SEX!

Tags

erotic romance, romance, Romantic Suspense, sex, SPEEDING

Now that I have your attention… Hahaha.  No, really, I love sex–I dare say we all do–but I’m finding more and more that I have to read emotion with my sex, not sex for sex’s sake or just to make a book hotter.  If you notice, I only tell you about books (or book series) I have really enjoyed, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t read others in the mean time.  Yesterday I read what was billed as an erotic romantic suspense with BDSM elements, so of course I expected the sex to be hot, but the whole story took place over the course of three days.  I can believe lust in three days, I can believe in sex in a few hours, but from meeting and getting shot at on day one to undying eternal devotion on day three?  Yeah, not quite working for me.  That’s not to say this was a bad book, it really wasn’t, but the next books in the series will probably remain unread.

Of course, I’ve heard the same kind of stuff in reference to my own writing, so maybe I’m just being overly bitchy.  When the first few chapters of SPEEDING went up, I got an email that read, “It was awesome until this line: Tossing a fifty on the table, Reid picked Kendall up, wrapping her mile long legs around his waist, and walked them out of the restaurant. He carried her easily, never releasing her mouth for more than a breath, until he reached his truck.”  And another that read, “You know it must be love if there’s public sex involved.”  And, I’m not saying everyone should sleep together on the first date (much less in a parking lot against the side of a truck), but that’s what happened for Reid and Kendall.  *shrug*   At the same time, I feel like in the beginning it was lust and chemistry before it evolved into love.  Hell, I slept with my husband after our first date, so it wasn’t that big a stretch for me to relate to Kendall.

So….  That leads to the big question of the post.  What are *your* thoughts on sex  in a romance, erotic romance, etc?

I’m Baaaaack!

Tags

Carly Phillips, DANCE WITH ME, I'm Baaaaack!, Serendipity, Six Sentence Sunday, SPEEDING

Not that I was gone for all that long, or you have to run away scared or anything, but here I am!  So… What was I doing while I wasn’t doing my regularly scheduled postings?  Nothing fun, really.  Part of the time I was running around with children, which is awesome, but the other part of the time I was being all responsible and dealing with client things and such… of course, there was also the part of the time I was feeling crappy and/or playing Words with Friends, but as super cool (read: nerdy) as that sounds, it’s back to business, since I have to, ya know, like, finish a book before we can, say, publish it, right?

Soooo…. How about we pretend it’s Sunday instead of Monday and do Six Sentences?

Speeding, Chapter 11

 “I… We were arguing about you.” Blonde curls flying, Annie elaborated, “I told her I wanted to live with you. I yelled at her, saying you were my father, and I could live here if I wanted and then she slapped me.” She twisted a curl in her fingers. “I know I shouldn’t have said the F word, but she made me so mad!”

Dance With Me — Priscilla’s Plotting

Priscilla nodded, ear to the phone. “Are you sure you can do this? You can’t screw this up,” she demanded as she drummed dark red nails against the shiny polish of her desk. “Untraceable, nothing less.”

 “Consider it done, Ms.McClaren,” came the clipped reply.

 She laughed as she carefully removed the blueprint from the scanner and refiled it, pleased with her plan. Davis was nothing if not discreet, and would take care of the competition.  

So, now it’s off to write with me, since I really don’t mean to torture you with months between 3000-4000 word SPEEDING chapters, really I don’t!

Oh!  And I’ll be back soon (likely Wednesday, since I’m *supposed* to be on a Sunday/Wednesday schedule) to tell you about Carly Phillips’ Serendipity Series.  Serendipity (full length novel), Kismet (tie-in novella), Destiny (full length novel). Karma (full length novel) is scheduled for a May 1 release

I love this series!  I’ll leave you links now with a giant thumbs up, and feature them Wednesday.

          

((hugs))

See Ya, 2011!

Tags

2011, 2012, DANCE WITH ME, Happy New Year, SPEEDING

I hope everyone had fabulous holidays!  I am looking forward to returning to a regular work schedule– between last Sunday and Saturday I worked, oh, 70 hours and I am sooooo done with that!  2011 has been a good year, both personally and professionally, but 2012 will be even better.  Well, at least I hope that’s the case.  DANCE WITH ME will be finished and released, and (provided everything works according to plan), it will be the first of many.

Aaaand… since I haven’t been around much this week (see the aforementioned 70 hour week), how about a blurb or two?

Priscilla nodded, ear to the phone. “Are you sure you can do this? You can’t screw this up,” she demanded as she drummed dark red nails against the shiny polish of her desk. “Untraceable, nothing less.”

“Consider it done, Ms.McClaren,” came the clipped reply.

 “I can’t go back there. I’ll…” She shifted her feet as she thought about what she’d do. “I’ll run away again if you make me go back there.”

“What did she do to you?” Kendall asked, alarm in her voice.  

I’ll be back soon to tell you about some books I’ve read, promise.  Right now I have to run herd on my progeny currently shooting each other with Nerf guns.

((hugs))

Sunday is a Day of Rest

Tags

DANCE WITH ME, Six Sentence Sunday, SPEEDING

Yeah, well, it’s supposed to be, right?  I haven’t even opened my computer the past two days much less written anything, but I do have a couple sixes for you!

With Kat everything was different. He couldn’t lose her, couldn’t let her be driven away. So, he’d hidden their relationship. He kissed her again, sliding his hands into her hair, dislodging her ponytail and savoring the feel of it through his fingers. When he broke the kiss, he took a step back to look into her eyes. “Never, never let anyone make you think I’m ashamed of you.”

From SPEEDING, Chapter 7

A sharp rap on the door pulled her from reorganizing the pantry. Muttering to herself, she stalked to the door, curious as to who would show up a Sunday afternoon. Didn’t they know she was busy freaking out? She brushed off a shudder. No, it wouldn’t be someone with news of Reid. She peeked out the sidelight and didn’t know what to make of what she saw.

Lordy, I knew it would be this way, but that doesn’t make it any less annoying.  Our theme song for December is this one (well, mostly) is this:

And, that’s it for me!  I’m not off another day until…. um…. I don’t know when, but I will do my promised Holiday Book Review this week (probably Thursday.)

((hugs))

Sunday Six

Tags

Dance with, Six Sentence Sunday, SPEEDING

Well, this week has been even busier than expected–it seems clients are shopping earlier than they have in the past, so we’ve been slammed.  Not that I’m complaining, really, but between school projects and 11 and 12 hour days, well, there’s not been a helluva lot of writing going on…

Still, I’m committed to our Sunday Sixes, so here we go.  As promised, two sixes from my very different WIPs.

First, more sexy-times in DANCE WITH ME

She was dying for him as he watched her through narrowed eyes. She knew he was trying to decide what to do with her, but after his sexy strip tease, she wanted nothing more than the feel of him over her, inside her, loving her. Maybe this was the punishment—staring at her while she ached for him.

 A slow grin slid over his face as he contemplated her. When he crossed to the bed, he grabbed her ankle and pulled her toward him until his mouth hovered above heaven. Torture by tongue. 

And, now, a little bit of SPEEDING, Chapter 10

Breathing hard, Annie bent over, bracing her hands on her thighs. She had run as fast as she could clear across town. She stared at the brick house. There were no cars in the driveway. How long would she have to wait until her dad or Kendall came home? How long did she have until her grandmother came after her?

Well, that’s it for me for now.  I know I promised you some reviews and a holiday giveaway, and I’m not flaking on you…  Check back Wednesday for a new post rife with holiday cheer 😉

((hugs))

Check out the other Sixers!

Officially Six Sentence Sunday!

Tags

Bloghop, DANCE WITH ME, Holiday Book Review Giveaway, Six Sentence Sunday, SPEEDING

For some reason, I hadn’t listed myself in the Six Sentence Sunday list before, but ta-da!  I’m there now.  So…  I suppose you’d like a good six.  From DANCE WITH ME, a sexy six:

“What do you want me to do to you?” he asked, one side of his mouth tugged up into a half-smile. He shrugged out of his jacket before loosening his tie. “Do you want my hands on you? My mouth on you?” He took a step back to drape his jacket and tie over the chair in the corner, then slowly unbuttoned his shirt. “Do you want me to take you, slow and easy, or hold you down and ravish you?” He pulled his shirt from his pants, adding it to the pile as he opened his belt buckle, leaving it hanging there. 

And, since I’ve been giving you pieces of both WIPs, how about a sexy six from SPEEDING, Chapter 8.

Effortlessly, he swung her into his arms, never relinquishing her mouth as he made his way to the bedroom. He set her down gently and stepped away. “Strip for me, baby,” he commanded, his voice ragged.

 Accepting that he needed control, Kendall threw herself into the role. She unbuttoned her lavender blouse slowly, leaving it open as she tugged down the zipper of her chocolate brown skirt. With a little shimmy, the skirt was around her ankles, leaving her in a pale pink satin thong, the matching demi-bra, her open blouse, and knee-high brown suede boots. Reveling in the fire in his eyes, she played it up, shrugging out of her shirt as she stepped from the skirt pooled at her feet, treating Reid to a twirl and roll of her hips.

In other news, Christmas season is upon us, and I am scheduled a minimum of 50 hours a week.  Honestly, that’s not as bad as it could be, so I’m grateful to our Office Manager for trying her best not to kill us all–we’ll just have to see if her best laid plans actually, ya know, work.

Also… (I’m just full of info today), if you notice at the top of the sidebar, I have joined a bloghop.  Watch and comment on upcoming Holiday Book Reviews (or pop down a post and comment on SANTA’S WAYWARD ELF–that totally counts) and you just might win an Amazon giftcard!  Details to follow (since I have to make them up!)

((hugs))

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!

Tags

DANCE WITH ME, Six Sentence Sunday, SPEEDING

I have to admit I haven’t been writing as much as I’d like this week (can’t say I didn’t expect it, but it’s still no fun…) But I think I can still give you Six Sentences from DANCE WITH ME that don’t need much set up.

He wrapped her in his arms, holding her still. “You know me better than anyone. You know how I think,” he brushed his mouth over hers, “you know how I feel,” he dropped kisses down her neck, “you know what I want,” he finished before claiming her mouth completely. He devoured her, sliding one hand into her hair to cup her head.

 “There’s no denying what you want,” she murmured as she stroked him though his pants. “Be a rebel and take me here,” she whispered before gently nipping at his ear.

And, just for fun… Six from SPEEDING, from way back from Chapter 1.

Officer Caufield was gone for a few minutes, and Kendall could finally breathe. The man was making her head mushy. She had always had a bit of a fascination—oh, let’s face it—an obsession with men in uniform and Officer Caufield lived up to the obsession perfectly. She’d guess he was at least six feet tall with a chiseled jaw and thick, dark hair. It was also obvious the man spent time in the gym. Yum.

Cross your fingers for me that I get to write today and tomorrow.  Today is girlchild’s birthday, and there is sooooo much work to be done before Thanksgiving and THEN it’s Black Friday!

 **runs away screaming**

Well, since screaming never actually accomplishes anything, I have to buck up and do it all.  I should be used to this whole retail thing, since I’ve been doing it for a decade, but it always seems to sneak up on me and steal my holidays.  Wonderful hubby is essentially a single parent for all of December.  But I’ll still have to find time to write.

Aaaaaand…. I’m off!

((hugs))

The Plight of the Pantser

Tags

DANCE WITH ME, outline, pantser, pantsing, shower thoughts, SPEEDING

I’m really trying to get DANCE WITH ME finished by the end of the year. Really, I am. But, here’s the thing. I started this story thinking it would just be a short story—one act, essentially one scene—but it’s grown into something else. That’s all fine and good, but I haven’t figured out how everything fits together. See, I have this problem. When I write an outline for a story, detailing the opening, the major things that occur and then write the conclusion, it feels like I’m done and my stupid overactive brain thinks up something else to do.

So, instead, I totally pants everything and end up just writing whatever comes to mind, sometimes with long breaks of time in between where I’m thinking of what happens next (NOW you know why SPEEDING has been a chapter at a time. I swear it’s not to torture those of you reading!). I think I have DANCE figured out—Priscilla is, as I like to say, crazypants—and I know who killed…wait…if you haven’t read SPEEDING, I won’t say any more 😉 Suffice to say, I figured some of it out in the shower yesterday (it’s true, great thinking happens in the shower), so let’s hope it works out as well on screen as it did in my shampoo-induced musings.

Not necessarily an endorsement, but… Maybe I need to get these!

Well, I suppose instead of writing this completely goofy post, I should be, oh, I don’t know, working on DANCE or, maybe even SPEEDING. So, I’ll go do that now. If anyone has any fabulous ideas for helping me with the whole plotline craziness, I’m up for that too. Maybe one day I’ll go back to my old outlines and turn them into stories!

((hugs))

If it’s Sunday, it’s Six Sentences

Tags

DANCE WITH ME, Six Sentence Sunday, SPEEDING

So, it’s Six Sentence Sunday again, huh?  What would you say if I gave you two versions?  One from DANCE WITH ME and one from SPEEDING?  You good with that?  Awesome.  Here goes.

From DANCE WITH ME, a tender moment.

With Kat everything was different. He couldn’t lose her, couldn’t let her be driven away. So, he’d hidden their relationship. He kissed her again, sliding his hands into her hair, dislodging her ponytail and reveling in the silky feel of it in his fingers. When he broke the kiss, he took a step back to look into her eyes. “Never, never let anyone make you think I’m ashamed of you.”

And, from SPEEDING, a little bit of the investigation.

 “Why?” Chris asked before saying, “I’m with Chloe. I think this was an accident and somebody freaked out and dumped her to cover it up. Maybe she was tied up for fun and profit, shot up and—“

 “No,” Jason interrupted sharply.

 “The more evidence we gather,” Reid replied to Chris while ignoring Jason’s growl, “the more I think this was far from accidental.” He noted the muscle twitching in Chris’s jaw, but soldiered on. “There were no fingerprints anywhere in that apartment. None. Sheridan CSU went over every flat surface, and there was nothing.”

I’m working on DANCE and SPEEDING today, so cross your fingers I get something done!

((hugs))

Uh-huh, yeah, I’m good at this blogging thing…

Tags

DANCE WITH ME, SPEEDING

Well, hello there.  You probably thought I had decided not to do this anymore, since it’s been… um… a month since my last post.  Yeah, well, that whole busy life thing got in the way, and it’s only gonna get worse as we head toward Christmas season.  As I’m sure I’ve mentioned, I work in retail, so longer hours and more events will be keeping me from the computer.  *Pout* I’d love to just say, “No!” but I can’t since I have these annoying short people in my house who demand things like food and shelter and clothing.  Stupid responsibilities!

So…  I did shelve SPEEDING for a little while to focus on a short story contest.  Unfortunately, the short story morphed into something much longer, so I couldn’t enter it into the contest, but now it looks like it will be a novella.  So… despite my crazy schedule, I’m pushing to get it finished and edited by the end of the year.  The story, DANCE WITH ME loosely ties into the Aylesford series, but is set in nearby Tyler.  Aaaand… I made a pretty cover!

So… instead of yakking, I should probably be writing, right?  Yeah, well.  I’ll be back sooner than later to tell you about Victoria Dahl’s REAL MEN WILL and a bunch of other great things I have found time to read (at the expense of sleeping), but for now I’d better be writing!

((hugs))

~HB