Anna Zabo

I just got word that Close Quarter will be going into print! I don’t have the exact publication date, but I will let everyone know when it’s available. For now, here’s the awesome and shiny cover flat:

Today, I’m hosting C.P. Foster, another friend from Absolute Write. She’s here to talk about her hot and sexy new paranormal romance, Secret Studies! Take it away, C.P.!

Secret Studies (Arcaneology Book 2)

To celebrate the release of Secret Studies, book two in the Arcaneology series, I am hosting a give-away for the next week. Entering is simple:

1) come to my Facebook author home page
2) hit like, if you haven’t already
3) leave a comment

That’s it! Next Monday I’ll put all of the names into a virtual hat and give away the prizes. What are the prizes? Glad you asked!

Prize #1: A digital copy (your choice of format) of both books in the Arcaneology Series (Dark Studies and Secret Studies).
Prizes #2 and #3: A digital copy of Secret Studies, plus a vial-of-blood necklace and a bookmark.
Prize #4, 5, and 6: A copy of Dark Studies, plus a blank-book journal and a bookmark.

You can find pictures of the prizes in my album. Come on over and enter today!

Blurb:

If she could only stop running, she could start living…

With a million-dollar bounty on her head, Angie Clark has been hiding under the noses of her enemies for nearly a decade. But trying to prevent a war between humans and vampires has landed her in trouble—again. A vampire monarch bent on revenge has taken out a new contract on her, and Angie knows that if she’s caught, her enemies will torture her until she begs for death. Mired in violence and death, keeping her secrets becomes more important than ever. And as her life unravels bit by bit, she fears she’ll have to leave behind everyone and everything that matters to her and run.

But when Steffen Scott puts his life on the line in order to protect her, she can no longer deny her feelings for him. As the threat of war looms over humanity once again, it could mean the annihilation of both species, and Angie must decide whether to keep running or to turn and fight. And maybe find out what she and Steffen could become.

Snippet:

She went to him, and let him draw her onto his lap. He angled her so her legs dangled to one side while her back rested against his broad chest. His skin felt cool, but not as cold as before.

“Did you intend to tease me by leaving that lovely throat bare?” he murmured into her ear.

“Don’t you like it?”

His growl vibrated over her. “I’ve thought of little else since the moment I arrived. May I taste you now?”

“Yes,” she whispered.

With a gentle touch, he took the single curl that tickled the side of her neck and tucked it behind her ear. Grace closed her eyes as he settled his mouth over her vein. His fangs extended, thin as those of a snake, and pricked the soft skin. She held her breath.

He curved one arm around her waist an instant before he struck. Pain flickered for only a second, then a lush wave of pleasure overtook her, and she moaned aloud. His arm tightened while his other hand stroked up to cover her breast. He squeezed. Found the stiffening nipple and pinched. Grace arched with desire as he caressed his way to her thighs and edged them apart. The suction of his drinking, the quiet sounds he made, the way his body grew warmer with each passing second, all of the sensations engulfed her.

He eased her skirt up and nudged her panties aside so he could graze his fingertips over her moist lower lips. She tensed from head to toe as he traced a slick path to her bud and began to stroke. Her racing heart pumped blood into his mouth. Pleasure built, and when she came, he sucked harder to drink in her ecstasy.

Book Info:

Secret Studies (Arcaneology Book 2)
C. P. Foster
Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance
Length: Novel
Warnings: Contains BDSM elements and dubious consent

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
All Romance Ebooks

Bio:

C. P. Foster is a writer of urban fantasy, romance, and erotica. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, Cuddles the caliby kitten, and a cat named Tom that is no longer actually a tom. She doubt he appreciates the irony.

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Anais Morgan, friend from Absolute Write, has a new M/M contemporary erotic romance (with a great cover) out from Evernight Publishing. In celebration of her new release, she’s stopped by to share an excerpt with us and to offer a chance for one lucky winner will receive a copy of her novella! For more details on the giveaway and how you can enter, keep scrolling.

Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now

When they finally find love, can it survive the scrutiny?

Burb:

Vincent’s days at work are spent admiring a hot hunk of man flesh named Jason. Unfortunately, Jason is straight—or so Vincent believes. When Jason asks Vincent out to a sporting event, he confesses he’s interested, and Vince has no problem exploring these feelings with Jason. After a night of passion, they decide they’ve held back their true feelings for too long and want to try a committed relationship.

Just as things start to work for them, their boss finds out that they’re gay. He turns them in for on-the-clock PDA and tells their co-workers. Can Vincent and Jason’s relationship hold up against that kind of hatred?

Excerpt:

A knock came on the door. I walked over and unlocked the deadbolt. Jason smiled as I opened it. He stepped on the threshold, his brows furrowing the way they always had at work. Something was bothering him.

“We good?” I asked.

He hesitated before answering. “Yeah. Can I talk to you about something?”

“Sure.” I stepped aside to allow him to come in farther. After closing the door, I asked, “What’s up?”

He waited a few seconds, concern warping his gaze. I began to worry.

Jason said, “Look, Vincent, I know you’re gay.”

My teeth chattered while my stomach dropped between my knees. How did he find out? I’d been so careful, always watching my back. My hands shook, my knees wanted to knock so I leaned on one foot, trying to play it cool. “How did … you … umm. Well you see—”

Jason held up his hands in defense. Smiling, he said, “Look, I’m not mad. Actually, I think you’re cute.” He paused. “I’ve always thought something was wrong with me. I love sex, but mostly anal. Women turn me on, but not the way men seem to. Maybe I’m bi? I don’t know. But I want to find out.”

And did I ever want to pull him to my side. I smiled at him, my hands quivering and whispered, “I’ll help you.”

Jason took a step closer. He wrapped his fingers in my hair and pulled me in for a kiss. At first he puckered, unsure of what to do. I led him, kissing his bottom lip gently. He molded his lips to mine, following my lead.

“Want me to help you figure that out?” I opened his mouth with my own, sliding my tongue in. He massaged mine back, licking and playing with it. My body, and my cock, reacted to his touch. I wanted to break away and hug him, maybe jump for joy. But no, I couldn’t. I didn’t want the kiss to end.

Jason let out a small moan and I wanted him even more. Fuck the game, we could do this all night. I slid my hand up to the back of his neck. His hair stood on end. What did this mean? Could he be turned on, too? Or was he mortified?

Jason pulled back, gazing into my eyes. His were wide. He hated it, I could tell. He didn’t want it.

“That was … weird,” he said.

“I’m sorry.”

He smirked. “I didn’t say I didn’t like it.”

My cock twitched with his words. Wow. “That did just happen, didn’t it?”

From Anais:

Like what you’ve read? Want to read more? I’m hosting a giveaway. I’ll be on 13 blogs over the Labor Day weekend to promote Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now. All you have to do is comment on any of the blogs. Want more chances to win? Visit all of the blogs and comment! The more you comment, the better your chances. It’s that simple.

Visit www.anaismorgan.blogspot.com for a complete list of the blogs and dates. And as always, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy.

-Anais Morgan

Anais’s book is available on Amazon.

You can read more about Anais at her Blog or Facebook page!

Today, I’m over at Joyfully Jay’s as part of the Joyful Approach countdown to GayRomLit. I’m talking about tropes and how I like to use and twiiiist them all up.

If you comment (over there), there’s a chance to win a $15 gift card to Amazon or All Romance Ebooks, too!

Whew. I have been very busy in real life, which is why I’ve been so absent on my blog. Short form, the small company I work for was acquired by a huge huge company (I went from having 70 co-workers to more than 50,000), so things have been a bit busy at the day job.

I am just about finished with a M/M contemporary novella, which (ironically) has the working title of Acquisition and Merger and I’ve started overhauling a fantasy novel, based on my agent’s feedback. Then it’s back to more Close Quarter books! (I do promise there’s more!)

I have some great guest posts and give-aways coming up this weekend, and more posts from me later this coming week, so please stick around.

*taps mic* This thing still on? *cough*

A glance at the alarm clock told Michael they still had a while before they needed to be up, even if they were to go fetch good coffee. He pulled back the covers a bit. “Come back to bed.”

Sam’s expression was akin to the rest of him, relaxed and sleepy, but he shook his head. “Need to think.”

The ice that had melted away returned to grip Michael’s heart harder. “About what?” He already knew the answer.

Sam didn’t frown, not quite, but his posture, the whole of his body seemed to twist then still, but not into relaxation. “This,” he whispered. “Us.”

Sorry about the delay in announcing the Dirty Birdie Flock Hop winners, I was away at the In Your Write Mind workshop this past weekend and didn’t get a chance to post until now.

The winner of the grand prize was JeanMP! Congrats! I believe you’ve already been contacted by the Flock Hop coordinator.

The winner of a copy of Close Quarter and Slow Waltz was Jennifer Mathis. Congrats!

Thanks to everyone for participating!

Welcome to a stop on the Dirty Birdie Flock Hop! We’re talking eye-candy today and folks who comment here will be entered in a drawing for the Dirty Birdies Flock Hop to win a $100 GC grand prize (you can enter at each flock hop stop)!

Also, commenters on this post have a chance to win a copy of my m/m erotic paranormal romance Close Quarter, plus the followup short story Slow Waltz!

Speaking of eye candy… I adore these covers!

The first is by April Martinez, and features Rhys (the ginger) and Silas (the dark-haired man in the back). The second is by Fiona Jayde. The Spring Fling cover is shared by several authors, so you may have seen it around, but it’s also the spitting image of Silas, so I like to pretend that she made it just for me.

I  adore Silas and Rhys, as well! And yes, for anyone wondering, I have more planned for them. *rubs hands together and laughs*

There’s a small excerpt from Close Quarter at the bottom of the post that’s both a bit dirty and a bit tasty, for those who haven’t met Rhys and Silas.

But first I want to talk a bit more about eye candy. When it comes to men, I’ve found that some of the best eye candy is fully clothed. For instance this:

Isn’t that just lovely? That’s Tyrone Power, BTW. At first, I thought it was just a suit thing. I am rather fond of sharp dressed men.

But then there was this ad that I spotted while I was wandering around the Internet, and it stopped me and made me go “Guh!”:

And decided it was actually formal wear. (There’s more of that here, if you want to look at photos of lovely men in non-western formal wear.)

But then I saw this photo (from Beautiful Mag by way of Coffee and Porn) which….well… you’ll see:

Double Guh.  Maybe it’s that I have a thing for dark haired guys? (Yes, yes I do.)

Rhys, one of the heroes in Close Quarter, has a thing for a particular dark-haired stranger he just met (and spilled a large tray of drinks on)…

Short, loose black curls, like something out of ancient art. That tanned face needed to be carved into stone. Or sculpted in clay. Or traced with fingers and lips…

Not a chance in the world, not after dumping a tray of drinks on him. But the least he could do was try to set things right.

Rhys saw his target not too far down the hall. He caught up with the man and grabbed the guy’s arm. “Wait. Let me—”

The dark-haired man whirled about, pushed Rhys into a short hallway, and rammed him against the wall. Hard. “I said I don’t need your money.”

A rich, deep voice and eyes the color of honey. An accent Rhys could not place. The man had wrapped his fingers around Rhys’s throat. His other hand pinned Rhys against the wall. Strong. Fast.

A tick of apprehension traced down Rhys’s spine. “How about an apology?” His voice was steadier than he felt.

Maybe it was the alcohol clinging to the man’s hair and clothes. More likely it was the hot press of his body, but Rhys could barely draw a breath. Fear. Desire. God, he was hard already.

“I don’t need your apology either.”

That dismissive scorn unlocked anger in Rhys. He was so tired of people looking at him like he was nothing more than a simpering piece of shit. He pushed the man back but only managed inches of distance. “I’m trying to be nice here! What do you want? Should I get down on my knees and beg your forgiveness? Lick the drinks off your body?”

Oh fucking brilliant. What a thing to say.

The man chuckled. That, too, was rich and dark. “Would you like that?” The man shifted his body and pressed his thigh into Rhys’s crotch, right against his very hard cock. Pinpricks of heat ran up Rhys’s spine, spread around his head.

Rhys let out a soft moan. Damn it.

“Ah, so you would.” Mockery in the man’s words. Lust too. One hand kept Rhys pinned, but the other released Rhys’s throat. With those fingers, the man brushed Rhys’s lips.

Pineapple. Cherry. Heady flavors. Rhys couldn’t help it. He ran his tongue over the digit and then sucked it into his mouth. The man obliged him, feeding him one finger after another to clean.

Damn, this guy tasted good. It couldn’t just be the drinks. What the hell?

When there were no more fingers, the man leaned in even closer. “That was very well done.” Hot breath caressed Rhys’s cheek. “Let’s see what you can do with something else.”

Want more? Comment for a chance to win a copy of Close Quarter and Slow Waltz and also to enter the grand prize drawing at Dirty Birdies!

Here’s the full Dirty Birdies Flock Hop!

Been a while since I did one of these….from a WIP tentatively titled Acquisition and Merger:

Breathless, his cheeks red from more than the hot water, Sam gripped Michael’s arms before he could pull away any farther. “I know what you’re thinking. Boss. Employee. Everything we said we wouldn’t do. But I can’t think right now, and I need to focus. Please make the world vanish for a while. I need—” He sucked in a breath. “I need you.”

Welcome to a stop on the Absolutely Erotic Blog Hop, where we’re showcasing erotica and erotic romance authors from the Absolute Write forums. Each day, interviews will be posted, and when it’s all said and done, some lucky commenter will win a huge prize!  Click here for the entire blog schedule and details about the contents of the prize, and how to win an armload of ebooks, a $25 Amazon gift card, and more.

Today, I’m hosting Scarlet Day!

Hi Scarlet, it’s nice to have you here.

Thanks, it’s great to be here!

Can you tell me a little about your latest release?

Immortally Theirs is the first book in my new Legends & Myths series just released from Siren Publishing. It’s about two brothers who gained immortality from the legendary Fountain of Youth and the decision they have to make as to whether they should share the secret, and the curse, with the woman they’ve both fallen in love with. It has some of my favorite things in the story – a little history, supernatural elements, romance, hot men and great sex. Did I mention the hot men?

It’s set in the Historic District of St. Augustine, Florida, which is steeped in ghost stories, pirate lore and brutal battles. I had the opportunity to spend a good deal of time exploring the area and I hope I’ve captured some of the mystery of the location.

You’ve written several Ménage erotic romances. What draws you to the genre?

Polyamorous relationships have been around since the beginning of human history, but they’ve been kept in the shadows, relegated to secrecy. I’m drawn to the idea of bringing these relationships out in the open by creating worlds and cultures where polyamory is not only accepted, but is even considered normal. I also like to play with the culture-clash that results when someone who doesn’t necessarily agree with these relationships gets thrown into a society that does.

How hard is it to write a romance between three people as opposed to two?

Logistics can be a bitch! You should see the hand movements I make in the air when I’m writing a sex scene and I’m trying to figure out where everyone’s arms and legs are!

Seriously though, there is a different set of dynamics involved when the relationship has more than two people in it. Jealousy can easily sabotage a ménage relationship if all partners are not secure in their role within the grouping. Making sure the relationship is well-balanced between the three or more characters and giving all of the characters equal stake in the success of the partnering is crucial. No one wants to feel like a third-wheel, not even fictional characters.

What do you love best about the genre?

I’ve been a romance junkie since the first time I picked up an old Harlequin when I was a young teen. When I started writing, romance just seemed to be a natural avenue for me. But I also grew up as a die-hard Star Wars nerd and loved anything paranormal, so those are recurring elements in all of my books. I love being able to combine all of those things and create my own worlds and cultures, while still focusing on the romantic relationships of the characters.

As to the erotic part, well…I got tired of reading fade-to-black scenes. I mean, I’m an adult. I’ve been married for over half my life. I know from experience that what happens behind the bedroom door can have just as much of an impact on a relationship as what goes on out in the open, so I want my writing to reflect that. I don’t want my books to show only half of my character’s story; I want them to show the whole story.

You’ve also written a number of shifter romances, and shifters are very popular! What do you think it is about shifters that seems to hit the spot so well for so many readers?

I love shifters! The shifter aspect lets you imagine that the guy standing down at the end of the bar might be a whole lot more than he appears. It also brings out the primal nature of the physical relationship. I love any reason to bring out the animal in my characters and writing about shifters gives me the perfect opportunity to do that.  

What’s your favorite kind of shifter? What kind of shifter would you love to see more of?

I have a thing for dragon shifters. The first series I wrote, Dragon’s Light, is a sci-fi/fantasy story about dragon shifters and they’ll always have a special place in my heart. All that fire-breathing just makes me all warm and tingly.

My other favorites are big cat shifters. My Panther Key trilogy is about a family of black panther shifters, which I haven’t seen much of in the shifter world. I’ve had readers write to me about how much they loved reading about them and that they hope I’ll write more panther stories. And since I love them so much, it’s safe to assume that more are in the works.

Which of your characters is your very favorite, and can you tell us a little more about him/her? What book can we find him/her in?

Abby, the main female character from Panther Key 2: Black Fire, is one of my favorites. She’s an environmental scientist in South Florida, which is what I did for a living in my younger years. Any woman who is willing to spend her days wading through alligator infested swamps and wrestling invasive pythons is someone I’d like to hang out with!

Abby has a lot to deal with in this story, including getting kidnapped, learning she’s a rare black panther shifter and fighting for her life. But she is at her most ferocious when her two men are threatened. This is one kitten you do not want to make mad.   

On Absolute Write, you’re known as Beachgirl. How often do you find yourself at the beach?

Well, I work on a barrier island and my office is right across the street from the beach, so…a lot. I live about six minutes from one of the top-ranked beaches in the world and whenever I get a few spare minutes, I’m there. The beach, ocean and some of the other natural resources in Florida are very near and dear to my heart, which is why so many of my books are set in these locations.

What else do you do when you’re not writing?

As much as I enjoy writing, I do still have a day-time career that I love. When I’m not writing or working, I’m usually on the beach with my family or hanging out with them at other great local spots. I’m also thinking about taking up kayaking, so I may be in the market for a kayak soon.

What’s your writing space look like? Or are you more nomadic—a coffee shop type writer?

I use a tablet with a keyboard, so I’m more nomadic. I might write while sitting at the beach, at my desk on my lunch break, or in a coffee shop. Heck, I’ve been known to write while parked in the school pick-up lane with my tablet balanced on my car’s center console. When I write at home, I’m usually on the sofa with my tablet perched on the arm and my poodles in my lap (like they are right now).

Have you ever written non-erotic romance? Or non-romance? Do you ever plan to?

I have actually written a children’s book that is part of a planned series, but I haven’t published it yet. I know, I know…nothing like swinging from one end of the genre spectrum to the other, right?

I also have a mystery/thriller series planned that I hope to work on soon. It’s set in Florida and will be reminiscent of Carl Hiaasen and Randy Wayne White, so fairly heavy on humor, local wildlife and maybe a hurricane or two.

Both my children’s books and my mystery/thriller series will be published under separate pen names, I just haven’t decided what those names will be yet.

They say writers should read…who are your favorite authors?

It’s going to sound a little weird coming from a romance writer, but James Michener, who wrote all of those massive historical doorstops like Hawaii, The Source and Caribbean, is one of my favorite authors. His sweeping descriptions of history suck me in and compel me to keep reading.

But when I’m in a silly mood, Sophie Kinsella is my go-to girl. I laughed so hard reading the Shopoholic series that I’m pretty sure I bruised a few ribs.

Which authors do you think have influenced your writing the most?

I’ve been influenced by so many wonderful writers. Stephen King, Carl Hiaasen, J.R. Ward and Gena Showalter are just a few that come to mind.

What are you working on these day? Can you tell us a bit about it?

I’m almost finished with the second book in my Legends & Myths series, which follows Atticus, a side character from Immortally Theirs who I fell in love with. He’s a fallen angel who has the distinction of being the Grim Reaper, but when I get finished with him, he won’t be so grim anymore.

I’ve also started work on a new shifter series that I’m really excited about. It’s going to be a fun series to write and I hope readers love the idea as much as I do. And yes, there will be panthers, as well as a few other assorted shifter species. Oh, and sex. Lots of it.

If we wanted to learn more about your books, where should we go?

My books are listed on my blog at www.scarletdaybooks.blogspot.com. There are also some great excerpts on my publisher’s website at www.bookstrand.com/scarlet-day. My books can be purchased through BookStrand, Amazon and many other eBook retailers and some of them are also offered in print.

Do you have any regular places online you hang out? Facebook? Twitter?

Besides the Absolute Write Water Cooler forums, which I am completely addicted to, I can be found on my blog at www.scarletdaybooks.blogspot.com and on Twitter at @scarletdaybooks.

And last but not least, what do you absolutely love about writing erotica?

Let’s see…hot men, amazing sex and the opportunity to let my imagination run amok. And I did mention the hot men, right? Okay, just wanted to make sure we all got that.

Thanks, Scarlet, for stopping by! It’s been a pleasure having you here!

Thanks for having me! It’s been fun!

Thank you for visiting this stop on the Absolutely Erotic Blog Hop! Please be sure to visit Scarlet Day’s blog tomorrow to read an interview with S. A. Meade, and comment for more chances to win the grand prize!

Here’s a blurb for Legends & Myths: Immortally Theirs by Scarlet Day

Dismissed as myth, the Fountain of Youth intrigued countless explorers. They chased the dream across oceans and continents, never finding the life-giving waters. But even myths can be real.

Claire Morgan is on the run from an abusive husband. Her days of freedom are numbered, though, and her husband will stop at nothing to find her. When he does, she knows she’ll die at his hands.

Christian and Stefan de la Fuente are brothers who have led separate and lonely lives for almost three hundred years. It might take a miracle, or at least a dead grandmother and one not-so-helpless damsel, to bring them together. But to save Claire, they’ll have to share the source, and curse, of their eternal youth.

A ruthless husband isn’t the only thing stalking Claire, but she’s finished letting others determine her fate. When she takes control of her future, though, even the legendary Fountain of Youth may not be enough to save her.

As part of the Absolutely Erotic Blog hop, I’m over at Tara Quan’s blog today, answering her questions about writing and just why I set Close Quarter and Slow Waltz on a cruise ship…

Every comment along the hop is entered to win a huge bundle of prizes. So what can you win? How about:

•  A lovely beaded necklace
• A signed paperback of your choice from L.A. Witt or Lauren Gallagher’s backlists
• Ebooks by Azalea Moone, Erika Lindsen, L. A. Witt, Lauren Gallagher, Ravon Silvius, M.C. Hana, Erin Lark, Jack Pyke, Tara Quan, Scarlet Day, Charley Descoteaux, and Mina Kelly, plus three erotic shorts by J.E. Keep.
• A $10 Bitch Face Cosmetics gift card
• A $15 gift card to your choice of Barnes & Noble, AllRomance, or Amazon.
• …and we might be adding to the pile as we go!

Tomorrow, I’ll be interviewing Scartlet Day, so stop by and see what she has to say!