Krystal Shannan Features - Heidi Lynn - Ava's Pleasure

Please help me welcome Heidi Lynn to the blog today!

Ava’s Pleasure

by Heidi Lynn Anderson

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When prim proper Ava stumbles into a Miami sex club, she isn't expecting to find the man from her dreams. Navy SEAL Logan is just wasting time between missions until this naïve and innocent woman turns his world upside down.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nick tapped on the doorframe.

"Oh, thank God," she said under her breath.

"Honey, I have the boxes you asked for," he said, sauntering in, still wearing his fire department uniform. The navy Polo shirt and cargo pants fit him to a T.

Ava had to admit he made a hunky picture. She wondered why she didn't have the same reaction to his six foot two well-muscled frame as all her girlfriends. They all loved his kind brown eyes, boyish good looks, and underwear-model body.

Her mind flashed to the day, five years ago, when she met Nick. Her roommate dragged her to a fundraiser for the local hospital's burn unit. That night firefighters stripped down to their skivvies for a good cause.

She remembered her shock and dismay when he pulled her up on the stage and kissed her senseless. When Nick realized he'd scared her spitless, he bought her a drink and apologized--then bugged her until they were best friends. He'd been kissing her and calling her honey ever since. She loved him like an annoying brother.

He dropped the boxes next to Sister Mary Elizabeth, gave her a little wink, then continued toward Ava. Nick turned her office chair and pressed his lips to hers. She waited for the tingling feelings to start, but nothing. Not even when the tip of his tongue swiped her bottom lip. Am I dead inside?

Ava leaned back and forced a smile. "Hi, honey, thank you for coming on short notice."

Nick sat on her desk, his back to the now sputtering sister and mouthed, Nothing?

Ava grinned and shook her head. "Nick, let me introduce you to Sister Mary Elizabeth."

He winked again and stood to face the fuming woman. "Nice to meet you, Sister."

Nick must have blessed her with his charming smile, because the old nun's face twisted into a small grin. It must work on every woman on the planet--except for her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Heidi will be awarding a $25.00 Amazon Gift Card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour, AND a $25.00 Amazon Gift Card to a randomly drawn host. SO LEAVE LOTS OF COMMENTS - PRETTY PLEASE!!! 

Be sure to visit all Heidi's stops along the tour!

Author: Heidi Lynn Anderson

Website: http://www.heidilynnanderson.com/

By day, Heidi Lynn Anderson is a wife, mother, and owner of a small Green-Cleaning company. By night, she spins erotic tales featuring hunky heroes and the women they love. When not working or writing, Heidi likes spending time with her husband and son, doing what Florida has to offer.

Krystal Shannan Features - Christie A. C. Gucker - The Cliff

Christie A. C. Gucker

Christie A.C. Gucker lives in NJ with her husband, two daughters and a menagerie of pets. Being a mother is one of the greatest joys of her life. She has worked in the advertising industry for over 20 years as a degreed artist, but also works in the fine arts, especially sculpting out of stone or snapping photographs. Christie is also a singer and musician, and can be found singing on a few CDs.

After the death of her father, Christie searched for something to fill her desire to make a mark in this world. Her love of the arts and creativity allowed her to search for a new medium, which she found with a pen instead of a brush. Being an avid reader her whole life, and with her family cheering her on, she decided to take her shot, and began writing.

Fascinated by the supernatural and sharks, Christie studies both avidly. You’ll be sure to find something spooky lurking somewhere in her stories. Her greatest joy is sitting on a beach with her family while surf fishing, flying kites or building sandcastles with her girls.

Author Links

Website / Facebook / Twitter

The Cliff by Christie A. C. Gucker

Genre: Steamy Romance

Publisher: Pagan Writers Press

Release: September 28, 2012

Buy Links

Pagan Writers Press

Blurb

Can a childhood pact affect the lives of three adults?

Love and betrayal surrounds the lives of lifelong friends Lanie Rhodes, Grant Bennett, and Dane Voight. Years ago, they made a pact to remain together as friends forever. The boys also made another secret pact that same day—to never vie for Lanie’s love.

Grant and Lanie have secretly been pining for one another since they were children.

Now grown up, they finally admit their feelings for each other and what ensues is a twisted tale of deception as Dane does everything he can to stop them.

The story weaves around this uneven love triangle. What will happen to the pact? Will friendships be destroyed? Will lovers emerge?

Let's take a peek at a special excerpt from The Cliff...

As the sun began to lighten up the sky, I could see the bands of clouds over the dark gray sky. They were moving pretty quickly. I stepped out onto the terrace to feel the warm breeze gently caress me. I was immediately brought back to Grant's hands on me last night. How reverently he had touched me while we kissed. As soft as this breeze. Like I was a china doll he was afraid to break. Did he really think I was so fragile? I would show him I wasn't today. I was going to give him everything I had pent up inside.

And then I thought about Dane. We had made a pact and Grant and I were going to break it. Maybe Dane wouldn't care. He had been with Lori for four months now, and apparently right before I returned home she had basically moved in. I had enough on my mind dealing with my feelings for Grant, and what was happening between us, to worry about Dane right now. I felt guilty, but I needed to focus on the things at hand.

It was still very early, so I grabbed Woof and my coffee and headed up to the one place, the one person, I had yet to visit since I'd been home, the widow's walk, and Nicole. Maybe my mom could give me some sort of sign. When I got to the walk, I realized it was the one place Grant hadn't prepared for my return. It was my private place and apparently everyone respected that. I sat in my big comfy chair and sipped my coffee while watching the night sky turn to day, while remaining just as dark. This was going to be one hell of a storm.

“Hi, Mom. I've missed you. I know you saw what happened between Grant and I last night. Am I doing the right thing?” She never replied. Well, that wasn't completely true. Thoughts that seemed not mine would always pop in when I spoke to her. Maybe it was just me working things out. It was comforting for me to think it was her, just the same.

I picked up my sketchpad and began to draw the angry ocean and sky. Whenever I drew something, I would go into some kind of trance. My mind would completely open and communicate directly with my hands; I was just a bystander watching. Very soon, my image turned into something other than the storm. There in the clouds were both Grant and Dane's eyes. Huh. Was this the sign my mom was subconsciously giving me? Showing me the storm on the horizon that would brew between my guys when Dane found out the direction Grant and I were headed? And where exactly were we headed? I stayed and sketched for a while longer and then headed down to get ready.

 I showered and shaved everything all nice and smooth. I applied some light make-up so I looked pretty but not overdone. I debated what to wear. Right. I guess I really didn't have it covered. I considered calling Samantha, but it was only seven o’clock, and she would be sleeping.

I opted for a tight pair of jeans that made my ass look even better than it normally did. And then I added a cute tight white v-neck tee shirt with a great push-up bra, jeans jacket and boots.

I still had almost an hour to kill, so I headed out to the stables early. The stables were situated behind Grant's house. We each had a horse and there were two spares for Chelsie and Samantha.

My horse, Magic, was a beautiful Palomino. His coloring was typical of the breed, but his legs were dappled and he had a gorgeous light cream mane and tail. I decided it had been too long since I rode and saddled him up.

I took the trail down the cliff and through the dunes until it opened up to a narrow stretch of beach. Magic moved with me like we were one. I loved riding him. I imagined it would be the same when I finally rode Grant. Wait. What was wrong with me? Why was I thinking like we're going to go all the way today? It was Samantha's fault. In my head, I kept running over scenarios as to why we needed to ride out the storm together. Riding. Riding Grant. There I went again.

I ran Magic back and forth the length of the beach, which was walled in on either side by our cliff. I looked up and I could see Dane's house on one side, Grant's on the other and mine sitting cozily in the middle.

I had spent many days with Grant and Dane on this beach. This was our private beach. There was no way to get here except through our land, by boat or swimming. Perhaps one in the wrong frame of mind might consider cliff diving to get here.

I thought Magic had a good enough workout and being mindful of the time, I headed back towards the trail and the stables. I felt like a little girl. The closer we got the more butterflies I felt.

When I reached the stables I was still about fifteen minutes ahead of Grant's arrival. I had time to remove the saddle and get Magic hosed off and back in his stall. I then proceeded to feed and water all the horses. I began to pull some of the equipment into the empty stalls and noticed I could hear the wind kicking up even more. I loved the wind before a thunderstorm and was eager to stand in it until Grant arrived. Just as I walked out, I saw Grant walking down the path with two cups of coffee in his hands. He beamed at me when he saw me. Beamed.

“Hey,” he said, handing me a cup. It smelled so good I immediately knew it was Kona coffee, my favorite. I just had a feeling this was going to be an epic day.

“Kona?”

“You're good.”

“I know my coffee.”

“And I know my stables. I see you've been busy. What time did you get here?”

“Well, the alarm cat you bought me works great. Woke me up at five o’clock, so I feel like I've had a full day already.” I ran my hand through my hair and leaned against the side of the stable.

“So, how was the rest of your night?” I looked at him through my eyelashes and hoped I wasn't blushing.

“It was quite an interesting night. I spent some time at my window.” He put his forearm against the wall above my head and leaned into me. I froze. It was my own fault for leading the conversation. I looked down, sure I was blushing now, not sure what to say next.

“I was really enjoying the view. Stunning.” He lifted my chin with his other hand and smiled this quirky grin at me. I could feel the flush all over now.

“Of course, it's not the first time the view out from my window has been so beautiful. I've been enjoying it for many, many years.” He winked at me.

“I—Grant, I, Look, I—” I was at a loss. All I could do was stutter. This was me not being confident at all.

“Lanie. That is a view I hope to get a much closer look at. I've wasted too many years being a watcher and never taking advantage of the scenery.” I smiled and then his was gone. “I didn't mean take advantage of. I meant … .” he stumbled over his words.

“I know what you meant. And I like what you said. I'll see if that can be arranged.”

He moved closer to me and pushed a stray piece of hair behind my ear before running his fingers across my cheek. I felt the warmth rising between us and then something interrupted the moment. Out of the corner of my eye I could see …

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Krystal Shannan Interviews - Robin Danner - THE PRINCES BOUND

Please help me welcome Robin Danner to the blog! So excited to have you here today...

Tell us a little about yourself. 

Hi, Krystal! Thanks for having me here!

It's my pleasure to have you!

I’m Robin Danner and I write sweet and sexy historicals. I live in Alabama with my husband and three sons. When I’m not writing, I enjoy watching reality television and singing karaoke … quite possibly off-key! 

I am a graduate of Troy University and published my first novel not long after earning a degree in Biology. I work full-time and shuffle my time between writing, work, and my family. Readers can find out more about me at http://robindanner.webs.com. 

Did you always want to be an author? What made you choose to write romance?

I’ve always loved to write, but I did not seriously consider becoming a published author until my last year of college. I’ve been writing romance for my own entertainment (and later on, for my cousins) since I was a pre-teen. I had all sorts of stories that I wrote in composition notebooks and kept hidden from everyone. Romance is pretty much the only genre I read, so I naturally veered toward it with my own writing.

What is your favorite part of being a writer/author?

My favorite part is bringing characters to life on the page! One of the most awesome feelings in the world is rereading your own book(s) and thinking “Did I seriously write this?” It’s so much fun to fall in love with your characters all over again.

Tell us a little about your book. What inspired you to write it?

The Princes Bound is the first book in my new historical series. I set out to write it shortly after the birth of my first son. The title actually came to me first. Bound and Determined was the direction I was going, so I ended up with The Princes Bound and The Princes Determined. 

The Princes Bound deals with the romance between Nadia, a female soldier in the Noventian army, and Mathis, the prince of Isidor.  When Mathis refuses to attend the wedding of his brother, Talin, Nadia is sent to abduct him and bring him to Noventia.

Prince Talin’s trusted captain, Nadia, is ordered to abduct his brother, Prince Mathis of Isidor, and bring him to the wedding of Talin and the daughter of their family’s sworn enemy. Loyalties are tested and enemies gather as Mathis and Nadia’s inescapable attraction threatens to bind the pair together.

***

Nadia waited for his swim to come to an end. When it did, she was ready. As his bare feet stepped onto the mossy bank, she leaped from her hiding spot and tackled him to the ground. She pressed the point of her dagger to a prominent vein in his neck.

At first, he appeared shocked by her attack. When he realized she was a woman, he let out a hearty laugh.

“What sort of seduction is this? Tell me, sweet lady, did Trevor put you up to this?”

His voice was silky smooth, but a hard edge underlined the words. She could tell he didn’t like being bested; it was apparent by the firm way he held his jaw.

“I’m afraid I don’t know any Trevor. Now do as you’re told, Your Highness, and you won’t be harmed.”

His beautiful eyes narrowed in warning. “I am the prince of this realm, and I order you to sheathe your weapon at once.”

“I’m afraid I can’t do that.”

His damp skin soaked through her clothing, and she repressed a shiver at the chill. She was a soldier, and a soldier couldn’t afford to show weakness.

The prince moved under her, and she was nearly jostled to the ground. She tightened her grip on the dagger and pressed it sharply to his neck. “Careful, Prince. We wouldn’t want to spill any royal blood today. I promise you, as long as you follow my command, you will remain safe.”

His body went lax, but his eyes continued to flash with unconcealed anger. “Who sent you?”

It was too early to reveal all, so she attempted to change the subject. “A fairer question would be what is a prince doing out at night without his guard?”

Although he had to know he was trapped, his chin lifted a notch. “My kingdom is a peaceful one.”

His composure was commendable.

Nadia glanced over her shoulder to instruct the recruit. “Stefan, fetch his Highness’ clothing and be quick about it.”

LOVE IT!

Do you plot and outline or do you just write?  Plotter or Pantser?

Total pantser, right here! Sometimes I may have a general idea of where I want a book to go, but ninety percent of the time I just sit at my computer and start typing. I figure it out as I go. It’s amazing the good ideas that come to you when you don’t tie yourself to an outline.

With my Princes series, it ended up nothing like I thought it would when I set out to write out. My husband gave me valuable input and I ended up writing the third book, The Princes Knighted, as a result. I have plans for a fourth and fifth book, but if I hadn’t bounces ideas off my husband, this series would have ended with two books.

Can you tell us about the process of getting your first book published?

It was a long, winding road! I got a contract right out of college, but then the owner of the company got sick and had to close. By then, I was e-published with another company and I sent my first book to them. That company ended up going bankrupt! Apparently my first book is cursed. I’m scared to try and rerelease it!

What advice would you give new authors?  What have you learned about the business?

The best way to fight writer’s block is to just end the scene and begin a fresh one. I finally learned this for myself when I started writing again in May. It’s helped me so much! I used to stare for hours at a scene, without adding a single word. Now if I get stuck, I just end the scene and keep going. I can always go back and flesh out the scene later. 

As for the business, I’m still learning everyday! I feel I’ve become a better writer with every book I publish, but there are so many things I don’t know yet. For example, promotion is a side I know next-to-nothing about. 

Do you have another book in the works?

I have several! The Princes Determined is coming to Liquid Silver on Nov 19, 2012 and The Princes Knighted follows on Jan 7, 2013. Stroke of Midnight, a short historical paranormal, is coming to Etopia Press in December 2012.

I’m working on the fourth Princes book as we speak!

What do you like to do in your free time, besides read and write of course?

I don’t have much free time, but I love karaoke and watching reality television. My favorite shows are American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance, and The X Factor. As you can probably tell, music plays a huge part of my life!

Whenever I can, I like to go play blackjack. I haven’t been in over a year though.

Where do you dream of going on vacation?

Santorini, Greece! The only problem is I’m scared of flying!

I hate to tell you.... it would be a really long drive and an even longer boat ride. LOL.

Boxers or Briefs?

This is hilarious…I ask the same exact question with every interview I conduct! And mine is the standard answer, boxer briefs!

Cookies or cake?

I am not a cake person at all, so cookies for me! But I prefer cream cheese brownies. They’re my weakness.

Pizza or hamburger?

Oooh, a toughie! I like both! But I will have to choose cheeseburgers (Don’t hand me a burger without cheese on it. Hehehehe.)

Beer, Wine, or mixed drink?

Now which category would shots of tequila fit in? ; )

(Hero/Heroine Character Questions)

What were your first impressions of each other?

Mathis is not favorably impressed with Nadia at first, which is quite understandable considering she abducts him. Nadia is immediately attracted to him, but her dedication and loyalty refuses to let her admit it.

What’s your favorite characteristic of each other?

I love that Mathis is a scholar. Nadia’s determination is my favorite characteristic.

What are your plans for the near future?  

Hopefully continue writing and releasing books! 

Robin will be awarding sword earrings and a knight figurine to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Be sure to leave a comment with your email address and visit all her other fabulous stops as well!

Find Robin Danner @

http://robindanner.webs.com

http://www.twitter.com/robindanner

http://www.facebook.com/robindannerauthor

http://www.goodreads.com/robindanner