Le Ali Del Peccato

I'm so excited to share the news about my first foreign language edition!!


Falling Hard (aka Le Ali Del Peccato - or Wings of Sin) has been translated into Italian!

Good thing I have a hunky Italian hubby who speaks the language to tell me what it says, isn't it *grin*

Privata dagli arcangeli della capacità di provare emozioni, Amelia non sa nulla di amore e desiderio, di rabbia e di rimpianto. Finché non è costretta a scendere sulla terra per proteggere Gabriel Gunn, l'essere umano che le è stato affidato e nel quale è imprigionata l'anima nera di Lucifero. Perché quell'affascinante cantante rock, con la sua bellezza tormentata e la capacità di farle provare sensazioni deliziosamente conturbanti, risveglia in lei un desiderio carnale che la costringe a mettere in dubbio tutto ciò in cui ha sempre creduto. In una folle corsa contro il tempo, Amelia e Gabriel devono trovare un modo per sfuggire alle opposte fazioni di angeli ribelli che vogliono impadronirsi di lui per i propri scopi. E per salvare il loro amore dalla terribile oscurità che vive nel cuore di Gabriel.


If I have any Italian readers out there, I hope you pick it up and let me know how you like it :)

English version: Falling Hard

After a life filled with tragedy, rocker Gabriel Gunn thinks he's finally getting the better of his personal demons. Then he's attacked after a concert—and rescued by a warrior goddess brandishing a sword and white wings. As hard as it is to believe in an angelic bodyguard, Gabriel must face an even more impossible truth: he carries the devil's soul within him.

Amelia has been watching over Gabriel for years, using her angelic powers to prevent Lucifer's return. Now she must also protect him from warring angel factions with their own agendas. Amelia would do anything to avert another angelic war, even sacrifice her own emotions to avoid temptation. Yet with Gabriel she feels things she no longer wants to deny, and pleasure she never imagined.

But the closer Gabriel and Amelia get, the stronger Lucifer becomes. Will Amelia be forced to kill the man she's come to love to stop the war she's always feared?

It's RELEASE DAY!!

Yes!! If you liked Far From Broken (which I HOPE you did!) then don't miss book 2 in the Seasons of Invention series, BROKEN PROMISES, available today!!

Buy: Carina Press  / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Books On Board / 

Former ballerina Callie Carlisle is determined to rebuild her life with her new mechanical limbs. She's just learned to accept the enhancements that saved her from certain death when she experiences uncontrollable twinges and flashes of light that obscure her vision. Terrified of literally falling apart, she resists telling her husband. Jasper's already vowed to keep her out of harm, and she doesn't want to worry him further.

When the War Office's General Black arrives with an urgent mission—rescue the doctor who created Callie's enhancements—she has no choice but to accept. A rogue agent and former patient of the scientist believes the biomechanical modifications he received are killing him, and he's out for revenge.

Callie must reach the doctor before it's too late. But with an overprotective Jasper at her side, and her alarming symptoms getting more frequent, will she be able to hold herself together long enough to save the doctor...and herself?

Excerpt

Although Jasper made no sound as he stopped in the doorway behind her, she knew she wasn’t alone any longer. His presence eased her melancholy. She squared her shoulders and breathed in deeply, letting the familiar combination of lemon-scented soap and the woodsy cologne she’d given him for his birthday wrap her in comfort like a warm blanket.

“What are you doing here? I thought you were going into town today.” Her husky voice didn’t crack on the words as they usually did. In fact, lately her throat felt less like she’d swallowed a handful of nails and almost…normal, but it was still a good thing she’d never been a singer as well as a dancer.

“What are you doing here, love?” He moved closer. His hand caressed her arm, upward over the sleeve of her white lawn shirt to her shoulder, knuckles grazing the swell of her breast along the way. “John told me you asked him to find a trunk and pack up your studio to make way for new equipment.”

“Yes.” She sighed. Since returning home from Manchester, everyone had been treating her very…carefully. Including Jasper. He and their friends and all the servants seemed to think she was delicate and breakable.

“What kind of equipment do you plan to fill this room with, if you don’t mind my asking?” His hand curved over her shoulder and then slid into her hair, teasing her nape.

She tilted her head, telling him without words that she wanted more of his touch. “Some mats for the floor, mostly. But I also think it’s past time I put the clockwork automaton the general sent over to good use. While I won’t be dancing anymore, I need to find some way of staying active. I’m not used to sitting around with nothing to do.”

She didn’t use the word training, or tell him she was getting worried about General Black’s threat to send her into the field as an agent of the War Office. Every time she’d mentioned it, Jasper had thrown up a stone wall. Even now, his body tensed behind her just before she felt his lips purse in the tender spot at the base of her neck.

They hadn’t heard anything from the general in the three months since leaving Manchester, but as the days went by, the shadows in Jasper’s eyes got darker. Both of them seemed to be waiting for the axe to fall, and neither had been able to admit what would happen when it finally did.

The light stubble on his cheek and chin abraded her skin. When she shivered, he rubbed his face back and forth with a low chuckle. He’d recently expressed his appreciation of her shorter hairstyle, so she’d decided to flout convention and keep it short.

“You don’t need that machine for exercise—” he tasted her, sliding his tongue up the column of her neck, “—when you have me here. Ready…”

He traced her ear and then blew gently on the sensitive wet skin. She shivered yet again.

“…willing…” His hand closed into a fist and tugged gently on her hair until she let her head fall back with a low groan.

“…and able…” His other hand settled possessively on her hip as he pushed the hard evidence of his desire for her against the soft curve of her buttocks, felt keenly through the specially designed loose-fitting trousers she wore now, instead of the proper gowns that filled her closet. She’d tried to wear them occasionally, but the skirts tripped her up because she couldn’t feel them on her legs when they got in the way. Since she didn’t go out much in public in any event, there was really no one to care what she wore.

“…to attend to your every whim.”

*Blink*

I haven't been around much here lately, and I apologize. All I can say is that it's been a crazy summer, with lots of family events to take up the time, lots of writing, editing, and various other responsibilities.

BUT, here are a few links to some of the online peeps I've been visiting lately.

I did a "Writing with the Stars" interview at Romance Author Hotspot to talk about silly things I've done in the name of research, the things I wish I'd known when I first started writing, and my call story -- amont others!

I was interviewed by bookreel.tv about the Wolf Girls Anthology, what inspires me, and some of my other projects!

I took part in Long and Short Reviews' anniversary celebration! (There are still prizes to be won!)

I was interviewed at She Wolf Reads about the Wolf Girls Anthology!

Also, the first review for Broken Promises is up!! Thank you RT Book Reviews for this great 4 star review! (avail. in magazine only)  

"Coi’s second book in her steampunk Seasons of Inventions series is both an emotional and physical adventure. The author thoroughly immerses the reader in a Victorian atmosphere mixed with the creative technology of a mad scientist. Broken Promises reads at a brisk pace...daring the reader to keep up with its mysteries while providing brief moments of respite in the couple’s steamy and spontaneous lovemaking. The passion that drives Callie and Jasper to and from each other is palpable. Your pulse will be racing with every scene in this thrilling book. If you haven’t already read its predecessor, Far From Broken, you’ll be making a beeline to download it and see what other intrigues await."

I'll be back soon to share the fantastic cover for Broken Promises and give you some inside peeks!

Refreshed and Relaxed!

We had a fantastic time away on vacation. We drove north...north...north (stopped in Sudbury to visit the "Big Nickel" for a night before heading north...north...some more. When we got to our remote destination, I went a little crazy not having any internet, tv or even cell phone service, but it gave me the opportunity to do a lot of writing and spend much needed time with the family.

The weather was absolutely perfect, and the water was clear and gorgeous.This was the view from our deck, and this is what I looked at over my laptop everyone morning and every evening as I sat down to write. I gave myself this time for writing mostly because hubby and kiddo would head out then to do some fishing :)

We spent a lot of time soaking in the sun and splashing around. Since we got home last night, the puppy hasn't moved. She's collapsed at my feet with complete exhaustion because we kept her so busy!

But it's still nice to come home again even when you've had nothing but fun and relaxation, and what did I receive from the postman when I arrived? Check it out, aren't they gorgeous??

So it seems I have a few unexpected, limited print copies of FALLING HARD ....which means I want to give them away!

Leave me a comment about your summer's vacation here on the blog to be entered. A winner will be selected on Friday!

Jasper and Callie's Holiday Gift

Have a Very Merry Christmas!

Please enjoy this special scene between Jasper and Callie from FAR FROM BROKEN and I'll see you in the new year!

Callie finds Jasper in the salon early one afternoon. “What are you doing?”

He steps aside, revealing a neat little metal square on the floor, about the size of a large gift box. “A present? From who?”

“It came express. I think it might be from the general.” He frowns. “Which means it might not be entirely safe to open.”

She chuckles. “There’s only one way to find out, I suppose.” Stepping closer, she kneels down in front of it. It’s plain. Just an ugly gray metal box. “How does it open? It looks seamless.”

Reaching out, she picks it up. It’s heavy, but Jasper kneels with her and together they tip it over. “There,” he says, pointing. “A button.”

Looking into one another’s eyes, they share a spark of childlike excitement. Callie smiles. “Who gets to push it?”

“Shall we shoot for it?”

She’s been practicing with his Tesla gun, but knows she’s still no match for Jasper. Shaking her head, she holds out her gloved hand. “Arm wrestle?”

He breaks out into laughter, knowing there’s no contest in that. Her mechanical hand has the strength of ten men. “Why don’t we just push the button together then?”

He reaches out, but Callie stops him by leaning in for a kiss.

It starts sweet and soft, but soon becomes hot and deep, and he’s lost himself in her.

She breaks away suddenly, leaving him breathless and reaching out to pull her close again, but then he catches the glimmer of mischief in her eye, and the grin that curls her swollen lips. “Don’t you dare—”

But she’s already pushed the button, laughing joyfully. He shakes his head, but inside he’s pleased. Every day she grants him a smile is a gift, but when she actually laughs aloud he thanks God for miracles.

The box starts to rumble, and they both turn their attention to it. It shakes across the floor. Standing, he pulls Callie up and they step a few feet back. The box is unfolding itself. As it opens, they see that inside is a kaleidoscope of greens and reds, silver and gold.

“Goodness,” she says. “It’s so beautiful!”

“But what is it?” He peers closer. The box is no longer a box. As it continues to shift, he’s still not quite able to pinpoint what it is.

She grabs his arm, and looks up at him with stars of wonder in her eyes. He’s completely captivated. “A tree! Jasper, it’s a tree. Complete with Christmas decorations. Look!”

And then he recognizes it too. The box has indeed transformed into a kind of tree. Made of metal tubes shooting every which way, it’s both the oddest looking and most unique Christmas tree he’s ever seen. On its limbs there are small rings, and each ring holds a pretty little ornament. Some are gold, some silver, and some red.

Once it’s fully formed, the room falls silent. They stand together. He takes her hand, and she leans into him. “It’s lovely,” she whispers.

He agrees. “Whoever put this together is a genius. I wonder if—” He reaches out to touch it, and as soon as he makes contact, the whole tree lights up. Light shoots out the ends of each of the metal tubes until it is completely enveloped in a golden glow.

“Oh, Jasper.”

He turns to his wife. The woman who held his heart and warmed his soul. “Merry Christmas, my darling.”

She looks up at him with a teasing grin. “It’s no sprig of mistletoe, but I still think you should kiss me.”

He smiles. “I think after this, the response should be more than just a kiss, don’t you?”

© JK Coi 2011

FAR FROM BROKEN now available from Carina Press

Soldier. Spymaster. Husband.

Colonel Jasper Carlisle was defined by his work until he met his wife. When the prima ballerina swept into his life with her affection, bright laughter and graceful movements, he knew that she was the reason for his existence, and that their love would be forever.

But their world is shattered when Callie is kidnapped and brutally tortured by the foes Jasper has been hunting. Mechanical parts have replaced her legs, her hand, her eye...and possibly her heart. Though she survived, her anger at Jasper consumes her, while Jasper's guilt drives him from the woman he loves. He longs for the chance to show her their love can withstand anything...including her new clockwork parts.

As the holiday season approaches, Jasper realizes he must fight not just for his wife's love and forgiveness...but also her life, as his enemy once again attempts to tear them apart.

RELEASE DAY!!

TODAY is release day for FAR FROM BROKEN and A Clockwork Christmas!!! And tomorrow the Agony/Ecstasy anthology releases, which has my story CAGED.

We’re all so excited, so you’ll find Jenny, PG, Stacy and me all over the net pimping these fantastic holiday novellas—and giving copies away!

All week you’ll be able to find us at Long And Short Reviews – we’re in the SPOTLIGHT with Clockwork Christmas!

We're also being featured at Books On Board. There will be stockings hung by the fire, hot chocolate and other treats, and be sure to check out the Author Q&As! 

Today I’m visiting the ladies at the Romance Writers Revenge to talk about Far From Broken, the Agony/Ecstasy anthology, and some of my other new and upcoming releases. I always love visiting the pirate ship.

Tuesday all the Clockwork Christmas authors are blogging about the stories on the Carina Press blog, and Maggie Robinson and I are talking about the Agony/Ecstasy anthology on the Vixens blog. This was a fantastic anthology to be a part of, and I especially enjoyed Maggie’s story (I ALWAYS love Maggie’s stories, OMG)

Then on Thursday I’ll be at Steamed! with a blog about what I’ve learned (and still have to learn) about writing steampunk.  

But that’s not all….the party continues next week too!

One More Week!

I can't believe A Clockwork Christmas is going to be available to buy from Carina Press in one more week! All this week I'm going to be talking about the stories and giving away sets of our romance trading cards, so I hope you'll join me.

Monday: Wanted: One Scoundrel, by Jenny Schwartz
Tuesday: This Winter Heart, by PG Forte
Wednesday: Crime Wave in a Corset, by Stacy Gail

Holiday Giveaways!

Carina Press is doing a giveaway this week for ebook and exclusive print copies of their holiday anthologies. Check it out!

https://www.facebook.com/CarinaPress?sk=app_121121694568521

now to 11/22, 6 pm EST: HOLIDAY KISSES
11/23 to 11/24, 6 pm EST: MEN UNDER THE MISTLETOE
11/25 to 11/26, 6 pm EST: A CLOCKWORK CHRISTMAS

 

A Clockwork Christmas

I'm so excited to finally be able to share details of the upcoming A Clockwork Christmas Anthology! The Holidays can't come fast enough :)



We Wish You a Steampunk Christmas

Changed forever after tragedy, a woman must draw strength from her husband's love. A man learns that love isn't always what you expect. A thief steals the heart of a vengeful professor. And an American inventor finds love Down Under. Enjoy Victorian Christmas with a clockwork twist in these four steampunk novellas.

Anthology includes:
Crime Wave in a Corset by Stacy Gail
This Winter Heart by PG Forte
Wanted: One Scoundrel by Jenny Schwartz
Far From Broken by JK Coi

Stories also available for purchase separately.


WANTED: ONE SCOUNDREL by Jenny Schwartz

All suffragette Esme Smith wants is a man. A scoundrel to be precise. Someone who can be persuaded to represent her political views at men-only clubs. As the daughter of the richest man in Australia, Esme can afford to make it worth the right man’s while.

Fresh off the boat, American inventor Jed Reeve is intrigued by Esme’s proposal, but even more interested in the beauty herself. Amused that she takes him for a man who lives by his wits, he accepts the job—made easier by the fact that he already shares her ideals. Soon, he finds himself caught up in political intrigue, kidnapping and blackmail, and trying to convince his employer he’s more than just a scoundrel…

THIS WINTER HEART by PG Forte

Santa Fe, The Republic of New Texacali, 1870

Eight years ago, Ophelia Leonides's husband cast her off when he discovered she was not the woman he thought she was. Now destitute after the death of her father, Ophelia is forced to turn to Dario for help raising the child she never told him about.

Dario is furious that Ophelia has returned, and refuses to believe Arthur is his son—after all, he thought his wife was barren. But to avoid gossip, he agrees to let them spend the holidays at his villa. While he cannot resist the desire he still feels for Ophelia, Dario despises himself for being hopelessly in love with a woman who can never love him back.

But Dario is wrong: Ophelia's emotions are all too human, and she was brokenhearted when he rejected her. Unsure if she can trust the man she desperately loves, she fears for her life, her freedom and her son if anyone else learns of her true nature...


CRIME WAVE IN A CORSET by Stacy Gail

Roderick Coddington is on a mission to make Cornelia Peabody pay. After identifying her as the thief who stole a priceless Faberge egg from his dying sister, he finds her and shackles a deadly timepiece to her arm. If she doesn't return the egg by Christmas morning, she will die.

Normally seven days is more than enough time for Cornelia to carry out the perfect crime, but Roderick's intrusion into her life is beyond distracting. He challenges her mind, and ignites her body with desire she's never felt before. But worst of all, he threatens the independence she values above all else…

As Roderick spends time with Cornelia, he realizes there's a lonely soul hidden beneath her beautiful but criminal veneer. Falling for a thief wasn't part of Roderick's plan, but plans can change and he has no intention of letting another priceless treasure get away from him.

FAR FROM BROKEN by JK Coi

Soldier. Spymaster. Husband.

Colonel Jasper Carlisle was defined by his work until he met his wife. When the prima ballerina swept into his life with her affection, bright laughter and graceful movements, he knew that she was the reason for his existence, and that their love would be forever.

But their world is shattered when Callie is kidnapped and brutally tortured by the foes Jasper has been hunting. Mechanical parts have replaced her legs, her hand, her eye...and possibly her heart. Though she survived, her anger at Jasper consumes her, while Jasper's guilt drives him from the woman he loves. He longs for the chance to show her their love can withstand anything...including her new clockwork parts.

As the holiday season approaches, Jasper realizes he must fight not just for his wife's love and forgiveness...but also her life, as his enemy once again attempts to tear them apart.

An update

Edits are done for A Clockwork Christmas, the steampunk anthology that will be available in December from Carina Press. I'm excited because I've now had a chance to read the other stories, and let me tell you, you won't be able to pick a favourite. They're all SOOOO good!

PG Forte, Jenny Schwartz, Stacy Gail and I have formed a Facebook page so that we can share everything steampunk as we countdown to release day. I hope you'll come check it out. There's already some fabulous stuff there, but we'll also be using this page to let readers know about the blog tour we'll be embarking on as it comes closer to the holiday season. There'll be excerpts to read, prizes to be won, and lots more!

Also, I'm now moving into edits for my little short, RUN WOLF, due for release near the end of this year in the UK anthology by Hic Dragones which is tentatively titled Wolf Girls: Dark Tales of Teeth, Claws and Lycogyny.

AND...more edits. For my EC release, BRAZEN GAMES, which is also due for release late-2011.

Needless to say, this is going to be a busy few months. As busy as the year has been so far. I took a small vacation this summer but I'm thinking now I'll need another one, although I'm certain there won't be any time for that since I think there'll be more news coming down the pipe shortly....

But I'll have to hold that to my chest a little longer. I promise to share as soon as I can!

Take care everyone! I'll check in again soon :)

Where I Take A Moment to Squee Over My New Covers!

Gush with me over the covers I received for my holiday novella, out in December with Carina Press! Aren't they wonderful?

FAR FROM BROKEN



And for the Anthology which will be available in print

RELEASE DAY!!

FALLING HARD
IS HERE!


I'm so excited! The celebration is happening all over the interwebz, so come join us.

Here Be Magic

Romance Writers Revenge

Julia Knight

Maria Zannini

Vauxhall Vixens

And don't forget to join me tomorrow morning at the Carina Press Blog

Also, as an added treat for release day, jump on over to my website here, for an exclusive deleted scene from Falling Hard.

After a life filled with tragedy, rocker Gabriel Gunn thinks he's finally getting the better of his personal demons. Then he's attacked after a concert—and rescued by a warrior goddess brandishing a sword and white wings. As hard as it is to believe in an angelic bodyguard, Gabriel must face an even more impossible truth: he carries the devil's soul within him.

Amelia has been watching over Gabriel for years, using her angelic powers to prevent Lucifer's return. Now she must also protect him from warring angel factions with their own agendas. Amelia would do anything to avert another angelic war, even sacrifice her own emotions to avoid temptation. Yet with Gabriel she feels things she no longer wants to deny, and pleasure she never imagined.

But the closer Gabriel and Amelia get, the stronger Lucifer becomes. Will Amelia be forced to kill the man she's come to love to stop the war she's always feared?

Buy it!

Get Ready for Steampunk for the Holidays!

I'm pleased to be able to announce that my novella, FAR FROM BROKEN, has been accepted for publication by Carina Press, and will be included in their holiday Steampunk Anthology. I'm excited to share more details when they become available, but until then I hope you'll check out some of the other fabulous steampunk offerings by the Carina Press authors:

The Mysterious Lady Law by Robert Appleton

In a time of grand airships and steam-powered cars, the death of a penniless young maid will hardly make the front page. But part-time airship waitress and music hall dancer Julia Bairstow is shattered by her sister's murder. When Lady Law, the most notorious private detective in Britain, offers to investigate the case pro bono, Julia jumps at the chance—even against the advice of Constable Al Grant, who takes her protection surprisingly to heart.

Lady Law puts Scotland Yard to shame. She's apprehended Jack the Ripper and solved countless other cold-case crimes. No one knows how she does it, but it's brought her fortune, renown and even a title. But is she really what she claims to be—a genius at deducting? Or is Al right and she is not be trusted?

Julia is determined to find out the truth, even if it means turning sleuth herself—and turning the tables on Lady Law...


Badlands by Seleste deLaney

After a brutal Civil War, America is a land divided. As commander of her nation's border guards, Ever is a warrior sworn to protect her country and her queen. When an airship attacks and kills the monarch, Ever must infiltrate enemy territory to bring home the heir to the throne, and the dirigible Dark Hawk is her fastest way to the Union.

Captain Spencer Pierce just wants to pay off the debt he owes on the Dark Hawk and make a life for himself trading across the border. When the queen's assassination puts the shipping routes at risk, he finds himself Ever's reluctant ally.

As they fly into danger, Ever and Spencer must battle not only the enemy but also their growing attraction. She refuses to place her heart before duty, and he has always put the needs of his ship and crew above his own desires. Once the princess is rescued, perhaps they can find love in the Badlands—if death doesn't find them first..


Alchemy of Desire, Crystal McHugh

After winning the Civil War against the Confederate Wielders, the Union Machinists have outlawed magic to usher in a new age of steam-powered technology. Diah, an alchemist and the only non-wielder in his family, owes his brother for saving his life in the war; so when Cager is blackmailed into procuring the magical hide of the White Buffalo, Diah accompanies him to the Dakota territory.

Their guide is Oni, a half-Lakota woman with plenty of secrets to hide. She's a magic wielder with an illegal wand concealed in her knife—and she's a coyote shifter. To her people, killing the White Buffalo is not only sacrilege, it's dangerous. Oni has no intention of helping them actually achieve their mission—until she falls in love with Diah...

Free Book Week at Carina Press!

It's FREE BOOK WEEK at Carina Press!!!

Every weekday, all week, Carina is offering a spectacular title for free download. And when they say free, they mean ACTUALLY free. Not "sorta free", or "free with a $50 purchase" free, but actually, totally, no strings attached FREE! So, get thee to Carina Press to download a free book every day! Here are the books being offered, and the links and promo codes for your free download:

Monday's FREE BOOK is:
The Debutante's Dilemma by Elyse Mady
Just type in the promo code DEBUTANTEFREE at checkout

Tuesday's FREE BOOK is:
Demon's Fall by Karalynn Lee
Just type in the promo code DEMONFREE at checkout

Wednesday's FREE BOOK is:
The Twisted Tale of Stormy Gale by Christine Bell
Just type in the promo code TWISTEDFREE at checkout

Thursday's FREE BOOK is:
Blue Galaxy by Diane Dooley
Just type in the promo code GALAXYFREE at checkout

Friday's FREE BOOK is:
Friendly Fire by Megan Hart
Just type in the promo code FRIENDLYFREE at checkout

Falling Hard

I'm very excited to be able to finally share the cover for Falling Hard!

Look for it in July from Carina Press!


Copyright © 2011 by Harlequin Enterprises Limited
Cover Art used by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises Limited
® and TM are trademarks owned by Harlequin Enterprises Limited or its affiliate companies, used under license.

FALLING HARD

After a life filled with tragedy, rocker Gabriel Gunn thinks he's finally getting the better of his personal demons. Then he's attacked after a concert—and rescued by a warrior goddess brandishing a sword and white wings. As hard as it is to believe in an angelic bodyguard, Gabriel must face an even more impossible truth: he carries the devil's soul within him.

Amelia has been watching over Gabriel for years, using her angelic powers to prevent Lucifer's return. Now she must also protect him from warring angel factions with their own agendas. Amelia would do anything to avert another angelic war, even sacrifice her own emotions to avoid temptation. Yet with Gabriel she feels things she no longer wants to deny, and pleasure she never imagined.

But the closer Gabriel and Amelia get, the stronger Lucifer becomes. Will Amelia be forced to kill the man she's come to love to stop the war she's always feared?

Here Be Magic

Come check out my first post at the Here Be Magic blog!



Also, Congratulations to JenM who is the winner of a copy of Joely Sue Burkhart's book, Lady Doctor Wyre. Please email her at joelysueburkhart(AT)gmail(DOT)com!

You Can't Do That

I'm pumped to have Inez on the blog today because I just got her book at iBooks, and I've been reading it on TheCoolGadget. This is a story you can't miss. Sexy and deeply emotional. I am loving every minute of it!

Welcome Inez Kelley!

You know, I hate rules. I do. I’ve always hated them. I REALLY hate them in my own stories. When I sit down to write, I write what I see, what comes to my head. When someone comes along and says “you can’t do that in a romance”, the hair on my neck raises.

Says who?

After some hem-hawing and stuttering, the naysayer will spit out “Readers. They don’ t like *insert whatever rule I broke*.

Hmmm…

Okay, I used to skip school because I could. I never did a lick of homework in High School. I stopped drinking beer when I was 21 because, well, by then it was no big deal. It was legal. Rules and me have never been best buds, ya know?

I thought about those naysayers and then did my own thing any way. *shrug* It seems I am always breaking some unwritten but iron-clad RULE OF ROMANCE. Strangely, I never know these rules until after I break them.

For example: RULE: You can kill the villain but, for God’s sake, don’t kill the dog.

Oops. Sorry.

RULE: You can’t kill your hero and heroine, either.

Oops again.

RULE: Romance heroes NEVER call the heroine a f-ing B!tch.

Uhm… oops?

RULE: Heroes never cry.

ROFLMAO… seriously?

RULE: Love fixes all the problems in the world.

Say what? Not in my world.

RULE: The heroine is never physically stronger than the hero.

*shifty eyes* NEXT!!

RULE: Ex-wives/husbands are always evil or bad people

Uh-oh

RULE: The heroine should never tell the hero he need a shower first if he wants to get ‘busy’ with her.

O.o ……

Rules shmules. If it makes a believable story, I’m writing it.

In my latest book SWEET AS SIN, I just listened to my characters and wrote their story. It isn’t always pretty and they don’t follow the rules. John is one messed-up dude and Livvy doesn’t understand the words “Back Off”. These two are explosive together. Sometimes it hurts to watch them hurt each other. Love isn’t always sweet. Sometimes it burns like sin.

*I* have one rule of romance. Anything goes as long as at the end, the main characters get a Happily Ever After and the reader walks away feeling like they lived the story. PERIOD. So that’s the only thing I promise in my books.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a hero about to slip some drugs into a heroine’s drink. Off I go to break more rules.

SWEET AS SIN

She’s made for sin. Sin is something he knows intimately.

John Murphy is tormented by nightmares. A bestselling young-adult author, he writes the ultimate fantasy: stories where good always triumphs. He knows better. His past has shown him the worst in people—and in himself. When he moves next door to the sexy, vibrant Livvy—a woman completely unlike his usual one-night stands—he's driven to explore every curve of her delicious body.

Pastry chef Livvy knows that giving in to the temptation that is John Murphy won't lead to anything permanent, but she deserves a passionate summer fling. John discovers she's as sweet as the confections she bakes while Livvy slowly unravels his secrets. But what will happen when she uncovers them all?

Buy Sweet as Sin at Carina Press, AMZ, ARe, BoB or B&N

Inez Kelley is a multi-published author of various romance genres. You can visit her at her website http://inezkelley.com/ Follow Inez on twitter at @Inez_Kelley or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/inez.kelley

GUEST AUTHOR: KS Augustin

Never give up, never surrender!

Let me tell you about a story I wrote the year before last. That would make it 2008. I was very proud of that novel because it was one of the first actual novels I ever wrote. (Up till then, I'd mostly been writing novellas.) I tried to get some interest in it but it never quite got there. What could it be, I wondered?

* The heroine as an exonerated terrorist?
* Having three of the four main characters non-white? * Interleaving some pretty hard science-fiction into the romance?
* The jaundiced view of the military that the hero and heroine hold?
* The fact that the only ostensibly alpha character in the entire novel is a villain?
* The fact that it's the heroine who has to rescue the hero?

As a writer, you can think up reasons for rejection till the sun goes nova and still not be finished. So, maybe for a reason I listed above, and maybe for none of the above, I wasn't able to tempt an agent with it.

I kept editing and polishing the thing through 2009...and heard about a new digital publisher opening. Not a fly-by-night, but one with solid investors and staff with publishing bloodlines. Hmmmm, would they be interested in My Little Novel?

Carefully reading the submission guidelines, I submitted a partial. They liked it! They asked for a full! With bated breath, I submitted the full! And Quartet Press folded. Aiyyayay! You know how that ancient mariner felt with the albatross around his neck? Yeah, that's how I was starting to view My Little Novel.

Then, I heard that Harlequin was starting up a digital-first press. Carina Press. From deep in my lair, my ears pricked up. I wonder...?

You know how you read that it's not enough to just write? You have to have tenacity and a tough hide to be a writer? It's true. Because if I hadn't somehow convinced myself that somewhere in the universe existed someone who'd appreciate My Little Novel, that story -- now called IN ENEMY HANDS -- would not be one of the launch titles for Carina Press on Monday, 7 June.

So let that be a lesson to you. Educate yourself in writing. Read widely. And cultivate tenacity. If I can do it, so can you!

IN ENEMY HANDS

The Republic had taken everything from Moon―her research partner, her privacy, her illusions. They thought they had her under control. They were wrong.

Srin Flerovs, Moon's new research partner, is a chemically enhanced maths genius whose memory is erased every two days.

While he and Moon work on a method of bringing dead stars back to life, attraction between them flares, but that poses its own problem. How can their love survive when Srin forgets Moon every two days?

When she discovers the lethal applications her research can be put to, Moon knows she and Srin are nothing more than pawns in a much larger game. Together, they must escape the clutches of the Republic before they become its scapegoats. But there are too many walls around them, too many eyes watching. They want to run, but they're trapped on a military vessel in the depths of space, and time is running out....

Kaz Augustin is a Malaysian-born writer of science-fiction, romance, and permutations of the two. Her website is at http://www.ksaugustin.com/ and she blogs at http://blog.ksaugustin.com/ You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter; just look for “ksaugustin”.

JK Coi: In Enemy Hands is recently released by the brand new Carina Press and I'm interested to know how many of you have already taken advantage of some of their amazing authors' great new titles. For a chance to win In Enemy Hands and one other Carina Press release of your choice, tell me what other Carina Press books you've read or are looking forward to reading. I'll draw a name on Wednesday night.