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

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

My Fair Dork by Daisy Harris - Virtual Tour and Giveaway

The Menagerie welcomes the very talented author Daisy Harris to the blog today on her tour with Goddess Fish Promotions!! We're excited to showcase her latest release, a M/M romance titled "My Fair Dork" and interview her.

Even better, Daisy will be awarding a large-size dildo, a scented penis candle, as well as a $20 gift certificate to the winner’s choice of Barnes and Noble or Amazon to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour, so leave one 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.

Spunky, funny, motivated. I’d add unorganized, but that would be four. *G*

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

Hmm. I’m not really sure. I generally look at stock images to get ideas for my main characters. A big reason for this is that it’s easier for me to fine-tune a character’s appearance to a stock image that matches than it is to find a stock image to match a character’s appearance.

I suppose Harold Jacobs would be played by a teenage Patrick Dempsey. Teenage Patrick Dempsey was not only dorky, but also self conscious and slightly manic. Though Harold is calmer, his mind always goes a mile a minute. So that high-strung energy would suit him. Or, I could see him played by Anthony Michael Hall. But AMH was a little TOO manic for Harold’s personality.

Owen McKenzie would be played by teenage Emilio Estevez. Or perhaps Avan Jogia (to give a more modern example.) Emilio Estevez looks more like him, but Avan Jogia has that effortless star quality.

What’s your favorite love scene from a movie?

My favorite movie kiss of all time was the scene in The Breakfast Club where Molly Ringwald sneaks into the closet where Vernon is keeping Judd Nelson. As you may have gathered, I have a thing for 80’s high school movies.

What’s your wildest fantasy?

I’m a pretty wild person, so my fantasies are pretty tame. A man who takes out the garbage without being asked, children who clean their rooms… It’s the simple things that feel like the hardest to attain.

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

I could do without my hearing. Things often feel too loud to me and I prefer to read than to listen. I supposed I’d have to learn sign language, and that would take some work. But I’m a much more visual person than an auditory one.

What is the naughtiest thing you did as a kid?

I was a goody-two-shoes child, but a horrible teenager. Basically, I turned from Hermione Granger into Joan Jett in Jr. High. I snuck out, drank, ran around with boys. Honestly, it was a much wilder time than it is now. All the teenagers I know now are honest and good. They hardly do anything wrong.

My husband sometimes worries about the trouble our daughters will get into when they’re older, but I remind him that if I survived my youth, they’re certain to make it to 20 unscathed.

Quickies:

Boxers or Briefs?

I prefer boxer-briefs, best of both worlds, and the guys on the ads for them are mega-hot.

Top or Bottom?

I’ve always assumed everyone wants to bottom. In fact, it’s funny because in my 6th Holsum College book, Pride and Politics, the characters delve into some D/s stuff at the end and while some readers loved that aspect to the story, others felt like they were surprised that my hero Steve would want to be a sub in that relationship.

But, I figured—doesn’t everyone want to be the sub in a D/s relationship? Personally, I’m not into BDSM at all, but it seems like everyone on the planet wants to be spanked and bossed around and fucked. So when a couple readers said, “He didn’t seem like that kind of guy”, I was like, “Aren’t all guys that kind of guy when given a chance?”

See, his co-hero Hunter is such a cold, harsh, bossy person. It seemed like a waste for anyone to be with Hunter and not take advantage of that part of his personality. Like, I’m a great cook. My husband isn’t “the kind of guy” to expect his wife to cook all the time. But, I am a good cook, so he avails himself of my skills.

Of course, my thoughts on the top/bottom dynamic leads to the occasional fight for the bottom in early drafts of my stories, when my characters are all, “No, you top!”, “Oh no, I don’t need to, I’m happy for YOU to top.” But I generally get that all worked out by the time I’m reading to submit the story.

Pajamas or nude?

Pajamas. For myself at least. I’m perfectly happy for my characters to sleep nude.

Hairy chests or smooth?

I’ve always preferred hairless guys. The first love of my life was Asian, and hence had no body hair, and my husband, though white, is pretty low on the body hair scale.

However, I am not a fan of manscaping. Stubble is way worse than hair, and I hate it when I see a romance cover with a guy who’s supposed to be rough and ready and all barbaric, and I can see his bikini wax is growing out.

:::Shivers and gags:::

The older I get, the more I appreciate some fur on a guy. But maybe that’s because my husband, though smooth for a guy of forty, is getting fuzzier with each passing year.

Alpha or Beta?

Beta all the way. I like my heroes funny, sarcastic, neurotic, tentative, and sweet. Confession: I’ve never been one for contemporary male-female romance, because I can’t stand the hardcore alpha males.

The obligatory spanking (and/or shaming) scene? Ew, ew, ew!

A major reason I write M/M romance is that I like my characters to be equals. Or at least to have the potential to be equals. I’ll never write a book like 50 Shades of Grey, but so be it. I like my men nice. Well, except for Hunter Ford. I like him when he’s an ass.

They say a guy can never be too hung. Well, Harold Jacobs doesn’t know who they are, but they’re wrong. Socially awkward for as long as he can remember, Harold feels his enormous package is just one more thing to be embarrassed about. Especially once hunky and popular Owen McKenzie notices it in the showers.

Owen knows he’s bi, but he keeps that secret close to his chest. He likes Harold, and wants to help him shed his dorky image and maybe even find a boyfriend. Still, Owen can’t stop obsessing about Harold’s equipment. And much as he doesn’t want to flip-flop on his sexuality, Owen does want to test-drive what Harold has between his legs.

Their friendship erupts into full-blown lust. But can Owen accept the loss of his golden child status and be Harold’s boyfriend? And can Harold outgrow his insecurity in time to keep the man he loves?

He put his hands on the girl’s hips and started to sway into her from behind. They weren’t the only people three-way dancing, so it didn’t feel too weird. But Harold still kept his eyes closed so he wouldn’t have to see Owen staring at him across the barrier of the girl’s presence.

It wasn’t bad, pressing against her back. She was soft, and her ass squishy. The round globes of it kept bumping into Harold’s hips. But he wasn’t too bothered. She smelled like perfume, and felt more like cuddling into a comfy blanket than anything remotely sexual. Harold was happy not to be worried about getting an erection for once in his life.

The girl leaned back and hooked her hand back behind Harold’s head. Then Owen followed suit. First his hand covered hers, and then Owen eased his hand to the side, so he was cupping Harold’s nape.

And Harold sprung wood. It happened so fast that he was grinding it up into the girl’s butt crack before he even realized what was going on.

He tucked his hips back, and wrenched his head out of Owen’s hold. Harold pulled away from the two of them, but although he wanted to storm out of the party like he had from Eta Xi, he held back. After all, for once he’d gotten a boner while touching a girl. It must have been some kind of miracle.

“Wow.” The girl gave him a flirty wink. She’d never stopped dancing, though she moved away from Owen to come to his front. “Is that a salami in your pants, or are you just happy to see me?”

Birkenstock-wearing glamour girl and mother of two by immaculate conception, Daisy Harris still isn't sure if she writes erotica. Her romances start out innocently enough. However, her characters behave like complete sluts. Much to Miss Harris's dismay the sex tends to get completely out of hand.

She writes about fantastical creatures and about young men getting their freak on, and she's never missed an episode of The Walking Dead.

Links:
My website: www.thedaisyharris.com
Twitter: @thedaisyharris
Siren Page: http://www.bookstrand.com/daisy-harris
Book buy link: http://www.bookstrand.com/my-fair-dork

As Advertised by Jaime Samms - Virtual Book Tour and Giveaway

The Menagerie welcomes author Jaime Samms to the blog today on her tour with Goddess Fish Promotions!! We're excited to showcase her latest release, "As Advertised" and interview her.

Even better, Jaime and Wild Child Publishing will be awarding a $10 Wild Child Publishing GC to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour, so leave one 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.

Busy. Creative. Caffeinated.

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

Oooh. Good question. Okay, as Tyler’s new love interest, clean-cut Steven, a totally, pumped up Ryan Reynolds would fit the bill. And as Tyler’s ex, Jake, well, Jake Gyllenhaal, because he can pull off the over-the-top sex appeal, and the endearing puppy-was-a-bad-bad-boy look, and underneath, you know he could play the really nasty shit. And finally, for Tyler himself, I’d pick Heath Ledger. Heath will always be my darling. But since I probably wouldn’t be able to cast a movie from beyond the grave, I’ll choose Ben Affleck, since, just like Tyler, even when he tries to look tough, he looks goofy and adorable.

What’s your favorite love scene from a movie?

It’s not even a love scene, but in the movie Goldfish Memory, there is a kiss, between Red and David. However, I do have to admit, the lesbian love scene in the same movie is really rather well done, and I quite enjoyed it.

What’s your wildest fantasy?

I put most of them in my books, in some form or another. Afraid you’ll just have to go look! :-P

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

Smell, I suppose. My sense of smell is already rather dismal, so it wouldn’t be that great a loss.

What is the naughtiest thing you did as a kid?

I was a very good kid. I swear!!! Plus, my mom might read this, and we all want her to live on oblivious. It’s just better for everyone that way.

Quickies:

Boxers or Briefs? Boxer briefs, actually.
Top or Bottom? Oh, definitely bottom.
Pajamas or nude? nude
Hairy chests or smooth? Both? At once if at all possible. Oh. Right. Mom might be reading…scratch that.
Alpha or Beta? Beta.

Tyler’s life perked up when he met Jake. So what if long-time friend Marty can’t stand him and his landlady has no use for his new beau. Tyler’s determined not to see the dark side of his lover. It’s his own fault for believing people don’t go around keeping secrets and lying.

Tyler should know better. He’s an ad executive. He knows the packaging is what sells, and Jake is quite a package. His lover is no slouch when it comes to false advertising, either, and when Tyler finds out the truth, it hurts. Weathering Jake’s lies and secrets gets easier with the help of new friends, Libby and Steven. In fact, Tyler figures that maybe a lot of things would get easier with Steven.

Tyler should have known better. Not even someone as seemingly perfect as Steven Jessop is completely as advertised.

This time, though, Tyler has to make a decision. After all, sometimes, even if what you see is not what you get, what Tyler’s uncovered in Steven might just be what he’s always wanted.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jaime has been writing for various publishers since the fall of 2008, although she's been writing for herself far longer. Often asked why men; what’s so fascinating about writing stories about men falling in love, she's never come up with a clear answer. Just that these are the stories that she loves to read, so it seemed to make sense if she was going to write, they should also be the stories she wrote.

These days, you can find plenty of free reading on her website. She also writes for Freya’s Bower, Loveyoudivine Alterotica, Pink Petal Books, Dreamspinner Press and Total E-Bound.

Spare time, when it can be found rolled into a ball at the back of the dryer or cavorting with the dust bunnies in the corners, she's probably spending reading, drawing, gardening (weather permitting, of course, since she is Canadian!) or watching movies. Well. She has a day job or two, as well, and two kids, but thankfully, also a wonderful husband who shoulders more than his fair share of household and child care responsibilities.

She graduated some time ago from college with a Fine Arts diploma, with a major in textile arts, which basically qualifies her to draw pictures and create things with string and fabric. One always needs an official slip of paper to fall back on after all....

Website: http://jaime-samms.net/
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000982219151&ref=tn_tnmn
Livejournal:http://dontkickmycane.livejournal.com/
Deviantart: http://dontkickmycane.deviantart.com/
Twitter:https://twitter.com/#!/JaimeSamms
Amazon Author page: amazon.com/author/jaimesamms

The Soul Within by Nancy Adams - virtual tour and giveaway

The Menagerie welcomes Nancy Adams to the blog today on her tour with Goddess Fish Promotions!! Her book sounds really hot and super intriguing, and we're here to help get the word out.  She's sharing an exclusive excerpt with us today -- and if you visit the other stops on her tour, you'll get MORE!

Even better? If you comment here on this post, you might win a $20 Total-e-Bound or Amazon gift card! Who doesn't want that? Better, if you follow her tour, and keep commenting, you have more chances to win. All of her tour stops are listed here. Now, onto the good stuff!

Alex’s body is in a coma. His soul, however, is not. Desperate to become whole, he must first convince stubborn beauty Evening Sinclair that he is not dead.

For generations, the Sinclairs have been healers. Using a gentle touch to heal the body and a soothing word to heal the soul, Evening Sinclair is no different. Yet despite her secret abilities, Eve has a somewhat normal existence. She enjoys her small physiotherapy practice, dotes on her eight-year-old daughter and occasionally helps souls get back into their bodies-that is until Alex, with his brooding good looks and glowing eyes, appears in her kitchen.

Alex is desperate to get back into his body-two innocent lives depend on it. His only obstacle is Eve and her stubborn fear. Unfortunately for Eve, Alex is ruthless and just as stubborn. He will do whatever it takes to get what he wants. He will not 'go away' and no matter how much Eve tortures him with her lush body and perfect mouth, he will not change his mind. Eve will merge him, and if it takes him haunting her day and night, she will merge him back with a body-any body.

Guns raised, both men descended on the figure as it cowered in the corner of Rhodes’ private bathroom. Alex fixed his eyes on the target as he moved closer. Then stopped, stunned by what he saw. A woman. A pregnant woman. He grabbed Miles’ shoulder. “Wait.”

“What for?” Miles asked quickly.

The woman turned her face, showing her tear-stained brown eyes. Those beautiful eyes grew wide when she saw Miles. “Rick?” The woman called Miles by his cover name.

“What’s going on? Why did you…?” She couldn’t finish, tears slipped over onto her cheeks as her lips began to tremble.

Alex studied the woman. “Who is she?” And what is she doing here with Rhodes?

“Jillian Reid, Rhodes’ secretary.” Miles pulled his lips into a tight line and lowered his gun. “What are you doing here, Jillian?”

Alex watched Miles silently. Body tense, eyes flat, although, his voice did carry a slight emotional attachment. Something was off.

The woman sniffed and peeked at him between her fingers. “We were late coming out of a meeting and I had to catch up on a few things. I ended up missing my bus. Mr Rhodes said he would give me a ride home.” She sniffed again. “He said I could use his bathroom before we left, so I didn’t have to walk upstairs.” Her face crumbled a second time. “Why…why did you kill him, Rick?”

Miles raised his gun. The woman whimpered.

“Hey,” Alex warned. “You are seeing what I’m seeing, right?”

“We have the go to eliminate witnesses. She’s a witness.”

Nancy’s addiction for a good trash novel began in her late-teens when her grandmother gave her a bag of Harlequin Romance books. She was hooked and spent the next few years lurking in the dark corners of used bookstores searching for her next fix. Until, one marriage and two kids later, her own ideas had her jumping up at 3 am (much to her husband’s annoyance) and typing them into her laptop.

Besides her husband and children, Nancy has three passions, rearranging furniture, buying bed linens and, of course, writing. Nancy lives in Eastern Ontario with her family and two over sized lap dogs.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/NancyAdams.scribblingseduction

Total-e-Bound author page: http://www.total-e-bound.com/authordetail.asp?A_ID=201

In the Spotlight: The Soul Within by Nancy Adams - virtual tour and giveaway!

The Menagerie welcomes Nancy Adams to the blog today on her tour with Goddess Fish Promotions!! Her book sounds really hot and super intriguing, and we're here to help get the word out.

The coolest part? If you comment here on this post, you might win a $20 Total-e-Bound or Amazon gift card! Who doesn't want that? Better, if you follow her tour, and keep commenting, you have more chances to win. All of her tour stops are listed here. Now, onto the good stuff!

Alex’s body is in a coma. His soul, however, is not. Desperate to become whole, he must first convince stubborn beauty Evening Sinclair that he is not dead.

For generations, the Sinclairs have been healers. Using a gentle touch to heal the body and a soothing word to heal the soul, Evening Sinclair is no different. Yet despite her secret abilities, Eve has a somewhat normal existence. She enjoys her small physiotherapy practice, dotes on her eight-year-old daughter and occasionally helps souls get back into their bodies-that is until Alex, with his brooding good looks and glowing eyes, appears in her kitchen.

Alex is desperate to get back into his body-two innocent lives depend on it. His only obstacle is Eve and her stubborn fear. Unfortunately for Eve, Alex is ruthless and just as stubborn. He will do whatever it takes to get what he wants. He will not 'go away' and no matter how much Eve tortures him with her lush body and perfect mouth, he will not change his mind. Eve will merge him, and if it takes him haunting her day and night, she will merge him back with a body-any body.

“Go. Please,” she implored again. The look on her face caused him to frown. Not because she had recited those words, yet again, to him but because he was actually considering giving her what she wanted and leaving her alone. He wished he could give her that, but he wouldn’t. Besides, he didn’t like it when people lied to him and she was lying. She was capable of putting him back into his body—he read it on her face, in the movement of her hands and body.

The Guardian Project had spent long hours and millions of dollars teaching their soldiers how to read and interrupt body language. After all, if the people he hunted were on his kill list, they’d been good enough to avoid traditional police and military forces and he had to be better in order to stop them.

Deep in his gut he knew there was more—she wasn’t telling him the whole truth. Shit she wasn’t really telling him anything. It didn’t matter—he would not walk away just because Eve was scared. He would not let Miles kill Jillian. She and her baby would live.

He shook his head. “No.”

She closed her eyes and drew a deep breath. “I won’t help you.”

“Yes you will.” He took a step closer to her. “And I’m going to haunt you until you give me what I want.”

“Haunt me.” Her eyes grew wide as a shiver shook her from head to toe.

“Mmm.” He winked. “I’m not leaving your side until you put me back in my body.” Heavy footsteps echoed on the front porch.

“No,” she whispered, her eyebrows pressed together. “I won’t help you.”

“Yes. You. Will.”

Nancy’s addiction for a good trash novel began in her late-teens when her grandmother gave her a bag of Harlequin Romance books. She was hooked and spent the next few years lurking in the dark corners of used bookstores searching for her next fix. Until, one marriage and two kids later, her own ideas had her jumping up at 3 am (much to her husband’s annoyance) and typing them into her laptop.

Besides her husband and children, Nancy has three passions, rearranging furniture, buying bed linens and, of course, writing. Nancy lives in Eastern Ontario with her family and two over sized lap dogs.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/NancyAdams.scribblingseduction

Total-e-Bound author page: http://www.total-e-bound.com/authordetail.asp?A_ID=201

Boots and Leather by Myla Jackson - Interview and Giveaway!

Here at the Menagerie, we're thrilled to welcome author Myla Jackson on tour with her HAWT menage, "Boots and Leather" from Samhain Publishing.  Folks, read through her interview and comment because you could win an eBook copy of Sex Ed or or Boots and Chaps! Myla is giving one away to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Want more chances to win a yummy book?  Click here for her list of tour stops.

Now... let's get down to business.

Myla, describe yourself in three words.

Wicked, fun, creative

I do like the sound of those!  Now, cast your book. Tell us who would play the main characters in a movie and why.

Libby:  Emma Stone - She's a red-head and kick-ass like Libby.

Mark and Luke - Joe Manganiello (from Magic Mike) - he's tall, dark and could be made up to look like Kiowa Indian Cowboys. Of course there would have to be a double in the sex scenes since Joe would have to play both twins! If not him, the Siva from THE WANTED. He's got the face, just gotta be sure he's tall enough. Whew, hot!

What’s your favorite love scene from a movie?

I love a love scene that hits you in the heart. Ones like in Affair to Remember when he discovers she's paralyzed. In You Got Mail when Meg Ryan sees Tom Hanks and is glad it's him. I also loved in The Ugly Truth when Gerard Butler and Katherine Heigl get in the balloon and are arguing and before she realizes it, he's said he loves her. There are so many great love scenes and though I write sexy stories, it's not all about the sex that makes a great love scene. It's all about the heart. In BOOTS AND LEATHER, the best love scene in the book is when the twins offer themselves and an open door to Libby.

What’s your wildest fantasy?

Would love to lie naked on a beach with two guys who look like Joe Manganiellos or go to that pool in BOOTS AND LEATHER where the twins treat Libby to wet sex. I guess I write my fantasies. I love writing because I live my character's lives and live out their fantasies. What better job is there in the world?

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

I guess I never thought about losing a sense. I guess it would be the sense of smell, although I love to smell the scent of a man who's fresh from the shower, dripping and clean and I'm a foody who loves all the wonderful scents of cooking and who doesn't like the smell of a puppy or baby powder or the scent of freshly cut grass. Then again, I like to be able to see where I'm going and appreciate the art of a beautiful body (male or female) and the wonder of the snow-capped mountains. I like to hear what's being said, the sound of a baby crying, my children's voices when they call to say hello. I could go on about each of the senses and I try to use all of the senses to help my readers "see" from my characters' points of view. It makes the reading experience more real.

What is the naughtiest thing you did as a kid?

As a teen, I went to my first bar when I was 15. It was the disco days of the 70's and I loved to dance. An older friend of mine dragged me off to the local VFW where we drank White Russians and danced with a couple of old guys. It was fun sneaking in and only the beginning of my run on the bars playing disco. Again, I loved to dance and wanted to go where the music was. That happened to be 40 miles away in Hot Springs, Arkansas where you could find me every Friday and Saturday night.

Time for some Quickies:

Boxers or Briefs? Boxers, things can hang looser, oh yeah!

Top or Bottom? Both! It's fun either way.

Pajamas or nude? Nude! Something sexy about lying nude on the sheets.

Hairy chests or smooth? Both! Love to see a sexy Greek god-like man with the smooth chest, but then I like to run my fingers through the coarse curls too.

Alpha or Beta? Both! I love a good Alpha with attitude and strength. But I love a sensitive guy who knows what it takes to please a woman.

Myla, thanks for being here with us today. Let's hear a little about "Boots and Leather" before you head out.

This biker chick longs for the open road…until two Kiowa cowboys shift her gears.

Eight months ago, Libby Jones parked her motorcycle in Temptation, Texas, to work at the Ugly Stick Saloon. Since then she’s grown to love the bar’s feeling of family, but now it’s time to hit the road. The longer she stays, the greater the risk her father’s investigators will track her down.

Yet she can’t resist taking the Gray Wolf twins up on their offer to go riding on their ranch. Even though getting involved should be the last thing on her mind.

Ever since Libby landed at the Ugly Stick, Mark and Luke Gray Wolf have been trying to capture her attention. She's blown them off at every turn, until now. Their plan: expose her to the delights only twins can provide—and persuade her to stay for the long haul.

Libby’s longing for a life she can’t have makes her delay her departure just a heartbeat too long. Her hesitation gives her past time to walk through the saloon door, and all hell to break loose. Now the twins have a fight on their hands to teach her that being free doesn’t mean she can’t let go of her heart.

Warning: Welcome back to the Ugly Stick Saloon. Pull up a chair and set a spell, you're gonna wanna hear this tale about two hot Kiowa twins and a leather-clad biker chick. Multiple partners, a little BDSM, and one skinny-dippin' scene so hot it’ll make the pages sizzle!

Audrey laughed. “Did Mark and Luke talk you into an outing?” She patted Libby on the back. “Babe, you’re in for a real treat.”

“That’s what they said.” A tingle of excitement threatened to grow inside Libby’s body.

A secret smile lifted Audrey’s lips. “The two of them are amazing together.”

Her frown deepening, Libby glanced across at her boss. “And you know that how?”

Audrey’s lips quirked upward in a smirk. “Did I tell you the story of how they got me and Jackson together?” She slipped her arm around Libby’s shoulder and walked her slowly into the bar.

“No, you didn’t.”

Audrey touched a finger to her own lips. “Hmm. Maybe I shouldn’t, and let you discover for yourself why those two are phenomenal.”

Libby’s core tightened, a wash of moisture trickling out of what she’d thought was her dried-up pussy, shocking her more than she cared to admit. She marched the rest of the way to the bar and took up her bar towel. “I’ve a good mind to cancel.”

“No way,” Audrey called out.

Her heart sped and pressure pushed against her chest, the sure signs of the beginnings of an anxiety attack.

Audrey laid a hand on her arm. “You have to go on that picnic. I promise you won’t regret it.”

Forcing a smile for the next customer, Libby muttered beneath her breath, “I think I already am.” Yeah, yeah. Then why did a shiver of anticipation spread throughout her body?

Myla Jackson pens wildly sexy adventures of all genres including historical westerns, medieval tales, romantic suspense, contemporary romance and paranormals with beasties of all shapes and sizes. When not wrangling words from her computer with the help of her canine muses, she's snow-skiing, boating or riding her ATV.

Website: http://www.mylajackson.com
Blog: http://www.mylajack.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/people/Myla-Jackson/1584109666
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/MylaJacksonAuth

Cowboy Lust on tour! Interview! Giveaway!

The Menagerie welcomes M. Marie to the blog today on her tour with Goddess Fish Promotions for the erotic anthology, "Cowboy Lust"!! I can't tell you how yummy that cover is -- I sure do love me a cowboy.... mmmmmm..... :::shivers with delight:::

Okay, tearing my eyes away and moving on to business *G* -- M. Marie let us ask all kinds of prying questions and answered every one! Take a look (and don't forget to read the excerpt!), then comment here because there are some serious prizes to be had. Check it out:

One randomly drawn commenter at each stop will win one of the following:

Cowboy Bad Boys (digital) by Randi Alexander
Reader’s Choice of any backlisted ebook by Lissa Matthews
Reader’s Choice of any backlisted ebook by Charlene Teglia during her stop
Reader’s Choice of any backlisted ebook by Cari Quinn (x4)
"I'll show you my e-reader if you show me yours" T-shirt (Large size) from Kimber Vale
Reader’s Choice of any backlisted ebook by Delilah Devlin during her stops (x2)
Signed copies of Cowboy Fever by Delilah Devlin to two winners
Love in Short Order (digital), a romance by Michael Bracken writing as Rolinda Hay
Stud (digital), an erotic romance by Michael Bracken writing as Rolinda Hay
Plus one randomly drawn commenter during the tour will win a $50 Amazon GC grand prize!!

Better, if you follow the tour, and keep commenting, you have more chances to win. All of her tour stops are listed here. Now, lets see what M. Marie has to say!

Describe yourself in three words.

I’m curious; I love learning new things, meeting people and traveling. I also really enjoy taking workshops and courses around Toronto, and I read voraciously. I’m also very passionate about my hobbies, my interests, and the people in my private life, of course. ;) I’ve also been told I can be carefree and a bit immature, although I prefer to think of myself as blithe. I love my life and the people in it. They make me happy and keep me feeling very young at heart.

I think that was more than three, but that's okay. We won't tell.  *wink* 

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

I would cast Daniela Sea as Kennedy. Not only does she have the right muscular, athletic build, but she also has the fearless, proud look that Kennedy should have, as well as a more vulnerable side. My top choice to play Dawson would be Matt Bomer for three reasons: his body type and personality are a fantastic match for the character; he has the perfect smile that can be both charming and teasing at the same time; and, ultimately, because I have a feeling he would unbelievable in a pair of tight, dirty jeans and a cowboy hat!

He is a serious hottie!  Good choice.  What’s your favorite love scene from a movie?

Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams’ rain-soaked kiss in the Notebook! I don’t watch very many romance movies, but that one really touched me. I could watch that film over and over again.

Wait, did you say you don't watch many romance movies?  :::shocked:::

Moving on.  What’s your wildest fantasy?

Honestly, nothing excites me more than threesome fantasies. I love the idea of two strong-willed, assertive lovers overwhelming and overpowering me at the same time, especially if there’s a bit of friction or tension between the pair before the action even starts! Be it two men, two women, or one partner of each gender, I could never say no to two confident, charming people at one time!

Mmmmmmm.... I rather agree.  

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

I think I would have to sacrifice my sense of smell, because I can’t imagine my life without being able to read, write, listen to music, savor food, or embrace my partner. Besides, living in downtown Toronto, I have to put up with a lot more bad smells than good, so losing that sense might be an advantage for me!

What is the naughtiest thing you did as a kid?

Nothing! I was a perfect angel… although I’m sure my sister could come up with a few horror stories about me. ;)

Together, we did get into a lot of mischief, but it was all harmless, innocent stuff. I remember one summer when we were spending a month at our grandparents’ house. My Nana, who was a very classy and dignified woman, was doing the laundry indoors and asked us to help hang up some clothing on the clothesline in the backyard. Rather than hang up the towels and facecloths she had left out, however, we pulled all her panties and bras out of the wet wash pile and hung them up across the yard where all her neighbors could see them.

In our minds, it was just a silly, harmless prank, but judging from Nana’s reaction when she came outside an hour later to check on us, it was the most horrifying, wicked thing two little girls could ever do to her.

We were taken off laundry duty and put in charge of washing the dog after that, which led to its own misadventures... ;)

Quickies:

Boxers or Briefs? A snug, tight-fitting pair of briefs always gets my attention!
Top or Bottom? I’m a Bottom, in every sense of the word.
Pajamas or nude? Nude! Once I’m under the blankets with someone, pjs just get in the way!
Hairy chests or smooth? When it comes to cowboys, I like a muscular, hairy chest.
Alpha or Beta? Male or female, a confident, dominant Alpha is always my top choice ;).

Now tell us a bit about the story and share an excerpt, would you?

These cowboys ride hard...

There's a reason Western romance novels never go out of fashion. The cowboy is an iconic figure embodying the dichotomy of the fiercely independent, earthy alpha male crossed with the male as a nurturer and protector. Cowboys take care of their women in every possible way. Wild and wayward women are gentled by the scent of horse and cow and the sight of sun-kissed skin, the feel of work-hardened thighs and arms, and the sound of a deep-voiced Texas drawl.

Contributors at the top of the Western romance genre, including Charlene Teglia, Randi Alexander, Cat Johnson, and editor, Delilah Devlin, have corralled strong and memorable characters ranging from ranch hands to cattle barons, to a rodeo star and a feisty female gunslinger. Traversing romantic settings from Montana, Texas, California, Mexico, and the Outback of Australia, the stories in Cowboy Lust are risky and risqué, full of studs in spurs hot enough to send you to a vacation on a dude ranch!

EXCERPT:

“Rough Stock” by M. Marie:

A sudden hush, then flurry of excited whispers heralded her approach. Flicking the brim of his hat up, Dawson glanced back across the showground as Kennedy advanced. Like all the Rawlings, she was impossible to mistake, even in a crowd. That family carried their personalities in their gait, and Kennedy’s stride spoke of confidence, fearlessness, and a fierce, indomitable pride. He grinned openly as he watched her boldly cut her way through the crowd. Her shoulders were rolled back, her chin was thrust out, and the girl’s hips swaggered like a true vaquero.

At 19, Kennedy had finally grown into the long-legged, awkward body she had been teased for all through middle-school. She was a tough, tall girl with a solid, athletic build. Like the champion stock her father bred, she was broad-shouldered and muscular. Rough-mannered and rough-spoken alike, she had a reputation for always speaking her mind. She could be quick-tempered at time, and, although she was by no means reckless, she had a fiercely stubborn, competitive side. Like her father, when she set a challenge for herself, she would push herself to her absolute limit to see that goal reached. It was a trait that had brought Jake Rawlings his early success as a young man working the circuits, and had become the driving force behind Kennedy's decision to carry on the family tradition by competing in the rodeos as well.

Her career choice wasn't unusual for their community, though. Their town always had a strong showing of participants in the women's rodeo, and a handful of local girls also competed in the professional circuit. Kennedy’s family certainly would have supported her if she had shown an interest in following a similar professional path, but she bristled at the idea. The pro competitions were too restrictive; women could only compete in a handful of events, the bulk of which were timed ones. Although Kennedy was a natural at the barrel racing and team roping, her heart wasn't in it. She lived for the rough stock events; she thrived on the risk and danger of testing herself physically against the raw power and strength of the broncos and bulls.

As a result of both her appearance and interests, Kennedy had a reputation for being wild and fearless. Even her parents held that opinion of her, but Dawson knew better. She wasn’t as thick-skinned as she let on...

M. Marie lives in the heart of downtown Toronto and is both an erotica writer and enthusiast. ;) This passionate young Canadian is also a dedicated supporter of the arts - opera, the theatre, and fine arts, in particular - as well as a vocal fan of videogames, animation, comics, and writing, of course!

As a freelance writer who has very recently began writing erotica, she is finding the experience challenging, but exciting. It has made her discover new sides to herself, and is constantly leading her to push boundaries she didn’t even realize she had.

Information on her recent and upcoming publications can be found on her blog: www.mmarie.ca