Here are the people that sent the scavenger hunt answers in and blogged.
Tina
Laura K.
Cathy M.
Sue Ahn
Caffey
Deb N.
Eva
Larena
Cheryl M.
From random.org, I got the number 5. So caffey is the winner of Trio. Congrats!
Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:
5
Timestamp: 2008-07-08 13:02:55 UTC
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Monday, July 07, 2008
Scavenger Hunt for Devyn Quinn
Please send all answers to amysmithblog@yahoo.com . To enter, you must do the hunt and comment on the posts today. The winner will have one week to contact me with their address. If they haven't contacted within a week, I will choose another winner. Winner agrees that they are over the age of 18 when entering the contest. All answers can be found at http://www.devynquinn.com
1. Where will Devyn be guest blogging on July 21?
2. What did Devyn say she was reading for July?
3. How many animals does Devyn have?
4. How many Outstanding Read Award has Devyn won for her books?
5. What is the title of Devyn's story in Sexy Beast VI?
Winner will be announced tomorrow morning.
1. Where will Devyn be guest blogging on July 21?
2. What did Devyn say she was reading for July?
3. How many animals does Devyn have?
4. How many Outstanding Read Award has Devyn won for her books?
5. What is the title of Devyn's story in Sexy Beast VI?
Winner will be announced tomorrow morning.
Trio Excerpt
Present day
Prologue
Angelino DiMarco stretched out on his expensive leather couch like a panther under a scorching desert sun. Scotch on the rocks in one tanned hand, immaculate white shirt unbuttoned to the waist, he was the image of idle wealth. By the icy glint in his eyes Lara knew trouble when she saw it.
DiMarco smiled, a baring of teeth more akin to hungry piranha than actual affection. “So you got something for me?”
Shaking her head, Lara returned the show of teeth. “You know I haven’t got the money, Angie. You ain’t the only one Donnie fucked over. I worked to earn most of the money he gambled away.”
“Is that so?”
She shrugged. “Yeah.”
Focused on her tits, DiMarco grinned in a way that said he wasn’t feeling sorry for her at all. His gaze didn’t just strip away her clothing, it tore them to shreds and tossed the remains. “That’s too bad for you, babe.”
Throat tightening with embarrassment, Lara flushed hot all over. Dressed in a midriff baring baby tee, the material clung to her ample breasts, outlining her nipples. The pink tips were on prominent display through the sheer fabric. A faded denim skirt hugged her rear, showing her legs to their best advantage in thigh high leather boots. She might as well have been naked.
DiMarco swirled the amber liquid in his glass. “We gotta do something about that.”
Lara took a shallow breath and eyed the swarthy Italian. His words didn’t hold a single note of reassurance. “W-we do?”
DiMarco sipped and ogled. Lean and sinewy, his tan was an expensive fake, his muscles sculpted in a private gym. A man with money to burn, he clearly hadn’t seen a hard day’s work in his whole life. The office around him stank with stale cigarette smoke, alcohol and the sweat of sex, lots of sex.
“Don’t play stupid. Donnie skipped town owing me over a hundred thousand.” DiMarco’s keen gaze seemed to slice her to the skin. “Since you were married to him, you get to stand up and take the screwing he tried to give me.” He downed the last of his drink. Ice clinked when he set the glass aside. “You get what I’m saying, sugar?”
Stomach twisting into knots, Lara gave a single nod. “Yeah, I get what you’re saying.” Payback. DiMarco wanted it. In full. No doubt about it. She was screwed with a capital S.
She closed her eyes for a moment in sheer frustration. Shit. Shit. Shit. How did she always manage to get herself caught between the rocks and the hard places in life?
DiMarco’s voice broke into her thoughts, all low and smooth. “I’m willing to give you a chance to make things right. I think you and I can come to some sort of an, ah, arrangement where your physical assets are concerned.”
The ground beneath her feet crumbled away. In other words he wanted to fuck her.
No surprise there. DiMarco had sniffed around her like a coon hound since the day he’d laid eyes on her. With Donnie out of work and not a dime between them, she’d had to go back to stripping to make the rent.
She risked a quick a glance over her shoulder, toward the sole avenue of escape. Playing cards around a table, DiMarco’s bodyguards were situated perilously close to the door. There were two brawny men, neither looking very bright or alert. Not quite into their game, both smirked like cats eating canaries. They’d obviously watched their boss fuck a lot of women.
And by the glint in their eyes they expected a turn as well.
Using her body to get out of this jam wasn’t something she wanted to do. Still it was preferable to the possible alternative: a trip to the desert to feed the coyotes.
Gritting her teeth, Lara lifted her chin. “I guess I’ll do whatever you want.”
DiMarco nodded his approval. “Good girl.” Brown gaze smoldering with anticipation her got up. “You and I understand each other fine.” His wolfish grin widened. He sauntered over. “Let’s see what we have here. Turn around.”
“Why?” The question popped out.
Wrong thing to say.
DiMarco’s hand shot out catching her by the chin.
Lara bit back a cry of pain.
DiMarco’s grip tightened. “You’ll do what I say when I say.” He let her go. “Now turn the fuck around.”
Revolted by how eager she was to obey, Lara forced herself to stay calm. “Whatever you want, boss.” Prickles going up and down her spine, she slowly pivoted on one spike heel.
DiMarco stepped behind her, giving her rear a hard squeeze. “Bend over and put your hands on my desk.”
She bent, spreading her fingers along the smooth mahogany. The solidity of the wood under her hands helped steady her stance. The heels under her feet wobbled. Her knees were trembling so hard she could barely make her legs support her weight.
He grunted. “I bet that asshole of yours is virgin.” One booted foot went between hers, urging her to spread. Wider.
Clenching her eyes tight, Lara sucked in a sharp breath. She tensed, waiting. It’s only sex. Like it or not, her body was the only commodity she had of value. Might as well start using her physical assets to get ahead. She’d had enough hard knocks to last a lifetime.
Big hands followed, cupping her ass cheeks. “I think you and I can do some business here.” His fingers dug in painfully, tightening like a vise. A burning iron stabbed from the place he touched straight to the center of her gut. Her nipples tingled in response. Hands clenching against the wood her breathing grew shallow.
Using just the tips of his fingers, DiMarco eased up her skirt. The flat of his palm unexpectedly connected with her ass. Hard. “Sexy.”
Lara gritted her teeth. “Damn, that hurt.”
“It was supposed to.” He chuckled, sounding obscene and amused at the same time. “Good, tight ass. No flab, no droop. You keep yourself in nice shape.”
“Thanks.” She winced when he pinched again. “I think.”
DiMarco swept her t-shirt up to her neck. “Nice tats.” He ran his hands over her exposed skin, fingers tracing the lines. “I like it.” Warm palms slid down her sides. “Very dark and sensual.”
“Thanks.” Etched in ink from shoulders to ass was a female grim reaper in all her dark glory. Skulls littered the ground around the reaper’s feet. The head of a recent victim dangled from one hand. Lara’s arms, ass, abdomen and ankles were also decorated with a wickedly gothic motif. With her long spiky black shag and heavily lined silvery-gray eyes, she knew her personal style was a tad on the extreme side.
DiMarco reached around to cup her breasts. Capturing the tips, he pinched.
A hot tingle brought the blood rushing to Lara’s nipples. A soft gasp escaped. Electric heat traveled straight to her core. Acutely aware of her pulsing clit, she couldn’t hold back a shiver.
Fingers clenching at her thighs, DiMarco pressed his hips against hers. Only clothing separated their bodies. “You like that?” He laughed softly from behind. “The way you strut that stage tells me you’re a woman who enjoys a good fuck.”
Closing her eyes, Lara felt her inner muscles coil in violent reaction. Skin covered in a fine sheen of sweat, her whole body vibrated with need. The silky dampness of her panties clung. A mental image jolted her—of DiMarco naked in bed with her, their limbs entwined and his cock sheathed deep inside her.
Yeah, she liked sex. Definitely and completely.
DiMarco’s exploring hands traveled down her flat abdomen. One palm slid over her Venus mound, cupping her intimately. He wiggled a finger into her panties, parting her labia and stabbing into her warmth. “I knew you’d be wet.”
Lara gasped. “Oh, God!” Racing electric shocks went all the way to her toes. Carnal appetite spontaneously combusted, then blazed with an all consuming heat. The delicious sensations his touch incited ran riot over her senses, delivering an unwelcome jab to her libido. Unable to stop herself, she gyrated her hips with a smooth and silent urgency. She couldn’t stop the needs of her traitorous body, hijacking her control.
“You’re one hot bitch.” DiMarco’s fingertip waltzed slow circles around her clit. “You want more, don’t you?”
Lara ran her tongue over dry lips trying to distract her thoughts. No good. His touch was becoming more than she could bear, and the idea that she might enjoy being sexually dominated bothered her. Yet the same time something deep inside her psyche took pleasure in entertaining the forbidden thought.
“Please, Angie, not like this,” she finally managed to gasp out.
To her relief his hand slipped away. She heard him step back. “Turn around.”
Thank heavens. Knees trembling, Lara slowly pivoted around to face him.
Smiling, DiMarco lifted his wet fingers to his mouth. Licked. “Mmm. I always knew you were hot to trot, babe. I’ll make a shitload selling off this sweet ass of yours.
It took a moment for his words to sink in. When they did, dismay filled her. “I-I thought we…” Her words trailed away.
He laughed and tweaked a nipple. “You thought I wanted you?”
She nodded stupidly. “Yeah, I did.”
DiMarco gave a vigorous shake of his head. “Nah. You’re just a piece of meat to me. Donnie didn’t know what to do with you, but I do. You’re tight, virgin quality. Selling that hungry twat of yours for a couple of years will pay me back just fine.” He tweaked her nipple again and winked. “I never dip a wick in my ladies. Business, you know. Just business. All I want from you is cold hard cash, babe.”
Lara froze. Hearing his words, shame incinerated her. “I’m not a whore,” she spluttered, shocked. What the hell had she been thinking? She felt dirty, used and deceived by her own desperation.
DiMarco’s brows shot up with unholy amusement. “You’re already stripping to the skin on stage,” he pointed out. “Spreading your legs is just the next step.” He reached out, stroking her cheek with damp fingers. “That body of yours is all sin. The way that nice tight pussy of yours responds to a man’s touch is like a firecracker going off.”
Squelching the violent desire to kick him in the nuts, Lara tugged down her t-shirt and skirt. She clenched her fists until her fingernails dug painfully into her palms. “I won’t do it! Hell will freeze before I whore myself for an asshole like you.”
The second Lara said the words, she knew she was in trouble. The shit had just gone from hip deep to neck deep and was about to close over her head.
DiMarco clamped his mouth into a thin line, anger tightening his jaw. “What did you say?”
She clarified. “I said eat shit, Angie! I won’t do it.” The words popped out before she thought about the consequences.
“Bitch!” Without warning DiMarco struck her backhanded.
Senses going haywire, Lara reeled back against the desk. Fiery lights danced in front of her eyes, blurring her vision. Cold shock flooded her veins. Her lip split, giving her a taste of her own blood.
Her hand automatically rose, palm pressing against her swelling cheek. “Please, Angie,” she hastened to say. “Don’t….”
DiMarco towered in front of her looking ten feet tall and bulletproof. He fumbled for his belt buckle. “I think laying this across your ass will help you remember your place a bit better.”
Heart tripping in her chest, she eyed the belt. “I didn’t mean any disrespect.”
DiMarco ignored her. He folded his belt and smacked it against his palm. The crack of leather against flesh sounded ominously like a gunshot. “You better listen real well, baby doll. I want every goddamned cent that no good bastard owes me. I don’t give a shit how you get the cash. Robbing a bank or sucking a dick, it makes no difference. Just get the money.”
As if that miracle would occur.
Lara felt limp and lifeless. Hopeless. No place to run. No place to hide. She’d just hit shit creek and there was no paddle in sight.
Suddenly aware no miracle escape would present itself, she realized she was about to pay.
Painfully.
Devyn Quinn Interview
Can you tell us more about yourself?
DQ: LOL, telling more about myself would bore readers to tears, but here goes: I was born forty some-odd years ago on the Texas plains in a rural town called Muleshoe. It could be described as a whole lot of nothing going nowhere. The only time you come through Muleshoe is when you’re on your way to somewhere else. Needless to say, I scooted myself outta that place as soon as possible. I’ve had the good fortune to live in states such as Arkansas (hubby number 2’s home state), New Mexico and Washington (state), as well as travel through Europe in the late 80’s (hubby #1 was from England). I’ve been single for almost ten years and I am loving not being tied down!! I have my pets, my career and now live near my elderly parents, to help out as my dad battles lung cancer.
When did you realize you wanted to become a writer?
DQ: I knew from a very early age that I wanted to be a writer. In fact from the day I learned to read, I just knew I wanted to share the world alive in my own mind. From the first grade on it was an ambition of mine to write and I spent years jotting stories in notebooks. I began to seriously write during my first marriage, but never submitted any of my work. I wrote more during my second marriage, but again, nothing really happened except that I collected a lot of rejection slips. In the late 90’s e-publishing was beginning to emerge and I began to publish and build a name for myself in the gothic and erotic genres. It wasn’t until 2005 that I managed to make my first sale to NY and land my first agent. I’m thrilled that I am now 11 books into my NY career and hoping the future brings many more.
Do you outline your stories or do you just write as you go?
DQ: I do a little of both. I usually have a rough idea of what the story will be about, how it will begin and how it should end. As to what the middle is, well, that is a question that is answered as I write. My characters have a way of assuming control and doing the complete opposite of what I have planned for them. It is a fascinating journey to make and one I enjoy sharing with my readers.
What is your favorite part of a book to write?
DQ: I love writing “The End”. That means I have successfully finished another book.
Do you feel as if the characters live with you as you write? Do they haunt your dreams?
DQ: When I am in the middle of writing a book, I find that I eat, live and breathe the characters. I often find myself jumping awake at night and grabbing a pen and pad to jot down what the characters have done in my mind when I’m laying there just snoozing in bed.
How do you know what to name your books or the characters?
DQ: Sometimes I know the names of the characters and the title of a book right away. Other times I struggle until the correct names reveals itself. My character have to be real to me to make them real to readers, so having a name they’re willing to answer to is very important, LOL. I use name site and sometimes even the phone book to find name combinations. As for titles, my editor had final control over those. Some titles have changed from what I’ve suggested. Others have stayed the same.
How many hours a day do you spend writing?
DQ: I do 2k a day. Sometimes that 2k takes a few hours. Some times it takes ten hours. I am planted in front of the computer until those ten pages are done. Once I reach that goal, I can save the file and go do something else. I find that to be a reasonable daily goal and I can finish a book in 45 days if I keep going steady. When I am deep into a scene I sometimes do more, though never less than that.
What book is currently on your nightstand?
DQ: Currently it is Call Me Miss Ross by Randy Taraborelli. Next is a biography of George Washington. Then I have Kate Douglas’ Wolf Tales 6 to read.
Who are some of your favorite authors?
DQ: I have so many that it’s almost impossible to name them, but I’ll give a few. The early Stephen King is always a favorite, as is John Grisham’s legal thrillers. I also enjoy Jeff Rice, Richard Matheson, and Ray Bradbury. It’s fair to say that I don’t read much fiction, especially in my own genre, but Kate Douglas, Morgan Hawke and Jodi Copeland are some of my favorite erotica writers.
Would you like to share your website so readers can visit you?
Devyn will be giving away a book later today. Keep checking back for the excerpt and the scavenger hunt.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Jaded by Karin Tabke
Jaded
June 2008
It takes more than a red-hot body and stunning sex appeal to manage a club like Callahan's successfully. Jade Devereaux hides whip-sharp smarts and cold calculation behind her sleek façade, and she's come a long way from the frightened teenage girl who was once prey to a brutal man. Now, in the cat-and-mouse game of sexual escapades, Jade makes sure that the men are her prey.
When a wealthy businessman is viciously murdered mere yards from Callahan's, cynical cop Jase Vaughn turns to the exclusive private club for answers. Luscious Jade Devereaux sends his masculine desires into overdrive the moment he sees her, but he has plenty of experience with both women and crime suspects, and he can tell Jade has secrets to hide—secrets that are somehow connected to this twisted killing.
Jase is determined to strip away the pretense and expose the real Jade Devereaux, even if that means getting closer to her than the love-them-and-leave-them playboy has ever been to a woman. If she's guilty, Jase has sworn to see her behind bars. If she's innocent, then she could be the killer's next victim. But whether Jade is guilty or innocent, Jase realizes to his dismay that they are both falling victim to something neither has ever known—the power of love.
Read an excerptSunday, April 13, 2008
Enter The Duke of Shadows Sweepstakes
Follow this link to enter the contest! Here is a look at the prizes.
- Grand Prize: $25 gift card from Barnes and Noble
- First prize: $15 gift certificate from Amazon (or online bookstore of your choice)
- Runners up: Five more winners will receive a copy of The Duke of Shadows
Friday, March 14, 2008
The Long and the Short of It has traveled to the end of the rainbow and come back with a "pot of gold" for you…and for a reader, what could be the best gold but FREE books? And, even better, free books you get to choose yourself.We are giving away free gift certificates/free books graciously donated by some very exciting ePublishers and eBook sites.To enter, all you have to do is blog about this contest, or include our contest banner (below) on your site, and then sign the Mr. Linky telling us where to find it. Please include the links to the wonderful sites listed below, without whom we would not be able to have this contest.
♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ One (1) Grand Prize! ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣
*All Romance Ebooks donated - One Free Download*Black Lyon Ebooks donated - One Free Download*Linden Bay Romance donated - One Free Download*Tease Publishing donated - $10 worth of free books*The Wild Rose Press donated - Two (2) $5 Gift Certificates*Writer's Exchange donated - $10 Gift Certificate*The Long and the Short of It donated - a $10 Gift Certificate from Amazon.Two (2) Second Place PrizesDonated by The Long and the Short of It:$5 Gift Certificate from Amazon.com$5 Gift Certificate from Samhain Publishing$5 Gift Certificate from Fictionwise♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣
Remember, it's simple to enter. Just tell people about us! Blog about us, post it on your website... put up one of these banners and this link to the home page. And then, sign our Mr. Linky to let us know. The banner must be posted through the end of the contest to be eligible for the drawing.Entries must be received between March 1, 2008 - March 17, 2008. Drawing held on March 18, 2008. Good luck!
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Kick-Butt Contest
Your Result: Doctor
You always liked science, never thought it would wind up shipping you off to the stars. Your parents wanted you to get a good job at a cushy private hospital, but nooo, you had to have a touch of adventure and see uncharted planets along the way. You want to help people, but you often feel like you're more of a combat medic than a true doctor these days. Your crew can't seem to stay out of trouble, and it irks you, the way they assume you'll be able to clean up any mess they make. Lucky for them you're the patient type.
Contest Info is here at Ann's Blog.
Monday, February 04, 2008
Riding Wild by Jaci Burton
Riding Wild by Jaci Burton
Lily West is a Private Investigator hired to check the security at a museum. Mac Canfield is a thief and the man that left Lily ten years ago. Mac's was sent to the museum to do a very important heist. When Lily tried to stop him, Mac knew he had to take Lily with him. It was a wild ride on the back of Mac's Harley. Mac had to meet his contact and Lily was hoping to find what Mac had taken from the museum before he could get in touch with his contact. Lily didn't trust Mac because she still thought he was a thief but what she didn't know was that Mac worked for a very secret government job, called the Wild Riders. Mac has to get Lily to trust him again. Lily realizes that what Mac really stole was her heart.
This was very good. I loved the action, adventure, and the romance in this book. I would love to read more about the Wild Riders and I hope all of them get their own story.
Here is a copy of the blurb.
He's a Harley-riding ex-thief working undercover for the government. She's a gun-toting ex-socialite hired to protect a valuable museum exhibit. But in her attempt to stop a heist, she never anticipated having her breath and her heart stolen...
Mac Canfield was the last man Lily West expected to see again, never mind aim her gun at. But here he was, the bad boy who'd broken her heart years ago-still a thief, this time high-jacking a priceless artifact--and it was all she could do to push aside the memories of how it felt to have his perfectly chiseled body next to hers.
Mac was no less shocked to see the beautiful girl-next-door all grown up, threatening to shoot him on the spot. Little did she know she was blowing his cover-and now he had to figure out how to get her out of harm's way without succumbing to his crazy desire to take her on a hot trip down memory lane.
Unfortunately, Lily has no intention of going anywhere with Mac. Which means he has to resort to kidnapping. Unless, of course, she agrees to let him take her for the kind of ride destined to drive them both unbelievably wild...
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