Spooktacular Blog Hop

Welcome to the Spooktacular Giveaway Hop hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer  and Rhiannon from The Diary of a Bookworm

I have 2 Giveaways for you here

Giveaway #1 

(open internationally)

LOVE POTIONS and e-book by Michelle McCleod

There will be 3 of these given away 

An incompetent witch, a cursed elf, and the wizard who wants to kill them.

Witch-in-training, Marion, is about to flunk her Potions class because of a serious case of 'love block'. If her love potions keep exploding like stink bombs, she won't graduate to the magical defense classes she really wants to take. A problem because her ex-boyfriend is out of prison and wants to pick up where they left off...with his hands around her throat.

When Marion learns she'll never make a love potion if she doesn't fall in love, she takes a risk on Aidan, a handsome, charming elf...cursed to break her heart.

Love Potions is a 30,000 word count novella with a touch of humor and a side of hot sex.

Giveaway #2

(open to US only)

Obsessed-A collection of erotic short stories

Paperback

Obsessed is not about obsession for a new purse or a new car. Instead, these stories sizzle with the kind of obsession that is fueled by our deepest desires, the ones that hold couples together, the ones that haunt us and don’t let go. Whether just-blooming passions, rekindled sparks, or reinvented relationships, these lovers put the object of their obsession first. From the almost-divorced couple in “Aftershocks,” by Bella Andre, who finally confess their deepest desires during an earthquake, to a woman who confesses to her boyfriend just how much she lusts after another man in Emerald's "Then," these lovers push the boundaries of their relationship and the boundaries of their trust in each other. Obsessed lovers don’t always do what is rational; sometimes they chase their dreams, such as in Kayla Perrin’s “One Night in Paris,” across the world and across the landscape of their lovers’ bodies

Head over to Pimpin' Reads YA for Giveaway #3.  Thanks and Good Luck

Rules

1.  Must be a follower of Pimpin Reads.  Leave your GFC name AND EMAIL ADDY

2.  Tell me what country you are from.  This lets me know which giveaway to enter you in.  If not listed you will automatically be entered in the Love Potions Giveaway.

3.  Tweet +1  Copy and paste the sentence below 

 #Giveaway 5 books in all.  Spooktacular Blog Hop http://bit.ly/hotbooks @jowannajk

If you choose to share anywhere else just leave the link and I will +1 for extra entry.  

Welcome Rebecca Royce author of Eye Contact

I would like to thank Rebecca Royce for agreeing to do an interview with Pimpin' Reads.  But first and introduction to her new book Eye Contact.

The Conditioned, Book one

Thirty years ago, after the breakdown of an oil negotiation, the President of the United States decided that all people born with unusual abilities, which he would now refer to as “the condition”, would be locked away from the general public where they couldn't harm others. Parents and loved ones of these people, most of whom were children, were forced to turn them in upon penalty of death. Formed to keep the institutions secure, the Committee for the Protection of a Free Society now rules these institutions with an iron fist.



The granddaughter of one the Committee members, Addison Wade has lived her life wary of the institutions and all they represent. A woman of secrets, she is forced to turn to Safe Dawn, one of the facilities designed to hold conditioned people, when her nephew is kidnapped and, despite her best efforts, cannot be recovered. She knows the last thing anyone in 'Safe Dawn' will want to do is to help a Wade with any problems, but she is desperate and out of options.



Spencer Lewis is famous for being the premier conditioned ‘locator.’ There's no one he can't find and he has a soft spot for missing children. But, Spencer has been through a trauma and locating Jeremy Wade may be dangerous both to himself and to those around him. In addition, he takes one look at ice cold Addison Wade and wants nothing more than to knock her down a peg. Never having turned down an opportunity to help a child, he reluctantly agrees to help recover Jeremy.



In a world where nothing is as it seems and every person they encounter has his own agenda, Addison and Spencer will find that the only people they can trust are each other. But how can anyone fall in love living in a world that wants you dead just for being born?

Interview

1.  When did you begin writing?

I have been writing since I was a child. I’m not really sure what started me on the path. But, the first time I got interested in pursuing publication was when I was pregnant with my second son.  We can blame the pregnancy hormones.

2.  What made you want to write a story about the Conditioned?

Again, I’m never entirely certain where my ideas come from. I know it’s a frustrating answer. It doesn’t make sense. Gosh, Rebecca, how can you not know where your ideas come from? But I really don’t.  I just had this idea one day about these people being locked away and what would happen that would eventually bring them out. Of course, it was also a love story.

3.  With a rise in the Savant population, Could you foresee something like this happening in the future?

I don’t think we have a great history of accepting change well.  So, yes. I could see something like this happening. If not this exact thing, something like it.

4.  Can you tell us a little bit more about the Wades?

The Wades are a very powerful family. Oliver Wade is a powerful industrialist who has his hands in almost everything including the running of the Institutions. He does this by having a seat on the Committee, the organization who has been given the power by Congress to run and operate the Institutions. 

He hates the Conditioned but he doesn’t mind using them to make money.  His son and daughter-in-law were killed, leaving him with two granddaughters. One of them would later die as well.  So left in the world is Oliver Wade, his granddaughter Addison, and his great-nephew Jeremy. They have no idea who Jeremy’s father is, which leaves Addison with the job of raising Jeremy.  She loves him. 

And then he goes missing.

After a time it becomes clear to her that the only person who can locate Jeremy is a Conditioned locater named Spencer Lewis. He’s famous for being able to find the un-findable. 

But he has no interest in helping Wades. 

Addison is a desperate woman who knows how to get what she wants.

5.  In what time period is your book set?

Now, but an alternative now.

6.  Was you influenced at all by X-Men?

Yes and No. I love the X-men but I wasn’t thinking of them, per se, when I wrote the book.

7.  Any advice for writers about getting published?

Work hard and keep at it. Eventually when you match your work to the right publisher you will have success.

8.  How long did it take you to become published?

It took a year between my first attempt to get published and actually getting published.

9.  Do you have a Muse?  sorry this is a fav question of mine.

Yes.  And she is finicky.  LOL

10.  Do you listen to music while you write?  If so, do you have a playlist?

I don’t usually but occasionally, when I am desperate for energy, I do.  I don’t actually have a playlist. 

Welcome Joanne Kenrick

I'm psyched to be here at Pimpin Reads Jowanna! *Waves hi* Thanks so much for hosting a stop on my book tour with Sizzling PR and helping me celebrate the release of Sweet Irish Kiss, my first addition to the multi-author www.decadentpublishing.com series called 1NightStand. The second one, Dracula's Kiss, comes out just in time for Halloween! So only a few days away. If you love vampire romance, and are rather partial to a sexy Scotsman and spooky castle ruins with connections to Bram Stoker's Dracula, then you'll LOVE IT!

But let's get back to this new release, the one that made it as a category bestseller on ARe during release weekend. How exciting is that? No Scottish vampires in this one, I'm afraid. But it does offer up a double dose of Irish hotness in the form of Shaun Bell, proprietor of Bell's Irish Pub, and his full time barman, Devlin Kinney. Devlin is only a secondary character in this one, but his cheeky one liners are classic! Shaun Bell is the male lead in Sweet Irish, and has all the qualities any broken gal would look for; patient, kind, generous and uber gorgeous! Hmmm just like the cocktail, Sweet Irish Kiss. Yeah, both of my 1NightStand stories are titled after cocktails. The reason being is because I believe just like names, cocktails have character.

You see, I believe a cocktail has character embedded into its flavor, and I wanted to portray that character within the story. For Sweet Irish Kiss, Baileys is a very smooth and sexy drink, and very Irish. It's also very cheeky. Who wouldn't think of Colin Farrell after that description. I mean, could you imagine him with the starring role in this ad? I sure could. And I could imagine Shaun Bell right there...he'd be bewildered if put in that position.

And Dracula's Kiss, with black-cherry vodka and cola, is dark, red and vampiric in nature. I'm totally thinking of Henry Fitzroy from Blood Ties. Not Angel, he'd be something dark and brooding with amaretto or whiskey.

PRIZES

1^st print copy of mullo, bookthong, ecopy (format winners choice) of Sweet Irish Kiss, and e copy of Dracula's Kiss when it is released.

2^nd Sweet Irish Kiss and Mullo in ebook, format winners choice.

3rd Sweet Irish Kiss ebook, format winners choice

So... which cocktail reminds you of your favorite Hollywood Hottie, and why? Answer in the comments below.  Leave your Follower name and Email. Thanks and good luck. 

Want more of my hottie Irish Bar dude. Here's the book trailer, blurb and buy links...you know, in case you feel compelled to want this Irish hottie in your eReader :) Psst, the full recipe for an Irish Kiss, a Baileys cocktail almost as smooth as Shaun Bell, is within the story...as is the recipe for Shaun's version. 

BLURB: Ingredients for a perfect Irish Kiss; Baileys, Kahula, and whipped cream. For a Sweet Irish Kiss...just add Shaun Bell, a divorced workaholic bar-owner in Soho, London. Line up ladies. He's ready to love again.

Rachel Taylor was damaged by Daddy Dearest's play-away from home attitude. She wants to put her best foot forward. Only problem is, she stumbles backward each time she tries.

The 1NightStand match-making site brings this pair together for a night of guilt and commitment free sex. It's a match made in heaven until morning rolls around and Shaun can't bring himself to say goodbye. Can he win her over with his Sweet Irish Kiss, or will Rachel still see the neon "potential cheater" sign above his head? 

ARe Bestseller!

Amazon

More BUYLINKS

JoAnne Kenrick, an ex-Ghost Tour Guide turned Romance Author, is a Welsh lass who has lived in various countries around the world. She now calls North Carolina her home, where she lives with her husband, two children and a lazy cat. When they aren't demanding her attention, she can most likely be found watching a vampire movie, reading or baking up a British favorite in her N.C. kitchen. That is, when she isn't writing or chatting up a storm on social networking sites. www.joannekenrick.com

FACEBOOK / GOODREADS / THE ROMANCE REVIEWS / AMAZON PROFILE

Welcome CJ Ellisson and Rafe

 Meet Vivian. She’s a 580-year-old vampire who exudes sex, has a talent for drama, and is passionate about two things: her human husband, Rafe, and their resort for the undead. Her ability to project physical illusions has created the perfect vacation spot—a dark, isolated Alaskan hideaway where visitors can have their wildest fantasies come true.

Vivian knows the best performance requires perfect timing, but the powerful vamp is put to the test when she discovers a corpse in a locked guestroom minutes before the next arrivals. Always cool-headed, Rafe hides the body, convinced he and Vivian can find the culprit without disturbing their guests.

Juggling the increasingly outrageous demands of their customers while tracking a killer isn’t easy. Will their poking and prodding give them the answers they need, or will it uncover secrets Vivian would kill to protect?

Warning: This story contains some explicit sex scenes and is not intended for readers under 18

Vivian thinks she can control every aspect of a deadly game with her usual manipulations… but what if she can’t? Journey along, in this next installment of The V V Inn series, for a wild ride as the tale is told through the eyes of all her new seethe members.

Seven vampires and seven werewolves pay to hunt a supernatural criminal across the cold, vast grounds of an Alaskan resort. The one to catch her, and live through the encounter, will increase their power by feasting on hers.

The tiny vampire they track is more than she appears, however. To escape a fate of ten years in silver chains, she'll do anything to survive the weeklong excursion. This time, the darkness holds more than just the stinging bite of the Arctic—it holds death








CJ conducts an interview with Rafe:

Today we have the first interview with Rafe, the human male married and mate-bonded to Vivian McAndrews, the vampire character in the V V Inn series, written by me, C.J. Ellisson. I’ll be directing the interview here today.

CJ: Welcome, Rafe. It’s good to finally sit down and chat with you. Shall we get started right away with the questions?

Rafe: Sure (sets coffee mug on table). Lay it on me.

CJ: Why Vivian? You worked pretty hard to convince her you were the right one for her.

Rafe: After losing my first wife and our child, I was reluctant to love again for many years. Tracking down the elusive redhead from my past proved an interesting and distracting challenge. When I finally found her, she wanted nothing to do with me. Or so she said. While every man enjoys the chase, I quickly realized she was the right woman for me and decided to hound her until she’d let me prove it.

CJ: Hmm… diplomatic and vague as always. Okay, next question. Do you enjoy Alaska?

Rafe: (shudder) Damn, it’s cold! You all sit here comfy and cozy in the lower forty-eight, with no concept of the intense low temperatures above the Arctic Circle. It’s a beautiful and cruel place. Ultimately, I could take it or leave it – my heart is wherever Vivian decides to live.

CJ: I know lots of the female readers love the fun questions, like do you wear boxers or briefs?

Rafe: Doesn’t really matter to me. (shrugs) I’ll wear anything my wife buys. She’s the one who’ll be peeling it off with her teeth, so who am I to complain what it is? (smiles)

CJ: (shifts uncomfortably in chair) Whew. Okay then, maybe I should be asking why do you let your wife pick your underwear?

Rafe: (laughs out loud) What makes a lover – what he’s wearing or what he does when the clothes come off? If a simple thing like black skintight boxer briefs catches her eye then what’s the harm? It’s all just clothes to me.

CJ: Has she ever dressed you in anything outrageous?

Rafe: Sure. Once there was this elephant trunk g-string…

CJ: Okay! I shouldn’t have asked, my bad. (wipes hand across forehead and shuffles notes quickly) Let me find a more serious question…How do you feel about Jon’s interest in your wife?

Rafe: (brows draw down across his eyes) Who would want another man lusting after his wife? Obviously I don’t like it. Next question.

CJ: Um… all righty…. What do you think of people calling you a beta male to Vivian’s alpha?

Rafe: Perception is not always a reality. (steely look in his eye) My wife often over-reacts and I balance her out. She stirs a passion in me like I’ve never felt in my life and I help to keep the darkness inside her tightly leashed. It would be more accurate to call us equals and acknowledge that not every leader will lead exactly the same way.

CJ: This is quickly getting away from me, damn. I should have thought of more fun questions. Oh, I know, what is your favorite position? (wink)

Rafe: And you mean to tell me, dear, you don’t remember? Aren’t you writing it into the next book? (chuckles to himself) While I can’t choose just one position and call it my all time favorite, Vivian certainly enjoys that one you labeled the “fanastic four”. Think your readers will be giving it a try after they read about it?

CJ: (blushes) Er… umm… And that ends our interview for today. Thanks for taking the time with me here today, Rafe.

Rafe: (rakish glint in his eye) Not nearly as much time as you took “practicing” that scene in your mind… among other places as well…

CJ: Shhh! Can’t you just shut up now? Go back to your wife and stop teasing the humble writer.

Rafe: Humble my ass. Where do you hide your crop? (winks)

CJ: Argh!!! You are insufferable! Why does she put up with you?

Rafe: I have no idea. (stretches languorously and flexes his massive biceps) Maybe it’s because I have a big thick di—?

Due to technical difficulties this ends our interview for today. Thanks Pimpin’ Reads for having us here today and thank you all so much for attending! After his mike went dead, Rafe promised to make up for his crudeness by offering a free set of V V Inn ebooks to a lucky commenter today. The giveaway will be increased every ten commenters. At twenty we’ll give out three sets of books total and if we get to thirty it will be six sets total.

Share the link, share the fun, and increase your chances of winning! It’s all good. Don’t make me get my crop! :-D
Must be a follower of the blog.  Thanks

Destiny Redeemed

Welcome again Gabrielle Bisset

Blurb:  Sentenced to spend the rest of his three remaining lifetimes in Nil, Amon Kalins is freed with the help of his Sidhe servant, Gethen, but now he must accept his life is never to be his again as the Council won't rest until he's safely back imprisoned within Nil's cold walls. Broken and nearly dead from his time in prison, Amon is saved by an Aeveren healer named Althea Forester. As a healer, Thea has served her people for 45 lifetimes, never having a destined one and always knowing each lifetime would ultimately end with her alone. But destiny hasn't forgotten her. 

Drawn to the seductive Amon, Thea quickly becomes a pawn the Council uses to trap him. Taken prisoner by the sadistic leader of the rebel group, the Soren, Thea must survive the vicious world of the people hellbent on taking her destined one away forever, and Amon must risk everything dear to him to free her from those who would sacrifice her to claim the bigger prize and return him to Nil. 

 
Excerpt:  
Thea watched the man in front of her with fear, but there was something else too, something she’d never experienced before as a healer. She didn’t just feel sympathetic for him, didn’t want to merely make his pain go away. She felt drawn to him, and not only on a physical level. She could understand that after resting her head on his hard body. He was more masculine than anyone she’d ever met. Even after what had obviously been repeated beatings, he seemed stronger than any man could be. So her physical attraction she understood.

But there was something else. After only a few hours near him, she realized with sadness that she’d miss him when he released her. But why? She knew little about him, and what she knew wasn’t good. He was Amon Kalins, the escaped prisoner from Nil. She’d been warned, as all other Aeveren healers had, not to help him in any way. She hadn’t had a choice, though. His wretched man had kidnapped her from her home and when she saw him suffering before her, nature had taken over. Healing him had never been a choice but a need.

“Thea, don’t be afraid. I told you I wouldn’t let any harm come to you, and I won’t. You’re safe as long as you’re with me.”

The tone of his deep voice was softer now, but it didn’t make her feel any better. She remained fearful, her fingers tightly gripping the drawer handle behind her.

“You’re Amon Kalins...” she squeaked out as her voice failed her.  The hard surface of the dresser pressed against her back when she attempted to take another step back away from him.

“Yes.”

“The escaped prisoner from Nil.”

“Yes.”

Thea’s body relaxed almost against her will. Each affirmation should have made her fear for her safety all the more, but it didn’t. Something in his voice soothed her.

“And you’re a tempuster?” This the Council hadn’t mentioned in its edict to healers.

“Yes.”

In all her lifetimes, she’d never met any Aeveren with the power of time travel. Amon Kalins must be a very powerful man, she realized.

“Is it my ability that frightens you?” he asked in a voice she was sure was intended to put her at ease.

Thea thought about this for a moment and answered in a small voice, “No.”

His being a tempuster was probably the least frightening aspect of him. The truth was she was most frightened of how much she already liked him. She shouldn’t. She knew this. But something about him called to her.

“Then my being a prisoner from Nil?”

Thea drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I’m not supposed to help you.”

“Why? You’re a healer. It’s your gift. Why would you be banned from healing someone who needs your help?”

Thea was ashamed to admit that she’d never considered this question, not when she was ordered not to heal him nor all the other times those who dictated her power ordered her not to help another in need. How many times had she followed edicts and watched half-breeds or full blooded Aeveren suffer needlessly for breaking one of the many rules of their world?

The thought of her blind heartlessness made her shoulders droop and the regret she suddenly felt overwhelmed her. Sadly, she explained, “The Council ordered all healers to not help you. Under no circumstances were any of us to heal you.” As she spoke the words of the edict, she felt guilty not because she had helped him, but because for the first time in her forty-five lifetimes she’d truly lived up to her nature.

“But you did. Not that we gave you a chance to follow your orders.”

“Now I don’t know what will happen to me. When they find out what I did...”

Thea’s voice trailed off as she thought of how the Council would punish her for healing Amon. As she winced at the thought of her reprimand, Amon clenched his fists at his side. Thea saw the anger in his expression and wasn’t sure how to react. She was reasonably sure his anger wasn’t because of her, but something in him had changed.

“Are you in pain?”

Amon relaxed his hands. “No.” Slowly, his face returned to the handsome, albeit bruised, expression he seemed to usually have. Thea stepped forward toward him and carefully placed her hands on both sides of his face. She didn’t know why as he’d said he wasn’t in pain, but something in her pushed her toward his bruised face.

The swollen left eye had returned to normal, and she felt the gaze of his ocean blue eyes on her as she coaxed the pain out of his features. Gradually, the slash under his eye closed until all that was left was a faint pink line. The light purple bruises that marked near his jaw and above his eyes, remnants from a prior assault than the one on his last night in Nil, faded under her light touch as the pads of her fingertips softly glided over his skin.

Amon sat stunned by her unsolicited help. As she focused on healing him, she saw him study her, his breathing turning to shallow pants and sensed his desire when she saw him lick his lips.  As a healer, she wasn’t gifted with the ability to read minds, but her power came with the complementary ability of being able to read others’ reactions better than other Aeveren.

That something inside her that had pushed her toward him now told her to kiss him, and she leaned in and gently pressed her lips to one of the pale black and purple marks on his forehead. When she finally pulled away, she saw his eyes were closed and his face was calmer than at any time since she’d met him the night before.

Her mind raced. Should she apologize for kissing him, even if it was just on his skin? She’d never wanted to do anything like that ever before with anyone else she’d been charged to heal. But nothing about being near this man was like anything she’d ever experienced before.

Unsure of how to act, she found it difficult to know what to do next, and words began to tumble out of her mouth. “I’m sorry...I didn’t mean...I don’t know why...”

Amon opened his eyes as Thea felt the color rising in her cheeks. She may have been saying she was sorry and claiming she didn’t know why she’d kissed him, but she was still positioned right next to his face.

“No need to apologize. In fact, there’s no need to stop.”

A sound of surprise escaped her lips and her eyes grew wide at the idea that there was more to come. Her heart pounded in her chest as his deep blue eyes stared into hers. Would he kiss her now? All at once, she realized she wanted so much to feel his lips on hers.

Where to find Gabrielle:

Website:  Gabrielle Bisset
Blog:  Gabrielle Bisset: A Writer's Blog
Facebook
Twitter

Her books: 
Vampire Dreams(Victorian Erotic Romance #1)
Love's Master (Victorian Erotic Romance #2)
Masquerade (Victorian Erotic Romance #3) 
Stolen Destiny
Destiny Redeemed-Coming October 13!
F
For your chance to win a copy be a follower and leave a comment with your email addy.  Thanks

Mine Until Dawn Blog Tour

By age twenty-eight, art historian Jade Fitzgerald has had a marriage from hell and an equally nasty divorce, worked hard to control her weight and her arrhythmia. The last thing she needs is another man messing with her head or shooting her heartbeat off course. That is exactly what she gets when an aloof and mysterious stranger storms into her life.

He's cynical and doesn’t take crap from anyone....

Former investigative reporter Vince Knight is on a quest to recover a priceless, ancient Mayan artifact, which he believes Jade’s mother stole. He’s skilled at gathering information while remaining emotionally detached, until he meets Jade. The voluptuous woman stirs in him a hunger he hasn’t felt in a long time and a protectiveness he can’t explain.

Until, an insane man decides to add Jade to his collection of beautiful and rare things....

Neither Vince nor Jade expects passion to flare so fast or danger to dodge their footsteps. To defeat a ruthless art collector with a twisted agenda, Jade and Vince must learn to trust each other and embrace their growing feelings.


Mine Until Dawn by Ednah Walters
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the second story in the Fitzgerald Family.  The story revolves around Jade Fitzgerald.  An art historian who has recently escaped a very controlling husband, and trying to find her place in the world.
On the quest to find a rare missing Mayan artifact Vince Knight contacts Jade for help.  The both of them are old acquaintances from high school.  Both are single and both are very stubborn, but they must work together in order to find this rare artifact to clear Jade's mother of any wrong doing.  
This book reminds me a little bit of Romancing the Stone.
This is a Good Read.  Fast paced and the chemistry between the two characters is electric. 

One Night in Brooklyn by Casea Major

After signing up for a one-night stand through an exclusive matching agency, hopeless romantic Marianne Caldwell is swept away to a medieval land where she hopes to spend the night with a worthy man of honor.

Unsure of how she got from the Castillo Hotel in Las Vegas to a castle in the English countryside, Mare finds Robert, whose stunning physique and winning smile immediately convince her he's the Robin Hood she's been seeking. But despite his efforts saving her from a corrupt sheriff, his Jersey Shore accent and coarse ways unravel her romantic visions.

With her fairytale fantasies coming unhinged, Mare must decide if Robert is just a crass car salesman from Brooklyn or the chivalrous knight she's looking for






EXCERPT:  One Knight in Brooklyn Excerpt:

“Well, Dallas, what did a pretty gal like you expect from this deal?”

There was no way in hell she would answer that question. So she employed her stellar skills of diversion and subterfuge. “What did a guy like you expect from this deal?” Okay, maybe not the cleverest line she’d ever come up with, but this guy with his mesmerizing eyes messed up her mojo.

He leaned back with his elbow on the mattress and flashed a brilliant smile. She swallowed hard. “To get to know a lovely young woman such as yourself and have a little adventure. You think you can handle that?”

Could he be any more cocky? His thinly veiled innuendo struck her with the delicacy of a baseball bat. No question he was hot. From a purely physical standpoint, he was perfection, but did anything rattle around behind those blue eyes?

She crossed her arms over her chest and tilted her chin. “What I want to know is, can you handle that?”

Oops, she hadn’t meant for that to sound like a challenge or an invitation, but even to her own ears, it did. He stood, his long legs closing the distance between them in two strides. She braced her legs to hold her ground, but retreated toward a wall. So much for holding my ground. Pressing her head back against a branch, she looked up into his even stare. God, his eyes were Ceylon blue, his lips full and lush. He stopped in front of her, but continued to lower his head toward hers. Other than the rustling wind, only her ragged breathing sounded amongst the leaves.

Robert braced his hands on either side of her shoulders, effectively trapping her between him and the tree. Every cell in her body buzzed with electrical current, and her gaze helplessly transfixed on him. The lids of his eyes lowered, and his straight nose brushed against hers.

“Can I kiss you?” His whispered request tickled her skin.

Chills swept over her heated body. Her knees gave way, and she sighed out some inaudible response he apparently took as affirmative. He brushed her lips with a kiss.

With agonizing leisure, his mouth eased over hers, first feathering her closed lips then caressing each one between his. His velvety flesh wisped like flower petals against hers, and the aroma of fresh mint scented his breath. The languid motion of his kiss ignited a desire that throbbed all the way down between her legs. The longer he lingered, the hotter she burned. He never sped his pace or reached for her in any other way. It was only a kiss, yet so much more.

His warm tongue slipped between her lips and slowly explored her mouth, sliding across her teeth and stroking her tongue. A soft moan escaped her and excruciating tension built in her core with each lazy thrust.

She wrapped her arms around his waist and trailed her fingers down his hips as she molded to his body. He gasped and ended the kiss. The staggering length of his arousal pressed into her abs and the burn in her sex flared into a raging inferno.

He rested his forehead against the tree, and she laid her hands on his chest with his body lightly molded to hers. The heat radiating between them smoldered hotter than the Vegas asphalt at high noon. His breaths were steady, but his heart pounded against her open palms.

His voice, deep and husky, sounded near her ear. “Maybe. Maybe not, Dallas.”

She opened her eyes. “Huh?”

He kept his eyes closed and rubbed his cheek against hers. “I was just answering your earlier question.”

She couldn’t remember the question. She'd be lucky to remember her own name.

Welcome Saewod Tice

Young ADULT Content

Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Saewod (say-wood) Tice {yeah, it’s really my name} and I’m a newly published author of a Young Adult series titled ‘The Chronicles of 2020’.  Book one in the trilogy has just released and as I’ve worked through the process of creating, writing, and publishing a YA book I have come across quite a few discussions and debates surrounding YA Book Ratings.

Early on, when I made the decision to go with young adult, I decided not to ‘fade to black’ or ‘preach’.  Instead, I kept the intimate and sexual instances as true to the life of my hero and heroine as possible.

In ‘The Chronicles of 2020’ series we begin 200 years after the Global Nuclear destruction of 2020. Given this premise, I was challenged to develop the social norms of this new world where only 15% of the Earth’s population still exists.  But at the same time, I had to work not to glorify sexual situations.  It was more difficult a task than I thought it would be in the beginning.  And in the end, I feel I’ve stayed true to the new world while not crossing the fine line.  Though, I’m sure there will be many parents who don’t agree with me.

As a multi-genre author, I will admit that the lines can blur very easily when writing intimate scenes in young adult.  There is a fine line between acceptable reality and explicit. 

So, the questions remain:

·         Should there be a panel of people whom decide the ‘grade’ of content in a book? 

·         If so, who should decide these levels and make the decisions?

I’m not 100% behind the idea of a panel determining labels and slapping them on a book.  To me it’s the author’s responsibility to provide content warnings – if necessary.  And most importantly parents need to be aware of what their children/teens are reading.  There have been too many books banned because some panel or board member somewhere had deemed it unfit for public and/or school libraries.

If a book has become popular in your child’s age range, then be proactive. Check into the book, research it, read it, find out if it’s something you believe your child will be comfortable with.  If it’s a book about a sensitive nature – teen suicide, pregnancy, etc.  Definitely read it and let your child know you are there to answer any questions or talk about the subject.

As a mother, a parent, I understand the need to filter the world where children are concerned and I believe that a parent should play an active role in their child’s reading.  Know the books your child reads – end of story. 

Will my 9 year old daughter be reading my series anytime soon?  Probably not.  She isn’t yet in the young adult range and even as she enters it, I will monitor her maturity level in order to understand the aspects of the book she reads. 

The Young Adult time in life is not all rainbows, sunshine, virgins, and good girls and boys.  In my opinion, the genre should reflect the reality for the world in which it is set.

Where do you draw the line between appropriate and inappropriate?  Have you recently read a YA book lately that has gone too far or held back too much?

Thank You Pimpin’ Reads for hosting me on your blog today!

Saewod Tice

www.saewod.webs.com

www.thechroniclesof2020.webs.com

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Amongst the Ruins, The Chronicles of 2020, Book 1

                         

Available at: 

Noble Young Adult www.nobleyoungadult.com/Books/329

Amazon www.amazon.com/Amongst-Ruins-Chronicles-2020-ebook/dp/B005OZIIVE/ref=pd_rhf_p_t_3