All I want for Christmas is a…Beta?

Available HERE

By Catherine Peace

A lot of the time, Alpha Males command our attention. They’re the big, strong, take-charge men who rev our motors and are probably the reason fainting couches were invented.  Nothing gets us quite like the strong man who wants to sweep us off our feet and fireman-carry us straight into the bedroom.

But what about the shy wallflower who gazes upon us from afar, who maybe isn’t as take-charge as his more loud-mouthed counterpart. The Loki to our Thor, the one who isn’t as boisterous and might not make the first move, but will remain ever-vigilant to our needs once we’ve taken the time to drag him away from the wall?

Why should we love beta males?

Why not?

Exhibit A: The Walking Dead’s Daryl. 

Ladies, you know who I’m talking about. If you live anywhere near a television or Facebook, you know allllllll about Daryl Dixon. Probably more than you need to. The character has a rabid (sometimes frightening) fan base and multiple, dedicated groups who probably have pitchforks and torches at the ready should our favorite soft-spoken redneck meet his demise. Daryl drives the women crazy. He’s shown his nurturing side and his intense loyalty to the people he cares about. He often defers to Rick’s leadership (or to the decisions of the council). Daryl’s not a wuss. He steps up when he needs to, but more often than not he’s much more comfortable taking a supporting role than a leading one.

Exhibit B: Ted Mosby. 

His entire quest on How I Met Your Mother is to find The One. His wife. The mother of his children. He makes these grand romantic gestures (blue French horn anyone?), falls in love easily, is willing to make sacrifices for his friends and family, and wants everyone to be happy. He’s sweet, charming, considerate, caring, intelligent, and the only thing he wants out of life is to fall in love and have a boy and a girl while being a successful architecture professor (and pulling off red cowboy boots).  

So why should you choose a beta male this holiday season? They’re sweet, they’re cuddly, they definitely know how to treat a woman, AND they’ll totally rub your feet while you read your favorite book.

Want to try out a beta male? Why not Kiernan from This Time Next Year?

Blurb:

Vampire Kiernan Shaw has never forgotten the night twenty years ago when he’d been forced to stand by while another vampire killed a six-year-old girl’s parents in front of her. He’s spent the better part of the last two decades watching over her, protecting her and hoping for an opportunity to make amends one day. 

Ever since surviving the vampire attack that killed her parents, Moira Curran has dealt with the resulting nightmares and abandonment issues the only way she could—by throwing herself into her biochemistry career, preferring a life of a hermit in her lab to facing the reality of her lonely life. 

Madame Eve brings them back together for one fateful night. An immediate bond of sizzling chemistry and respect forms, but can it heal her fears and his guilt?

Available at:

Decadent Publishing

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

All Romance Ebooks

Labor of Love

Almost Perfect available HERE

By Jenna Jaxon

I’ve been writing for over four and a half years and I have to let you in on a little secret:  I love it!  It is literally a labor of love each time I sit down at the computer.  I have a day job and it was what my life was all about until I started to write romance.  I never thought theatre would take a back seat to anything, but I have to admit, writing is more exciting, creative, and fun than the stage right now.

Writing romance has given me a chance to re-invent myself. 

Before I defined myself as a theatre director, a scholar, and a teacher and that was wonderful.  I loved doing the research for a production or an academic paper.  I enjoyed making lesson plans and tried to make my classes interesting by being the most enthusiastic person in the classroom.  This was enough for many years.  But finally it began to pall.  There seemed to be no challenge any more.  I’d directed all the plays that excited me.  I taught all the same classes over and over.

When the writing bug bit me, however, everything old became new again.  The different challenges of writing romance forced me to learn a whole new set of skills.  I’d written academic papers and a dissertation and my major professor always complimented me on my writing skills.  But writing creative fiction--and especially romance--had a whole new set of parameters and unwritten rules that I had to discover and master.  And like many of my heroes, I love a challenge!

Sitting down to write romance fiction is an extremely freeing experience.  I am creating a story to play out in the heads of my readers.  For a change, it’s totally my work.  Academic writing uses a lot of corroboration in the form of research and footnotes and is often based on the work of others. Directing a play uses the playwright’s words and plot, leaving only interpretation up to the director.

With fiction I get to make it all up out of nothing, bound only by the parameters of the time period about which I’m writing.  The research component is the same--which I absolutely love.  In the end it’s almost like having the best of both worlds.  I start to write and the real world goes away, replaced by my own where I get to live for as long as my creative juices are flowing.

So when you see a post on Facebook saying I’m starting another chapter, know that I’ve got a huge grin on my face and am rubbing my hands together in glee.  Another labor of love.

 Blurb for Almost Perfect:    

 Pamela Kimball’s birthday present, a 1Night Stand adventure, promises to jump-start her life, put a new man in her bed, and help her forget her past.  Unfortunately, movie-buff Pam’s Pirates of the Caribbean fantasy takes an alarming wrong turn when she’s abandoned on a not quite deserted island—with ex-husband Roger Ware. 

Forced by hunger to accept Roger’s offer of dinner,  Pam realizes the geek she married has transformed into one of the most charming, sexiest men she’s ever met. His newfound confidence—and hot body—re-kindle old fires.  A simple kiss leads Roger to challenge her to discover how much his lovemaking skills have improved, leaving Pam torn between self-preservation and burning desire. 

With time running out before they’re rescued, Pam must decide if her heart can survive the consequences of becoming Roger’s “almost” perfect 1Night Stand.

Excerpt:

She inched into the lapping surf, searching for movement. Reflection off the water made this task harder than expected. Wasn’t the Caribbean supposed to be teeming with fish?  Now that’s something she’d had a lot of instruction in. Almost every marooned-on-an-island movie had a scene where the heroine learned to catch fish. Six Days, Father Goose, Blue Lagoon. All you needed was your hands and patience. She could do this.

Pam waded out further then stopped just before the water hit her now dry shorts. “Not gonna to have a damp crotch all night.” The words reminded her of exactly what she had hoped for tonight. “But not from wet shorts!” She headed back to shore to remove and drape them next to her shirt. The bandeau was a different story. Still damp, even after several hours, and uncomfortable. Might dry better if not next to her skin anyway. “Screw it!  Live dangerously.”

Standing as good as naked on the deserted beach, Pam smiled as the warm breeze caressed her bare body. The sense of being slightly naughty added to her delight in the sensual feel of the air as it dried her breasts. Her nipples peaked as the wind cooled them. She strutted down to the water’s edge to sink her toes in the sand, the salty tang in the air adding to the perfect moment.

“If you’re skinny dipping, you forgot to remove one very important piece of clothing.”

Pam whirled around. Roger stood on the beach behind her, a green bottle of Perrier in one hand. His gaze played up and down her naked torso and his salacious grin widened. “Mind if I join you?”

Bio:

Jenna Jaxon is a multi-published author of historical  and contemporary romance who has been reading and writing historical romance since she was a teenager.  A romantic herself, Jenna has always loved a dark side to the genre, a twist, suspense, a surprise.  She tries to incorporate all of these elements into her own writing.

Jenna lives in Virginia with her family and a small menagerie of pets.  When not reading or writing, she indulges her passion for the theatre, working with local theatres as a director.  She often feels she is directing her characters on their own private stage. 

She has equated her writing to an addiction to chocolate because once she starts she just can’t stop.

Mid-life Opportunity?

By Mia Catherine

It's never too late. The older I get, the more meaningful those words become. If you'd told me years ago I'd be venturing on a new career after the age of forty, I would have thought you were crazy. Seems we're groomed from an early age to complete school, attend college, work in your chosen field, and that's where you settle. If you're blessed enough to discover your passion in your late teens, you're golden. Many of us, myself included, weren't that fortunate.

With age comes experience—the kind you can't buy with tuition. Changes in finances, family, and society can dramatically alter someone, so it's no wonder people discover second careers later in life. More often, however, we hear about the dreaded mid-life crisis.

Never too Late available HERE

Crisis? Maybe to some, but I think that misnomer comes from the fact that so many make bad choices when the time comes. Instead of a crisis, I'd like to think of it as opportunity. If you find yourself in a rut...take a chance. At a precipice? Jump! Take a risk on a new career, embrace a new relationship, or buy something fun like a boat or a Harley!

In Never Too Late, Sam and Kathryn are both given their opportunity. Each dealing with their share of personal trials, they agree to be set up by Madame Eve for a 1Night Stand, but when they arrive, they're not prepared for the results. Will they embrace the opportunity presented? Will they realize it's never too late?

Have you, or someone you know, had this mid-life opportunity? What choice was made? Comment below and I'll pick a name at random to win a free copy of my new 1Night Stand, Never Too Late. 

Why Airplanes and Pilots?

One More Night available HERE

By Wendi  Zwaduk

I happened to be at a race and the person in the motor coach next to ours asked me what I did. I told her I was an author and I wrote steamy books with second chance passion. Not only was she shocked that a real person wrote ‘that stuff’ but she was amazed she could get ‘those books’ on her phone. So she asked me what it was I wrote about. I told her about my 1NS book, One More Night. A hunky pilot reunites with his ex-lover for hot times at the airport.

Then she hit me with the big question: why airplanes and pilots?

I like to write about pilots and planes because my DH is a pilot. No better reference than asking the person on the other side of the bed. Plus, I listen. There’s a lot of info you can glean from pilots and the air traffic controllers. I don’t understand all of it and I swear they have their own language, but it’s interesting. Keeping separation between the planes in the air, timing when one can land and one can take off...then there’s the maintenance stuff. Fueling planes, moving them from point a to point b and the poor guy or girl who has to climb the ladder to clean the windshields. It’s fascinating to me to listen and learn about it. Plus, pilots have a romantic job. They control large machines with finesse and grace, plus they look darned hot in those suits! In One More Night, my pilot isn’t currently flying, but like all pilots, he’d rather be in the sky. It takes a strong person to love a pilot.

She smiled, took my card and nodded. A few minutes later, she called me over to her campsite. Seems she was downloading books to her kindle and wanted the title of the book. Conversion to the hot side is always fun.

Want to know more about One More Night? Here you go:

One More Night – a 1Night Stand story by Wendi Zwaduk

Contemporary, Short Story, M/F, Anal Sex

From Decadent Publishing

Fear can blind. Will love show the way in the dark? All it takes is one more night...

Three years ago, Jenna ran away from what should have been the best night of her life. Letting her fear and shame get in the way of true happiness has haunted her ever since. It’s time to move on and put the past behind her. A date through the 1Night Stand service is the perfect opportunity to start living life again.

When the love of his life slipped through his fingers, Drake hated to let her go. A near-death accident prevented him from going after her. But after three years of recovery and waiting, he’s ready to take back what’s his, and he’ll do whatever it takes to keep her from running again.

Can Madame Eve work a miracle or will love lose out to pride and fear?

Available here:

Decadent Publishing: http://www.decadentpublishing.com/product_info.php?products_id=630&osCsid=g640gfsq6gteeup8iuphpg1cn1

AllRomance Ebooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-onemorenight-957408-147.html

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/One-More-Night-Stand-ebook/dp/B009HHWNXY/ref=la_B003KA589U_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1349719761&sr=1-1

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/one-more-night-wendi-zwaduk/1113023913?ean=2940015634310

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/239957

Want to know a bit about me? Sure!

I’ve always dreamt of writing the stories in my head. Tall, dark, and handsome heroes are my favorites, as long as he has an independent woman keeping him in line.  I love playing with words and letting the characters run wild.

NASCAR, Ohio farmland, dirt racing, animals and second chance romance  all feature prominently in my books.  I also write under the pen name of Megan Slayer. I’m published with many publishing houses, including Decadent Publishing. Come join me for this fantastic journey!  

If you like my work, tell your friends and email me. I love hearing from readers!

Site: http://wendizwaduk.com/

Blog:  http://www.wendizwaduk.net/

Wordpress blog: http://wendizwaduk.wordpress.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/WendiZwaduk

Fan page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Wendi-Zwaduk/195277927167481?ref=tn_tnmn

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/author/wendizwaduk

Goodreads:http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3495446.Wendi_Zwaduk

On Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/wendizwaduk/

On Google+ : https://plus.google.com/115637543946745656739/posts

On Romance Novel Center: http://www.romancenovelcenter.com/wendizwaduk

Newsletter sign up:  http://ymlp.com/xgjmjumygmgj 

Wise Men Say...

I wish I could figure it out, but I can't. Call it happenstance, a coincidence, or cheesy pun—I'm still trying to figure out where all the Elvis references came from in my latest story, Wise Men Say. 

Thankfully, the title goes well with the 'holiday-esque' story. Originally titled, Never Brought To Mind, my writer-bestie, fellow-NightStander and beta reader, Deanna Wadsworth mentioned the reference was a bit vague (the line is from the New Year's song, Auld Lang Syne). So since the story takes place during Christmas/New Year's, you can take the title as The Wise Men (as in 'we three Kings/men of orient are'), or a line from that Elvis song.

Songs come to mind when thinking of what my characters are going through. 

Emmy refuses to give up, she's been alone, waiting for someone a long time. Her family thinks her crazed, believing her situation will have a happy ending. So, naturally, Right Here Waiting by Richard Marx came to mind(...love the '80s hair).

 

 I don't want to give away the story, but the male character also has his troubles. He's been away for some years and just wants to be Home by Michael Buble..

A recent release, Some Nights, by Fun also works perfectly for this man's situation. I'm sure you know it, if not, take a look.

I

So, there's a bit of a musical peek into 'Wise Men Say.' 

Blurb:

Over twenty years ago, Emmy Patterson kissed her fiancé for the last time. Nick promised he’d return and despite bad news from U.S. military services since the day he went missing, she’d never lost hope he's alive and celebrates his life every chance she gets.

When The Castillo Hotel purchases some of her glass artwork, she spends the winter holidays in Las Vegas promoting it. But is this unexpected business travel a coincidence, or has the wise Madame Eve found a way to heal Em’s wounded heart?

And, I have a copy for one of you! Email me by midnight Dec. 23rd (wendyburke1994@bex.net) and one of you will win

a copy of Wise Men Say, along with a lovely, hand-blown glass ornament. 

Merry Christmas!

  

When not playing with the people in her head, Wendy has a full time job behind the scenes in television, a part time job in radio and an even 'parter' time job trying to keep her house clean. She lives with her cute chef husband and two fuzzy felines in the Great Lakes region of the Midwest. Wise Men Say, is Wendy's fourth story from Decadent Publishing.