold shower–or if you’re lucky, commandeer your partner–to take the edge off! In fact, Kade is one of the most memorable heroes I’ve had the pleasure to meet in a very long time. After I was done, I wondered where I might find a P.I. of my own.

Be sure to put Fatal Exposure on your TBR pile if you haven’t already. Or better still, go pick up a copy right now. You won’t be disappointed. As for me? I can’t wait for more from Lia Slater.”

Full review: http://whippedcream2.blogspot.com/2009/10/fatal-exposure-by-lia-slater.html?zx=307703dcceda9b3b

Lia – Who wants to give Fern a big cyber hug!! Thanks, Fern!!

Fatal Exposure’s First Review!

Night Owl Romance Reviewer Top Pick! Melinda, the reviewer, gave it 5/5 hearts.

This is a first I have read from Lia Slater and won’t be the last. This author is talented as her words come to life and the story line so enjoyable. I loved Ava for though her life is in danger this is a woman who will not just sit down and hide. Kade is all the man she needs for with him she feels something she has never felt before…Love. These two together are explosive and I congratulate Lia for a great story to read. Loved it.”

Read the full review: http://www.nightowlromance.com/nightowlromance/reviews/Review.aspx?daoid=4845

Yay! (to say the least :-))

Thanks, Melinda!!

Lia

Writer with Sizzle: Anh Leod

Congrats to Cari Quinn! Via a random name picker from the internet, you were chosen as the winner of Anh Leod’s Ex Factor. Contact me at lia@liaslater.com and I’ll email you the eBook.

Thanks, everyone! Come back Tuesday to see the next Writer with Sizzle, Paris Brandon!
 
Please welcome the talented Anh Leod! Today, Anh is giving away a free eBook copy (PDF) of her sizzling book Ex Factor, so be sure to leave a comment and come back tomorrow to see if you’re a winner!

Lia: Hi Anh! Let’s get down to it. Where is the wildest place your characters have had sexual relations?
Anh: In Playing Lycan Games, my characters get together on a boat! I love writing shower scenes (all that lovely steam, soap and nudity) but an actual boat on the water was a new writing experience for me.
Teaser Excerpt:
“If we capsize,” she warned, “you’d be in worse shape than me.”
“This skiff has a nice, flat bottom. We’ll be fine.”
Was he right or just too horny to be reasonably cautious? Catee left her bench, but stayed at a crouch as she stepped toward him. The boat swayed, but he caught her by the breasts.
She glared. “You could have caught my waist.”
He tweaked her nipples. “Why would I do that? C’mon, hike up your skirt.”
She rolled her eyes, but did as he asked, shimmying her legs to tease him.
He made a tsking noise. “No panties again, I see. What a naughty girl you are.”
Lia: What a fun, hot scene! Have your characters used sex toys? How did that go?
Anh: Absolutely, especially in my BDSM-lite stories, like Bijou’s Bonds. More recently, I had Ex Factor out at Ellora’s Cave. The story is part of a group of candy-themed novellas, so there is lots of candy being used as sex toys!
Teaser Excerpt:
“Why don’t you take that shift off?” he asked.
She had a better idea for the moment. Turning to her built-in bedside table, she reached for a small dish of red grains in two sizes. When Columbo saw what she was holding, his eyes hooded.
“Cherry blow bombs?” he asked.
She smiled. “Exactly.”
His fingers fumbled against the fabric of his jumpsuit. It took him two tries to hook his thumbs in the sides and push it down his hips.
“All the way,” she instructed, stirring the red granules with the tip of her finger.
Lia: Love it! What does your heroine love most about your hero? Least?
Anh: Catee loves her weekends with her mystery man. She’s been seeing him twice a year for a long time, and having sex that’s so good has to be incomparable. But he’s always so strange when she first sees him, as if he can’t remember who she is. By the next day, he’s back to being his old self. It’s practically a personality change. What’s going on? How can she move their relationship ahead when she’s not sure he even knows who she is half the time?
Lia: A mystery man. Wow, that sounds intriguing! Has anything in your real life ever inspired a scene for your book?
Anh: The idea for Playing Lycan Games came from a temporary job my husband had in the part of Oregon where the novella is set. The scenery is so unexpected and amazing I knew I had to try to describe it. I took my locations from places I saw along the drive when I went to visit him. Also, the drive the heroine takes to see the hero is inspired by a business trip I took.
Teaser Excerpt:
The river glistened around them, looking more crystalline than blue. The golden hills above were an unexpected sight for Catee, used to Pacific Northwest green. At first, she thought it looked like Arizona, then of Egypt. She could see how the nineteenth century travelers on the Oregon Trail would get discouraged as they traveled through this barren landscape, yet Native Americans had thrived here for thousands of years, fishing and trapping.
“We won’t want to be out too long,” Jem said. “Even with that hat, your lily white skin is going to get burned.”
“I know.” Catee leaned against the side of the boat and enjoyed the sun beating against her sunglasses. “But it’s glorious for now.”
Lia: Sounds gorgeous! Where can readers find your books?

Anh: My Anh Leod books are at Ellora’s Cave and The Wild Rose Press.

Lia: Thanks for being a Writer with Sizzle, Anh!!