Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Congrats to fellow eXtasy author Kellie Kamryn!


Kellie's book, "Rebound," has been re-released by eXtasy Books! 

Here's the blurb:

An award-winning choreographer faces her biggest loss when she’s teamed up to coach with her former lover at a gymnastics camp for Olympic hopefuls.

Claire LeMay is at the top of her game—she’s head coach for a top gymnastics facility in Winnipeg, Manitoba with her gymnasts winning awards for her outstanding choreography. Now her biggest challenge is to coach alongside the man she’s avoided for three years after rejecting his offer of coaching under his command at his club in Ottawa, Ontario.

After sinking every penny of his inheritance into his state-of-the-art gymnastics facility, Justin Black has achieved his dream. But even with hundreds of members and well-trained coaches, when Claire’s presence invades his space, he realizes she’s the one thing that’s missing. Clueless about why she didn’t accept his earlier job offer, he is determined to discover why she turned him down.

Will they be a rebound romance, destined to repeat the same old routine, or can they choreograph a new one?

Excerpt:

Chin propped in her hand, Claire gazed out the window and watched the rain fall, taking slow, conscious breaths. She held up her wine glass in a toast. “Thank you for this. It was very nice of you to invite me to dinner.”

“You’re picking up the cheque.” He winked at her in jest.

She batted her eyelashes at him. “Well then, perhaps I will make sure I order the most expensive thing for dessert.”

Eying each other over the rim of their wine glasses for a moment, they both opened their mouths to speak at the same time. She gestured for him to go first.

“Why did you walk out on me?” he asked.

Caught off guard by his bluntness, she cleared her throat. “You don’t start with anything easy, do you?” She asked a frank question of her own. “In that case—why didn’t you come after me?”
He expelled a breath and dragged a hand through his hair. “Is that what you wanted?”

 “To be honest—I don’t know what I wanted. It all seems like so long ago and so childish now. I thought you loved me, and I thought you understood, but I suppose you can’t understand what I never put into words.”

Justin set his glass on the table. “I thought we had plans together, dreams together.”

She released a slow breath. “Those were your dreams, your plans—not mine.”

He appeared confused for a moment, then he nodded in understanding. “Ah, I see. Thus the things you didn’t put into words.” He sighed. “I suppose it’s fair to say we were not on the same page, and may have been in fact, in different chapter’s altogether.”

She nodded. “You always talked about your plans, what you wanted to do, how you were going to do it—and I was happy for you. But I was twenty-two, Justin, and still felt like a teenager. I didn’t know how to tell you that I wanted to be head coach of my own gym, not just live in your shadow.”

His brow crinkled in concern. “I wouldn’t have asked you to do that.”

“But I didn’t know that. And I was far too afraid of disappointing you to say anything. A habit I’m only beginning to break.” She took another sip from her wine glass, then set it on the table.” Tears filled her eyes. Anxiety squeezed her heart. What if he didn’t understand now? Did it matter? She’d managed to build a life without him up to this point.

“Are you okay?” he asked, his tone gentle.

“Yes.” She sniffed. “I consciously work through being anxious all the time.”

He frowned and stared at his cutlery. Then he fixed his gaze on her and reached across the table for her hand. “Tell me now. Tell me everything. I’m listening.”

Tears dripped down her cheeks, and she pressed her fingertips to her lips a moment. “I don’t know where to start.”

He gave her hand a squeeze. “Start with why you left. Tell me what you wanted out of life. Tell me why I lost you and if I will ever have a chance of getting you back.”


 Buy links:



For more information about Kellie and her books, please visit:

Instagram: kellie_kamryn

Wednesday, October 24, 2018

Today in The Loft: Historical romance author Kathy Otten!

Visiting me in The Loft today is Kathy Otten. Kathy is the author of three novels, multiple short stories, and novellas in a variety of genres, including historical, contemporary, and western romance, and historical fiction. She lives in the open farm country of western New York with her husband of 34 years.

Kathy
Author Kathy Otten

S:  Welcome, Kathy! Tell me, where do you do your best thinking?

K: I live in the country, quiet roads, woods with trails, Amish buggies, and tractors. I do my best thinking when I walk. On a beautiful day, like now, when it’s still warm and the sky is blue and the leaves are turning. It’s peaceful and cleanses my mind.

S: That sounds like a perfect setting to relax and let your mind flow! Do you have alternative occupation?


K:
I do have a day job. I work in a group home with men who have mental health and intellectual disabilities. I work the weekend shift which compresses 40 hours into three days. I can’t wait to retire and write full-time.

S: That sounds like a rewarding job and it sounds perfect for a writer! Complete this sentence-- “Writing is… 


K:
...more than what I do, it’s who I am.”

S: I think most writers would understand that. If you could have any animal in the universe as a pet, what would it be and why?

K: Except for a brief time when I was a kid and wanted a tiger, I have always wanted a horse. I was lucky enough to get my first horse when I was 14 and had them for 35 years. While I do miss not having them, I don’t miss being tied to chores every day. Over the years, we have had dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, fish, a hamster, horses, cows, and chickens. A few months ago, I lost my German Shepherd Max after 14 years. He was my buddy, and I’d like that back. So my choice would be another German Shepherd.


S: My condolences. Losing a beloved pet is always hard. I hope you find another German Shepherd to love!

Speaking of love, do you believe you only fall in love once?

K: All love ends in pain. People lose family members every day: A parent, brother, sister, life partner, a child. While the heartbreak of that loss can rip you in half, love is expansive. It doesn’t replace one person for another, it stretches wide to embrace new people, a new partner, a step-parent, another child. Some folks don’t find love again, and that’s okay. I think if you need it, you’ll find love again.

S: I agree with you. I think if you need love and are open to it, you will find it!

Tell me about your book, "A Place In Your Heart."


K:
Sure, here's the blurb--

Gracie McBride isn’t looking for love; she’s looking for respect. But in this man’s world of Civil War medicine, Gracie is expected to maintain her place changing beds and writing letters. Her biggest nemesis is the ward surgeon, Doctor Charles Ellard, who seems determined to woo her with arrogant kisses and terrible jokes.

Charles is an excellent surgeon. He assumed he would be well received by an army at war. He was not. Friendless and alone, he struggles to hide the panic attacks that plague him, while the only person who understands him is a feisty Irish nurse clearly resolved to keep him at a distance.

But, Charles is sent to the battlefield, and Gracie is left with a wounded soldier, a box of toys, and a mystery which can only be solved by the one man she wishes could love her, both as a woman and a nurse.


S:  Sounds fascinating. Even though this is a historical romance, it touches on some of the issues we are dealing with in today's workplace. Where can your book be purchased?

K:  It is available on Amazon. Here's the buy link:


S:  Kathy, thanks so much for joining me today! To learn more about Kathy and her books, please visit:



Next week in The Loft:  Author Caroline Clemmons!

Tuesday, October 23, 2018

Congrats to fellow eXtasy author Jo Tannah!

Jo's book, "The Hunt" has just been revised, expanded, and re-released by eXtasy Books! Part one of The Adventures of Marcus Kildud comes out Oct. 26.

Here's the blurb:

When the hunter becomes the hunted, the only thing left to do it run.

Lieutenant Marcus Kildud and his men are rangers for hire. They specialize in insertion, extraction, escape, and evasion. He answers an urgent request from the Planet Terrus' Prelate, the Lord Fulsam, whose son has disappeared and is presumed dead.

Their task is to find the ring the Prelate's son wore. The Promised compensation and bonus offered are enough to make this their team's final mission.

What they meet int he forest is something none of them have ever encountered before. Marcus now faces the unimaginable. He realizes too late that sometimes, running away may be the only option left to stay alive. (Three flames/Adventure, Gay, GLBT, Horror, Science Fiction, Suspense, Erotica)

Buy link:  http://www.extasybooks.com/978-1-4874-2041-3-the-hunt





Friday, October 19, 2018


Today in The Loft: Romance author Kryssie Fortune!


Today, British author Kryssie Fortune joins me in The Loft. The author of 15 books, Kryssie writes erotic, fantasy, and paranormal romance, including stories about muscular werewolves, arrogant Fae, and BDSM loving dragons. 

Author Kryssie Fortune

S:  Good morning, Kryssie. I have been looking through your book titles. You clearly take readers on quite an adventurous romp!

Tell me, why do you write romance?

K:  Because it’s what I read. My mum read Mills and Boon, so from the age of eleven, I did too. Of course, they were less explicit back then. My mum was so proud when Loose id accepted my first book, To Wed A Werewolf, but she said there was too much sex.

S:  Funny, I got the same reaction from my family! What would you like readers to know about you?

K:  I’m a survivor. Bionic, in fact. Seventeen years ago, I woke up with a severe pain high in my chest. Although I’d slept the night through, I was too exhausted to get out of bed. Even my GP was puzzled, but he sent me to the local Infirmary for a check-up. They kept me in hospital for four weeks of bed rest. When I was strong enough a very talented surgeon to remove my collapsed heart valve and replace it with a carbon one. My surgeon saved my life. Determined to chase my dreams, I started writing.

S:  Ahh, we have something in common! I started writing after being diagnosed with MS and a potentially fatal heart defect. Those kind of medical events tend to force us to look at the big picture and focus on what we really want out of life.

Where do you do your best thinking?

K:  Overnight, in bed. I research and worry over various plot points through the day. Usually, when I wake the next morning, I know where my story’s going.

S:  Sleep has a way of resolving those plot problems, doesn't it? Many of my story ideas are rooted in dreams I have had.

If you could live in any time period, which would it be?

K:  Since I’m fond of life’s luxuries—like indoor plumbing—I’m limited to with my choices. The 1960’s would have been fun. I was too young for them the first time around but with their great music, contraception, and fashions, I’d love it.

S:  Indoor plumbing I get, but I'm not sure I could survive without a microwave, cell phone, or computer!  Still the 60's were kind of wild and you're right, they were probably a lot of fun.  

K:  Great question. Odd answer. I was the kid who hated it because the witches always ended up dead. Forget Hansel and Gretel, the witch was minding her business until they ate her house. All she did was punish them for their vandalism. My affinity with witches was so intense that when I was five, my school questioned my mother about it. I’m convinced I was burned at the stake in a previous life.

S:  Wow. That's kind of scary thought. Tell me about your latest book, "His Innocent Bride."

K:  Sure. Here's the blurb--

Going about her mundane life in a small fishing village, Alethea never dreamed she would end up with a man like the Earl of Deanswood, yet when she caught the handsome gentleman's eye, he wasted no time in making her his wife. Unbeknownst to Alethea, however, her conniving mother has convinced Deanswood that she has no interest in the marital bed. Devastated by his seeming disinterest, Alethea searches for someone to instruct her in the ways of enticing a man.

When a friend informs Deanswood of Alethea's plans, he decides to train his new bride himself. Soon enough, Alethea finds herself naked, blindfolded, and helplessly bound as she is thoroughly spanked and then brought to one blushing, quivering climax after another. But when Alethea's life is threatened by her mother's vicious scheming, can Deanswood protect his innocent bride?


S:  (Fans herself.) OMG, that sounds hot! I suppose I should mention the Publisher's Note that accompanies the book: "His Innocent Bride is a stand-alone novel which shares the Regency-era setting of Wickedly Used. It includes spankings and sexual scenes. If such material offends, you please don't buy this book."

(Seelie smirks.) So where can we buy this book?

K:  It's currently available on Amazon. Here are the buy links: 

Amazon USA                     https://amzn.to/2waZmpG
Amazon UK                       https://amzn.to/2OO3nYN
Amazon Canada                https://amzn.to/2vRZWcw
Amazon Australia               https://amzn.to/2MzN0S0

S:  Kryssie, thanks so much for stopping by The Loft!

If you'd like to learn more about Kryssie and her books, please visit--

Blog            http://kryssiefortune.blogspot.co.uk/
Twitter         https://twitter.com/KryssieFortune
Pinterest      http://bit.ly/1OGFnjc
Goodreads     http://bit.ly/2kxqabJ
Amazon Author Page  http://amzn.to/2hA0ZVO

Next week in The Loft:  Author Kathy Otten!

Friday, October 12, 2018

Today in The Loft: Fantasy romance author Beth James!

Joining me today in The Loft is Beth James, the author of the Dream or Reality trilogy, a fantasy romance series. Like so many authors, Beth discovered a love for books in elementary school in Minnesota. She now lives in the St. Croix Valley in Wisconsin, near the Minnesota border, with her husband.


Author Beth James

S: Welcome Beth and thank you for joining me today for coffee and a chat. Tell me, why do you write romance?

B:  I read my first romance when I was in my early teens. Lucky for me, my mom and two older sisters loved to read romances as well. I was instantly hooked, especially after reading "Shanna" by Kathleen E. Woodiwess. I wanted to write like her and make the characters come to life.

S:  What's your perfect romantic evening?

B:  A warm, cozy night at a winery with the sun setting over the vineyards and valley. A bottle of wine. Food to share. Soft music in the background. No cares in the world except for being in the moment and spending time with my husband.

S:  Sounds like the perfect setting for a romance novel! Where do you do your best thinking?

B:  In bed--at three in the morning when I can't sleep. Second best is in the bathroom when taking a shower or getting ready for the day. My mind always wanders. 

S:  (Chuckles.) My mentor also had fondness for bathrooms. He claimed he did his best thinking sitting on the commode. Not sure what it is about bathrooms that permits us to do our best thinking. Maybe it's because it's one of the few places we can truly shut out the world!

What's the best advice you've ever been given?

B:  I can't remember who I heard it from, but the best advice I try to follow is "to never expect." Setting up expectations, wanting an event to go a certain way or a person to do something for you or act in a certain way, can set you up for disappointment. Instead, be flexible in the outcome and be pleasantly surprised.

S:  That's good advice! If someone wrote a song about you, what would be the title?

B:  Patience Hidden in Complexity.

S:  Wow. That's speaks to a life well-lived! Tell me about your book, "The Calling."

B:  Here's the blurb--

A fantasy romance that begins in Chicago, IL...

Jessie Rossen wakes from a coma and tells her fiance, Walt Arbol Jr., heir to Arbol Publishing, that she's in love with another man--a warrior from a different world. She struggles with reality, knowing her life in Dusken is real, while Walt brushes it off as a dream.

Takes place in a forest...

While in a coma, Jezamina wakes to Jezero, who finds her in the sea and takes her to his home on the ledge. Having no memory of her past, she must trust him in order to survive in his world, one that includes the Morlons, Jezero's worst enemy.

And has them wondering...is it dream or reality?

In this trilogy of love, personal growth, and adventure, Jessie must prove to Walt what happened is real. Will she return to Jezero or will she have to accept that her life with him is just a dream?




S:  Sounds fascinating! Where can readers buy your book?

B:  It's available from Amazon Books. Here's the link--https://www.amazon.com/Calling-Dream-Reality-Book-ebook/dp/B016JEVD9M/

S:  Thanks so much for joining me today, Beth!  Want to learn more about Beth James and her books? Visit--

Website:  www.bethmjames.com
Facebook:  www.facebook.com/BethMJamesAuthor
Twitter:  @AuthorBMJames 


Next week in The Loft: Author Kryssie Fortune!

Friday, October 5, 2018

Today in The Loft: Romance author Lili Draguer!


Joining me today in The Loft is fellow eXtasy author Lili Draguer! Lili writes steamy romance. Her favorite thing is to write a story full of sexy, forbidden fun that leads to happily ever after. She loves romantic comedies, the sappier the better.  Lili and her husband live in Nevada with their three children and a cat overlord.

Author Lili Draguer

S:  Good morning, Lili! Thanks so much for joining me for tea and my favorite, Pain au chocolat!

You are a relatively new author to eXtasy Books.  Why did you decide to write romance?

L:  Mostly because real life is sadly lacking in happy endings, and I love to escape into them. Having control over writing my own is even better. Real life is missing a lot of the sexy, forbidden fun I get to insert into books, too.

S:  Complete this sentence for me, when one of my books is released . . . 

L:  I start writing the next one. This is a job that takes a lot of hustle.

S:  I was that way for the first five of my releases, but after that I started taking breaks in between.  I was afraid I would get burnt out.  Still, with three kids, I am kind of amazed you manage to release any books at all!

What would you like people to know about you?

L:  They should know that I really, really love tropes. Misfit finds their Niche, Arranged Marriages, Fated Soulmates, Beauty and the Beast, give me all of the overused clichés. They tend to sneak into my books, with a twist.

S: (Nods and takes a sip of tea.) I think every romance author has those in the back of their minds when they write, some are just more creative with them than others. If someone wrote a song about you, what would be the title? 

L:  It would probably be “She’s always late because of how she is as a person, so get used to it.” Panic! At the Disco could sing it, it’d be a big hit.

S:  (chuckles) Sounds like someone with children! If you could live in any other period of time, what would it be? 

L: I would love to take a shot at Regency England, from 1810 to 1820 or so. I’m low key a Jane Austen fan, and it sounds so cool. Aside from the rampant hygiene issues, I think I’d be pretty happy in empire waistlines sipping tea with Mr. Darcy types.

S:  Personally, I would have a problem with the chamber pots and the absence of plush, extra-large towels! Seriously, I always thought I would be an outcast during those times. I have a difficult time minding my tongue!

Your most recent release is "Step Into Love." What can you tell me about your book?

L:  Here's the blurb--

Colton Johnson has successfully buried the crazy attraction he feels for his younger stepbrother for so long, he can pretend he’s not attracted to Asher at all. Graduating and dealing with the daily chore that is his bipolar disorder are the only two things on his mind. Then Colton makes the impulsive decision to accept his stepmother’s invitation to visit. What Colton doesn’t know is that Asher has been making plans.

With boundless enthusiasm, good looks, and endless amounts of persistence Asher Miller usually gets what he wants. The one plan that hasn’t worked out for him is falling in love. He never thought his off limits, damaged, hot-as-sin stepbrother would be the one to catch his heart. For years Asher has squashed down his forbidden desire but now he’s eighteen, he’s following Colton’s footsteps to college…and all bets are off. It’s time to take the steps that will seduce Colton into love.



S:  Wow. That sounds steamy! Where is your book available?

L:  It's on sale at all major booksellers, including--




S:  Thanks for much for visiting me today in The Loft, Lili!  For more information on Lili, please visit--


Next week in The Loft:  Author Beth James! 




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