Tag Archives: decadent publishing

Lost in Love (in Space) by Catherine Peace (@lexcade)

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tourbutton_gemini

It finally happened. You’ve fallen in love. He’s a great guy, she’s a great girl. You’ve got the whole universe at your feet.

Or so you think.

The universe is a dangerous place, especially for young love.

As Shadi and Uri learn in Gemini, there are a lot of dangers to face. From slavers to giant cat bounty hunters to having to come face-to-face with Shadi’s past, twists and turns threaten their relationship, and they’re not the only ones.

  • Han Solo and Princess Leia had quite a few bumps in their road to happiness. By the end scene in Return of the Jedi, they’d met, fallen in hate, fallen in some kind of lust, fallen in love. Han had been chased by bounty hunters and frozen in carbonite. Leia had been taken captive by Boba Fett, learned that she had a twin brother, and that her life with her adoptive family wasn’t what she thought it was. Throw in a war between the rebels and the Empire, and, well…. It’s a miracle those two made it at all.
  • Zoe and Wash from Firefly—“I am a leaf in the wind…” Let’s just leave it there, shall we?
  • Shepard and Steve Cortez/Thane Krios from Mass Effect—So there’s 80 billion ways a romance can play out in the Mass Effect series. Across all three games Shepard has somewhere around 16 love interests across both genders. I made the mistake of booting up ME3 without importing my ME2 game because I wanted to play it nao, dammit. Well. Then I romanced Steve Cortez with my MaleShep (whom I’d intended to romance Tali with, but Steve stole my heart). Cortez lost his husband in a colony attack, and I thought, Shepard is the protag, Shepard is the hero, he’ll be fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine. Yeah, no. I was furious about the terrible ending I got, not because *SPOILER ALERT* Shepard bit it, but because of what that meant for Cortez. And I may have cried ugly tears.In the same vein, Thane Krios is a saaaaaaaaaaaad saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad romance for FemShep. When she meets him, he’s already dying, but his calm demeanor and quiet love bring her comfort during the suicide mission of ME2. Once ME3 rolls around, she learns that Thane is weak and living at Huerta Memorial hospital. The part where he dies is GUT WRENCHING. Even when you’ve not romanced Thane, it hurts. But damn, guys. My heart still hasn’t recovered.
  • Max and Logan from Dark Angel – Number One, Jessica Alba and Michael Weatherly. Number Two, this show was awesome and needs to come back. Number 3, young Michael Weatherly is glorious. *Ahem* Sorry. Got off on a tangent there. For me, Max and Logan were the best when it came to romance. Even as a pre-teen, I fell in love with Logan’s puppy dog eyed stares and the way he took care of Max. And Max? Is AWESOME. They’re never explicitly a couple, but like the others on this list, they have their share of ups and downs. On the run from a government facility, Max starts running errands for Logan. He ends up shot in the spine and paralyzed, and she has to deal with a loooooooot from her past. The show was cancelled before we really got the Max/Logan pairing we all wanted, but that’s what fanfiction is for, right?

Tell me about your favorite science fiction couples! I know I left a LOT of them off this list!

CP_BeyondFairytales_Gemini_200x300Blurb

Being one of the Embassy’s glorified treasure-seekers has its perks… 
Komandan Uriah Jacobs recovers ancient artifacts in exchange for more than just decent pay; he also receives guaranteed protection from his former owners, the nyx…until an emergency landing on a too-familiar colony brings him face-to-face with his past life and something more—a surprisingly priceless treasure in the form of a human woman.

A slave to the nyx since childhood… 
Shadi spends her waking hours in the forge, dreaming of rescuing her brother with the help of a man she once worshipped like a father. A crashed ship on the colony becomes her only hope to escape. But before she can steal the ship, the pilot abducts her. They may be the same species, but will he help her find her Shilah?

Their attraction is undeniable… 
Fighting it seems inconsequential as they evade the nyx’s bounty hunter and uncover a conspiracy that shines unwanted light on Shadi’s past and reveals the corruption in Uri’s beloved Embassy, placing their fledgling love in danger.

As the universe systematically falls apart, will Shadi and Uri’s newfound passion be enough to keep them alive?

 

Buy links

Amazon | Barnes & Noble| ARe | iTunes | Kobo | Google Play

 

Author bio

Catherine Peace has been telling stories for as long as she could remember. She often blames two things for her forays into speculative fiction—Syfy (when it was SciFi) channel Sundays with her dad and The Island of Dr. Moreau by HG Wells. She graduated in 2008 from Northern Kentucky University with a degree in English and is still chasing the dream of being super rich and famous, mostly so she can sit around in her PJs all day and write stories. When not being a slave to the people in her head, she’s a slave to two adorable dogs.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads

 

GIVEAWAY!

Make sure to follow the whole tour—the more posts you visit throughout, the more chances you’ll get to enter the giveaway. The tour dates are here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Digging Deep by Louisa Bacio (@louisabacio)

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louisabacio_tourbuttonSebastian Cox, the hero of The Big One, is a tortured soul. Like most creative types, he pours his sorrows into his music. By nature, I don’t plot out my stories. I let the elements come to me as they’re being written. Without giving too much away, Sebastian’s backstory gave me chills.

According to Ghosts and Gravestones of Savannah, Georgia, “Few things terrified the Victorian public more than being buried alive. Accidental burials in the 1800s were often the result of limited understanding of comas and high fevers where victims would appear to be lifeless and were quickly buried by mistake” (p. 87). When surveyed, most people rate being “buried alive” as one of the worst ways to die.

Being trapped in an underground bunker during an earthquake feeds off those fears. When I first started writing The Big One, I thought, “There doesn’t have to be a reason why Sebastian doesn’t like being underground, it’s natural.” Plenty of people feel that way, right? I mean research shows it.

But in fiction, that backstory can make it all the more poignant. When all the pieces came together, it totally resonated and clicked. Readers will probably be amazed that the connections were not planned out, and therein – to me – lies the beauty of not plotting. When it all comes together, it feels like magic.

Tell me: What are some other common fears humanity shares?

Thanks so much for hosting me!

 

Excerpt

“You want out of here? Fine, go for it.” Kayla pointed toward the doorway. “Be my guest and try to break the lock. If you succeed, I make no promises to your safety out there. We don’t know what’s happening. Maybe this was a minor shaker, or maybe the real thing, but what’s it going to hurt to sit tight and figure it out?”

“You plan on helping me pass the time in a more enjoyable manner?” He wagged his eyebrows at her, and despite herself, and her promise to have a strong will, a flutter started low in her belly. She couldn’t be attracted to him. He was such a neophyte. People like him never understood her.

“You watch yourself there.” She turned around and stalked to the other side of the room. Okay, given they were in such a small space, there wasn’t any getting away from him at the moment. He—and people like him—made her so mad.

“What about being optimistic?” he asked. “Thinking about the best in people. Self-fulfilling prophecies and life affirmations?”

“You can be positive all you want, and it’s not going to fill up your tank of gas. Having money, in smaller bills, hidden in case the banks crash and your ATM card doesn’t work—that’s being prepared. Just because I believe in reserving some supplies doesn’t mean I willed all this to happen. It did, and I’m ready for it.”

“‘Reserving?’ Is that what they’re calling it nowadays? I thought it was more akin to hoarding.”

Hoarding? He really didn’t get it. His comment hung in the air, and she did her best to ignore it. No matter what she said, the scorn from nonbelievers hurt. She grew up with her father being harassed by family members. It was only a matter of time before it was her turn. And her sister? Well, forget about telling her anything about being prepared. Maybe as destruction hit and a certain segment of the population was taken out, they’d be all gone. All that would be left would be those who’d taken the necessary precautions.

A wave of dizziness at the implications hit her, and she sat back down.

Right. As if life worked like that.

 

The Big OneBlurb:

The last thing marketing assistant Kayla Morgan expects to do on a Friday morning is give a tour of her emergency shelter to a flighty rock star. When her boss orders her to play nice, she acquiesces.

Sebastian Cox, lead singer of The U.K. Underground, finds the American bird with the bunker in her backyard more than wacky, but the band’s looking for a location to shoot their latest video.

When an earthquake strikes, the unlikely couple gets trapped and finds a few ways to keep themselves busy. Once reality sets in, will their differences leave them on shaky ground?

Available via Amazon, Decadent Publishing, ARe, Barnes & Noble and other eRetailers.

 

About Louisa Bacio

A Southern California native, Louisa Bacio can’t imagine living far away from the ocean. The multi-published author of erotic romance enjoys writing within all realms – from short stories to full-length novels.

Bacio shares her household with a supportive husband, two daughters growing “too fast,” and a multitude pet craziness: Two dogs, five fish tanks, an aviary, hamsters, rabbits and hermit crabs. In her other life, she teaches college classes in English, journalism and popular culture.

Visit her online at: http://www.louisabacio.com, http://www.facebook.com/louisabacio

and http://www.twitter.com/louisabacio

 

Contest:

1) 3-book bundle of 1Night Stand titles: A Date with Death, A Dance with Death and A Duel with Death.

2) $15 gift card to Amazon

3) Grand prize: Emergency kit and swag pack (shipping to U.S. only).

Contest ends: Aug. 11

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Big One – M/F Erotic Romance by Louisa Bacio

Guest Blogger, , , , , ,

The Big OneBlurb:

The last thing marketing assistant Kayla Morgan expects to do on a Friday morning is give a tour of her emergency shelter to a flighty rock star. When her boss orders her to play nice, she acquiesces.

Sebastian Cox, lead singer of The U.K. Underground, finds the American bird with the bunker in her backyard more than wacky, but the band’s looking for a location to shoot their latest video.

When an earthquake strikes, the unlikely couple gets trapped and finds a few ways to keep themselves busy. Once reality sets in, will their differences leave them on shaky ground?

Available via Amazon, Amazon UK, Decadent Publishing, ARe, Barnes & Noble and other eRetailers.

 

Excerpt:

“You want out of here? Fine, go for it.” Kayla pointed toward the doorway. “Be my guest and try to break the lock. If you succeed, I make no promises to your safety out there. We don’t know what’s happening. Maybe this was a minor shaker, or maybe the real thing, but what’s it going to hurt to sit tight and figure it out?”

“You plan on helping me pass the time in a more enjoyable manner?” He wagged his eyebrows at her, and despite herself, and her promise to have a strong will, a flutter started low in her belly. She couldn’t be attracted to him. He was such a neophyte. People like him never understood her.

“You watch yourself there.” She turned around and stalked to the other side of the room. Okay, given they were in such a small space, there wasn’t any getting away from him at the moment. He—and people like him—made her so mad.

“What about being optimistic?” he asked. “Thinking about the best in people. Self-fulfilling prophecies and life affirmations?”

“You can be positive all you want, and it’s not going to fill up your tank of gas. Having money, in smaller bills, hidden in case the banks crash and your ATM card doesn’t work—that’s being prepared. Just because I believe in reserving some supplies doesn’t mean I willed all this to happen. It did, and I’m ready for it.”

“‘Reserving?’ Is that what they’re calling it nowadays? I thought it was more akin to hoarding.”

Hoarding? He really didn’t get it. His comment hung in the air, and she did her best to ignore it. No matter what she said, the scorn from nonbelievers hurt. She grew up with her father being harassed by family members. It was only a matter of time before it was her turn. And her sister? Well, forget about telling her anything about being prepared. Maybe as destruction hit and a certain segment of the population was taken out, they’d be all gone. All that would be left would be those who’d taken the necessary precautions.

A wave of dizziness at the implications hit her, and she sat back down.

Right. As if life worked like that.

 

About Louisa Bacio

A Southern California native, Louisa Bacio can’t imagine living far away from the ocean. The multi-published author of erotic romance enjoys writing within all realms – from short stories to full-length novels.

Bacio shares her household with a supportive husband, two daughters growing “too fast,” and a multitude pet craziness: Two dogs, five fish tanks, an aviary, hamsters, rabbits and hermit crabs. In her other life, she teaches college classes in English, journalism and popular culture.

Visit her online at: http://www.louisabacio.com, http://www.facebook.com/louisabacio

and http://www.twitter.com/louisabacio

 

Calendar Men: Mr June – The Other Brother by Lucy Felthouse (@cw1985) #erotica #romance

New Releases, , , , , , , , ,

The Other BrotherPhotographer Melodie Carr moved to New York City to escape and make a fresh start. Her soldier fiancé was killed in a friendly-fire incident in Iraq, and she has been struggling to come to terms with it ever since. She still feels strongly about needless death and those left behind, so when she sees a call for photographs for a calendar of topless men, with profits going to the Hero Family Fund, she’s eager to help out. Unfortunately, she doesn’t know any men that fit the profile, so she gives up on the idea. That is, until Patrick Brogan—her late fiance’s brother—turns up in New York. Seeing him brings up all kinds of memories, but she’s determined to push them aside and be friends with Patrick. She also realizes he’d be perfect for the calendar. But can she persuade him to take part?

Buy links: http://lucyfelthouse.co.uk/published-works/calendar-men-mr-june-the-other-brother/

Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20554243-the-other-brother

Calendar Men freebies: http://calendar-men.blogspot.co.uk/p/desktop-calendars.html

*****

Excerpt:

Melodie Carr reluctantly clicked delete on the e-mail with a disappointed sigh. She couldn’t contribute to the charity calendar for the Hero Family Fund, a cause very close to her heart, because she didn’t know anyone suitable to photograph. Although her photography work varied—from children to pets, landscapes to portraits, she’d done a bit of everything—she got the impression the call for calendar models sought hunky guys to create a collection to make women swoon. Unfortunately, she didn’t work with professional models and therefore had to give up on the idea. A cute dog, something she had plenty of images of, simply wouldn’t cut it.

She might not be able to contribute, but resolved to find out when the calendar would be available and do her bit to help by buying a few copies. Some eye candy on her wall would definitely not go amiss, and her friends Poppy, Lola and Charis, and her grandmother, Joyce, would no doubt appreciate it. She grinned. Joyce, always good fun, said, there’s no such thing as too much eye candy. The saucy old broad.

Her smile faded. She missed her, having not been back to Boston to see her friends and family for a while. She should ask Joyce to come and visit her in New York—she hadn’t traveled much, and would love the hustle and bustle, the endless opportunities to people watch. Maybe Melodie and the rest of the family could buy her a ticket for her birthday. She’d have to give it some thought. It sure would be nice see a familiar face, other than via Skype.

Someone pressed the buzzer to her apartment and she sighed again. It was probably a delivery driver trying to get into the building. It wouldn’t even be a package for her.

Taking her time getting to the intercom, she hoped whoever it was would go away. No such luck—the buzzer squawked again. She inhaled deeply, trying to rein in her annoyance and avoid being rude or abrupt.

“Hello?”

“Hi,” a male voice said. “Are you Melodie? Melodie Carr?”

“I am.” A caller looking for her? Had she ordered something and forgotten about it? “Who’s calling?”

“It’s Patrick,” the voice replied. “Patrick Brogan.”

“Patrick….” Speechless, she laid a hand on the wall to steady herself as the bottom dropped out of her world. Evidently, running to New York—albeit under the pretense of a good career move—hadn’t been enough. Her past still followed her, still tried to flood her with reminders of what she’d lost.

“Melodie?”

Damn, the man’s persistent. She never should have admitted her identity before asking his. She could have told him he’d gotten the wrong place and sent him away.

*****

Author Bio:

Lucy Felthouse is a very busy woman! She writes erotica and erotic romance in a variety of subgenres and pairings, and has over 100 publications to her name, with many more in the pipeline. These include several editions of Best Bondage Erotica, Best Women’s Erotica 2013 and Best Erotic Romance 2014. Another string to her bow is editing, and she has edited and co-edited a number of anthologies, and also edits for a small publishing house. She owns Erotica For All, is book editor for Cliterati, and is one eighth of The Brit Babes. Find out more at http://www.lucyfelthouse.co.uk. Join her on Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to her newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/gMQb9

Exposing Ellen by Skylar Kade

Guest Blogger, , , , , , ,

Exposing EllenBLURB

Ellen Porter is a stranger to the single life–as much a stranger as she is to facing her same-sex desires. The recent divorcee, desperate to prove that her attraction to women is just a phase, enlists the help of Madame Eve for one night of “getting it out of her system.”

Aimee Tran has had enough of the Los Angeles bar-hopping scene. In pursuit of a genuine romantic connection, she discovers Madame Eve and decides that maybe, just maybe, a one-night stand will tide her over until she finds The One.

Neither woman expects lust to burn down their preconceived notions—or to crave more than one desperate tryst.

BUY LINKS
Decadent Publishing
Amazon US
Amazon UK
All Romance Ebooks
Barnes & Noble

 

AUTHOR BIO

Skylar Kade, self-avowed hedonist and princess extraordinaire, started her writing career after throwing aside yet another romance she could not bring herself to finish. The run-on sentences! The purple prose! Oh, the horror of it was just too much. So she sat down to write her own tale. Her favorite part about writing is the extensive research.

She currently resides in sunny southern California, alternately cursing the polluted air and adoring the weather. Skylar spends her time asking the cabana boys to bring her more mimosas and feed her strawberries while she dreams up her next naughty adventure.

She blogs at the SkylarVerse and with the Nine Naughty Novelists.

AUTHOR LINKS

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorSkylarKade
Twitter: http://twitter.com/skylarkade
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/SkylarKade

EXCERPT

“I….” She shook her head, terrified of the eagerness building inside her. “I have no idea what I’m doing,” she eventually whispered. “I’m sorry. Contacting 1NightStand was a bad idea, not fair to you at all.” Paolo might have been right. Her broken marriage was her fault.

She moved out of the balcony doorway but gentle fingers settled on her shoulders. “Not so fast, hon.” Aimee’s voice pitched low. “It’s not like I know what I’m doing either. I’ve never called up Madame Eve before.”

Ellen stared out over the ocean, where her date’s beauty didn’t distract her and she didn’t have to see the condemnation in Aimee’s eyes. “It’s more than being new to a dating service.” She paused and swallowed around her embarrassment. Neither in her mother’s house nor her husband’s had she been encouraged to talk about intimate issues. She hadn’t even heard certain anatomical euphemisms spoken out loud until her husband’s mistress ended up in their bed. Still, she forged on—Aimee deserved an explanation. “I’ve only been with a woman once, kind of. You obviously know what you’re doing and it’s not fair to you to be stuck for a night with someone who—”

Aimee spun her around, pulled her close, and twisted her fingers through Ellen’s hair. “Am I imagining your arousal?”

Oh, Lord. Her lips parted. The other woman stood so near. Her tongue flicked across Ellen’s lips and she bit off a moan. “I—”

Aimee pressed closer until their breasts squished together. One of her legs slid between Ellen’s. “Am I imagining your little gasps of pleasure? Of desire?” She bit Ellen’s earlobe. “If I am, tell me to leave. Because, honey, right now your inexperience is turning me on.”