Kilted Came Early

It's out! It's out! And it's out a day early. You can now pick up KILTED FOR PLEASURE. I know it's been a long wait. 

Blurb: 

Callan Baird used to laugh more than he frowned, but that was before his wife died. Now his life is duty, debts and a general apathy for anything else. And then Victoria Burke burst into his life. She's everything he wants to corrupt.
Victoria has two choices: agree to a grouchy, sexy Scotsman's extortion or call her boss to explain why she can't do her job. Since she's spent the last three years rebuilding her career as antique appraiser, and this one commission could make or break it, the decision is a no-brainer. Except everything about Callan is complicated.
He sees no problem turning their work relationship into a sexual one. She refuses to break her boss' no-fraternization rule. He's the one thing she wants and the one thing she can't have. He's had his one great love, and doesn't want a replacement. His heart doesn't agree, because she's everything he desires.
Callan will have to let go of his past if he wants Victoria to be in his future.

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Let's Talk Kink

I love that title because it feels like I'm about to talk to you in a school-special kind of way. I'm not. I hope. But let's start with the bottom basics and use the Merriam-Webster's definition:

kink

6 : unconventional sexual taste or behavior

I love this definition because it uses the word unconventional. It's not dating itself. Prior to Fifty Shades of Grey most folks wouldn't know what a flogger was. Some folks might even use a flogger now in their bedroom. Some folks still don't and that's okay, because this definition covers it. Kink is something that sexually arouses you that you probably wouldn't admit to in polite circles. That's it. That's kink.

Of course that's not the end of the post.

Why are we talking about this? Well...this is like lube before I unleash KILTED FOR PLEASURE out into the world. I didn't give you any with UNDER HIS KILT and HER INSATIABLE SCOT. I was totally remiss in that. My Under The Kilt series, at least when it deals with sex, is all about exploration and limitations, especially through the heroine's POV. Jocelyn had never experienced the kind of sex that strips you down to your most basic and primitive self. She had candles and flowers and soft music kind of sex. Keri couldn't relax enough to really, really enjoy flesh meeting flesh. She knew what she wanted but was too shy to ask for it. Victoria, the newest heroine, is savvy. (Or believes herself to be but she hasn't met a Baird yet.) She has explored. She isn't afraid to ask for what she wants. So where does that leave her on the spectrum I've set up for myself and you readers?

Let's backtrack a little bit. One of my dear writing friends sort of made it a challenge. To not spoil her book, let's just say the hero had a very interesting sexual background but he liked vanilla sex. And I said, "Wouldn't it be interesting to show the heroine that Kink, yes, with a capital K, can be arousing?" Hell, the heroine probably is kinky in her own little way. My writerly friend went Nope. Nope. Nope. And that's when my plot bunnies came out to play.

Because here's the thing, unconventional is such a vague word. Everyone would agree the missionary position is pretty basic and there's nothing kinky about it. Now let's take that the position, and place it in a roomful of people. Yes. You're doing the deed in the missionary position, but you have a roomful of people watching you. I'm sorry, that's kinky. Most folks don't invite an audience when they have sex. Most folks would probably suffer from performance anxiety and/or OMG-I'm-Naked-In-Front-Of-People. And for some people they would be incredibly aroused. They would prefer to have sex in a roomful of people.

And then you would have the sub-set of folks who would simply be aroused by the idea. Someone is watching you being pleasured (I know, a huge euphemism) and you really, really like that idea.

This particular kink has a name—exhibitionism.

That seems extreme. But this plot bunny went down a deep, dark hole and I found other things that would be considered kinks:

Role playing

Having sex in the tub or shower

Sex with a man (or woman) who has a beard

Having sex with more than one person i.e menages

Being tied up

Fellacio (If you don't know what that word means Google it.)

Foreplay

Geeks

Jocks

Massages

Nipple stimulation

Having sex with a man who is well-endowed

No. Seriously. The list goes on and on and on. BELIEVE ME. I researched it. These things can be kinks if you are unconventionally into it in a sexual way. And who exactly makes the rules of what conventional is? For some, if you require more than ten minutes of foreplay you're kinky. But these are all things you can find in an everyday romance novel. Hell, things we might like in the bedroom.

And they could very well be a kink.

Or, kink-lite as I call it in KFP. And that became the thing of this book, this heroine who is savvy and has explored—finding the roots or the foundation of what is considered conventional and making the logical kinky connection.

So, yeah, this is the fair warning. You will find clit spanking, erotic asphyxiation, exhibitionism and voyeurism in KILTED FOR PLEASURE. It's all very innocent and conventional the way it's written. And depending on who you ask, it can also be considered a kink.

What do you think a kink is?

Kilted For Pleasure

I know it's been eons since I released a Kilt book. So good news then. One is on its way. Lookie! It has a release date and everything.

***

BLURB:

Callan Baird used to laugh more than he frowned, but that was before his wife died. Now his life is duty, debts and a general apathy for anything else. And then Victoria Burke burst into his life. She's everything he wants to corrupt.

Victoria has two choices: agree to a grouchy, sexy Scotsman's extortion or call her boss to explain why she can't do her job. Since she's spent the last three years rebuilding her career as antique appraiser, and this one commission could make or break it, the decision is a no-brainer. Except everything about Callan is complicated.

He sees no problem turning their work relationship into a sexual one. She refuses to break her boss' no-fraternization rule. He's the one thing she wants and the one thing she can't have. He's had his one great love, and doesn't want a replacement. His heart doesn't agree, because she's everything he desires.

Callan will have to let go of his past if he wants Victoria to be in his future.

***

I will keep everyone up to date on this book and KILT TEASE. That one is slated for a late summer release.

You can always sign up for my newsletter to know the moment a new release hits.

UNDER HIS KILT SALE!

Well, kind of. UNDER HIS KILT is in the latest Gemstone Collection from Summer Daniels. It's $0.99.  So if you were waiting to pick it up on sale now is the time.

Yup. A boxed set of good and dirty books. 

Kindle US - http://amzn.to/1sJY0xy

Kindle UK - http://amzn.to/1BYigyf

iTunes - http://bit.ly/1BYigyj

Nook - http://bit.ly/1BYigyn

Kobo - http://bit.ly/1xriADZ

But wait that's not all. RAFFLECOPTER! Enter to win some pretty sweet prizes from all the authors in this boxed set.

The Dirty Scot's Big Brother

Aye. The man you know as the Dirty Scot has a big brother. His name is Tristan. And his book is out!

***

Blurb

Keri Pearson is currently between jobs, so there's nothing to lose when her cousin promises her a glowing recommendation from a top expert in their field in exchange for a small favor. All she has to do is lie about who she is and pretend to be married to a charming Scot for three hours. Her sexy-as-hell pretend husband makes it too easy to play the part of newlyweds. The last thing she should do is trust him or the genuineness of his lust or adoration, but his touch ignites an unexpected desire.

Tristan Baird turned his back on his past with plenty of regrets, but when his brother blackmails him, Tristan can’t say no. Given his brother saved his neck, an afternoon doing what he does best doesn’t seem like too much to ask. And it’s for a good cause. Doing the job right guarantees his brother and new wife will have the home of their dreams. But his stunning accomplice complicates the job. She is everything he always wanted and couldn’t have. The kind of woman who is too smart to ever trust a former conman.

The three-hour commitment stretches into five sexually charged days as they fight the explosive connection. As each day passes, Keri must remind herself what is true and what is false, but the lines are blurring. Tristan can only hope his past doesn't come back to ruin their future.

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If you haven't already picked up Under His Kilt, here's some incentive. On sale! You can find the price reduced at these retailers:

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Happy reading!

Excerpt: Under His Kilt

If you haven't caught my Tasty Blurb Tour, check it out. I'm giving away an $25 gift card. But you're here for an excerpt, right?

NSFW, but then again my hero, Ian, isn't ever safe for work.

****

“So, I've ruined you?”

Jocelyn didn't have to turn around to see the pleased smile. She couldn't let the egotistical comment stand. “Less you and more me, because all the stuff I've asked for were things I already fantasized about. I'll have to find someone else to do them with after you go. Teach someone else what I've learned about myself.” She grinned, practically seeing his annoyed expression. “You know, since the student has surpassed the teacher.”

“I can't have that then. I've got a reputation.”

She stilled at the low tone and closed her eyes. His voice was husky and a little bit raw. Ian only ever talked to her like that when they were naked. Hearing him now, like that, at work, felt like she'd brushed up against a live wire. Within seconds her panties were damp and her mouth dry. Damn.

It was inappropriate and grounds for firing to screw at work, but it was barely ten in the morning and waiting until five felt impossible. What had she turned into letting him have her in every way, in any way she asked for? A nympho, apparently. She tried to breathe through it and didn't turn around to him just yet. If she did and he looked like he was one swallow away from devouring her, all bets were off.

She handled the antique like a good curator was supposed to and let the quiet eat away at the anticipatory tension in the air. Jocelyn counted her steps back to the mannequin and knelt in front of it. Sucking in another breath, she placed the shoes on the stiff and lifeless feet. Shoes that cost way more than when they were made.

Her skin prickled. Ian was watching her progress or just watching her. In order to get through the ordeal and keep her hands steady, she told herself it was in a professional way. Professional curiosity. He just wanted to see how someone else in their field used ingrained techniques to dress inanimate objects with priceless and irreplaceable pieces of history.

He was not watching her because she was practically kneeling at his feet and he liked her in that position. Her kneeling would feed his desire to see her bend on his command. Ian wouldn't get off on the feeling of authority or power, but in her supplication. Nothing drove him over the edge faster than when she gave him permission to let go and do what he wanted. The whole exploration in his bedroom was about her and he never let her forget it.

Even though she told herself not to think about it, because fanning the flames only made the heat building at her core hotter, Jocelyn's imagination snagged on how she wanted him to do things she hadn't thought of yet. She was wet, already from the flirting with the thought of him being aroused. None of this would be an issue if he'd kept that tone under lock and key while they were at work. She finished dressing the shoes on the model, braced herself and stood to face him.

Damn.

****

It's Alive!

I'm so happy to announce that the Dirty Scot is live!

Jocelyn Pearson is determined to spend her last month as a twenty-something doing everything she's too busy or scared to try. Her imagination runs wild and then fixates on Ian Baird. He'll be working at the Langston Museum for a short stint as a consulting curator. He's Scottish. He believes sex is fun to be had. He's the perfect choice for a fling. She only has to get him break his rule about sleeping with co-workers. Seducing a man was on her bucket list...

Ian is no one's fool and knows exactly what Jocelyn wants—him. If she didn't work for the Langston Museum, he'd be more than happy to oblige any and every fantasy she desired, but she's the curator. She's sweet, inexperienced and well liked by everyone including the museum owner and director. Ian can't risk losing such an important contact for his consulting business. Not even when everything within in him craves a taste of her.

When Jocelyn sets her sights on him, there's no way Ian can deny her. They agree their affair will end in thirty days. No emotions, no entanglements, just sex. The closer the end date looms, they start to question if it's possible to walk away. They'll either have to come to terms of what they've become or stick to their original agreement.

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The Making of a Cover: Under His Kilt

Some covers are incredibly easy to make. The stock photo is dang near perfect and I don't have to do much but crop it, play with the colors and then add my title and name. Font is key and that can take eons, but for the most part it's a day's worth of work.

Under His Kilt was not one of those covers. Let's start with talking about the lone and original stock photo. Since it's so not safe for work, I'll just say a man with a towel riding really low is, um...Yeah. So... the man needed a good shave before I could use it on a cover. I wanted the cover to convey this was an erotic romance, but not THAT much of an erotic romance (though it is pretty dirty). After spending hours photoshopping out pubic hair, I decided I still needed something to cover that area.

This is what I came up with.

By no means did I think this would be the final cover, but I had a core look. I wasn't a fan of all the red, but from all the black surrounding him any other color didn't quite work. I also needed to figure out how to get something with a tartan into the cover so it ties in with a title. But, this book could look like an erotic romance. A contemporary one at that, because we romance readers are hardwired to think Scottish = Historical.

I worked some more and came up with this:

I was ok with this and something or the other nagged me about the overall cover, but it was serviceable. I knew I'd revisit it the closer to the release date. The edits came in and I finished them. I got through my first round of proofing. There was no more waylaying the inevitable. I had to fix this cover. There was no way in hell I'd go with this as the final. 

So less than a month before the release, I scratched that as the cover. The two goals I couldn't budge on is that it needed to look like an erotic romance and it needed to look like a contemporary.

I liked it but it was still missing something. Plus, his coloring looked off because of the light. Plus, nothing about it really said contemporary. At this point I did something drastic because I honestly couldn't see then potential of the cover. Let's just call it the attack of the blue-green alien.

Now if I were writing a paranormal this could be fine, but I wasn't. I give myself brownie points for the simple fact you'd be able to see this sucker in thumbnail (from space), along with the title and my name. Needless to say, I scraped this sucker.

And then I called on a friend in the middle of the night to help me. The idea well had run dry. I'd helped her create a draft of her own cover she wanted to use a comp. She suggested I used the same technique and coloring. I honestly had nothing to lose at this point. She punted the idea of having a bed or a night stand and that meant moving him over. Also, that damn tartan needed to get in there. 

Now I'd gone a step too far to the left with his coloring, but I liked the idea of a woman instead of an object. It felt more personal. When you have a nekkid man in nothing but a towel you don't want him by a nightstand. Maybe a bed, but...you get the gist. Anyway, we were on to something. The woman didn't work because she didn't feel contemporary. She felt like a Geisha to me and ding, ding, ding that rings like a historical. We hit stock sites. At this point it was like 1/2 in the morning. So our emails were getting silly. 

Finally, I did this:

And that was the last draft or I'd end up screaming for bloody murder. Plus, I absolutely loved it. It looks contemporary. It looks erotic. It haz tartan. Booyah!

So, that's how a cover is made. Sometimes, because if it was all the time I'd hire out.

*This book will be released on October 10th.

Update: Releases to Come and Such

To keep y'all in the loop, Double Trouble is off for betas and crits. So, it's getting there. Looks as though Melissa Blue won't have a release until October. That one will be Under His Kilt, a very erotic, dirty, filthy book and what I'm going to call book 2 in the Bad Boy Shorts series. And that means Double Trouble should have a Nov/Dec release.

So, what will you have to read until then? Well, you can try out my alter ego's alter ego, Sofia Harper. Her first release. (And, yes, that's why I'm talking in third person. I'm not THAT crazy.) Hot Knight In Paradise is somewhat like Double Dare, in that the romance is a nice, slow burn. You can check out for pre-order on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Stranded in paradise with no way to get home, Leah Smith needs a miracle, and fast. Instead, she gets Marshall Jackson, surely the sexiest man alive. Too bad he's got an emotional wall around himself--and her only hope of getting off the island...

Marshall has a strict no damsels in distress policy, but there's something about Leah that makes him want to break his own rules. He agrees to let her work in his bar until she earns enough to get home. But the more time they spend together, the harder it is to deny the scorching attraction between them. Soon hot island nights provide balm to their wounded souls, but will these two flawed exiles make peace with the past in time to claim the future they deserve together--or will paradise be lost?