Fun Up North

Nothing beats the opportunity to get away for awhile. 

In Michigan, it's called GOING UP NORTH. 

We managed to excape for a few days.

Enjoying some bonding time over coffee and a morning bonfire.

Baseball is done and football has begun.

We spent some time on the beach and in the sun.

Houghton Lake

I'm sure my boys weren't dreaming of football camp that starts tomorrow

#TuesdayTeaser - Shift Happens by Christy Gissendaner

Shift Happens (I Heart Shifters, Book 1)

Christy Gissendaner

Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Etopia Press

BLURB

Ellie Reynolds runs a nail salon that caters to shifters of all varieties. The proverbial shift hits the fan when billionaire mogul Jackson Lawrence walks in the door and offers Ellie two million dollars to sell her shop. Ellie has no intention of selling out, especially to someone who plans to bulldoze her shop to the ground and replace it with a fast food joint. Their battle of wit and will is brought to a sudden halt when Jackson’s enemies appear, throwing them into a fight for their lives.

Jackson believed he'd left violence behind when he resigned his position with the Blood Wolves, a secret shifter military group, but someone wants his company's cyber invention and will stop at nothing to get it. He didn't mean to drag Ellie into his mess, but he’s willing to do anything to protect her and the firewall his friend

created...anything except fight his attraction to the outspoken redhead he's suddenly responsible for. Jackson soon learns Ellie is hotter than he first gave her credit for...like dragon hot...and life is about to get a whole lot more interesting.

 Sometimes shift happens when you least expect it.

EXCERPT

Rain kept up a staccato rhythm on the tin roof, and her supersensitive hearing picked out every drop. She’d never be able to sleep like this, not while her mind was racked by thoughts of Jackson. The situation was laughable. She should be more worried about her safety and instead all she could think about was the fine-looking man in the room across the hall, like the perfect dimples in his cheeks when he smiled really big, or the perfect symmetry of his gorgeous face. And that ass. She could bounce a quarter off that ass.

She groaned as the familiar heat filled the place between her thighs. She needed something to take her mind off Jackson.

Milk. That’s what she needed. A nice, cool glass of milk.

Well, what she really needed was her vibrator, but it was at home, tucked safely away in her drawer under a bundle of handmade scarves that she’d bought and never worn.

Ellie slid out of bed and tugged the hem of the too-short nightgown. She’d picked out a size eight when she was more like a twelve, so Jackson wouldn’t know her true clothing dimensions. When he’d gone to pay for the items she’d chosen, he’d merely lifted an eyebrow but wisely chosen not to say anything.
 Could she help it if she’d been born with a fondness for sweets? Blame Nana’s genes, not her own lack of will.

Speaking of sweets, cookies would be nice too. She wondered if Jackson had any in the cabinets. He seemed to keep the Montevallo home stocked with foodstuffs since they hadn’t had to stop for groceries.

A few minutes later, with chocolate chip cookies clutched in both hands and a mug of milk hooked around her thumbs, she crept back down the hall toward her room. She bent her head to take a bite of a cookie and lost her grip on the drink. She cursed when the mug fell out of her hands. The milk spilled across her toes and the ceramic shattered when it hit the wooden planks.

“Ellie!” Jackson jerked his bedroom door open and appeared in the doorway, disheveled and entirely too yummy. He wore nothing but boxers and oh geez, he had a six-pack. A perfectly lickable six-pack that made her mouth and sex water. She hoped she wouldn’t drool, although it was a distinct possibility.

“I’m sorry for waking you.”

Jackson ran a hand over his shorn hair. “Fuck. I thought they’d found us.”

“Nope, just the cookie monster.” She held up the cookies in her hands and grimaced. How embarrassing. “Want one?”

He came forward until their toes touched. Hers, milky and chilled. His, warm and dry. She wanted to feel her feet wrapped around his beneath the covers. She wanted to feel everything of his beneath the covers, actually.

His thumb brushed the corner of her lips. “Chocolate,” he explained right before he licked his finger.

Damn her knees. Useless joints that they were. “Umm.”

And damn her larynx for not working properly.

His gaze dropped and she suddenly realized she was in the too-short, too-tight nightgown. Her boobs stretched the cotton material and she didn’t need to

 look down to know she was nipping. If she turned around, he could probably tell she wasn’t wearing panties. She’d never been so self-conscious before, but never had she been in the presence of a hot-ass canine shifter who was practically naked.

Jackson’s expression turned predatory. His cheeks seemed to hollow out, becoming more pronounced, and his nostrils flared as if he’d caught a whiff of something. Perhaps it was her. The quick shower she’d taken had been hours before. Then again, no panties. Perhaps he smelled her scent. She clamped her thighs tight together and prayed he didn’t laugh. The situation was embarrassing enough without suffering unrequited lust.

“Ellie.” He spoke her name again, but it was low-pitched and soft.

Oh God. She wanted to eat the cookies in his bed. But later. Much, much later. “Yeah?”

“I owe you something.” He slid a hand around her waist and cupped the upper swell of her butt. His fingers spread out in a proprietary manner, as if he was sure of his welcome. “I wanted to wait until all this shit was over, but you’re killing me. I can’t hold out any longer.”

Neither could she. She went up on tiptoe and puckered her lips. He stared at her as he traced the seam of her lips with his index fingers. “I think you misunderstand the type of kiss I want from you.”

Buy Links:

http://www.etopiapress.com/brands/Christy-Gissendaner.html

http://www.amazon.com/Shift-Happens-Heart-Shifters-Book-ebook/dp/B00WGX0CXE/

Romance Author, Elodie Parkes Talks About Writing

Elodie Parkes is a British author writing romance, erotic, contemporary, and often with a twist of mystery, paranormal, fantasy, or suspense. Her books are always steamy. 

Her tag is, Cool stories: Hot love scenes.

She works in an antique shop by day and writes at night, loving the cloak of silent darkness that descends on the rural countryside around her home.

Elodie is joining us all the way from Canterbury. Her two dogs are eyeing me and licking their lips. Ah-ha! They know I keep doggie treats handy.

Thank you so much, Elodie for joining us today. Let’s get started. You’ve got ten seconds to describe your writing style. Ready… set… go!

Romantic. Thoughtful. Emotional. Addictive. Erotic.

I love your books Rescuing Cade and A Fairy Tale Romance. I enjoy the twists in your storylines. Do you have any authors who have influenced you or do you have a favorite authors you enjoy?

I’ve purposely not allowed writers and books to influence me. For instance, I love William Gibson books. He can do no wrong in my eyes, but would never attempt to be influenced by his work. I write completely different works. My stories are love stories with twists of paranormal, or suspense, or mystery that are woven into what could happen in real life. I could never approach writing like another author, my story and my characters drive me. I guess that other writers whose books I read lots don’t write erotic romance. I’ve read all Christine Feehan’s Dark series, but when I write paranormal, I don’t feel I’m influenced by her work. I read Henning Mankell and there’s no way I could be influenced to write as he does, because his Swedish environment influences him even though he now lives in Africa. Same with Ruth Rendell, I’ve read nearly all her work. Its good stuff but I’ve felt no influence.

I’ve dot pointed what strikes me about the above author’s work.

• Ruth Rendell, insight into the dark side of human behavior
• Henning Mankell, the atmosphere he creates, often wide open, empty spaces, bleakness
• William Gibson, intelligence, insight into society and the manipulation from powerful people, description, and scene setting.
• Christine Feehan, the creation of some of the most loveable male characters around, those Carpathians are to die for.

Real life influences me. I get my story ideas as I’m moving through life, from meeting people, seeing buildings, scenery, sign posts, all kinds of things will make a story idea drop into my mind. Then the characters start to talk. I guess that’s a little obtuse, but that’s how it happens for me. One of my vampire romance stories came from driving past a building that had an old Inn sign in the front garden, but the building was clearly not an Inn. There was an air of mystery about the place, though and a story dropped into my head very quickly. I used the name on that sign for the title. Then a paddock full of lovely horses inspired one of my shifter stories. Stories just arrive in my head and have the characters already formed in some magical way. I always fall in love with my characters and miss them like crazy when I have to let them go .

It’s fascinating how story ideas pop up then follow you around. When did you begin writing?

I started writing when I was seventeen, but I quit early on writing fiction because I needed to write academic stuff. After life got in the way for a number of years, I suddenly found my mind was crowded with fiction story ideas again and I went back to writing them.

You are living proof what one can’t escape the writing muse! When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I don’t really. That’s funny huh? I write but I think the definition of a writer has changed along with the radical changes in the publishing world.

When you think about it, writing is an art form. Writing, painting, creating music – whatever your title, you create something wonderful for others to enjoy. What is your writing process?

I don’t have a process per se. I write when I have time. It’s always there nagging me to get back to, but I have to fit it around my day job or starve. I suppose I stay up late writing because I feel peaceful then, but there are no habits attached.

Size counts… on average how loooooonnnnnggg do you like your (um, how do we put it delicately) manuscripts to be; (in words silly, not inches) and how steamy?

I write erotic romance. The love scenes are graphic. My stories must have happy endings and I enjoy that, giving happy endings to characters. I feel as if there are so few in real life. My stories are just told, the length varies from 15 K to 45 K whatever tells the story.

I usually drink tea or wine when I write. I also keep a jar of dark chocolate M&M’s handy. What snacks do you enjoy while you write?

None. I might drink a cup of tea or a glass of water, but I have lots of allergies and have to be careful what I eat.

Food allergies suck. But you stay healthy in the long run!

It’s time to get to the nitty-gritty in reference to writing:

 Are you most productive in the morning, afternoon or are you a night owl?

I am a night owl in all facets of life.

Are you a plotter or a pantster?

Both at different times and mixed together sometimes.

Which is more important: plot or characters?

For me they’re equally important. They drive each other.

Do you ever experience writer’s block?

Not so far. I never have enough hours in the day so there are loads of manuscripts on my desktop in various stages all clamoring to be finished.

Do you write thing at a time or more than one? How do you balance them?

I often write more than one thing at a time, but in general one will take over and I’ll finish it then go on to the next as the other sleeps before I go back for the first creative edit before it goes to the editor and then is submitted.

What is your least favorite part of the writing or publishing process?

Oh hell, marketing, promoting. It’s so time consuming, such a stressful experience and so hard to know what to do for the best. I’d like to reach readers more, and in a more intimate way, but time forbids that for me.

What is your best marketing tip?

I have nothing for you. Try anything and everything to reach your audience.

What advice would you give other writers?

If you love writing, keep at it even in the face of the saturated market, the capricious industry, the negativity and competition, because when a reader tells you they loved your story it makes up for all those things.

WHEW! That was awesome! Thank you so much for joining us today. Girl, you gotta tell me where you got those adorable boots!

Elodie writes for, Evernight Siren Hot Ink Press Eternal Press Secret Cravings

She has also released titles as an individual indie author.

Find Elodie online: Blog  Facebook  FB  Twitter Tsu  Google + G+ Pinterest  YouTube  Amazon USA  Amazon UK Manic Readers

Check out her new release from Evernight

An erotic romance, with Dom/sub and spanking elements—a contemporary, magical love story.

Amazon US, Amazon UK, Evernight, Bookstrand, All Romance