Tasting Fire by Shelly Holt - Virtual Book Tour and Giveaway

The Menagerie welcomes Shelly Holt to the blog on her tour with Goddess Fish Promotions. We're excited to showcase her latest release for her paranormal romance, "Tasting Fire".

Even better, Shelly is giving away a $20 Starbucks GC to a randomly drawn commenter during her tour, so leave a comment here today and then follower her tour to increase your chances of winning. Her tour posts are listed here.

We asked Shelly one very important question: What physical attribute do you find most sexy and why?

Forget tight asses and long fluttering eyelashes, it's all about the forearms for me. I read a book on my Kindle I purchased to help me write love scenes. It's called (Just Fuck me! what women want men to know about taking control in the bedroom) by Eve Kingsley. This wonderfully illuminating book explains why women want men in a committed and trusting relationship to take control in the bedroom. According to the book women apparently want to be sexually dominated in the bedroom. They want to be laid on their backs and ravished. Outside the bedroom, of course is a whole different story!

After reading this book and thinking about what physical attributes I find most sexy for this essay, I have to agree. I believe deep down that is why I personally am attracted to a man with strong forearms. It's an indicator of physical strength, which translates later to domination in the bedroom. Why is it so hard to admit that as a woman you want to be dominated sexually? OK, here goes, I want to be sexually dominated in the bedroom. I said it, wow! the world didn't stop spinning. In fact nobody is even looking, even my cat is still snoring. Why was that so hard? I personally just published a paranormal romance with no less that five fully explicit love scenes. I shouldn't have these hang ups at this point. Maybe I was hiding behind my characters in Tasting Fire, but here it's all about me. Maybe it's not all about sex, maybe it's really about giving up control. I'll be the first to admit, I don't like giving up control of any aspect of my life. It was why I self-published in the first place. I had full editorial and artistic control over my book. That also meant I have full responsibility to edit, proof, and publicize it too.

Romance novels, mine included are all about the alpha male. In my novel Tasting Fire, my hero Kai Tenzin is very much an alpha male and takes charge in the bedroom. That shouldn't really surprise anybody, romance novels are not about real life they are a romantic fantasy. If you wanted to read about real men you would be reading chick lit or Men's Health. I believe reading romance is a safe way for women to give up that control and be dominated in the bedroom of their minds, if not in their houses.

In the end, sexual attraction for a woman is about feeling safe with a man, feeling desired in a sexual manner and being protected after the relationship is forged. If a man has skinny weak arms, at least on a subliminal wavelength we don't feel safe. In the real world, just because a man does have strong muscular forearms doesn't mean he is trustworthy or protective, but we are discussing sexual attraction not important social issues like trust and responsibility. We are all sometimes (some more than others) at the mercy of our hormones, but that doesn't mean you let them rule you. Common sense must balance those raging hormones, but for the bedroom of the mind and the one in my house, I'll try to let go a little more and not just on paper.

Shape-shifters have always walked the earth. Shrouded in myth and folklore, hiding in the shadows, watching and waiting. Advances in modern science are now about to reveal them to the world. Kai Tenzin is the self appointed leader of the Pari people. He and his kind evolved from the most reclusive predators on earth. They live and hunt in the most fearsome and rugged terrain known to man, the Himalayas. Kai leaves his small village where the mountains touch the heavens, determined to do anything to protect his people. When he is forced to enlist the aid of the beautiful American scientist Dr. Rae Hales, the last thing he expects to find is a woman who will ensnare his heart and endanger them all. Their action-packed adventure will take them around the world to discover the truth behind the legends and reveal the future of humanity.

“My name is Kai Tenzin. I was born in a village high in the Himalaya mountains of Tibet.

I am a Pari. My people are born with the ability to transform into the animal you call the Asian Snow Leopard. The Pari have been among you since the dawn of human civilization. We have seen humanity at its worst. We have watched from the safety of our mountains, as human tyrants unleashed their destructive fury and let the blood of the innocent flow freely over the land. For centuries we have cowered in fear of what horrors the human heart would unleash upon us if discovered. We always strived to know the animal within us, but we always considered humans to be the true beasts. We feared you and did not wish to know you.

I am guilty of that crime more than any others of my kind, and yet, I personally have seen human compassion in action. When it does happen, it is an act of such profound beauty, that the darkest place in the universe, namely, the human heart, can not hide the infinite luminescence that shines forth. You have it within each and every one of you to be a shining flame that brightens the darkest night. We should have had more faith in that. I should have had more faith in your humanity and my own. Instead, I chose to help my people to continue to hide in darkness.

We stole from you the chance to know us and hid where only hate and fear can grow. For that I apologize and can only ask for your forgiveness. I stand here today, humbly begging you for a second chance. If we possess the courage, together, we can open our hearts to each other.

My name is Shelly Holt and I live in the middle of the harsh and unforgiving Mojave desert. I write my stories looking out of a window that shows sweeping desert views. Outside is a barren and severe landscape, yet inside my head lives a world filled with exotic shape-shifters come to life, pulled from the pages of myth and legend, ready to entice and seduce any reader brave enough to take them on.

It's funny, I never wanted to be a writer! In 7th grade English, we were given an assignment. We were told to write an original poem and turn it in the next day. I was determined to turn in not a good poem, but a great poem. I spent the whole night working on it instead of watching my favorite show, The Waltons. (Hey! it was 1980.) I turned it in the next day. Apparently, I succeeded a little too well and was accused of copying it from a book. (1980 remember, no internet yet). The teacher stated and I quote "this is too good for a seventh grader, where did you copy it from?" Well, I didn't write for 30 years after that. In my 40's, after a life changing move to rural Nevada as a caregiver to my father, I realized I needed a way to earn a little money on the side. I did some research on the internet and read all about a certain little book, about a certain little college student and a handsome billionaire with some ahem! (issues.) I decided after reading that book, I could do that, and Tasting Fire was born. I'll admit it's been strange revisiting a talent buried deep inside for so long, forgotten, but apparently not lost. It's been an important journey and one I am quite thankful for and excited to see where it takes me.

Shelly Holt

P.S. Mr. Jordan, I really did write that poem!

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shelly-Holt/443904305648848
Twitter https://twitter.com/ShellyHolt9
Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Tasting-Fire-ebook/dp/B0098M7OOQ

Marked by Rowan by Cutter Phoenix - Virtual Tour and Giveaway

The Menagerie welcomes Cutter Phoenix to the blog today on her tour with Goddess Fish Promotions!! We're excited to showcase her latest release, an erotic romance titled "Marked by Rowan" and visit with her.


Even better, the author will be awarding a $10 Freya's Bower GC to a randomly drawn commenter during her tour, so leave a comment here today and then follower her tour to increase your chances of winning. Her tour posts are listed here.

Now, on to the good stuff!

Describe yourself in three words.

Unstoppable. Determined. Humorous.

What’s your favorite love scene from a movie?

The Dracula movie with Wynona Ryder in it. The emotion in the romance scene always gets to me. It’s a classic example of how love can transcend time.

What’s your wildest fantasy?

I’m pretty tame when it comes to such things. I’m not a thrill-seeker nor do I like danger, so I suppose it would be dancing on a bar in something sexy for my husband...well, until I tripped or slipped and fell off the countertop in a heap of arms and legs. I am a big klutz, lol.

If you were to lose one of your senses, which would you rather lose and why?

Taste would be my first choice. I couldn’t stand not hearing my kids, husband or even birdsong, and I love all sorts of music. Seeing is our main sense, and I would be lost if I couldn’t feel my husband’s touch or my children and grandchildren hugging me back. If I gave up taste, I might not enjoy food any longer, but at least PMS cravings and sweets wouldn’t get the best of me, lol.

What is the naughtiest thing you did as a kid?

I can’t really think of anything terrible as a young kid, but when I was 18 I was working at a restaurant and using my mom’s car to get back and forth to my job. Well, one night I met a cool guy [snort! He was cool until I got to know him] and I went out with him. We went to a party and hung out all night. The next morning I pulled into our drive about 6 AM. I thought my mother was gonna kill me!

Quickies:

Boxers or Briefs? Boxers. They’re easier to get off, lol.

Top or Bottom? Only one choice? Jeez.

Pajamas or nude? PJs all the way. I hate having my backporch swing hanging out of the covers.

Hairy chests or smooth? Either, really. It depends on the rest of the package, lol.

Alpha or Beta? I’m gonna say alpha with one stipulation—if the alpha strikes me as a controlling jerk where the woman can’t have a say in something then he can take a flying leap. After that, I’ll switch to the beta since they’re usually sweeter.

Plagued by erotic dreams and frightening images of people in the throes of ecstasy, Justin questions his sexuality and his sanity. When he is menaced by a vagrant, Justin is saved by Rowan, a strange yet attractive man who seems to be able to read his mind and sense his most intimate desires. However, once Rowan invites him to dinner, Justin's life takes a turn for the bizarre mixed with so much sex and eroticism he can barely cope with it--but oh how he tries!

Troubled by his longing for both men and women, Justin finds himself seduced by Rowan. However, his new and unexpected lover possesses powers which force Justin into a realm where few mortals have traveled and even less have returned.

Justin watched in awe, his groin so hard he thought he’d come in his jeans. Naked people lay upon cushions and furs strewn about a large room lit by glowing lamps and amber candlelight. A group of four women and five men strained against one another, their bodies slicked with perspiration, groans and sighs loud in the chamber. Nearby, a woman perched on the edge of a chair as her lover thrust into her, his hips pumping rigorously, the soft lighting glimmering on his sweaty body. The woman ran her fingernails along the man’s back, leaving trails of blood that trickled along his skin and over his white ass. She screamed out her release, followed by her companions’ grunts of ecstasy. Justin fixated on the blood. He’d never seen anything so red, so frightening and yet so erotic.

“You’ll be mine soon,” a male voice whispered.

A sharp horn blast over the loading docks startled Justin out of the vision. Heart thrashing, he leaned against the tower of boxed toys he’d just finished stacking. The erotic and often frightening dreams and visions had escalated the past week. They’d started out sporadically, but now the images and scenes came to him so often Justin worried something was seriously wrong with him.

Once his pulse had returned to normal, he punched out and made his way through the employees coming and going for the shift change. He descended the steps of a loading platform, strode across a parking lot, and out onto the sidewalk. An angry sky loomed overhead. Thunder rumbled with a promise of rain, and a moist wind blew in from the nearby river. He managed to walk half of the ten blocks to his apartment before a fine mist began. Within minutes, it transformed into a torrential downpour. Justin muttered a choice profanity and quickened his pace.

He passed a ramshackle building known as a flophouse for prostitutes and druggies. In the doorway, a gaunt, gangly built man stood leaning against the threshold. A black duster that had seen better days hung on his spindly frame. Dirty white-blond hair hung out of the hood drawn over his head and down the open front of his coat in a mass of gnarled locks. He met Justin’s gaze as he passed.

At the sight of the loiterer’s strange eye color and wide, over-slanted eyes, an arrow of unease skewered Justin’s insides. The vagrant smiled—or was that a leer?—startling Justin with a mass of pointed and broken green-yellow teeth in his broad, thin-lipped mouth. He wondered if the man was diseased. Breaking eye contact, Justin hurried on his way and hoped the rain didn’t fall any harder.

An author of dark, erotic romance, Cutter Phoenix writes heterosexual and m/m romances and occasionally erotica. Readers will discover that Cutter enjoys penning different subgenres of romance, but whether the story is paranormal or contemporary, each book is laced with dark, romantic themes and layered with noir humor. Cutter also writes as Azura Ice and F.L. Bicknell.

Besides writing, Cutter enjoys the solitude of early mornings, paints, and reads just about anything.

Fans can reach Cutter here by posting a comment anywhere on http://cutterphoenix.wordpress.com or by sending an email to cutterphoenix@hotmail.com.

www.twitter.com/FLBicknell
www.facebook.com/F.L.Bicknell
http://ablueice.wordpress.com

Seduction of My Proper Wife by Kristabel Reed - Virtual Tour and Giveaway

The Menagerie welcomes Kristabel Reed to the blog today on her tour with Goddess Fish Promotions!! We're excited to showcase her latest release, an erotic romance titled "Seduction of My Proper Wife" and visit with her.  A very long time ago, I read one of Kristabel's stories  called "Wickedly Wanton" and it was YUM!!  If you love a hot menage set in the long ago eras, you can't go wrong with one of her stories.

Even better, Kristabel will be awarding one commenter at every stop an e-Book copy of any backlist title, and one randomly drawn commenter on the tour will receive a $25 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card plus a copy of any e-Book backlisted title, so leave a comment here today and then follower her tour to increase your chances of winning. Her tour posts are listed here.

Now, on to the good stuff!

Describe yourself in three words.

Irreverent, edgy, classic.

Cast your book. Tell us who would play the main characters in a movie and why.

Ok, tough one, let me think. They have very different personalities, very specific so, and there are a lot of actors out there! I’m probably missing good ones, but it’s taken me a while to think up these so here goes:

Philip would be Eric Christian Olsen from NCIS:LA, but all cleaned up. He’s got that boyish charm but can be demanding if need be.

Lillian…Mila Kunis as the beautiful English lady with repression issues and a dominance streak.

Aria—Zoe Saldana. She’s beautiful, talented, and perfect for the part of the Egyptian dancer

What’s your favorite love scene from a movie?

Hmm, difficult. I like some of the classic movie sensual scenes, beautifully done with talented actors. So many of the Hollywood movies these days don’t do love scenes well! There was a very, very brief scene in Cloud Atlas, but I’m going to have to say that it’s from the (new) Thomas Crown Affair between Rene Russo and Pierce Bronson when they’re in St. Thomas.

What’s your wildest fantasy?

Chris Hemsworth blindfolded and bound to my bed for one night. *G* What’s yours?

If you were to lose one of your senses, which would you rather lose and why?

Scent. Don’t even have to think about that. Sure, it’s important but if I had to lose one, I’d rather it be that. I can live without it—I’m not a baker or cook, I’m allergic to pollen and while yes, there are beautiful smells I’d miss, it wouldn’t drastically affect my life.

What is the naughtiest thing you did as a kid?

Um…well, see…I was kind of a good kid. Really! I followed the rules, I swear. For the most part, for the naughty part. Well, there was this one time I snuck into the Christmas presents once and play with the fun stuff. But it wasn’t fun on Christmas when I opened them. Took the surprise completely out of everything!

Quickies: Oh, we’re having a quickie? Fun!

Boxers or Briefs?

Boxers

Top or Bottom?

Top

Pajamas or nude?

Nude

Hairy chests or smooth?

Caught me on that one…depends on the person and amount of hair! A little isn’t bad, but bear-like needs to go!

Alpha or Beta?

Alpha

Philip Thornton adored his new bride but found she was frigid in their marriage bed.

Lillian did not know how to ease her fear of the bed until she was freed from her past.

Aria was paid to educate and entice, but what she found was more than she ever dreamed possible.

The Parisian Exposition of 1889...the world is changing and the three of them are caught in its whirl. Philip and Lillian went to Paris to save their marriage and to help Lillian overcome her fears. Aria danced and seduced Lillian, but before Lillian left, Aria found herself seduced, in turn, by the beautiful Englishwoman.

When Philip and Lillian break all the rules and escort Aria around Paris for a week, will it be the beginning of their future? Or will this seductive interlude be nothing more than a dream?

Puzzled at such a dichotomy, she allowed Philip to pull her along. They passed a pair of men sitting cross-legged on the ground. They smoked from a long tube attached to a tall, thin, glass spiral of some sort. Fascinated, Lillian tried not to stare, it was rude after all, but wondered what the contraption was called and what the men smoked from its cloudy insides.

They entered a building with beautifully mysterious music and slight tinkling sounds. When Lillian looked up, she saw the dancers. They wore swaths of sheer fabric for skirts, covered in dozens and dozens of gold coins. Their bellies were bare, but their faces veiled.

Philip, still silent as he’d been since leaving their hotel room, guided her through the crowd to the front of the stage. Lillian, almost entranced by the sight, didn’t care who saw her or what they thought, she watched, mesmerized by the way these women’s bodies moved.

It was the most sensual thing she’d ever seen, and Lillian knew she should be ashamed, but couldn’t be. The danced ended and the women filed off stage. The crowd waited, clearly waiting like she was, to see if more was to come. But nothing more happened, save the men playing their strange instruments continued to do so.

As the crowd left the room, Philip smiled tenderly down at her and she felt that same fluttering in her belly she had the first time he’d done so. Straightening her shoulders, Lillian vowed to make this work. Even if she had to…

Kristabel Reed lives on the East Coast and loves to explore the steamier side of historical romance. "There are so many sexy situations that didn't just pop up in the 21st century and my goal is to burst the myth of the prim and proper debutante."

She loves romances but historical ménages particularly which add an element of danger and discovery not seen in contemporaries. Historically speaking, unusual romantic connections put lives on the line-people were ostracized and some even put to the death.

She loves reading, watching old movies, and anything Cary Grant. And is always interested in talking about erotic romance, so drop her a line: kristabelreed@yahoo.com; or Tweet her @kristabelreed; find her blog: kristabelreed.blogspot.com

Breathless Press GLBT Releases - Virtual Tour and $20 GC Giveaway!

Breathless Press is celebrating the release of four awesome GLBT Romance stories with a virtual book tour with Goddess Fish Promotions and we're helping to get the word out. Even better? Every comment on this post (and all the others during their one week tour, here) earns you an entry to win a $20 Breathless Press Gift Certificate! You could BUY these books!

Seriously ... check these out. If you can drag your eyes away from the covers, you'll love the blurbs and excerpts.

About Breathless Press:

Breathless Press is an e-book publisher specializing in Romance and Erotic(a) stories.

Our mission statement is simple: To provide the opportunity for readers to connect with romance authors through the purchasing of quality e-books at a low price.

Starting in the summer of 2009, Breathless Press came into existence. Since then, we have been producing top end romance and erotic stories for valued readers to enjoy.

Our Goal?

Breathless Press is an electronic publisher of paranormal, erotic, and mainstream romance, releasing one to three e-books a week in a variety of downloadable formats. It is Breathless Press' mission to provide readers with quality romance books in electronic formats and to raise the standard in e-publishing.

Bad Moon Rising by DC Juris

Bryce finds himself smack in a zombie apocalypse, and meets the man of his dreams along the way.

Bryce never expected to find himself smack in the middle of a zombie apocalypse, and he certainly never expected to meet the man of his dreams along the way. But there's more than zombies in the way of his happily ever after. Richard comes with baggage, in the form of his on again, off again bipolar lover Cole, who is off his meds and descending into his own mental hell at an alarming rate. Will the three men be able to work out their romantic feelings? Oh yeah...and then there's that little issue of the zombies...

Excerpt:

I jerked awake to the sound of glass shattering. A quick glance around told me it wasn't our window, but something outside, nearby. Fuck! The car! I jumped up but Richard caught my arm and yanked me down next to him.

"Stay down!"

"What's going on?" I whispered.

"Looters," Cole revealed. "They're going up and down the street, searching cars."

Well, at least they wouldn't steal it, since we had the keys, and the chances of them sticking around to do any real damage to it seemed pretty slim, too. All we had to do was wait it out, and they'd go away.

Dolly stood and paced to the door, walking back and forth in front of it like she was on guard duty.

On the street, yelling broke out, and gunshots echoed in the night.

Richard cursed.

Our visitors had apparently been discovered. Shouts of run and look out descended into just inarticulate screaming and then the unthinkable: Dolly started barking.

Cole lunged for her, but the damage had already been done. The people outside started banging on our door, pleading to be let in.

"What do we do?" I looked to Richard, who was shaking his head.

"Nothing."

"But if we don't let them in, they'll be infected," I argued. Those were people outside—we had to help them. What if the roles were reversed? What if that had been me outside?

"And if we do let them in, we'll be infected." He reached for one of our backpacks and started shoving things inside. "We can't stay here. Cole, shut that damned mutt up!"

"I'm trying!" Cole struggled with Dolly, trying to get her calmed down and quiet.

Richard shoved a bag at me, hitting me square in the chest and bringing me back to reality. "Pack light. We'll be walking."

"The car—"

"Is compromised. We'll never get near it. Hurry up. Cole!"

Cole scrambled back to us, dragging Dolly behind him.

Outside the shouting and banging intensified. Someone must've gotten smart, because a brick came careening through an exposed part of the door glass near the top. It sailed through the air, barely missing Richard's head.

"Time to go!" Richard shoved Cole toward the back door. "Bryce, help me with the boards!"

I grabbed up a discarded hammer and handed it over to him while I fished in my bag for the crowbar I'd brought. We struggled with the boards, hacking and pulling. Richards face turned red with his exertion, and I felt the warmth of my own efforts spreading out from my arm muscles, making my chest tight and painful.

"Hurry up, guys!" Cole shouted.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Choices by Em Woods

When a rodeo clown, a small town veterinarian and his assistant form a complicated trio, they find it's their choices that determine who finds love.

When rodeo clown Brandt Collins is forced into retirement by an injury in the arena, he heads to long-time friend Kaden Slater's hometown to settle down. As far as he's concerned if that old flame ignites into a wildfire, then all the better.

Kaden is glad to see Brandt, but a little complication in the form of Kaden's new assistant, Mike, throws a wrench in all their plans. Sexy, smart and young, Mike wants Kaden more than he wants his next breath.

Soon, misunderstandings and the past conspire to tear the trio apart before they've even begun. And now it's their choices that will determine who finds love - and who doesn't.

Excerpt:

Standing on Sissy Andrews's snow-covered porch on New Year's Eve, Brandt Collins rubbed a gloved hand over the ache in his hip and then winced at the twinge in his rib cage.

For the millionth time, he cursed the horn that had speared his leg a year ago and the bastards who'd pinned him down for a good old-fashioned butt-kicking. That was two weeks ago, but his body still hurt. If he'd been even a little younger than his thirty-five years, he could have come back from injuries like that. Granted, his hip only bothered him in the cold, but still, he wasn't quick enough to outrun the bulls.

If nothing else, a rodeo clown had to be agile.

Through the door, he could hear Elvis music and laughter. More of both than he cared to be around tonight. Brandt had just talked himself into heading back to his barren ranch house when the door swung open and a petite blonde launched into his arms.

Despite the pain, Brandt whooped and spun her around. "Damn, girl. It's good to see you too."

Sissy threw her head back and laughed as she squeezed him tighter. "You made it!"

"Calm down, Sissy, or you'll knock him clean off the porch." That voice, deep and husky, settled over Brandt like a thick blanket. His insides warmed, and all the aches and pains faded.

"She's all right, Kaden." Brandt dropped his squirming package to her feet.

"Sorry!" She ruined the apology by hopping in place and clapping her hands together. "Come on, it's almost midnight. I thought you were gonna bail on me and make me come and find you. Of course, I would have just sent my brother." She waved a hand toward Kaden before she pulled them inside her small home and closed the door.

Brandt took his time removing his coat and gloves, using the moment of distraction to look his fill at the younger man. This was the first time he'd seen his friend since last winter, when Brandt had been laid up injured. Kaden's coal-black hair and meadow-green eyes melted Brandt's heart while his solid build and masculinity hardened Brandt's cock.

He pulled in a deep breath to settle his nerves. Brandt reminded himself there was no guarantee Kaden was still interested in him. From the moment they'd made their choices all those years ago, Kaden had remained a solid friend—and nothing more. No lingering glances. No accidental touches. Kaden had always wished him well and sent him off with a large thermos of black coffee when he had to head back to the rodeo. Not once had he asked Brandt to stay.

Not that he could blame Kaden. Brandt had been hot on the trail of the nearest rodeo, and Kaden was vet school bound. They had been too stubborn to compromise. Brandt was afraid they might still be.

Brandt smiled and waved at people as they called out to him, but he didn't linger. Hell, he needed a drink. Spotting a large silver keg perched on the kitchen counter beside a collection of liquor, juices, and soda, Brandt made his way across the room, followed closely by Kaden. He pulled a plastic cup from the stack beside the beer, but Kaden snatched it from his hand.

"You still on those meds?"

Damn him for remembering. Brandt glared at Kaden and picked up another cup, holding it out to the sheriff, who guarded the alcohol. "Not your business."

A slight lift of dark eyebrows was the only indication that Brandt's snide comment had hit home. Kaden stared at him for a moment, then dropped the spare cup onto the counter and walked away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Make Mine to Go by Dilo Keith

Justin can usually satisfy Toby's diverse erotic desires, but when Toby craves something only another man can provide, will this test the limits of Justin's love?

One key to the success of Justin and Toby's marriage is plenty of sexual variety, sometimes with other men they meet at the local BDSM club. While Toby assumes the submissive role in their power exchanges, it's more often Justin who generously caters to Toby's erotic appetites. Toby's interest in flirting with a salesman should be trivial in comparison to his other desires. Instead, it sends both men down uncomfortable paths.

Toby manages to assure Justin that it was harmless fun, or so it seems at first. More troubling than Justin being unconvinced is that Toby doesn't entirely believe his own story. When Toby finally figures out he wants something only another man can give him, he knows it won't be easy to tell Justin. More importantly, is realizing a fantasy-- even an exceptionally compelling one -- worth the risk?

Excerpt:

They joined my wrists behind me with a simple clip. Bound, blindfolded, and kneeling, I awaited my next orders. They whispered to each other. The bed dipped, and I could tell by the sound of a zipper Paul went for his toy bag on the floor. Justin was doing something too. My desire to know warred with the thrill of erotic darkness.

"Suck me," Justin said.

If he expected me to remove his jock without my hands, it wouldn't be quick. I hoped he remembered I felt foolish the last time we tried that. Thankfully, he'd just done it himself. I lapped at the trickle of pre-cum I found on his magnificent cock. Apparently uninterested in my reverent attitude, Justin pulled me down, leaving me with my face in his pubes as my main support, his cock nearly gagging me at first.

Justin lifted my head with fingers tangled in my hair. That's such a turn-on. I keep it long enough to allow a good handful. "Having a little trouble, Toby?"

"Just enough, sir."

"Slut." He pulled me back down and kept his hands on my neck, more for symbolism than instruction.

Paul smacked my upturned ass, slowly at first. It warmed and tingled under his masterful care. At some point he switched from bare hands to a fingerless glove that had studs or something, but not sharp like vampire gloves. The combined sensations of leather, studs, and bare fingers made it difficult to focus on Justin's cock. That divine balance of pleasure and pain could transport me to subspace if I weren't trying to do a decent job. Despite my best efforts, I lost my rhythm a few times.

"Pay attention, boy. You've gotta work for it," Justin said with his typical "amused Dom" tone, the friendly taunt that showed he got off on my predicament.

Meanwhile, in contrast to the delight of the sensuous spanking, my unattended boner was threatening to become painful. I probed the surrounding space, not expecting to find relief, but I had to try.

"And no coming without permission," Paul reminded me. He gave me a few hard swats.

Despite these distractions, I soon had Justin moaning and grasping my hair. I anticipated my creamy reward for a blowjob well done.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Willow by Lee Brazil

Making decisions is sometimes difficult for Willow Shaw, but loving Cade Lawson comes easily. Too bad Cade regards him as too young to know his own mind.

As a favor for an old friend, cop Cade Lawson is keeping a watchful eye on his young neighbor, Willow Shaw. He'd thought that would involve some hanging out, watching movies and heart-to-heart talks on college life.

But the Will who moved into his apartment building wasn't the same little boy who'd worshipped his father's friend. No, this Willow is rowdy, defiant, challenging, and alluring. He stirs feelings that Cade is uncomfortable with.

Cade might be uncomfortable, but Willow Shaw is desperate. He's had a crush on Cade for years, and he'd hoped it would fade away one day. Hiding his growing feelings is his top priority, even if it means acting like a prick, because there is absolutely no way a man like Cade—strong, decisive, handsome, and experienced—is going to be attracted to him.

Excerpt:

"Your dad asked me to keep an eye on you, Will. That's not something I take lightly." Look, not lust. The reminder was timely. When Matt Shaw had requested the favor, Cade had pictured himself and Will watching action movies, hanging out and having fun, much as they had when the kid was younger. Reality had been far different.

Will snorted. "Right. I forgot. Well, I was seventeen then, and maybe he had some excuse, but I'm not a kid anymore. It's been eighteen months of fun with you peering over my shoulder, but I'm nineteen now and I don't need you looking out for me anymore."

Cade reached out a hand to clasp Will's slender shoulder, but the young man flinched back, almost hiding behind the door. He shook off his disappointment. Will just didn't like him anymore; he had to get over the loss of affection. "You're still young, Will, and since your Dad can't be here to guide you, he asked me to keep an eye on you because he loves you."

"Yeah. He fucking loves me so much, where is he?"

Sadly, Cade shook his head. He clenched his fist around his keys in frustration. This wasn't the first time they'd had this argument, and probably wouldn't be the last. "He's working a lot of extra hours to pay for your college fees."

"Tell me, Cade, when's the last time you spoke to my dad?"

Guilty heat burned his neck. He'd spoken to Matt Shaw just yesterday. The man called regularly. Cade considered him a good friend. "Will, your dad and I have been friends a long time. We speak frequently, and it's not always about you, huh?"

"Figures. You know when I spoke to him last? I can't remember. It's my nineteenth birthday, today, Cade. This is my party. You'd think he could call today, wouldn't you?"

Damn Matt Shaw. Helplessly, Cade shrugged. "Happy Birthday, Will. I'm sorry to disrupt your party, but I've had a long night and I have to work in the morning. I just need peace and quiet and sleep."

Footsteps in the gravel behind him drew Will's eye and he smirked knowingly at Cade. "Here's your boyfriend. Looks like your long night isn't over yet. Keep the noise down, you two. I have an exam in the morning and..." He leaned forward confidingly. "You may not realize this, but you're fucking loud when you fuck, dude."

Reclaiming the Edge by Sara Brookes - virtual tour and giveaway

The Menagerie welcomes Sara Brookes to the blog today on her tour with Goddess Fish Promotions!! We're excited to showcase her latest release, an erotic romance titled "Reclaiming the Edge" and visit with her.

Even better, Sara will be awarding a $25 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn commenter during her tour, so leave a comment here today and then follower her tour to increase your chances of winning. Her tour posts are listed here.

Now, on to the good stuff!

Describe yourself in three words.

Romance, coffee, geek.

Cast your book. Tell us who would play the main characters in a movie and why.

When I write a book, I don’t tend to have any one particular person in mind. It’s usually only after the book is finished that I find some resemblance between them and an actor in a movie. With Reclaiming the Edge, it was the second time I got to work with these characters, so by then I had a good picture of them. Originally, my husband was watching The Punisher one day when I happened to walk into the den. And there was Thomas Jane. Talk, dark and brooding. Perfect. For the girl in the middle of the middle of this hot menage, Elisha Cuthbert always kept coming to mind after I was done writing Erin. Petite and blonde, she had the same coloring and mannerism I see for Erin. And to round out the trio wasn’t an actor an all. An athlete this time, the fast driving stock car racer Carl Edwards. Now I’ve watched racing for years, I grew up around it, but when a particular picture of Carl crossed my desk, well…hello, Cade.

What’s your favorite love scene from a movie?

The car scene in Say Anything. The vulnerability of John Cusak’s character is just flat out awesome. Ranks right up there with the boombox scene in that movie as well, which is easily one of the most iconic moments in movie history. There are just so many things about that movie that still work to this day. Gotta love 80’s movies. They’re still some of my all-time favorite movies.

What’s your wildest fantasy?

While it may not be the wildest, per say, I would love for someone to pamper me for a few hours where I don’t have to think about a thing. Okay, okay, so maybe a few someones. A few, well-built, fabulously muscled men to dote on my every desire isn’t too much to ask. Right?!?!

If you were to lose one of your senses, which would you rather lose and why?

An interesting question, as I only have four senses already. Not too sure I’d want to lose another one. See, I have no sense of smell at all. Which always makes writing scents just a little tricky. Usually I have to ask friends or family for advice and have them describe a scent to me in some way. Having no sense of smell does come in handy sometimes. For instance, poopy diapers? Yeah, have no idea what it smells like. Of course, the flip side is that, since I can’t smell it, I’m usually the one changing it. *g*

What is the naughtiest thing you did as a kid?

Maybe not the naughtiest, but certainly one of the earliest. Pre-school, in fact. There I was, happy as a lark, coloring away without a care in the world. Along comes my best friend at the time, who plops down and wants to color with me. Only, she wants to borrow my crayons. Being the selfish 4 year old that I am, I tell her no. She doesn’t like my answer and decides she wants to color with my red crayon even though I said no. My attention diverted, she swipes my red crayon. My favorite crayon of the bunch. I won’t stand for this and stand up and proclaim to the entire class that my best friend is a bitch. This leads to my parents being called and a trip to the pastor’s office (church pre-school).

Quickies:

Boxers or Briefs?

Neither!

Top or Bottom?

Bottom.

Pajamas or nude?

Nude.

Alpha or Beta?

Alpha.

The sexual journey of Dalton, Cade and Erin begins in Ragged Edge. You won’t want to miss the beginning of their lusty connection!

It isn’t a birthday celebration without a little pain to chase the pleasure—at least according to Dalton and Cade, the two men who stole Erin’s heart. Relationships are complicated and Erin has been retreating—both emotionally and physically—from her lovers. Pushed away for reasons they don’t understand, and determined to erode her resistance, the men devise a wicked plan. They intend to use two very special gifts and one captivating night to reclaim her submission. But Erin’s trip to subspace extracts a heart-wrenching confession that threatens to rip the triad apart forever.

Warning: Contains a well-trained, dirty-talking submissive who succumbs to the commands of her Master, custom nipple clamps, tongue wagging oral sex, a well-deserved punishment with a butt plug, men who share more than a few heart-racing kisses and a custom-made-work-of-art sex chair that shows this M/M/F triad just how powerful their passion for one another is. And that’s just chapter one.

They drew her closer, cosseting her in their strong arms. How foolish had she been to push this away? She’d never doubted their love for a second, but she’d certainly doubted herself. “My men.”

A shadow darkened Cade’s eyes as he slowly exhaled. “I really want to stay, but my shift starts in an hour since I’m covering for Tommy while he’s away. And unless I want to go to work smelling like you two, I need to take a shower.”

He nudged her mouth with the tip of his tongue. She accepted him, loving the slide of his flesh against hers. Loving the way his careful, patient strokes seemed to melt away the last bands of constriction around her heart. His eyes were alight with arousal when he finally broke away and he turned, capturing Dalton’s mouth next. She treasured sitting this close, feeling the heat radiate from their bodies as they kissed. Though Cade was submissive, the kiss he branded on Dalton’s lips was anything but.

“Take care of our girl.” He moved away, gathered his clothes and closed the door as he left.

Sara Brookes is an award-winning author who has always been fascinated by the strange, the unusual, the twisted and the lost (tortured heroes are her personal favorite). She is an action movie junkie, addicted to coffee and has been known to stay up until the wee hours of the morning playing RPG video games. Despite all this, she is a romantic at heart and is always a sucker for an excellent love story.

You can contact Sara at sara@sarabrookes.net or PO Box 5583 Suffolk, VA 23435

Website: www.sarabrookes.com
Twitter: @Sara_Brookes
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/brookesofbooks
Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/authorsarabrookes
New Release Announcement List: http://eepurl.com/mbG31

Buy Link: http://www.jasminejade.com/p-10382-reclaiming-the-edge.aspx

Brother's Keeper by Elizabeth Finn - Virtual Tour and Giveaway

The Menagerie welcomes Elizabeth Finn to the blog today on her tour with Goddess Fish Promotions!! We're excited to showcase her latest release, an erotic romance titled "Brother's Keeper" and visit with her.

Even better, Elizabeth will be awarding a $10 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn commenter during her tour, so leave a comment here today and then follower her tour to increase your chances of winning. Her tour posts are listed here.

Now, on to the good stuff!

Describe yourself in three words.

• Sarcastic
• Smart
• Shy
And they all start with an S – I should get points for that!

Cast your book. Tell us who would play the main characters in a movie and why.

I have this fanatically huge crush on David Giuntoli’s character from Grimm, and I also love Carrie Mulligan’s sweet innocent look. David would be a good Logan Harrington, Carrey would be a good Rowan Avery.

Don’t they look cute together? Now, swap her brown eyes for his blue, and they’re perfect! I should work in Hollywood… He has the mature intense look to him, and she has the sweet innocent shy look to her! He’s actually a bit too old to play Logan, but hey, he’s David Giuntoli – I’ll forgive him for being 30ish. And for supporting characters… This is so much fun… Let’s go with Candace Accola for Sara Harrington (Rowan’s best friend and Logan’s sister) – She makes one of the best supporting characters in the world in my opinion, but then, I love The Vampire Diaries! Consequently, I would cast her to play Ashton’s best friend, Liz, from The Devil’s Pawn too!

What’s your favorite love scene from a movie?

Hands down the first love scene in the movie The Big Easy – Dennis Quaid and Ellen Barkin circa 1986. HOT HOT HOT! This is still one of my all time favorite sexy-as-hell movie picks. And it has an awesome soundtrack if you like bluegrass or zydeco.

What’s your wildest fantasy?

That is probably the most difficult question in the world to answer, and I can guarantee it changes at least weekly – I have an imagination. There’s this particular scene in my December release, Restoring Jordan… I’m not going to fill in the details, so you’ll just have to buy the book, but look for the scene that takes place in her kitchen, and you’ve got it! Let’s just say it involves more than just bodies…

If you were to lose one of your senses, which would you rather lose and why?

Okay – rewind to anatomy class: sight, hearing, taste, touch, smell… TASTE – this would literally be the best diet plan in the entire world! I would almost willingly give up this sense for that purpose alone… That’s sad, but true! I would miss it, but it wouldn’t have the same impact as losing my other senses. Next would be smell, though I would miss that terribly, and it can be an incredible turn on, then it would be hearing, followed by sight. The one I’d like to give up the least would touch, because of course this means a loss of feeling as well – this would be painfully depressing to lose for obvious reasons. Come on I’m a romance writer…

What is the naughtiest thing you did as a kid?

This is lame… I stole some golf tees from my cousins house. I got caught with them, and had to return them and apologize… Mind you I now understand just how much golf tees DON’T cost, so it makes it all the more humiliating. And if we’re really confessing, I was very very mean to someone in grade school. She didn’t deserve it, and a friend of mine and I intentionally got her in trouble for something she didn’t do. It is likely the meanest thing I’ve ever done, and I regret it to this day. I’m not a mean person in anyway whatsoever, and I got swept up in the moment. It was also very uncharacteristic of me. I was never a bully, and for some reason that I still can’t fathom, I went along with this ploy. I felt guilty instantly, and I still do to this day.

Quickies:

Boxers or Briefs?

Boxer-briefs – I like the fit of the brief, but the length of the boxer.

Top or Bottom?

Bottom – I’m a bit old-fashioned.

Pajamas or nude?

Depends on the weather. I live in the Midwest, nude in the middle of a cold winter just isn’t fun. You’d more likely see me in flannel pajama pants, fleece socks, t-shirt, sweatshirt and five quilts on the bed…

Hairy chests or smooth?

Somewhere between. I like the look of a smooth chest, but then I wonder what they had to do to get it… Shave, low testosterone level… Hair is masculine to me, but it needs to be managed…

Alpha or Beta?

Alpha all the way! But loaded with moral integrity – even if he doesn’t realize it to start.

Rowan is a high school senior. Logan is her best friend’s much older brother. With one ill-fated phone call, Rowan’s darkest secret is discovered, and she finds herself at Logan’s mercy, begging for his silence. Can he keep his distance while protecting her from the secret threatening to destroy her?

I beg my brain to concentrate on my book but can’t seem to keep my eyes where they should be. I keep looking up and watching Rowan. She’s pulling off her clothes, and I almost choke until I realize she has her dance clothes on underneath. She is sitting spread eagle on the floor, her back to me, lacing her toe shoes up her ankles. I can’t take my gaze away from her. She looks up to the wall of mirrors in front of her and catches me watching her from behind. She smiles shyly, and I smile back. I sit with my book open on my lap for the entire hour but don’t manage to make it past the first page.

I watch her as she stretches. I watch her as she goes through positions. She is beautiful—her lines so elegant. She may look small and unobtrusive at any other time, but when she’s in her element, she radiates and takes over the room. Her face is confident and calm, seductive but not intentionally so. The way she moves is so effortless, and her body is so amazingly balanced as she easily forces her body into positions that would make the average person groan in pain. I almost burst out laughing as I remember the acrobatics she attempted just shortly ago outside on the sidewalk.

Watching her body move is mesmerizing and does nothing for my vow to control my desire for her. Gay as Anthony most definitely is, I’m unrealistically jealous of the way he is allowed to touch her, pushing her legs into exactly the position he wants, turning and spreading her hips at his leisure, even sliding his hand around her firm buttocks to catch the back of her thigh and lift her leg at just the right angle. I catch myself holding my breath on more than one occasion, and by the time her hour is up, I’m her number one fan. I love ballet. She strolls over to me and sits down. She looks down before I even notice and sees just how far I’ve not made it in my book. I’m still on page one.

She smiles shyly before commenting. “Must be a boring book.” She has no idea…

“In comparison to other things, yeah, you could say that. Are you ready?”

Elizabeth Finn is an Iowa native, where she lives with her husband and son. By day, Elizabeth is a Human Resources Specialist, but by night, she checks her professionalism at the door and immerses herself in the world of writing contemporary erotic romance. Look for more to come from Elizabeth Finn.

Visit Elizabeth at ElizabethFinn.WordPress.com, Facebook.com/ElizabethFinnFiction or email to ElizabethFinn77@gmail.com. She would love to hear from you!

Escalation Clause by Liz Crowe - Virtual Tour and Giveaway

The Menagerie welcomes Liz Crowe to the blog today on her tour with Goddess Fish Promotions!! We're excited to showcase her latest release, an erotic romance titled "Escalation Clause" and visit with her.

Even better, Liz will be awarding prizes to three randomly drawn commenters during the tour: a signed copy of the new release (either ebook or print); $100 Amazon gift card; and a gift of Stewart Realty (Zazzle) swag of choice to randomly drawn commenters, so leave a comment here today and then follower her tour to increase your chances of winning. Her tour posts are listed here.

Now, on to the good stuff!

Lust At First Sight

A Chemistry Lesson

I realize the question was do I believe in Love at First Sight but I wanted to put my own spin on it to explain why I don’t.

Human beings are mammals, hardwired the meet their own basic needs. These include:

• Nutrition/hydration
• The ability to let go of waste (excretion)
• Air to breathe
• Basic Internal Stability (homeostasis)
• Sex

I realize that I’m using the foundation of a hierarchy (Maslow’s) that has these things more refined as you move up the pyramid. However, it is my argument that this base need to connect, physically, drives us more than we want to admit. And that many of us fight, and reject it, to the point of making natural human sexual activity taboo in any situation unless you’re mostly dressed, behind lock and key and in the missionary position.

After a fair bit of success writing books that appeal to the female need to be stimulated by reading about explicit sexual activity I can say without reservation that I believe firmly in lust at first sight. You know….that glance from the guy in the elevator when it becomes a second glance that lingers….or the flirty co-worker who tempts just enough to make you find yourself hanging around late on a Thursday night at the office when you know he’ll be there…or the guy in the coffee shop whose fingers touch yours every morning when he hands you your latte and seem to linger longer every day….

That ladies (and gents) forms the basis for the physical connection that can become love, eventually, and many times does not. I will be the first to acknowledge that many loving relationships come about from long-term friendship---they guy you grew up with who comes home from college and smacks you up side the libido with “wow.” Or the co-worker you befriend when he’s going through a break-up (or you are).

I am no expert on the entirety of human psychology but I am on one thing—we love to have a hot and heavy connection with someone we find attractive. We get a need met. Where it goes from there can be a crapshoot but the natural chemistry of attraction typically comes first. My self-titled sub genre of romance: Romance For Real Life, explores this in ways that does not always appeal to traditional romance readers. My characters do connect, first on a very base level, and then usually screw up the emotions to the point of being apart sometimes years at a time before finally sorting out what they really want. I’ve been told it’s frustrating. But that the characters and plots are so well crafted, the reader can’t help but keep reading.

REMINDER: ESCALATION CLAUSE: STEWART REALTY BOOK 6 IS NOT A STAND ALONE NOVEL. You should read the first 5 (which are all best sellers and have many 5+ star reviews) to get the WHOLE story.

Young love burns hot and bright. Soul mates are found, then lost in the blink of an eye. When young widow Maureen Gordon Taylor meets her daughter's sexy soccer coach, her body and heart slowly unthaw. But will holding tight to the past cost her a future?

A devastating blow shatters a family's fragile happiness. Rob Freitag and Lila Warren now confront life without the emotional glue that once bound them, but a shared goal brings them back together. Is it enough to make them whole again and become the family they were meant to be?

Mutual trust is hard won for the Gordons. When tragedy strikes, Jack and Sara’s lives are sent into a tailspin. To keep her family from falling apart, she must force Jack to admit his deepest fears. After everything they’ve been through, can they revive the spark and move to the next stage of marital fulfillment?

The sweeping saga of the Stewart Realty series continues as long-time friends learn to rely on each other, and to grab hold of happiness before it's too late.

The sunlight pierced the light haze of his sleep. Brandis groaned, rolled over seeking shade and found himself hand-and-kneeing it facing the brick pavers of his parents’ patio. “Christ in a sidecar what time is it?” He mumbled, flipping around so he sat, back against the chaise lounge that must have served as his bed for the night. Not that he recalled anything after the second joint. He groaned and ran a hand down his already sweaty face.

Jack walked out the back door, Mountain Dew in hand, dressed for work at his father’s construction site for the day. Brandis blinked at his friend. “How in the hell can be so awake and non-hung over? I feel like three day old shit.”

“You look like it, too.” Jack slammed the remaining soda and threw the can into the returnables' bin. “You taking those back today? We need food at the house while you’re at it.”

Brandis flipped him off. “I look like your personal shopper?”

“No,” Jack sat, laced his work boots up then leveled a deep blue stare at him. “You look like a guy lucky enough not to have to work on the Saturday after a giant pool party.” His friend leaned forward on his knees and gave Brandis an ominous look. “You also look like the guy who could possibly be messing around with my sister. I don’t recommend you be that guy. Not at all.”

“I’m…” Brandis started to say something, but he had nothing, so he stayed quiet. Jack stared him down, turned on his heel then left, letting the gate bang loud behind him. Brandis crawled to the edge of the pool, noted all the shit he needed to clean out of it including at least two condoms, then stuck his feet into the cold water, groaning when his temples started pounding to the beat of his heart. He put his head in his hands. Mo was the first thing he saw when he closed his eyes. Her bright blue eyes snapping with laughter, anger, and…desire … God help him, he had nursed a crush on her for years.

She’d been such a tomboy, running with him and Jack, tagging along then joining in the baseball, basketball, soccer whatever they concocted, up to and including egg throwing at Halloween and more less innocent vices. Their easy camaraderie had always allowed them to wrestle, to tickle, to touch. After she’d shown up at his house last month, determined to escape her jerk-off father, he thought he could just ease back into it. But, he hadn’t seen her in over a year, and in that time, she had become a full-fledged, jaw-dropping woman. Her tall, athletic frame was lush, lovely, full-hipped and inviting. The deep blue of her eyes and inky black fall of her hair made him want to bury his hands in it, to kiss her until she begged for more.

So, it seemed, his crush had bloomed into full-blown lust. A desire she apparently matched.

No way.

He’d heard Jack’s message loud and clear. And as much of a man-whore as Brandis was, he was a loyal friend. So, Mo was off limits. Fine. He did not need that hassle, not now, with just a month and a half before he left for Colorado.

He leaned back on his hands and willed his cock soft, but the memory of her lips, and the feel of her skin against his if just for that one moment was not something he would soon forget. When he’d fucked that girl in the basement then realized Mo had been down there, watching them, it had taken him a couple of seconds to acknowledge he’d been picturing her beneath him, her body taking his, the sounds of her climax in his ears the entire time.

What a fucking mess.

“Hey,” he nearly jumped a mile into the air at the sound of her voice. “I, um, just want to say, you know, well…” She sat a couple of feet from him and let her feet dangle in the water. “Sorry.” She looked straight ahead.

“For what?” He cleared his throat, nervous beyond belief.

“For spying on you. I mean, I wasn’t, I was getting a drink and just kind of … oh hell. You know what I mean.” She looked down into the water. “This pool is disgusting.” She shoved a greasy looking floating seat away with her foot. “Are those…” She pointed to the used rubbers on the bottom.

“Yeah,” he ran a hand down his face, then jumped up and grabbed the skimmer. He cleared the condoms, a bottle of sunscreen and three beer cans from the pool, trying to ignore her. But his baser self would not cooperate and he had to grab a towel and fasten it around his waist to hide the damn tent in his shorts. She moved all the chairs back into their usual places and cleaned off the two glass-topped tables, finding yet another rubber in the grass near the back fence.

“You guys sure do know how to throw a party.” She smiled at him, lifting his heart and making his damn cock pound in time with his headache.

“Huh,” he grunted, before turning the water on to refill the pool and taking a reading on the chemicals. Sweat dripped off his forehead, blurring his vision. Fuck it was hot out already and it was barely eight o’clock in the morning. She crouched down next to him, her arm grazing his, making him flinch. Crush, Brandis. Remember? She is a no-go zone. Don’t do it.

Microbrewery owner, best-selling author, beer blogger and journalist, mom of three teenagers, and soccer fan, Liz lives in the great Midwest, in a major college town. Years of experience in sales and fund raising, plus an eight-year stint as an ex-pat trailing spouse, plus making her way in a world of men (i.e. the beer industry), has prepped her for life as erotic romance author. When she isn't sweating inventory and sales figures for the brewery, she can be found writing, editing or sweating promotional efforts for her latest publications.

Her groundbreaking romance subgenre, “Romance for Real Life,” has gained thousands of fans and followers who are interested less in the “HEA” and more in the “WHA” (“What Happens After?”)

Her beer blog a2beerwench.com is nationally recognized for its insider yet outsider views on the craft beer industry. Her books are set in the not-so-common worlds of breweries, on the soccer pitch and in high-powered real estate offices. Don’t ask her for anything “like” a Budweiser or risk painful injury.

LINKS:

www.lizcrowe.com
www.brewingpasssion.com
www.a2beerwench.com
www.facebook.com/lizcroweauthor
www.twitter.com/beerwencha2
www.facebook.com/romanceforreallife
www.facebook.com/jackgordonrealtor
Amazon Series - http://tinyurl.com/amzsrseries
B&N Series - http://tinyurl.com/bnnsrseries
ARe Series - http://tinyurl.com/aresrseries

Escalation Clause (pre-order link – Allromanceebook.com) - http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-escalationclause-923040-148.html