Leta Blake

author. human. working hard to become stellar at life.

erotica

“A book I will read over and over again.” The Romance Reviews (TRR) – Training Season #mmromance #gay

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“TRAINING SEASON is a tale told with such flair and tenderness, and with such insight into the two main characters that this is a book I will read over and over again.”

“A memorable story so sweetly told that it’s a real hardship when the story ends and you realise that even though Rob and Matty have their HEA, you don’t because you want to keep on reading!”

via The Romance Reviews (TRR) – Training Season

Read more of Susan MacNicol’s gushing review of Training Season at the link above and click below to buy a copy of your own!

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Training Season can be purchased at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, ARe, and Smashwords. Coming soon to iBooks.

Love’s Nest! Release Day is Here!

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Cover by Dar Albert.
Cover by Dar Albert.

Love’s Nest is here! Whoot, whoot! Let’s all dance!!

This third book in the Tempting Tales series is currently available at Ellora’s Cave and coming soon to Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Sony, All Romance eBooks and more. Also, be sure to check it out and add to your Wanna Read list at Goodreads!

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Love’s Nest is based on the fairy tale The Twelve Dancing Princesses. You can read more about the inspiration for the story here in my The Next Big Thing Blog Hop post.

Also, I’d like to say that somehow we managed to get this thing published without any front material. We shall look into fixing that. In the meantime, we’d like to enthusiastically and publicly thank Alejandra for her awesome help in making sure the Spanish words in the book were used accurately and with all the right accent marks! And for giving additional feedback and help on the book! We’d also like to thank Alice for her feedback on the earlier drafts.

And I’d like to dedicate this book to Jed, who is my bird, my best friend, and who loved this book more than I did, probably. I’d like to thank her for her help, her friendship, and for patiently listening to me babble about books for hours. This book was written  for her. There is another book that is being finished because of her, but this was for her, and so I’m glad she loves it as much as she does.

Cover by Dar Albert.
Cover by Dar Albert.

There’s no greater mystery in the kingdom than how Prince Mateo’s sisters wear out their shoes each night while locked away in their chambers. Using old magic, Mateo discovers their secret and follows them through a portal to an enchanted world of fairies and lusty delights. Ópalo has waited years for his male human, and he knows Mateo is his destiny. Mateo soon succumbs to the pleasures of the flesh, but as their worlds collide, Ópalo has to risk everything to win his man forever.

A Romantica® male/male erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave

Writer Wednesday: Rebound with Sabrina York

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Welcome Kristi and Cam. Can you tell us a little about yourselves?

KRISTI: I’m Kristi Cross and this is Cam Jackson.

CAM: I’m a computer programmer—

K: A computer genius.

C: You just say that because you have yet to figure out how to work Facebook.

K: Shut up.

C: Seriously. I have to stop by her store once a week or so just to unscramble everything she’s enabled on her phone.

K: I’m technologically challenged. So sue me.

What kind of store do you have?

K: A book and coffee.

C: She loves books.

K: And coffee.

C: And the coffee grinder is the old fashioned kind.

K: Because, did I mention? Technologically challenged?

C: Best coffee in Seattle, though. And that’s saying a lot.

Seattle? Have you always lived there?

C: Oh yeah. We both went to the University of Washington.

K: Loved it.

Was that how you met?

C: Yep. There was a group of us living on the 7th floor of McCarty Hall.

K: Called ourselves the “Dawgs.”

C: We’re still friends with our dorm-mates. We all share a vacation house on Tryst Island.

THEY SHARE A STEAMY GLANCE.

Tryst Island? I don’t think I’ve ever heard of it.

C: It’s our nickname for it.

K: Short for Trystacomseh Island. It’s in the San Juans.

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Oh, it’s beautiful there.

C: It is.

THE GLANCE HEATS UP EVEN MORE.

Ahem. So. Was it love at first sight?

KRISTI LAUGHS. Probably.

CAM QUIRKS A BROW. Only probably?

K: We met during the playoffs…I doubt he even noticed I was a female.

CAM, UNDER HIS BREATH: Oh, I noticed.

The…playoffs?

C: Our group gathered every weekend in the Fall in the lounge on our floor to watch football.

K: Mostly yell at the screen.

C: Only when the Dawgs were losing. Anyway, one Saturday, I turned around and there she was. HE CHUCKLES. Wearing her pajamas.

KRISTI WRINKLES HER NOSE. It was a nightshirt. The only thing I had with a Husky logo.

C: She was adorable.

KRISTI SMACKS HIM ON THE SHOULDER. Why didn’t you make a move then?

C: Hello. You had a boyfriend.

KRISTI GLOWERS AT THE INTERVIEWER. We wasted so much time. We both had crushes on each other.

C: And you had a boyfriend.

SHE SNORTS. You had a girlfriend. Always. Anyway, we both had these ridiculous crushes.

C: And both pretended we were just friends.

What changed?

K: We played a game of Hearts.

A game of Hearts?

CAM GRINS. Tell her what we played for.

KRISTI BLUSHES. You tell her. It was your idea.

C: A kiss. It was genius on my part, really. See, if she lost, she had to kiss me. If I lost, I had to kiss her.

K: He lost.

CAM WAGGLES A BROW. Either way, I won. Like I said. Genius.

KRISTI NODS. I did mention he was a genius.

C: An evil genius. And you liked the kiss.

SHE BLUSHES. I did.

SO Kristi, what is your worst quality?

KRISTI MAKES A FACE: I wish I was skinnier.

C: What? Are you crazy? You’re perfect. HE TUGS HER CLOSER AND NIBBLES ON HER NECK.

K: I should lose weight. Maybe I should go on a diet.

CAM’S EXPRESSION DARKENS. Don’t even joke about it. I love everything about you. Just as you are.

A MISCHEVIOUS EXPRESSION FLITS OVER KRISTI’S FACE. Everything?

C: Everything.

K: Even my…frisky side?

C: Especially that.

K: Then when are you going to let me try that…thing Holt mentioned?

A TELLING FLUSH CREEPS UP CAM’S NECK. I have no idea what you’re talking about.

K: Don’t you? SHE LEANS OVER AND WHISPERS SOMETHING IN HIS EAR. HIS FACE GOES BEET RED.

CAM, TO THE INTERVIEWER: Can we change the subject?

This seems interesting…

CAM: Please?

HE IS JUST TOO ADORABLE WHEN HE BEGS, SO THE INTERVIEWER RELENTS.  Alright. Kristi, what is Cam’s worst quality?

KRISTI LAUGHS. Other than the fact that he cheats at Hearts?

CAM PUTS OUT A LIP. Only to lose. Only for a kiss.

KRISTI CUPS HIS CHEEK. I was kidding, darling. I love that you tricked me into kissing you. And I loved everything that happened after that. Mostly, I love that we found each other.

HE GAZES INTO HER EYES. Me too.

So, if you could have one wish come true, what would it be and why?

KRISTI (STILL MOONING AT CAM): It already has.

C: Undoubtedly.

KRISTI SIGHS. But honestly? If I could have one other wish come true, I would wish my sister Bella could find what we’ve found.

CAM WRAPS HIS ARM AROUND HER SHOULDER. She will. When the time is right. You’ll see.

K: I hope so. She deserves…this.

CAM KISSES KRISTI.  FOR A LONG TIME. WHEN HE FINALLY PULLS AWAY, HE MURMURS SOFTLY, Everyone deserves this. Everyone.

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Welcome Sabrina! Tell us a little about yourself!
I am excited to announce that I am celebrating my one year anniversary as a published author. In this year I’ve sold more than fifteen titles and garnered some pretty awesome reviews.  It’s been an exciting journey.

I wanted to do something special to celebrate, and I decided a self published series was a great way to do that. I wrote Rebound, the first book in my new Tryst Island Series, and enrolled it in Amazon’s Kindle Prime program, because I wanted to be able to give it away for free once in a while. My next free days will be sometime the first week in May to celebrate my first visit to the RT convention!

What makes your current offering a different and compelling read?
The cool thing about the Tryst Island Series is that it’s about a group of friends. So you meet the same characters over and over again. I worked very hard to make these characters people you would want to hang out with. They’re funny and smart and sexy—and undyingly loyal to each other.

It must have worked. People are already clamoring for Bella’s story. I’ve been scolded for not writing faster.

What keeps you inspired?

For this series? Yeah. Just look at the photo.

What is the most rewarding aspect of writing and/or publishing? The most terrifying/frustrating?

The most rewarding aspect is hearing from readers who love my books. Oh, that never gets old. And the authors I have met? What a wonderful group of ladies. It’s pretty amazing when someone you worship loves your books too! Best selling erotic author Desiree Holt had this to say about Rebound: “You can’t go wrong with a Sabrina York story. You’ll want to take the hero home with you and keep him forever. And the sex? More than you ever dreamed. Get this book today.” 

I know! Right?

*Fans self*

Self publishing was pretty terrifying. Because I had to edit the book, format it and upload it. Fortunately I had a great team to support me.

And wouldn’t you know? Now that I have it all figured out, it’s not scary at all!

What’s next for you?
Dragonfly Kisses (Cassie and Dylan’s Story) is Book 2, and Bella and Holt’s story is the third. And did I mention, there are ten stories in the series? Strap in. It’s gunna be a wild ride.

 

Rebound by Sabrina York

A Tryst Island Erotic Romance

 

Kristi Cross has had the hots for her friend, Cameron Jackson as long as she can remember, but she knows she’s not his type. She’s nothing like the women he dates. So when he suggests they play for a kiss over a game of Hearts, Kristi can’t resist. Even if she loses, she wins. Because she’s finally going to taste him.

Of course, one kiss can quickly become something altogether steamier, especially when both parties are on the rebound…

 

Fall in Love on Tryst Island

When a group of friends share a vacation house, wild hijinks, unexpected hook-ups and steamy sex ensue. And true love. Did I mention they all find true love?  Visit www.sabrinayork.com for more details.

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About Sabrina York

Sabrina is an award winning author of erotic romance with nearly a dozen titles available, ranging from sweet & sexy erotic romance to BDSM to erotic horror. Connect with her on twitter @sabrina_york or Facebook.

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Check out Sabrina’s books and read an excerpt on er webpage (www.sabrinayork.com) or explore on Amazon or at Ellora’s Cave.

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Other Books by Sabrina York

Adam’s Obsession (Erotic Contemporary, Ellora’s Cave)

Dark Fancy (Erotic Regency, Ellora’s Cave)

Extreme Couponing (Erotic Contemporary, Ellora’s Cave)

Five Alarm Fire (Erotic Contemporary for the High Octane Heroes Anthology, Cleis Press)—coming soon

Folly (Erotic Regency, Ellora’s Cave)

Lust Eternal (Erotic Fantasy, Ellora’s Cave) —coming soon

Pushing Her Buttons (Erotic Contemporary, Ellora’s Cave)

Making Over Maris (Erotic Contemporary, Ellora’s Cave) —coming soon

Man Hungry (Erotic Contemporary, Ellora’s Cave)

Rebound: A Tryst Island Erotic Romance (Erotic Contemporary, Available on Amazon)

Rising Green (Erotic Horror, Ellora’s Cave)

Saving Charlotte (Erotic Contemporary for the Smokin’ Hot Firemen Anthology, Cleis Press)

Training Tess (Erotic Contemporary, Ellora’s Cave)

Trickery (Erotic Contemporary with Magical Elements, Ellora’s Cave Hex Line)

Tristan’s Temptation (Erotic Contemporary, Ellora’s Cave)

 

Writer Wednesday: Misa Buckley On a Thursday

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We had a bit of a mix up, so here is Writer Wednesday on a Thursday, featuring Misa Buckley’s new book, Tin Cat! Let’s interview her main characters and see what this book’s about.

Tin Cat_500x750

What are your names? And tell us a little about yourselves?

A: Amber Gerald, comic store owner. A year ago I was hit by a taxi cab and broke my back. Now I’m in a wheelchair, but that hasn’t changed who I am.

H: Hunter Gray, though Amber calls me Gray.

How did you meet? Was it love at first sight?

H: I was in pursuit of a dangerous criminal, part of paying a debt to society. My investigations led me to Amber’s shop and yes, it was.

A: What Gray said, though I think it was more lust at first sight than love.

H: I beg to differ.

A: You would. I think what changed for me was realising that Gray really cared for me. A lot of guys don’t look past the chair, but he did.

What do you believe is your worst or most frustrating quality? What about his/hers?

H: I don’t have any bad qualities.

A: *giggles* Yeah, right! He’s stubborn, irretractable, impossible – I swear, the list doesn’t end.

H: While she is overly talkative and terrible with secrets, obviously.

What is your best quality? What about his/hers?

A: Being talkative *laughs* Hey, it’s true enough for someone running any kind of store and I’ve always loved chatting to people, especially when we’re chatting about anything sci fi.

H: She is very good with people. Mine is not giving up at winning her over.

If you could have one wish come true, what would it be and why?

H: There are days I wish Amber could walk, not because she’s incapable, but I hate that an idiot stole that part of her life. I don’t think she’s wish that for herself, though.

A: Any more than you’d wish your past changed. There’s nothing more I want than Gray, and I have him. *looks a little smug*

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Tell us a little about yourself!

I grew up watching Doctor Who and Star Trek, and reading The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, so it’s probably not that surprising that when I started writing NaNoWriMo in 2007, it was sci fi that I chose to write. I find writing a much-needed haven from the crazy of raising five children and a Land Rover-obsessed husband.

I can be found on Twitter (@MisaBuckley) or at her website (www.misabuckley.com)

What was the hardest part of writing this book?

I had to do a lot of research into spinal injuries and the results, as well as listening to many people living with a similar level of disability to Amber’s. There’s still a lot of misunderstanding and even discrimination suffered by disabled people, and that was hard to stomach. However, it made me more determined to present TIN CAT as a story about a woman who just happens to be in a wheelchair, rather than one centred on that disability.

What’s next for you?

BAYNE releases May 6th.

Malia dreams of a life less ordinary but when her planet is visited by the Bayne, Destroyer of Worlds, she surrenders herself to him in order to give her people time to collect the tribute that the Overlord demands.

Despite Bayne being as much machine as man and having a violent temper, he rescues her from the unwanted attentions of his second-in-command and gives Malia a glimpse at the battered heart lying beneath the steel and scars.

As they start their relationship over, Malia discovers a man very different to the reputation that precedes him and probes deeper. However, her investigation uncovers a dark truth: a truth that someone wants to remain hidden no matter what the cost.

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TIN CAT ~ A year after the accident that put her in a wheelchair, Amber Gerald has more or less gotten used to living with her impairment. It doesn’t make a difference to running a comic book store anyway, and the customers have been the best support group she could have wished for.

When she rescues an abandoned cat, Amber has no idea that she’s interfering in the mad scheme of a time travelling bank robber. Or that the man that walks into her store dressed like Blade is about to become her bodyguard.

Between being an unwitting owner of an android cat and falling for a cybernetic bounty hunter, Amber finds her life a whole new level of weird as science fiction becomes a very real factual threat.

BUY LINKS:

Champagne Books

Amazon

Kobo

All Romance EBooks

The Romance Reviews Contest

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See the pretty book to the right? The one Keira and I wrote featuring the sexy, young red haired man? You can attempt to win it and others via the contests at The Romance Reviews site. Just click HERE to see the list of current contests, click on the book, and follow the obvious directions. The contest for Ascending Hearts runs for 2 days (Jan 29 – 30) but they have contests nearly every day for books. Do check it out!

Sexy Scents with Sidney Bristol

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ScentStripes

I’m kind of obsessed about making sure my apartment smells nice. Before I got cats I always had a fancy candle burning. One of the cats singing his tail put a stop to that habit, but I can still use nice air fresheners.

I currently use this dual scent Febreeze plug in thing that I love in one room, and a trusted Glade plug in back in the bedroom. I also spend a lot of time picking out scents that are pleasant, but not overwhelming.

Usually I tend to like sweeter, non-floral fragrances. Apples, cinnamon, chai, clean linen. I’ve probably had a lot of different ones in my apartment over the years! My favorites are always the holiday themed lines that come out for just a few weeks. I might be guilty of stocking up on those.

Since we’ve moved into the digital age and most of us read on our ereaders now, the scent of a book isn’t part of the equation nearly as much as it used to be. When I was younger, I loved the fragrance of my favorite books. How the lingering odor of fresh cut grass clung to the pages of one I’d read outside, how another had an earthy scent because I spilled a little tea on the corner at the kitchen table. It was hard enough then to translate the written words into things like sounds, feels and scents.

scott_croppedIn romance books, sometimes I think they should come with a piece of scented paper, like what a sales person at a department store will give you with the latest fragrance spritzed on it. On one side you could have the hero’s scent, and on the other the heroine’s. A fragrance is unique to a person. Because of the way the chemicals react on our skin, no two people can smell exactly the same despite using the same fragrance.

Before I ever sit down to write a hero I do character bios. This includes crazy details that might never make it into the book. One of those things is picking out the hero’s scent. I think it’s as important as anything else I figure out. I mean, I spend way too much time just picking out the fragrance for my apartment, and here I am choosing something to identify my heroes!

I also kind of cheat. Sometimes I go through the candles at a store and smell them to figure out how my heroes will smell! What I love is that a lot of places have begun to carry more masculine scented things. Here’s some of my favorites:

Bamboo and Green Tea – this one is soothing, has an earthy hint to it. I picture this hero as the quiet, unexpected romance. He might be the guy next door or the boy you used to go to study hall with, but he’s not a total rule follower.

Amaretto – this is a liquor scented option. This is your GQ guy, classy, maybe a bit of a corporate bad boy.

Indian Musk – a blend of Indian spices, sandalwood and musk, it’s exotic and a bit down to earth. This is the guy who can wear jeans and a t-shirt, but also dress it up. He’s going to surprise you.

Smoke – this sounds weird, I know, but there’s actually a fragrance that is designed to smell like a pleasant smoke aroma. The secondary perk of this one? It eliminates other odors, so that man of mystery, your secret agent or maybe undercover cop, he’s free to smell good and keep his mysteriousness!

I could go on, but you get the idea. Scents have personalities to them, why we chose them tells something about ourselves.

What do you like your heroes to smell of?

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SidneyBristolIt can never be said that Sidney Bristol has had a ‘normal’ life.  She is a recovering roller derby queen, former missionary, and tattoo addict. She grew up in a motor-home on the US highways (with an occasional jaunt into Canada and Mexico), traveling the rodeo circuit with her parents. Sidney has lived abroad in both Russia and Thailand, working with children and teenagers. She now lives in Texas where she splits her time between a job she loves, writing, reading and belly dancing.

Website | Twitter | Facebook

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boundwithpearls_50Bound with Pearls   Ellora’s Cave | Barnes and Noble | Amazon

The last thing Christine wants to do is another favor for her sister, but Lucy always gets what she wants. This time it’s Chris playing sub to a demanding Dom. Their relationship begins with a power exchange and progresses to time spent between the sheets. Now emotions are getting complicated and the Dom isn’t just a hunky guy in black.

Daniel’s expectations are turned upside down when he meets Chris. She’s more than a well-trained submissive. She’s a woman with a body he wants to memorize. He’s willing to spend as much time as it takes to learn her, because she might be his match and his muse. He’ll make her come so hard he’s imprinted on every inch, and then he’ll offer her the most precious thing he can, himself.

Release Day Is Here! Ascending Hearts Available!

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Available now through Ellora’s Cave!

Today’s the day! Book Two in Keira’s and my Tempting Tales series is available at Ellora’s Cave! You can buy it HERE and it will be available shortly at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, All Romance eBooks, Sony and more! I’ll keep you in the loop as to availability at third-party retailers.

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Based on Jack & the Beanstalk, Ascending Hearts is at turns angsty, romantic, sexy and hopeful.

Rumors of treasure have long sent fortune hunters clambering up a magic beanstalk to a mysterious castle in the clouds. Survivors told of an evil giant who guards the gold with savage strength. No sane man would dare risk the climb—but Jack has nothing left to lose. Shunned for his evil red hair and abandoned by his cruel lover, he’s desperate to escape his life.

Rion isn’t a giant, only a man bearing the burden of protecting his family’s legacy. It’s a lonely existence, but he’s duty bound. Then Jack appears, and Rion’s world changes. After a blazing confrontation, undeniable lust sparks. Isolated in the clouds, Jack and Rion give in to their desire and growing connection. Soon they must protect the treasure—and each other—from a new threat. And they have everything to lose.

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You can buy Book One in the series, Earthly Desires, an erotic m/m fairy tale based on The Light Princess, at Ellora’s Cave, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Sony, All Romance eBooks, and more!

And, again,  you can buy Book Two,  Ascending Hearts at Ellora’s Cave starting today! What a great way to kick off the New Year!