Love With The Lights Off discussion

There really aren't any rules for posting here, other than this is where you authors should do your self-promotion. Please don't post self-promotion in the other folders, unless you have a contest or giveaway. There is a separate folder for that. This folder is so authors can talk about their books or any special pricing or excerpts without fear of chastisement. (I've been in groups that were really mean to authors who even so much as mentioned their books.)

So...clear as mud, right? Any questions?

My new historical romance Shades of Gray is available at Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com.

Shades of Gray blurb:
Mail order bride, Kat Bailey has more to fear than malicious rumors about a crazed murderer. But a woman with no money or family has few options. She quickly learns that her intended groom is not as honorable as Hampton society believes him to be. Beaten by her betrothed, she seeks refuge in the home of the most feared man in town.

Accused murderer, Grayson Gregory is more interested in guarding a family secret than clearing his name. When a broken and battered woman collapses on his doorstep, he is reminded of a torturous past he can't escape. Kat may have opened old and festered wounds, but he can’t deny the fire she ignites in him.

Kat is determined to uncover the truth about Gray, regardless of what she finds. As their attraction to one another grows, Gray must confront his dark past in order to keep her safe. His secrets unfold, forcing him to choose between a new love, or to remain plagued by the demons of his past.


Shades of Gray excerpt:
Her eyes stared straight ahead, seeming to focus on nothing specific. Gray knelt in front of her, placing his materials next to his knee on the floor, keeping them within an easy reach. With careful attention on her face, he reached up and unfastened the buttons on her nightdress. She wobbled, but didn’t prevent the fabric from lowering down her arms. The bulk of the flannel lay on her lap.

Gray sat back on his haunches and studied the thin layer of cotton she still wore. It had been his experience that women wore nothing under their nightdress when sleeping. Not as bulky as a chemise, this light-weight material was only worn… he looked at her face. It seemed odd that she would have it on now. Daria’s bridal slip had not lasted for one minute after he came into their wedding chambers.

At least the blonde woman had stopped crying. He dipped a clean cloth in the water and wrung it out. Holding to her chin, he wiped her face, dabbing delicately around her hairline. Bad judgment shouldn’t be held against her.

He eased his way behind her. Red welts crisscrossed her back, but her left shoulder blade would need additional attention. A four inch wound lay open with dry and crusted blood banking the swollen rim. He eyed his salve, warming by the fire. There should be enough for tonight. He thought there was a larger container in the kitchen.

Wadding a cloth in one hand, he held the linen under the cut. With his other hand, he wiggled the stopper free from the whiskey bottle and breathed deep. It was impossible to prepare her for what was to come. He tipped the bottle, dousing her shoulder with the alcohol. She cried out, and he moved the dripping towel to her forehead. He might as well clean her brow while the burning sensation lingered.

“I know it stings,” he said. “Go ahead. Cry out if you must. It has to be done, but there’s no reason you must suffer in silence.”

The corner of his mouth twitched and he pressed his lips together. Her wounds would take weeks to heal, and scarring was a possibility. He closed his eyes and pushed from his mind images of Daria. She had not recovered in a few short weeks.

Carol
www.CarolASpradling.com

My novel Love's Vengeance is available for free on Amazon for Kindle Aug 2-5. Pick up a free copy today.
Thanks!
Dana
www.danaroquets.com

Dana wrote: "My novel Love's Vengeance is available for free on Amazon for Kindle Aug 1-3. Pick up a free copy today.
Thanks!
Dana
www.danaroquets.com"

Got it-thanks.

My novel Love's Vengeance is available on Amazon for Kindle and in paperback.

About Love's Vengeance

Eighteen year old Desiree Chandelle comes from a sheltered and pampered home, with an adoring father that has grudgingly agreed to forgo arranged marriage and allow her the freedom to choose a husband when inclined. Desiree has yet to experience her first taste of romance or love, but has a childish notion that her true love will be the knight in shining armor of her romantic dreams.

Captain Stephen Colter is a rakish womanizer who has been at sea and traveling the world since his fifteenth year and who has never considered women as more than a momentary distraction, an amusement.

When these two worlds collide, it is life changing for them both. She is not prepared when she finds herself desired by a flesh and blood man who wants her desperately. He is not prepared for the passion that he unlocks, when her forced submission becomes a welcoming response that takes his breath away.

For Stephen, he has no doubt that Desiree—is his destiny. But it will take all his wits to keep at bay, the evil that is determined to take her from him. And all his patience to wait for Desiree to grow up and accept that the love he is offering, will never waiver and never fail.

Their saga takes them from Rouen France, to the colonies of America, to Somerset Bermuda and the Spanish Main where they find an unlikely ally in the legendary pirate Captain Red Legs Greaves and his crew of outlaws. But in the end it will still come down to one man and his battle to transform Love’s Vengeance to pure Love.


A favorite Excerpt of mine

“Stephen?” Desiree called softly.

“Yes!” he growled from his desk, where he attempted to add the same column of figures for the tenth time and for the tenth time had been interrupted.

He looked across to the berth and smiled warmly. Desiree lay upon her stomach, in one of his shirts that seemed to swallow her up and one trim leg was flexing at the knee. Her chin rested against her palm, and she was leafing through the heavy bound book that she had once used as a weapon against him.

They painted a very domestic scene and after only days in her good graces, he had to admit he had never known such ease with a woman or such a sense of belonging. She would putter about the cabin, or come up behind him and drape her arms about his shoulders while he worked at this desk and kiss his neck, or tumble into the tub with him and he knew she was what he had been searching for in his life. It would be some time before he could allow himself to express to her all the emotions she was stirring in him—but one day…

“How can you stand to be at sea so much of your life?” she asked, returning his warm smile.

“I don’t see it as a drudgery—if that’s what you mean.” Stephen offered, as he closed the ledger, blew out the candle and rose from the desk, deciding to give up trying to work for the night.

He pulled his shirt off over his head throwing it into a chair, closed her book, tossing it onto the floor and slipped into bed beside her while continuing in answer to her question, “My problem has always been to understand how anyone could stay on dry land their entire lives.”

Desiree crawled into his arms, draping her body over his and resting her cheek against his chest. His hand ran through her hair which was fanned out across her back. “Lonely though.” She decided.

“I never thought so, until now,” He confessed lightly, “You make it much more interesting.”

Desiree moved to the crook of his arm and sighed drowsily. She moved her hand over his furry chest and the trickle of hair leading downward, then her fingers plucked at the fastener of his breeches, “Are you ready to retire or are you going to go back over there and ignore me?” she asked with a laugh.

Stephen rose, removing his breeches and tossing them across the room then he slipped back into bed. With a growl, he pinned Desiree beneath his frame as he began to unbutton her oversized shirt, one button at a time while placing a kiss on each inch of soft flesh exposed as he descended.

Torie Mills is beautiful, successful and a New York Times best-selling historical romance author. Determined to find some solace from her fast paced and demanding life, she decides to move to Mahaska County, Iowa—a mile outside of the tiny town of Fremont and into her great-great-grandparent’s old homestead. Her plan is to restore the property to its 1870 glory days.

She hires handsome, renovation expert Dave Cameron to do the work and together they bring the old Victorian house back to life. When Torie moves in, she discovers that restoring the house has opened a portal into the past. Time traveling each night to the Fremont of old, becomes her wonderful escape and her secret obsession.

When she and Dave become lovers, he gets swept into the travels as well—until they both realize, much too late, that there was evil in the past that would have been better left alone…

Excerpt

I heard the slap of a screen door somewhere in the house, and then footsteps with a determined stride heading in my direction across hardwood floors.

“I-vy.” A man called softly, enticingly—as he approached the room, separating the name into two long drawn out syllables.

The steps halted abruptly just outside the bedroom door and then there was total quiet.

“Oh crap!” I heard the man hiss, “Where the hell…”

Even though it was a completely different voice, I knew immediately that it was Dave, arriving with his usual flair—ha, ha.

I clutched the gown to the front of me and peeked out the door into the hallway to see Joshua McFall standing in uncertainty, looking totally lost. He was dressed in just pants and boots. His suspenders were dangling down. It looked as though he had hurriedly dressed for some reason.

I said softly, “Dave,” drawing his attention.

“Torie, thank God! Where are we and…” his voice trailed off as I moved the gown to hold it at my side and stepped from behind the doorframe into the hallway so he could see me completely.

He looked at my body and the obvious mound of my stomach, “Oh my God! You’re pregnant!”



www.danaroquets.com

Free on Amazon Kindle 11/9-11/10
http://amzn.com/B009ZZDVJSOut of the Past
Torie Mills is beautiful, successful and a New York Times best-selling historical romance author. Determined to find some solace from her fast paced and demanding life, she decides to move to Mahaska County, Iowa—a mile outside of the tiny town of Fremont and into her great-great-grandparent’s old homestead. Her plan is to restore the property to its 1870 glory days.

She hires handsome, renovation expert Dave Cameron to do the work and together they bring the old Victorian house back to life. When Torie moves in, she discovers that restoring the house has opened a portal into the past. Time traveling each night to the Fremont of old, becomes her wonderful escape and her secret obsession.

When she and Dave become lovers, he gets swept into the travels as well—until they both realize, much too late, that there was evil in the past that would have been better left alone…

Hi. I love, love, love Pride & Prejudice so much I became addict to fanfiction and sequels. One day I wrote one! Modern, sexy, good humored, touching.

And I feel like I'm adding to the bicentennial celebs with a zest of Brazil!

http://www.amazon.com/Friendship-spec...

and my FB page
https://www.facebook.com/HotRioChick

!NEW RELEASE!

In a festive mood?

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"Naughty Gras: Tales of Fat Tuesday"

You might’ve been to Mardi Gras, but baby, you’ve never seen a party like this! In NAUGHTY GRAS, four scorching hot stories come together to take you behind the scenes of the spiciest Tuesday of the year.

Hang out in the Big Easy with a super sexy helping of DIRTY RICE, then head to down Rio for a romantic RENDEZVOUS. Who knows, you might meet your destiny. Want something a little more “spiritual” in nature? Well it’s Bacchanal Time in Viareggio, Italy, too. You’ll be in great hands IN GOD’S HANDS. Get your fill, just be sure to save room for dessert, ‘cause it ain’t a Gras without King cake, and THE SINNER’S SLICE has your name on it.

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An intriguing romance with a twist on life. Easy read with "ah ha" moments through out.

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If this is the spot to promote then I will shamelessly put a plug in for my new release - Shari's Shot. A divorce, lover's triangle, and murder-for-hire scheme.