Recipes to Cool a Blistering Heat!

I have so much going on over the next month! Two books to finish, school to start for my kiddoes, work to accomplish, and decisions to be made. Southern Nights will be live October 23rd with book one, Teach Me. *squeee!!!* :) I can't wait for this series to come out! And still there's more to come, like... The latest Nice Girls Writing Naughty party!

Beginning today, Nice Girl (and FAB author) Jianne Carlo begins our NGWN August event, Recipes To Cool a Blistering Heat. Every day for the next two weeks, one of us Nice Girls will post a recipe sure to make the summer heat more bearable. We love sharing with you, our readers, the little things in our lives, including stuff we love to eat! And we want you to share with us too. That's why we're asking you to post your favorite recipes in the comments sections of the blog each day. Your recipe can be a drink (mine is!), an appetizer, an entree, or a dessert. At the end of two weeks, one reader will win the Grand Prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card. AND the Nice Girls, being nice ;) , will vote on the recipes we like most in each category, and the winners will also receive prizes!

Sound like fun?

Hop on over to the blog today (and the rest of the week) to share your yummy recipes with us and gain a chance to win one of FIVE prizes on August 17th! My post goes live tomorrow, and I assure you, it's cool, refreshing, and absolutely perfect for sipping off firm, beautiful abs. <3

And if you want to keep up-to-date with all the exciting things I've got going on these days (including new releases and fun contests), be sure and sign up for my newsletter. I promise not to hold back any sexy details -- or man candy. ;)

~ Ella

Sizzling Summer Nights Blog Hop

Welcome to the JustRomance.Me's Sizzling Summer Nights Blog Hop! Tons of prizes and tons of sizzling hot romances are up for grabs this weekend, including a Kindle Fire -- how's that for sizzling? :) Keep this up and we'll need to look like this guy <---- by the end of the hop, all wet and...okay, he doesn't look like that water has helped him cool off, does he? That smouldering look. Those muscles. That hair you just itch to run your fingers through. Ahem. Where was I?

Oh, right. Sizzling hot romances. Well, what makes a romance "hot" for me is certainly the hero! Much like Mr. Sexy over there, each of my books has a hero that leaves me melted into a puddle. I thought you might like to be introduced, because, you know, we can never have too much eye candy, right? ;)

Great! So here are the heroes of my Secrets To Hide series:

Alex Brannigan (Dirty Little Secret, STH #1)

Job: Vice President of Keane Industries, a top US technology company

Stats: 36, dark hair and eyes, 6'2" and muscular

Weakness: a curvy blonde with the sweetest caramel-colored eyes he's ever seen -- and a body that tempts him to sin

What I picture Alex looking like:

*swoon*

Damien Adams (Naughty Little Christmas, STH #2)

Job: owner of three of the hottest nightclubs across the US

Stats: 36, boyish good looks, brown eyes, 6'3" with a broad chest and shoulders to cry over

Weakness: LifeSavers Strawberries & Cream candies -- and the woman whose hair reminds him of them

What I picture Damien looking like:

*feeling faint*

Brad Donovan (Just a Little More, STH #3)

Job: charming bartender and manager in training at Thrice

Stats: 23, thick blond hair with brown lowlights that make you want to delve into them, 6'2", sexy gray eyes

Weakness: the spunky woman he fell in love with way back in the fifth grade

Here's what I picture Brad looking like:

So what do you think? Hunky heroes, right? If you'd like to read about them, check out my Bookshelf page for more sizzling hot details. And before you dash off to visit the other authors on the blog hop, don't forget to comment below for a chance to win a copy of Brad's book, Just a Little More.

Now...off to more Sizzling Summer Nights stops! :)

*Final photo courtesy of Michael Kelly.

Cliffhangers Are the Pits

When I think of cliffhangers, I think of long-ago Friday and Saturday nights when the family all sat around watching TV. It would be the end of a season, and whatever show we were watching was sure to end on a cliffhanger. Who shot JR? Was Buffy really dead? Was Jack Bauer ever gonna have a good day? (No!) What I don't think about when I hear the word cliffhanger is a romance novel. The romance genre, by definition, contains books that end in one of two ways: Happily Ever After or at least a Happy For Now. I don't even really like HFNs, actually. I want a resolution to a relationship. That relationship might continue beyond the book, as with Christine Feehan's Dark series, Cherise Sinclair's Master of the Shadowlands series, and JR Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series. There might even be new books or novellas about the couple, but in their book, I want an HEA. It's what my heart longs for. I can't help it -- I NEED an HEA.

So, cliffhangers in romance? Not so much. My first encounter with such an animal was a very popular book that shall remain nameless. I literally got to the end, read the last paragraph, and turned the page expecting more. When it wasn't there, I turned the book over, looked at the cover, scratched my head... It took me a while to figure out that really was all there was to the story. If there had been some indication of a hook, a resolution to the original story arc, I wouldn't have been confused. But instead it felt as if the author had written one book, taken a cleaver, and literally chopped the story into thirds.

I hated it.

Now granted, there are series that take three (or more) books to resolve a relationship. But there's usually some indication that this will happen. There's usually a sense of "finishing," of resolution to the end of each book. There might still be questions, but the arc of the story, both within itself and within the overarching trilogy (or however many books), is evident. There's closure of some kind, even if the reader knows it is temporary.

This isn't even like those long-ago TV cliffhangers. There wasn't a buildup to a climactic event that we knew would get resolved in the beginning of the next book. No, there wasn't even that promise. The character's walked out on the street to go somewhere, stood for a minute talking (about nothing important), and that was the end. Done.

Uh-uh. No. If at all possible, I won't read a book like this. It drives me nuts -- and makes me never want to read anything by that author again. Period.

Can you tell I don't like this new romance version of cliffhangers?

So what about you? Do you like cliffhangers? The old TV kind or this new kind found in romances? Do you like romances that end, if not in an HEA, then in an HFN? Or are you a die-hard HEA junkie like me? Inquiring minds want to know! :)

~ Ella

*Photo courtesy of Duncan Hull.

Funny Friday: The Shatner Comma...

Picked this up on Facebook the other day. What, do, you, think? :D

Write What You Know

I’ve recently been reading Stephen King’s On Writing. The first half relates King’s memories of his life “so far” (I say that because the book was originally written on 2000, so it falls fourteen years short, so to speak :) ), and the second half involves King’s thoughts on the process of writing. It is a privilege to learn from the great writers of our time. The thing I find interesting about this particular book is that it focuses so much on what is, essentially, the making of a writer. In so many ways you can see the elements that pushed King to become the author he is now. You can see the determination every writer must have as he recounts rejection after rejection, writing—and submitting—from a uniquely and honestly, unbelievably young age. His childhood, his young adult friendships and family life and even a life-threatening car accident—each and every experience informed his writing, and it wasn’t because he was a teenage girl being rejected by her high school peers and using her psychic powers for revenge.

No, what he experienced was emotion.

Every beginning writer has heard the advice: Write what you know. It’s well meaning. It’s even true, but not in the way you think. If each of us had to experience the things we write about, we couldn’t write about a character being shot unless we had been shot. We couldn’t write a character with a terminal illness unless we’d had a terminal illness. I don’t know about anyone else, but I have no desire to go that far. Writers research every day, what it’s like to be shot, what living in different places entails, the details of technical and medical and historical advances and events. What we don’t have to research is the universal human experience of emotions.

Write what you know? How about loss? I might not have lost a parent, but I’ve lost a child. The emotion is the same, if in a different context. Same with anger. Happiness. Love. Desire. Need. Writers delve not just into their minds for knowledge, but into their hearts and souls. We pour what we find out onto the page, baring ourselves to our readers. We haven’t necessarily shared an experience we’ve had, but we have shared an emotional experience. It hurts and it’s scary and it takes a kind of courage many people don’t have, but we do it because we have to. Because who we are demands it. Because that’s what it takes to be a writer.

Write what you know.

Good advice. :)

~ Ella

Funny Friday: Spank Me

;)

*This is a Pinterest find. To see the original pin by kris16LE, just click the pic.

What's Next?

There comes a point, usually when you've just finished a book, when an author asks him- or herself, "What's next?" I've been asking myself that for a couple of months, ever since my latest release, Just a Little More, was turned in to my editor. Thankfully, I had a project on the horizon that I could jump right into -- and now's the time to share it with you. :)

Southern Nights

They're hot. Steamy. Made for passion. Southern nights were made for love -- and the characters in this series find love when they least expect it. You'll get to share their steamy Southern nights starting October 28th with book one:

Teach Me

A woman determined to heal…

Shy writer Jess Kingston spent the last eight weeks recovering from her ex-boyfriend’s brutal attack. Body healed, she’s ready to put her life back together—except her ex isn’t ready to let go. She won’t cower in a corner while Brit tortures her, but she’s powerless to fight back.

A man determined to resist…

Ex-military security specialist Conlan James avoids commitment like the plague. His job, his Harley, and the occasional one-night stand are all he needs, until the day he rescues Jess from a tense situation and realizes he can’t get her off his mind. He can teach her to protect herself, but protecting his heart is another matter.

A madman determined to win…

As the deadly game of cat-and-mouse with Brit heats up, so does the hunger between Con and Jess. Safety might be found in numbers, but in bed, all bets are off—and the wrong move could lead to heartbreak. Or death.

Jess and Conlan's story has been with me for five years. It was the first book I wrote when I decided to seriously pursue publishing. Even through several rewrites, I'm still in love with these characters and their love affair in the sultry Southern heat -- and the way they try to fight their overwhelming need for each other. Keep an eye out the next few months to get more details about their story and the rest of the men and women of Southern Nights. When will you get to read them? Here are the expected release dates:

Teach Me -- Jess & Conlan's story -- October 28th

Trust Me -- Jack & Maddie's story -- Tentatively scheduled for December 2014

Take Me -- Sam & Gabe & Peyton's story -- Tentatively scheduled for January 2015

And yes, that picture is the model I chose for Conlan on the cover of Teach Me. Wait till you see it! It -- and he -- will knock your socks off!

Funny Friday: Richard Castle and Grammar

What writer doesn't love Castle? I mean, come on, he's Nathan Fillion, and, well, Nathan Fillion! *swoon*

This post on Buzzfeed, 7 Helpful Grammar Tips From Richard Castle, gives us helpful grammar tips -- and yummy eye candy at the same time. ;)

Enjoy!

~ Ella

Nice Girls Writing Naughty Scavenger Hunt!

I'm topping off a wonderful release week with a visit over at Nice Girls Writing Naughty. We're having a scavenger hunt for our readers. Simply visit each author via the link below, write down the answer to their trivia question, and e-mail your answers to Dani Wade at readdaniwade@gmail.com. Your e-mail enters you to win: A $50 Amazon card and a prize pack of books!

DON'T enter your answers in the comments! They must be e-mailed (so we don't spoil the fun for our other readers).

For my contribution, I'm asking the question:

How long has Brad been in love with Angel?

For the answer, read the blurb for Just a Little More, the third book in my Secrets To Hide series from Loose Id:

Six weeks ago Angel had it all—a brand-new master’s degree, an apartment with her best friend, Brad, and the chance to take their friendship to a whole hot new level. But on the night of their first kiss, a would-be rapist ripped her bright future apart. Stuck in a never-ending cycle of fear and depression, Angel is determined to find herself again, even if it means putting herself at risk.

Brad has loved Angel since he saved her from a playground bully in the fifth grade. But just as it seemed Angel’s eyes were opening to the true feelings between them, it all fell apart. When Angel disappears on the night of a freak snowstorm, Brad is determined to find her. And when he does, he won't let her hide any longer. It's time to wake her up—to a life without fear, and to a love that can heal the deepest wounds.

For even more fun, hop over to our group's Facebook page starting at 10:30 AM EST for great giveaways and chats with a dozen erotic romance authors. They have some great goodies planned for you today, July 5th, from 10:30 to 4:30 EST. Not a member of our Nice Girls Writing Naughty Readers Group? Click the link above and join -- we'll get you added ASAP so you don't miss any of the fun!

Interested in Just a Little More? This book is the third in my Secrets series but can be read as a stand-alone. Here's an excerpt to whet your appetite:

Angel Gilliam wrestled the butterflies in her belly as she forced her key into the stubborn lock and finally managed to turn it. She was through the apartment door and calling Brad’s name before she could tug the key back out.

Nothing.

The silence that met her call deflated her excitement like a leaking balloon. Damn it, she wanted him to know first, in person, not over the phone. He was the only one who would understand how much this meant to her.

A glance around the darkened living room confirmed its emptiness. The heavy blue curtains Brad had hung when they moved in a month ago were drawn across the windows, pulling a smile from her as she crossed toward the kitchen. She’d teased him about their joint living room being a “man cave,” but who was she to argue. She hadn’t found a full-time position here in Atlanta yet, and five years in college dorm rooms hadn’t left her with a ton of homemaking supplies. The only curtains she owned were floral and gauzy and hung in her bedroom down the hall. And honestly, she didn’t mind if it was masculine. From the time they’d decided to share the apartment, she’d known she wanted as much of Brad in it as she did her own style. It was like the old T-shirts she’d snitched from his suitcase whenever he visited her at FSU, only better. Here, it wasn’t just his scent surrounding her, comforting her; it was his presence. Walking into the apartment was almost as good as being wrapped in his arms. Almost.

“Brad?”

The kitchen was empty too. Maybe he was still in the shower? Hope sent her on a mad dash down the hall that ended in a quick skid. She barely managed to stop by hanging on to the doorjamb of the master bedroom, but as she swung inside, she found Brad’s room was also dark and still. The faint scent of soap and hot water lingered in the air, confirming her fear that he’d already left for work.

“Well, damn.”

She slumped onto Brad’s bed, the king-size monstrosity that took up three-quarters of his room, and let the soft comforter cushion her as she considered her options. The only thing in her mind since she’d gotten off the phone with Henry Lockwood at the Atlanta office of Child Protective Services had been telling Brad about the interview she’d landed. She didn’t want to wait until he got home around four in the morning, if she could even stay awake that long. Waiting till he woke up was even worse. And she was pouting, darn it. She hated it when she pouted. She’d just so wanted to tell him, and tell him now. If only she hadn’t been stuck waiting for the bus to bring her home.

Turning her head to bury her nose in the soft down of the comforter, she filled her lungs with the scent of Brad’s cologne and something else, something vitally him that she couldn’t put a name to. When had she first noticed it? She wasn’t even sure she knew, it had happened so gradually. He’d visited her at school every chance he got, even during summer breaks when she was busy loading up on classes so she could get through her bachelor’s and master’s programs in five years. But even when her roommates and girlfriends were falling all over themselves chasing after him, his focus had been on her. And somewhere along the line, her focus had centered completely on him.

So why hadn’t they done anything about it?

Good question.

Tugging her bottom lip between her teeth, she stood and crossed the hall to her bedroom. Clothes lay scattered on most of the surfaces. Makeup, jewelry, shoes. After sharing a room with one fellow foster child or another through her teen years, always keeping her belongings locked up, protected, then doing the same in the dorm, Angel reveled in the ability to mark the space as hers. To claim ownership with the sheer presence of her things. Brad teased her about it, about “letting her hair down” after so many years of being the model foster kid, but she knew he got it. He’d understood the fears hiding down deep inside her even before she did, understood why she’d always tried to be perfect, to overachieve, to not be sent back into the system. He got her.

She eyed the folded clothes stacked at the end of the bed, ready to be put away. Right on top lay the red cashmere sweater Brad had given her for Christmas a couple of weeks ago. Their first Christmas living together—as best friends. The look in Brad’s eyes when she wore that sweater, though, went way beyond friends. It even went beyond the emotion that, if she was honest with herself, she knew she’d seen in his eyes over and over when he’d visited her at school. The emotion she’d heard in his voice every time they talked on the phone. An emotion she’d come to anticipate, to want, even if she hadn’t fully understood what it was. That look Brad gave her was crystal clear. Hunger. It made her shiver. And it felt right, as if all the years they’d spent together had naturally led to this, wanting each other as well as needing each other.

Maybe it was time to stop pussyfooting around and bring things out in the open. And she knew just how to do it.

The excitement was back again, humming under her skin, fizzing like champagne through her veins. It had her smiling as she gathered the sweater and her tightest pair of jeans and headed for the shower. An hour later she was standing outside the wide double doors that led into Thrice.

The burly bouncer guarding the door eyed the low curve of her neckline. “Hellooo.”

“Hi.” She handed over her ID, which the man dutifully checked. His eyes might’ve strayed a couple of times, but Angel just took that as a sign that she looked as good as she’d hoped.

He handed the card back, shooting her a wink. “You wouldn’t be inclined to save me a dance later, sweet thing? I get off at ten.” “I don’t think Brad would like that,” she told him, a little laugh escaping as she left him with his mouth slightly ajar.

Inside, a cacophony of music, people, and movement hit her eyes and ears, flashes of light adding to the confusion. The massive room—the center of a former warehouse, Brad had told her—seemed to sway with the ebb and flow of clubgoers filling every available space.

It took some wading to find the sunken dance floor taking up the entire middle of the room, then the bar area at the far side. When she took the time to think about it, she was still amazed that Brad had walked away from his family money and chosen to work in a bar, especially after his brother’s death. Most people would call it crazy—and a few of their friends had. But it made sense. His degree in business management meant he could work his way up at Thrice, but he also loved being in charge of the bar, interacting with customers, keeping people safe—that more than anything. He’d told her more than once that people shouldn’t pay with their lives for having fun or relieving stress, and he made sure of it with his vigilant watch over those in his care. He wanted to make a difference, no matter how small other people thought it was; they were alike that way.

His blond head came into view first, then the rest of him. Brad moved behind the room-length bar with ease and efficiency. A word here and there passed out with the drinks brought smiles to the people he served, especially the women. The feminine eyes eating him up sparked a dark jealousy in Angel’s core. But it was the look in Brad’s eyes that really mattered, and that look filled with fire when he saw her walking toward his end of the room.

His gaze swept her body, head to toe. And all the way back up. She watched his tongue slide along his bottom lip, saw him shift as if he was suddenly uncomfortable, and the knowledge that other women wanted him faded past caring. When his eyes finally met hers, she smiled, feeling the sexy edge to the way her lips curved, and put a little extra sway into her hips as she closed the distance between them. Brad leaned on the bar top, chin propped on his fist, to watch.

“Is it my birthday?” he teased when she got close enough to hear him.

A man seated on the next closest bar stool turned to look. “Maybe mine?” he asked. He was in his early twenties too, but his conservative hair and business-casual clothes didn’t fit Thrice’s vibe tonight.

“Hands off, Ryan,” Brad warned.

Ah. That explained the button-down and khakis. This was Brad’s co-manager in training. Damien’s secretary. “Hi.”

“And she has manners,” Ryan pointed out, throwing a pained look Brad’s way. He reached for Angel’s hand and leaned over to place a chaste kiss on the back. Angel felt her heart flutter at the sheer mean filling Brad’s gaze as he watched.

“And you are?” Ryan asked.

“Angel.”

“Taken,” Brad said at the same time, straightening to his full six-two height. Angel giggled.

“Fuck off, Brad,” Ryan threw out, his eyes still on Angel.

Brad leaned over the bar far enough to pop Ryan upside the back of the head. “Language,” he snapped.

“Ow!”

Watching the two of them was like watching brothers torment each other. Ryan was pouting now, but it didn’t earn him any points with Brad. “You can drop her hand anytime, Wonder Boy,” Brad growled.

Ryan slowly released her, but the half smile he shot her way—on the half of his face Brad couldn’t see—told her he was drawing it out for Brad’s benefit, not his own.

Brad whipped the tie at the back of his black apron open and wadded the cloth into a ball. He threw it on the counter. “I’m taking a break.”

Ryan glanced around. “Where’s your relief bartender?”

Pitching his thumb over his shoulder toward the mirror behind him, Brad shrugged. “Take a look at him.”

Ryan’s incredulous expression reflected perfectly in the mirror. By the time he started muttering protests, Brad had rounded the bar and taken Angel’s elbow.

“Get back here, asshole,” Ryan called.

Without missing a step, Brad shot a bird back at his friend. When Angel looked up at him, the amused curve of his lips had her laughing.

“You’re mean,” she said between chuckles.

“Not to you.” He shrugged. “Ryan earns it.” His mouth twitched at her laughter, though, and when he joined in, the noise and crowds surrounding them fell away from her awareness. Brad filled it up too much for anything else to intrude.

He didn’t stop at the curved railing that encircled the dance floor. Angel tugged on the hand now twined with hers. “Where are we going?”

Brad glanced down. “To get away from this noise,” he said, voice raised above the din. “The last thing I want to do is shout at each other over this mess.”

Angel agreed. Of course, going somewhere without noise probably meant going somewhere without this many people…or any people. She swallowed hard at the idea of being alone with him. She wasn’t a tease, and she’d been making it plain what she wanted for the last half hour. Now it was time to pay up. What if she couldn’t?

Nerves multiplied like tribbles in her veins as they went through the entry area of the club. Brad led her down a dark hallway to one side marked EMPLOYEES ONLY. The hall was dotted with doors, and Brad opened one about halfway down. They stepped into a brightly lit room lined along one side with lockers and the other with a comfy seating area. The counter, sink, fridge, and microwave proclaimed “break room” loudly. When the door slid shut, the sheer relief of relative silence distracted her from her nerves for about a millisecond.

“So…” Brad pulled her toward the couch but turned before they reached the brown leather monstrosity. His gaze went straight for her breasts in their soft red cover, and he seemed to lose track of what he was saying. In the moment it took for him to break himself away, Angel felt that look right down to her clenched thighs.

Shaking himself back to awareness, Brad finally asked, “To what do I owe this unexpected visit?”

Angel felt every muscle go tense. Say it! Say you have feelings for him—new, different feelings. You want him to know. He wants to know; just look in his eyes and see it. Tell him.

She cleared her desert-dry throat, opened her mouth, and said, “I got the interview.”

Not what she meant to say. Definitely not. And not what Brad expected her to say, from the sinking look on his face. But it didn’t last. Brad was Brad—a huge grin appeared, and the next thing she knew his arms were around her waist and he was twirling her through the air with a loud “whoop!”

Her smile felt bittersweet as love swelled in her chest. He was always putting her and her needs first, before what he wanted. He lifted her up, gave her whatever he thought she needed, even if it was far less than he might want. How long had he been doing that?

And how long was she going to be a coward and let it continue?

When he finally settled her on her feet, she was breathless with anxiety. She met Brad’s warm gray eyes…and immediately, all the p whirling inside her settled. She reached to cup his stubble-covered cheeks. “I came by for something else too,” she said, surprised by the suddenly low, raspy tone of her voice.

“What?”

“This.” She pulled him down until her lips could meet his and kissed him.

You can pick up your copy of Brad and Angel's story at Loose Id (all e-book formats available), Amazon, All Romance ebooks, and Kobo. (B&N coming soon.) Pick up a copy and enjoy some reading time this holiday weekend!

Have a great Fourth!

~ Ella

It's the Just a Little More Release Party!

Double the pleasure and double the fun -- wait, that was the Doublemint twins! But I do have double the releases -- and double the prizes! -- for you today, and it will be fun. My twin, Dani Wade, has a release today, Striking a Chord. And as you know, I have a release too. Just a Little More is OUT TODAY!!!

In honor of sharing a release day (as well as a womb for nine months!), we're having a release day party and giveaway -- a $30 gift card to Amazon or B&N PLUS copies of the first book in my Secrets series and Dani's Backstage Pass series. We're talking serious hottie goodness here, people! Be sure to check out the giveaway at the end of our blogs. And don't forget, the more you participate -- on my blog and Dani's -- the more entries you get to the giveaway.

So, what is Brad and Angel's story all about?

Six weeks ago Angel had it all—a brand-new master’s degree, an apartment with her best friend, Brad, and the chance to take their friendship to a whole hot new level. But on the night of their first kiss, a would-be rapist ripped her bright future apart. Stuck in a never-ending cycle of fear and depression, Angel is determined to find herself again, even if it means putting herself at risk.

Brad has loved Angel since he saved her from a playground bully in the fifth grade. But just as it seemed Angel’s eyes were opening to the true feelings between them, it all fell apart. When Angel disappears on the night of a freak snowstorm, Brad is determined to find her. And when he does, he won't let her hide any longer. It's time to wake her up—to a life without fear, and to a love that can heal the deepest wounds.

Sound good? Well, what are you waiting for? Get your copy of Just a Little More at Loose Id OR All Romance ebooks. And FINALLY on Amazon! You can run right over and get your copy of Angel and Brad's story just in time for the July Fourth weekend (and plenty of reading time).

But what else were we doing today? Oh, right! ;) It's time to PAR-TAY!!!

Dani AND I are celebrating today -- with a DANCE PARTY! I'm sharing the songs that played through my head while Brad and Angel's story flowed through my fingers. And when you've explored them all, guess what? Dani has her playlist over on her blog today! You can hop over there and get even more boogie on. ;)

If you've followed my releases, you know I have a theme song for every book. For Just a Little More, I have a heroine badly in need of protection, and I have a hero whose entire being is centered on protecting and caring for those he loves -- and he's loved Angel a long, long time. There was no more appropriate song than this little gem nestled on Daughtry's latest release: "I'll Fight."

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0c2OpUfUsBM?rel=0&w=420&h=315]

As much as I love my hero and diving in to his pov, the idea for this book came to me not from Brad's side but Angel's. I didn't even realize she belonged to Brad until later; I only knew her name was Angel and that she needed help desperately. The kernel that became Just a Little More was sparked while listening to Nickelback's "Lullaby."

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OjiOn5s8s8?rel=0&w=560&h=315]

I had the Goo Goo Dolls latest album, Magnetic, on repeat for most of the drafting process for Just a Little More. One song in particular helped me envision Brad and Angel's relationship, the feeling that they were best friends, each other's worlds, and ready to face anything as long as they were together: "Slow It Down."

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWtrRfLEv3M?rel=0&w=420&h=315]

One more? Okay, one more! Though this book deals with some tough issues, by the end Angel has found her way back to who she really is, not the person fear made her. And because Thrice is such an important part of this series, of course I ended the book there. What was the ultimate dance par-tay song for Brad and Angel to dance to? From Magnetic, here's "Rebel Beat."

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUi8gQPsMdw?rel=0&w=560&h=315]

It wouldn't be a par-tay without some prizes, now would it? Dani and I have a joint giveaway going. What do you have to do to enter? Simply leave a comment, on my blog or hers, telling us your favorite party song. Your comment enters you into the giveaway. A comment on both of our blogs enters you TWICE. Like me on Facebook OR sign up for my newsletter and get ANOTHER entry (or TWO if you do both!).

What are we giving away? A $30 gift card to Amazon or B&N, and the first book in both of our series! You have until July 5th to enter! We'll post the winner July 6th.

And thank you! Joining us for our double release day makes it so much more fun than partying alone! Now get over to Dani's blog and boogie. ;)

~ Ella

**All ebook formats are available at Loose Id. All you have to do is download the format appropriate for your e-reader (or your computer, and they even tell you which format you need on their FAQs page), hook your e-reader to your computer, and drag and drop the file to your e-reader. Easy peasy, even for me, and I'm no technical genius. ;) I will update as new formats become available, so check back. As soon as Amazon, ARe, and Kobo go live, I'll have it here.

Funny Friday: Ah, Creative Writing, How I Love Thee...

Or, apparently, I must love a newspaper contest for funny lines, but...who the heck cares? These "creative" descriptions are hilarious. And if, as one commenter suggested on the tickled post where I first saw these, you read them in the voice of Leslie Nielsen, you might just fall out of your chair... ;) So head on over to 20 Actual Quotes From English Exams and see what you think. My fave?

"Long separated by cruel fate, the star-crossed lovers raced across the grassy field toward each other like two freight trains, one having left Ballina at 6:36 travelling at 55 mph, the other from Claremorris 4:19 pm at a speed of 35 mph."

Hmm...or perhaps:

"Even in his last years, Granddad had a mind like a steel trap, only one that had been left out so long it had rusted shut."

:D

~ Ella

*Photo courtesy of MinioN2.

Funny Friday: A Little Editing Humor Here

So I'm deep into revisions at the moment, working on the first Southern Nights novel. I can't wait for you to meet Conlan and Jess! But in the meantime, I thought I'd give you a good look at what I'm doing right now, the prep phase. This:

Enjoy your weekend!

~ Ella

My First Ever "Book" Signing

This past weekend I attended my first ever book signing as an actual author. :) Or at least an author with books available. Though my books are only available digitally, I got to sit at the signing and hand out promo. It was kind of like sitting at the "big authors' table," lol. I wanted to share some of the special moments from the day with you: Me at the 2014 Annual Heart of Dixie Readers' Luncheon in Huntsville, Alabama. That little sign in front of me was actually a gift to each author, a plaque of their book cover to use as a display. Here's a closeup:

You can also see the table favors there that Dani Wade and I put together for our table guests. The bags contained rock star themed items like black glitter nail polish, tattoos, Pop Rocks, as well as copies of our "crossover" novels, Naughty Little Christmas and Settling the Score. Here's Dani and I at our table: I had the great pleasure of seeing some of my fellow Sizzling Scribes authors too, including Kerry Freeman and Debra Glass, pictured here with Dani:

      There were many authors at the luncheon, as there are every year, including some of my idols like Linda Howard, Linda Winstead Jones, Lori Handeland, Lyn Stone, Andrea Laurence, Kimberly Lang, Lynn Raye Harris, and many more, but the guest author was the best of all: Eloisa James.

     And let me just say, I wasn't quite certain what to expect from Ms. James. I mean, she's a literature professor teaching Shakespeare (and believe me, with a degree in English lit, I know what some of my professors were like!). But...she was great! And her comments on "furtive" sex, whirling bits of flesh, and erections the size of the Hubble telescope were the funniest thing I've heard in a while. She was inspiring and interesting and personable and a joy to listen to.

It was a great afternoon among fellow authors and readers who love romance as much as I do. I can't wait to do it again -- and I will, in November, at the Southern Magic Readers' Luncheon in Birmingham, Alabama. Rest assured, there will be more details to come!

~ Ella

Funny Friday: The Craziest Places To...Um...Have Sex

We romance writers, especially those of us with an erotic bent, can have some pretty weird conversations among ourselves, conversations like...oh..."where's the craziest place you've ever had sex?" And yes, we give some pretty out-there answers sometimes. ;) Here's how a few erotica authors answered the same question from Buzzfeed's Arianna Rebolini. Enjoy! ~ Ella

The 14 Craziest Places Where Erotica Writers Have Boned

*Photo courtesy of Jon 'ShakataGaNai' Davis.

New Release News: Just a Little More!

I can't tell you how excited I am to see Just a Little More finally come to fruition. Though it's a novella, I struggled mightily with getting Brad and Angel's book just right, giving them the story they deserved. I wasn't disappointed by the end result, and I hope you won't be either. You'll be able to find out on JULY 1ST! That's right! In three weeks and one day, Just a Little More will be available. Squeeee! Hopefully you'll think I captured Thrice's flirty bartender as well as Angel captures him. ;) Not to mention, the book is set in a freak snowstorm, so you'll get a cool little spot in the height of summer heat.

I haven't shared a lot about this book because it was on a fairly short timeline from submission to release. In fact, I didn't even know if I'd have the cover in time to reveal it today -- and I didn't. Yes, I'm pouting. I promise you will see it as soon as I get to...okay, a few minutes later, but you get the idea. Those of you who've subscribed to my newsletter have read the blurb and a teeny excerpt, but let me share those with the rest of the world. Ready?

Six weeks ago Angel had it all—a brand-new master’s degree, an apartment with her best friend, Brad, and the chance to take their friendship to a whole hot new level. But on the night of their first kiss, a would-be rapist ripped her bright future apart. Stuck in a never-ending cycle of fear and depression, Angel is determined to find herself again, even if it means putting herself at risk.

Brad has loved Angel since he saved her from a playground bully in the fifth grade. But just as it seemed Angel’s eyes were opening to the true feelings between them, it all fell apart. When Angel disappears on the night of a freak snowstorm, Brad is determined to find her. And when he does, he won't let her hide any longer. It's time to wake her up—to a life without fear, and to a love that can heal the deepest wounds.

And now, for how it all started...

He was eighteen when it happened. No warning at all.

One minute Brad Donovan was staring down at his best friend, Angel, as she coughed up water from Lake Lanier. She bobbed on the surface, swiping at the droplets that clung to her eyes, and then she was laughing. That same laugh he’d heard a million times since elementary school, a laugh full of joy, full of life. All the noise around them, their friends shouting and girls squealing at the shock of cold water, the splashes, the creaking of the dock and rumbling of rock on the radio, it all faded as that one sound, Angel’s laughter, pierced his heart like an arrow.

And changed everything with the realization that he loved her.

It wasn’t best-friend love. He’d loved her that way since the first day of fifth grade. And it wasn’t sister love. They’d grown up together, become the family neither of them really had, but this wasn’t about family either. Definitely not just being horny, though he’d had to hide a hard-on more times than he could count with Angel running around in that skimpy bikini.

No, this was something new, something a hundred times stronger. This was the real thing, real love. The kind a man had for a woman; the kind he had for Angel. The kind a teenage boy wouldn’t recognize, right? But he knew, without a doubt, that she was the one, with that single glance down at her laughing face.

And it scared the shit out of him.

Be sure to check my Facebook page on July 1st for the fastest access to links for Just a Little More. And look for Ian's story, Secrets To Hide Book 4, next spring.

Want more Secrets To Hide goodness? Be sure to read books one and two, Cailin and Alex's story in Dirty Little Secret, and Harley and Damien's story in Naughty Little Christmas.

And don't forget, coming this fall, the all-new Southern Nights trilogy.

*Photo courtesy of JulianColton2.

Summer for Love Blog Hop: Adult Game Night

UPDATE: Our winner for the $15 gift card is Elizabeth Hyatt! Thank you all for participating. Be sure and check back the week of July 4th for another great giveaway!

Welcome to the Summer for Love Blog Hop! I’m Ella Sheridan, your host(ess) for this page of your blog hop experience. I hope you enjoy!

Entry information for the contest is at the bottom of this post. Be sure you leave a name AND AN EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment to be entered in the drawing. Don't forget!

~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~

Summer—it’s the time of no schedule, sleeping in, lazy days by the pool. It’s also the days of visits to the grandparents, midweek sleepovers, and the all-time parent favorite: SUMMER CAMP. So how can we take the most advantage of child-free summer nights? How about a trip down nostalgia lane? It's time for some of those games we played as kids and teens to make a second appearance -- for adult game nights. ;)

Twister

Who didn’t wish they could play Twister with the object of their blushingly adolescent desire? Now you can! Consider starting the game sans clothes, or taking off a piece every time you touch a color you’ve never landed on before (four colors = four pieces of clothing each). Another variation? Rub massage oil into each other’s skin before beginning the game.

Hide and Seek

Remember the buzz of anticipation in your belly as you waited in some hidden corner for whoever was “It” to find you? How about trying this game in the dark? You can also vary the game by playing multiple rounds, with the loser taking off a piece of clothing every time they’re found! (And if you haven’t read Cherise Sinclair’s Masters of the Shadowlands series, you should—the Masters have a particularly devious form of Hide and Seek they play in the Capture Gardens. You’re welcome!)

Simon Says

Set a timer. For the length of the time limit, “Simon” is allowed to tell his/her partner what to do—and I bet you can think of some pretty yummy commands, can't you? How about telling your partner to be silent…and then torturing them into making noise. When the timer goes off, “Simon” has to take his turn getting told what to do. Warning: This game can make foreplay go on forever, but the payoff is worth it!

Blind Man’s Bluff

Take off your clothes. Put on a blindfold. Let your partner surprise you. Enough said!

Truth or Dare

On small slips of paper, write down twenty questions that would reveal your partner's sexual fantasies. Then write down twenty activities you want to try with your partner in bed. Have your partner do the same. Put the questions in one bowl, the activities in another. Spend the evening in a candlelit room, wine at the ready, going through the bowls—and getting to know each other even better than you already do. ;)

Spin the Bottle

Here's a fun variation of this classic teen party game for two: On a piece of posterboard, draw a large circle and divide it into “slices.” Label each slice with an activity (touch, kiss, tickle, rub, etc.) and a body part (the two don’t have to go together). Place the posterboard in the middle of a room, empty a wine bottle (in whatever way you see fit), and place it in the middle. Take turns spinning. Whatever “slice” the head of the bottle points to, that’s the activity you must do. Whatever “slice” the middle of the bottle’s base points to, that’s the body part on which you do the activity. Creative, huh?

So what do you think? It gives a whole new meaning to “Everything old is new again,” doesn’t it?

In my first release, Dirty Little Secret, Cailin and Alex play their own version of Hide and Seek while on a ghost tour in downtown Nashville. Wanna see?

~ ~ ~ ~ Excerpt ~ ~ ~ ~

The group spread out to explore the area around the State Capitol Building, many heading toward the lighted side near President James K. Polk’s tomb. Alex stepped in that direction, but Cailin inhaled a deep breath, took a chance, and tugged him in the other. Barely visible, a hedge of evergreens lined the front area, providing a small alley of privacy she hoped to take advantage of.

“Where are we—”

Cailin used a fingertip to stop Alex’s question. Instead she drew him behind the evergreens, standing at least ten feet tall, backed him into the fragrant wall, and sank hastily to her knees.

“Cailin?”

Fingers trembling at the audacity of what she was about to do—and at the overwhelming desire to do it—Cailin reached up and placed both hands on Alex’s crotch. He choked even as his length hardened beneath her touch. The power she seemed to hold over his body awed her. Right now she’d use it to her advantage, for his pleasure.

Knowing seconds counted, she opened the button of his jeans by shoving her hands under his untucked button-down and giving a single flick to the top button. She didn’t even bother to lower the zipper all the way, just lowered it enough to maneuver the head of his shaft through the gap. His breathing bellowed in her ears, his pulse jumped between her fingers, and her mouth watered as she opened enough to take him in.

Fast. Frantic. She poured everything she had into pleasuring him, needing only the taste of his release on her tongue to satisfy her. She couldn’t tell if the sounds Alex was emitting were laughter or sobs. Either way, minutes later he was exploding in her mouth, his hands clutching her hair as he strained to empty every last drop into the moist cavern surrounding him. His salty release hit her tongue, and molten pleasure blinded her for long moments. Only Alex’s pulling back and the slide of his cock from her mouth returned her to the present.

“God, Cailin,” Alex said, strangled laughter making his words choppy, “what was that about?”

Standing, she helped him straighten his clothes until he was as presentable as they could make him in the almost nonexistent light. “It’s about surprising you,” she replied.

“I’d surprise you too, but I don’t think we have time for me to reciprocate.”

“Don’t have to. This tour was gift enough. Thank you,” she whispered as the sound of the others approaching filtered through the trees.

“You’re welcome, and yes, I do. And I will.” A hard, thorough kiss, then, “Just you wait.”

~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~

If you enjoyed Cailin and Alex’s “game,” you can read the rest of their story in Dirty Little Secret. The second book in the Secrets To Hide series, Naughty Little Christmas, is also available. And coming July 1st — Just a Little More, book three!

Six weeks ago Angel had it all—a brand-new master’s degree, an apartment with her best friend, Brad, and the chance to take their friendship to a whole hot new level. But on the night of their first kiss, a would-be rapist ripped her bright future apart. Stuck in a never-ending cycle of fear and depression, Angel is determined to find herself again, even if it means putting herself at risk.

Brad has loved Angel since he saved her from a playground bully in the fifth grade. But just as it seemed Angel’s eyes were opening to the true feelings between them, it all fell apart. When Angel disappears on the night of a freak snowstorm, Brad is determined to find her. And when he does, he won't let her hide any longer. It's time to wake her up—to a life without fear, and to a love that can heal the deepest wounds.

~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~

And now, a giveaway from The Romance Troupe!!

Grand Prizes: SIX $50 Amazon or B&N Gift Cards

Comment on this blog with your name and email to be entered into the Grand Prize drawing from TRR. Comments without a name and email will not be counted. Commenting on each and every stop will increase your chances of winning. Winners for the SIX Grand Prizes will be drawn and announced on THE ROMANCE TROUPE blog by June 10th.

Find a list of all stops here!

And there's more. Yes, MORE!

One lucky commenter will win a $15 gift card from Amazon or Barnes & Noble for some book shopping! Want more than one entry? There are two more easy ways to be entered for the prize:

1. Sign up for my monthly newsletter and get a second chance at the prize!

2. Friend me on Facebook for a third chance at the prize. Be sure to message me with your e-mail address so I can contact you if you win.

The winner of the Amazon/B&N gift card will be notified by Tuesday, June 10th, 2014. And keep an eye out for those big TRT winners! You can watch for that at the TRT site. I hope you enjoy some fun and adult games this summer!

~ Ella

What I've Been Reading: The Mackenzie Series

I'm a re-reader. As much as I love getting my hands on hot new books, I also re-read books on my keeper shelf again and again. One of my favorite oldies-but-goodies is the Mackenzies series by Linda Howard. Sometimes we think we invented the Special Forces/ex-military alpha-male hero. But no. Linda Howard's men are the epitome of the alpha male -- and they do it oh so well.

There are four books and a novella in this series. In reading order, they are:

Mackenzie's Mountain

Mackenzie's Mission

Mackenzie's Pleasure

Mackenzie's Magic (novella)

A Game of Chance

This family of alphas began with their patriarch, Wolf Mackenzie. He lives on Mackenzie's mountain, and only innocent schoolteacher Mary Potter can pull him away. As loving as he is rough, Wolf teaches Mary a few things not found in a classroom. His sons -- all of them -- are built on the same model. The lone daughter, Maris, is tough as nails and meets her hero head on. The entire family is a force to be reckoned with, individually and as a collective.

It's hard to pick a favorite, but I'd have to say Mackenzie's Pleasure probably tops the rest for me. First, the hero's name is Zane. I mean, really. His name alone is over-the-top sexy. He's a Navy SEAL. Check two. And he's turned on by watching his pregnant wife drink 7-Up. Who doesn't want their man finding them sexy when they're pregnant -- or when they're drinking a soft drink? ;) When Zane comes close to losing his life and is forcibly separated from Barrie, the emotion on the page is off the charts -- and when they come back together? So is the heat.

These stories are still available on Amazon in anthology form, and are worth every penny. If you like a cross between the bastard heroes of old and the not-afraid-of-emotion heroes of today, check out Howard's Amazon page here. She's a master at creating memorable stories you'll go back to read again and again -- just like I do!

Funny Friday: Parents...Oy!

Today is my son's birthday -- YAY!!!! In honor of the thirteen years I've spent parenting him ( :D ), I thought I'd share some seriously spectacular parenting fails when it comes to technology. I love the Autocorrect fails posts, but here's one on Buzzfeed directly related to parents. It's funny stuff like this:

There's tons more funny stuff where this came from. And don't stop halfway -- the last entry is...jeez...hilarious.Kinda reminds me of my grandmother... :)

26 Reasons Why Parents Shouldn't Be Allowed to Have Phones

by Dave Stopera

Enjoy!

~ Ella

May's My Sexy Saturday: Doing Sexy

This week's My Sexy Saturday is all about "Doing Sexy" -- those characters who, for whatever reason, don't truly see how sexy they are. But those around them see it and can't help but respond to it! In Dirty Little Secret, heroine Cailin is fresh off a nasty divorce from a husband who rarely even touched her, much less wanted sex. Her confidence is at an all-time low, until the night she decides to try out the new nightclub in downtown Atlanta, Thrice. She's managed to get herself in line outside the club, but still her doubts are there... * * *

Anonymity wasn’t always a good thing. It tempted people to act in ways they normally wouldn’t, to indulge in fantasies they’d normally never consider if someone they knew was around to see—and condemn—them. Cailin had lain awake last night, staring at the darkened ceiling, alone and hungry. And not for food. Two years was a long time to go without touch, much less sex—especially when she’d spent half that time married—and she found her craving was getting harder and harder to ignore. Taking care of it herself just didn’t feel the same. She wanted human interaction, a man’s hands on her body. And this morning, she’d awakened with an idea of how to get it.

Thus the trip to Crazyville, um, Thrice.

It was risky, at least for her. Definitely unhinged. She’d been a virgin on her wedding night. She didn’t do casual sex. Or she hadn’t, but what other choice did she have? And it just so happened she had a really long, empty weekend ahead of her and a new nightclub opening not twenty minutes from her home. Best of all, nobody knew her. Nobody would be watching her “moral slipup,” as her mother would’ve called it. And nobody would talk. She could go, have a drink, maybe meet someone. Maybe go home with him. That’s what normal people did, right? At least, people who didn’t marry right out of school and who’d never in their life set foot in a bar.

What a backwoods idiot she was. She just prayed, after the amount of money she’d blown on her outfit, that the backwoods part of her was well hidden—and that this little foray into mental illness was somehow successful.

"You do realize you’re asking God for a hookup, Cailin,” she told herself, ignoring the questioning look of a cute young thing with a ring in his nose passing on his way to the end of the line. “That just proves how crazy you really are."

The cutie did a quick twist to stare at Cailin as he went by. His gaze zeroed in on what she knew was a mostly bare back and clearly outlined butt. Her garters played peekaboo through the cutouts, extending just below her hemline to catch sheer thigh-high stockings, but the woman at the store had assured her it was utterly sexy. Cailin didn’t know about that—naughty might be a better word, but when had she ever been naughty? It was definitely past time to give herself a break from the good-girl routine. Tonight she could be anyone she wanted to be—and the woman she wanted to be was a sexy siren, ready to entice. Tilting a look over her shoulder, she gave the guy a smile, ignoring the jittery feeling in her stomach. Maybe she’d see him inside.

A group of women in line ahead of her giggled when the man winked back at her. They struck up a conversation about her dress, and by the time she greeted the broad-shouldered bouncer a half hour later, it felt as natural as buying a ticket to a movie. The way he eyed her legs helped her relax even more. She couldn’t swear, but she was pretty sure her reaction to that look was something like preening.

* * *

Cailin might not feel sexy, but she certainly catches some eyes, including her new boss's, which leads to all kinds of trouble. Here's how:

Cailin Gray transferred to the new Atlanta branch of her company to work for the senior vice president, Alex Brannigan. But before her job begins, she allows the anonymity of the big city to lure her into a night of dancing–and the arms of a mystery lover hotter than anything this country girl could imagine. When she wakes alone, his absence hurts more than she thought it would, but not nearly as much as walking into the office Monday morning and discovering her lover is her new, married boss.

Alex has one goal: help his best friend, Sara Beth, keep her inheritance. This plan included a marriage of convenience–check–taking over the vice president’s position–check–and keeping the platonic state of their relationship secret until their position of power is solidified. That last takes time, but the resulting solitude weighs heavily. Until Cailin. He told himself a single night would have to be enough, but fate had other plans. Now he must choose between keeping his dirty little secret and fulfilling his promise to Sara Beth, or finding the strength to free them all from the secrets that bind them.

Dirty Little Secret is available at Amazon, B&N, my publisher Loose Id, and other retailers online. Be sure and check out the sequel, Naughty Little Christmas, featuring a hot rocker and the owner of Thrice, too! My newest release, book three in the series, Just a Little More, is due out in July. Sign up for my monthly newsletter to get the latest release information and monthly contests with great prizes!

And don't forget the other My Sexy Saturday blogs being shared this week -- you can find them here. Enjoy!

~ Ella

Funny Friday: T-shirt Sayings

This past week, a T-shirt I ordered from a campaign on Teespring came in, one I absolutely love.

The shirt was designed for author Jayne Rylon, and I saw it on her Facebook page. I loved it so much, I ordered two -- one for day, and one to sleep in. ;)

Then, this morning, when I went on FB, I saw another Teespring campaign, this one from author Kallypso Masters:

I might have to have that one too! (By the way, Kallypso is still running her campaign, so if you love this T-shirt as much as I do, go here.)

These two great T-shirts got me thinking about Christmastime and how my daughter and I like to sit and peruse the hundreds of catalogs that come in the mail just so we can read all the T-shirt sayings that crack us up. So, I thought I'd share a couple with you that made me laugh this morning (although I think the "Good Book" shirt above has got to be one of my favorites!). Any of these can be found with a simple Google search of the quote. Without further ado...

(Having totally kinky curly hair, I get this one, lol!)

 

 

 

And probably my personal favorite, having been raised with the story of Daniel and the lion's den (and wondering the whole time if I would've been the one eaten...):

Ha!

Now, go forth and have a very funny Friday -- and don't forget to wear an interesting T-shirt!

~ Ella