Sunday, 23 December 2012

The Perfect Christmas Read by Lucy Felthouse

It's just a couple of days until Christmas... are you in the mood yet? Or perhaps you loathe Christmas and can't wait until it's all over and life can go back to normal. Either way, if you love paranormal erotic romance, you'll enjoy Reindeer Games: Cupid. It's a tad Christmassy, in that reindeer and Santa are involved, but the action isn't even set at Christmas. It takes place in the New Year, when everyone goes back to work and life returns to normal!

Intrigued? Here's a snippet from the beginning of the story...


Chapter One

Cassius Cupid woke with a start, and then sat bolt upright in his bed. Shit, I’m going to be late! was his first thought.

Milliseconds later his brain switched on, and he remembered. He was on holiday. Flopping back onto the warm mattress and pillows with a contented sigh, he smiled. No work for fourteen whole days—it was going to be utter bliss. He stretched, relishing the feeling it created in his sleep-softened muscles. Ahhh…this is the life.

He knew he wouldn’t go back to sleep—hell, it was eight o’clock, which was practically the middle of the day for someone in his profession—so Cassius fell to thinking about how he was going to spend his day, not to mention the several others in front of him. God knew he deserved to relax and have some fun. He’d just emerged from the busiest part of his year, and he was more than ready to do some chilling out.

He enjoyed his job as a postman—he really did—but the Christmas period was a total killer. He idly wondered how many cards and presents he’d delivered over the past few weeks. It didn’t bear thinking about. Once you factored in the festive period itself, the weird few days between Christmas and New Year, and then the flurry of mail that got sent when everyone went back to work properly at the beginning of January, he’d racked up some serious deliveries. And that was before you even thought about his other job—which was for just one day a year, but was arguably more important than the other 364 put together.

Cassius—or Cupid, as he was known to his boss and colleagues in his second, but most important job—was not only a regular postman for the Royal Mail, but also a reindeer. For a single day of the year, Cassius had the supernatural power to transform into one of Santa’s faithful steeds and help pull that famous magical sleigh, delivering presents to excited children the world over.

Therefore, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that Cassius really did eat, sleep and breathe deliveries, but not for the next fourteen days. All he planned to do was watch some TV, read some books, maybe go out hiking, meet some friends… basically anything that wasn’t delivering something to someone. Hey, he might even receive something through the post himself—preferably not the usual crap; bills and junk mail. He didn’t hold out much hope.

He lounged in bed for another ten minutes before realising he was lying there just for the sake of it. Being on holiday didn’t have to equal staying in bed all day—and certainly not for someone as active as him. He reached over to his bedside table, grabbed his glasses and put them on. Throwing off his thick duvet, he walked to his bedroom window and peeked out through the curtains, immediately glad of the effective central heating he and his housemate had forked out to have installed the previous year.

The outside world was covered in a thick layer of snow, and Cassius was mightily glad that he wasn’t out delivering letters and parcels. The stuff was treacherous enough without having to carry a heavy bag up and down driveways, paths, and pavements — most of which either hadn’t been cleared, or had been cleared badly, leaving incredibly slippery patches of ground for an unsuspecting postie to come across. God knows he’d gone down enough times, but, much to his relief, nobody had ever seen him do it. He’d always been relatively unharmed—excerpt for his pride, of course—and had been able to scramble back to his feet and carry on.

The eerie silence outside was broken by the rumble of an engine, and Cassius turned his head to look up the street—he lived in a cul-de-sac, so he knew that’s where the vehicle would come from—and watched as a delivery van made its way slowly and carefully down the road. He hoped the driver was sensible enough to try and steer over the thickest parts of the snow—the more people went over and over the same patches, packing it down, the more the road surface resembled an ice rink. And since the cul-de-sac was on a slight hill, it was easy enough to get stuck. He’d seen it so many times—even going outside one time last winter to suggest the driver go down to the bottom of the road, turn around and try reversing up the hill—an almost foolproof plan for vans with rear-wheel drive. He’d gotten a big thumbs-up for that suggestion as the driver finally got to the junction where the road became flat, and went on his merry way.

As the van drew closer to his house, he saw that the driver was a woman. That would explain her cautious driving—he’d never admit it to one of his drinking buddies, but women were far superior when it came to driving in adverse weather conditions. He even thought he’d seen some survey containing statistics that proved it.

Sound like your thing? Then scroll down to find out how you can get your copy! Happy Holidays!

*****

As a postman by day, and one of Santa’s reindeer on a single very special night, Cassius Cupid eats, sleeps, and breathes deliveries. He doesn’t mind, but sometimes wishes that someone would send him something more exciting than bills and junk mail.

One cold January morning, Cassius gets his wish. A young woman arrives with a parcel. Turns out it’s for his housemate – but Cassius doesn’t care. All he’s interested in is Carina – the beautiful female courier.

Has Cupid finally met his match?

Buy links: http://lucyfelthouse.co.uk/published-works/cupid/



*****
Lucy is a graduate of the University of Derby, where she studied Creative Writing. During her first year, she was dared to write an erotic story - so she did. It went down a storm and she's never looked back. Lucy has had stories published by Cleis Press, Constable and Robinson, Decadent Publishing, Ellora's Cave, Evernight Publishing, House of Erotica, Ravenous Romance, Resplendence Publishing, Secret Cravings Publishing, Sweetmeats Press and Xcite Books. She is also the editor of Uniform Behaviour, Seducing the Myth, Smut by the Sea and Smut in the City. Find out more at http://www.lucyfelthouse.co.uk. Join her on Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to her newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/gMQb9

Friday, 21 December 2012

Mischief at Mulberry Manor - Victorian Novella


Oh, the excitement - now that my Victorian novella is published on Amazon kindle! Mischief at Mulberry Manor is around 29,000 words and I really enjoyed writing this. It’s part Gothic romance, part ghost story and is set around the forthcoming Twelfth Night Masked Ball in 1859. I’m so delighted with the lovely cover which writer and journalist friend, Sara, designed from my own original photo.

Here’s the short blurb:

When Maryanne Robertson visits her cousins’ old manor house for the Twelfth Night Masked Ball in 1859, she does not expect to find the manor haunted, or to fall in love. But mischief is afoot and one of her cousins is missing, while out of doors snow and frost covers the ground. Is the mischief caused by a ghostly presence or someone more human?

If you’re a visual person, like me, you might enjoy the trailer I made for YouTube – can’t resist having fun with these!



And if anyone wants to read it (hopefully) it’s available from Amazon UK and Amazon US, and all the other Amazon countries.

Rosemary, or that should be Romy for now!

Friday, 14 December 2012

A Woman of Independence and heart.

Despite seeing herself as Irish, the famous actress, Mrs Jordan, was in fact born in London near Covent Garden in 1761, no doubt where her stage-struck parents were seeking work at the time, and where she was baptized Dorothy Bland. Her sisters called her Dolly. She preferred Dora and adopted that as her stage name.

Turning to acting out of necessity rather than choice, her father having abandoned his family to marry an Irish heiress, she became known as the most famous comedic actress of her day. Dora began her career on the Dublin stage and became the sole source of income for her family from the age of sixteen. Suffering a sexual assault from the manager she fled to Yorkshire, already pregnant, where she went on the circuit to learn her craft. She endured much jealousy from her fellow actors, but her talent was soon recognised and she moved on to Drury Lane where her fame spread.

Not considered to be a classic beauty, her nose and chin being somewhat prominent, she nevertheless had the sweetest smile and the most alluring dark eyes, cupid’s bow mouth and rosy cheeks that gave off a healthy glow. Her expressive face was perfect for comic roles, as was her mop of brown curls. She was not particularly tall but had a neat, elegant figure, was articulate with good diction, and a voice considered to be strong and clear. Most of all she had vivacity, confidence and a natural stage presence. Her finest feature proved to be her legs, which were shown to perfection in her cross-dressing roles. Men in the audience worshipped those elegantly shapely limbs, considered by some to be the finest ever seen on stage.

Ultimately she became mistress to the Duke of Clarence, later William IV, with whom she lived in contented domesticity at Bushy Park, for nearly twenty years, presenting him with ten children while striving to balance both career and ‘marriage’ as her modern counterparts do today. Her life was blighted by an insincere and weak father, a dependent mother, inadequate siblings, selfish children, and more than one man who betrayed her trust.

Her flaw was that she was perhaps a little too trusting, caring and eager to help those she loved, which proved to be her downfall in the end. She was a woman of great courage and independence, feisty, warm-hearted and generous to a fault. But when things started to go wrong she needed to call upon all her resources to survive. Yet she bore her troubles with astonishing good will, and to the end of her life never said a word against the Duke.

‘Had he left me to starve I would never have uttered a word to his disadvantage!’

And following their separation the Duke collected as many portraits of her as he could find, so perhaps he did still love her after all.

Published by Severn House:
29 Nov 2012


Passion, jealousy, scandal and betrayal - a true-life Regency Romance of the rise and fall of an extraordinary woman born into extraordinary times. Growing up in a poverty-stricken, fatherless household, Dorothy Jordan overcame her humble beginnings to become the most famous comic actress of her day. It was while performing on Drury Lane that Dorothy caught the eye of the Duke of Clarence, later to become King William IV. Her twenty-year relationship with the Duke was one of great happiness and domesticity, producing ten children. But ultimately, Dorothy's generous nature was her undoing and she was to be cruelly betrayed by the man she loved.

Available from all good bookshops and Amazon.

Sunday, 9 December 2012

Sights of London

Since I had such enthusiastic feedback on my previous post here, about writing from the male perspective and about setting my book in London, I thought I'd dish some more dirt. Or, more accurately, show you what I saw, what I explored, in order for this book to come to life as I was writing it.

A Taste of London is set in the Southwark/London Bridge/The City of London - which probably sounds like quite a large area, but actually, it's not. Or at least the parts of it in the story aren't, anyway. It's certainly all within walking distance - and honestly, it's the best way to see London. Yes, you can skip bits of your journey by hopping on the Tube, but some of the sights you'll see if you head out on foot are unexpected and awesome. I dread to think how many miles of London I've covered on foot.

For the purposes of this post, though, I've included some photos of what the character in A Taste of London, Ryan Stonebridge, will have seen. I took them myself, too, so no copyright issues here :)

I hope you enjoy a little peek at what appears in the book - and if you're so inclined, the buy links are at my site - link below the blurb. The book is out now - so, happy reading!

*****

Ryan Stonebridge and his friend Kristian Hurst are heading off on the trip of a lifetime. They’re spending their gap year traveling the world and expect lots of sun, sights and sex. The guys have a couple of days in the English capital before catching the Eurostar to Paris. Unfortunately, a family emergency means that Kristian has to head back home for a while, leaving Ryan to continue the trip alone.

Luckily for Ryan, he’s an attractive guy and there is no shortage of gorgeous women available to help take his mind off Kristian’s family drama.

More info, excerpt and buy links: http://lucyfelthouse.co.uk/published-works/a-taste-of-london/

*****
Lucy is a graduate of the University of Derby, where she studied Creative Writing. During her first year, she was dared to write an erotic story - so she did. It went down a storm and she's never looked back. Lucy has had stories published by Cleis Press, Constable and Robinson, Decadent Publishing, Ellora's Cave, Evernight Publishing, House of Erotica, Ravenous Romance, Resplendence Publishing, Secret Cravings Publishing, Sweetmeats Press and Xcite Books. She is also the editor of Uniform Behaviour, Seducing the Myth, Smut by the Sea and Smut in the City. Find out more at http://www.lucyfelthouse.co.uk. Join her on Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to her newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/gMQb9

Tuesday, 4 December 2012

Review by David Russell: Sonya Watson - 'The Tide Breaker'

This is a highly complex mythological tale centred on the personal growth and traumas of Abrianna. It is undefined in time, apart from a brief flash of someone being spirited into 2010; in terms of locality, there is a brief reference to New York State. The action takes place against a background of inter-species conflict. The named species have their mythological bases. Homo Sapiens is in conflict with the Wendigoes (Cannibalistic spirits in Algonquin (Native American) mythology, the Nephilim (a race of giants in Canaan, described in the Book of Job ' the product of sampling forbidden fruit), and 'original fictional' tribes such as Primes, Strangelings and Elementals. One reference to Cwm Annwyn, the spectral hound of the Welsh otherworld - helping to make the piece truly global! I think a 'reader-friendly' guide to these groupings would be most helpful, as would be a roster of the characters, with synopses of their identities and functions.

These groups are in perpetual, interlocking conflict - ethnic cleansing massacres are ceaseless. The conflict assumes truly grotesque proportions. Not only do the warring factions kill each other, they plunder and transplant each other's vital organs - including mutated DNA, and suck each other's life-blood. Indeed, the story opens with the extraction of Abrianna's dead mother's heart (shades of speculations about Shelley's funeral!) The characters have magical, mythical resilience in withstanding and recovering from these lacerations. There are some mutations, and some return to life from death. One criticism I would make of the book is that so many 'surgical operations' get a bit repetitive - but then tastes differ.

Abrianna has her human and her superhuman aspects. She has some potential to be a 'weapon' capable of a decisive effect on the struggle between the species. As a human being, she is deeply divided, between lust and love, between callousness and sensitivity. She is enmeshed in a kinship web riddled with jealousy. Her suitors include Michael and Graham (a cloned Wendigo).

In spite of a repressive network of kinship and suitors, she "had developed into her own person, and now she wanted to explore the endless possibilities of being a strong, independent girl."

Abrianna's search for love is put into elemental, genetic perspective: "The soul was broken into two halves and scattered like seeds across the earth. Once they reached maturity they searched for their missing half, and if found, happiness was sure to follow." But later in the book, this assertion is, if not contradicted, severely qualified. "The merging of two souls was very rarely accomplished by those in search of it, and though they never yearned for such a bond, they attained it. As a complex person, she was acutely aware of the various levels of lust and love. Her first love was for Michael; she had a lesser love for Jonathan, and 'manufactured feelings' for Graham.

Her better nature is overwhelmed by a combination of what was genetically imposed on her, and her won desire for power: "Evil caught the eye of morality and like a restless spirit would never rest until it was stained with the blood of the innocent". In the end Abrianna is 'found guilty': "The universe had marked Abrianna for death since she tipped the balance scales in favour of chaos."

I am torn between desire for the destruction of a monster and bereavement of her warm, human qualities.

Buy at Amazon UK , Smashwords .

Friday, 30 November 2012

Edinburgh Fog for FREE, today and tomorrow!

I’m celebrating my Scottish-ness this St. Andrew’s Day, and to help you celebrate along with me, Muse It Up Publications is offering you the chance to download my contemporary short story, Edinburgh Fog, absolutely free! 
Today, November 30, and tomorrow, December 1, go to the Muse It Up Bookstore HERE and click on the Edinburgh Fog banner at the top of the page to download it free, gratis and for nothing. I hope you’ll love this tale of love lost and regained, with its mix of dry Edinburgh humour, a few tears and a few more smiles. Here's what some reviewers have had to say-
Night Owl Reviews:- If you’re looking for a feel-good story that will fit into your busy schedules, then look no further because this is the perfect short-story for you!'
Book Wenches:- If you're craving something sweet and charming set against a beautiful European backdrop, pick up Edinburgh Fog; it will warm your heart on a cold night.
Christine London, Author:- Edinburgh Fog packs more emotional punch and deeper characterization in its thirty two pages than most books do in three hundred. Every phrase, every word so perfectly chosen, it engenders both the joy in, and painful regret of a relationship ended too soon.
Still not sure? Try this excerpt and decide for yourself:-
'Threes. Never twos or fours. Things always happen in threes.
Greg Morton knew the day would go like this. Last night had been Tellers' `Happy Hour'—a polite euphemism for an evening of Edinburgh's junior accountants and giggling chain-store salesgirls knocking back all the expensive cocktails they could handle before they went out of fashion. The bar closed at one o'clock in the morning, but what with cashing up late and then sorting out a staff scheduling problem, Greg didn't get to bed till three. Next thing he knew, he'd overslept. Due back at work in less than an hour, he hit full panic overdrive.
That was Thing Number One.
Not the type to call on the perks of management and ring in late, he showered in three minutes flat and had a hasty shave, leaving the door wide open for Thing Number Two—a stinging shaving cut. Mildly cursing under his breath as he mopped his chin with a bud of toilet tissue, he flung on clothes and raced from flat to car. Negotiating the one-way traffic system through Edinburgh's misty lunchtime streets, he spied one of the few free parking spaces a minute away from the bar. Result! He wouldn't have to haul himself out in the rain every couple of hours to feed a meter with loose change. Cheered by the thought that he'd managed to hold off Thing Number Three, a record-breaking dash got him to work with a whole, smug minute to spare. He grinned at the heavy glass door of the former city bank building that now housed the best bar-bistro in the city—the one with `Tellers' etched in Times New Roman—pushed it open and went in.
Ben Hardie stared from behind the gleaming marble-topped bar, his enormous hand wielding a big glass coffee-pot.
"Hiya, boss. So where did you hide the body?" Ben's deep Edinburgh brogue lent itself
particularly well to sarcasm. Behind Ben, Chrissie Henderson, Greg's bar manager and secondin-command, gawped goggle-eyed around Ben's lofty shoulder.
"What body?" Greg looked down at his blood-spattered shirt front. "Aw, no, would you look at that! I cut myself shaving. I thought I'd staunched it."
Ben laughed as he tipped ground coffee into the pot and filled it with hot water. "Lucky there's a spare shirt hanging in the office."
Greg groaned. "But not so lucky, it's one of yours." The reason Ben could never do Saturday afternoon shifts was that he spent them propping up the back row of the Edinburgh Academicals' rugby third fifteen. Borrowing a shirt from a rugby player like Ben would be like draping himself in a beer tent.
"Maybe I can cover it," Greg suggested, adjusting his Tellers' staff tie. At three inches wide, it was still three inches too narrow to cover the stains.
"Aye, right." Ben grinned. "On the other hand, you could wear the clean shirt and just keep puffing out your chest for the rest of the day so it looks like it fits you."
Greg admitted defeat. "I'll go and put it on. Give me a minute." He eyed the pot of coffee. "Have you just made that for a customer?"
"Table six." Ben made to pick up the pot, and then caught the determined gleam in Greg's eye. He sighed heavily, and slammed the plunger down. "It's all yours, boss. I'll make them another." Five minutes later, ignoring Ben's hearty guffaws, Greg emerged back into the bar. He'd tucked the enormous shirt into his jeans as best he could, but it felt like wearing a bedspread. The sleeves bunched up underneath the arms of his waistcoat, no matter how many times he rolled back his shoulders to make it more comfortable. Ah, well. At least he could congratulate himself on his self-imposed and totally egalitarian uniform policy. Even though he was sole owner of Tellers', he still dressed the same as everyone else...even if he looked utterly ridiculous.
Lunchtime was the usual Friday affair, trainee lawyers and giggling office-girls from the Georgian-pillared businesses in Queen Street and Charlotte Square. The booze they knocked back made sure the most efficient thing they'd achieve that afternoon was a spectacular slump over a desk. Three o'clock came and went, bringing its throng of no-class-but-plenty-of-cash Edinburgh WAGS, all done in after hours of nail extensions, Brazilian waxes and clearing the designer concession rails in Jenners department store. They ordered sustenance in the form of Tellers' own coffee blend and plates of Danish pastries, which they prodded with forks but left
uneaten.
After they'd cleared out, Tellers' was at last blessed with a couple of hours' peace. The staff heaved a collective sigh and set to preparing the place for the Friday evening crowd. Nothing eventful happened except Chrissie tripping over Ben as he knelt behind the bar to re-stack the mixers shelf and tipping half a bottle of vermouth and a bowl of stuffed olives down the back of his neck. Ben took it in good part, commenting that while he smelled like a martini, he was only stirred and not at all shaken. Leaving them to clean up as he sliced lemons and limes for the bar, Greg mused on whether the olive incident counted as Thing Number Three, and was on the point of convincing himself that definitely, absolutely nothing else could possibly go wrong for the rest of the day, when she walked in.
Julia.
Greg froze, hypnotized by the reflection shimmering in the long mirror behind the bar. It disappeared briefly, moving out of his line of vision and he stepped sideways, following the mirror along the wall, seeking her out if only to convince himself that it couldn't possibly be her —that Julia hadn't just walked back into his life four years after he'd walked out of hers.'
If you’re hooked enough to want to know more, go to LINK where you’ll find another excerpt to tickle your tastebuds as you treat yourself to a great big helping of helping of Edinburgh Fog. Enjoy!
Blurb: When Greg Morton returned to Edinburgh, it was to follow his dream of opening the smartest bar-bistro in town. Now Tellers’ is a huge success—but the truth is, deep inside, it means little without the love of his life. Four years ago, he left Julia Brady behind in London to realize his business ambitions in his Scottish home town. By the time he’d recognized his mistake and admitted to himself he wanted her back, the grapevine told him Julia had moved on—and Greg had to face the fact that he’d been a fool.When Julia appears out of the blue in Tellers’, he knows the only thing he should do is walk right up to her and say hello. But it looks like someone else has their sights set on her, and he’s a quick worker. Is Julia about to disappear from Greg's life a second time - this time, for good?
Find out more about Jane Richardson and her other published writing here at her blog, Home Is Where The Heart Is.  

Thursday, 29 November 2012

No Romance, But Very British

As some of you may already know, I write erotica and erotic romance, in a multitude of different genres and sub-genres. I just write about what I want to write about, hence the variety. And I love the variety.

One thing I particularly enjoy doing is writing from the male perspective. It was male friends that got me into the erotica writing lark in the first place, and I have lots of very honest male friends, so I can easily tap into what gets them going, I know how they talk, and how they talk about sex, too. I'm very lucky from that perspective, especially since I've been able to take this knowledge and weave it into my writing.

I've written quite a few stories now from the male perspective, and as I said, I enjoy it very much. So much so that I've begun a series of stories - the first will be published by Ellora's Cave on the 7th December. And what makes it so very British? Well, the fact that the lead character is British, and this particular instalment is set in London. It's called A Taste of London, and those that know London will recognise the Borough Market area, The Monument and various Tube stations.

Here's a snippet from the beginning of the story:


Chapter One

“Come on, mate, let’s go and grab our travel passes from the machine,” Ryan said, his familiarity with the locale apparent by the way he marched along the train platform toward the heart of St. Pancras Station.

“What? Uh – okay.” Kristian re-arranged his bag on his shoulder and scurried to keep up with his friend.

Bypassing the huge line of impatient, muttering people queuing for the manned booths, Ryan headed to one of the ticket machines. By the time Kristian caught up, Ryan already had a travel pass in his hand.

“So, um, what do I need to buy then, mate? I’m not as au fait with all this as you.”

“Been practising your French for the trip, Kris?” Ryan punched his friend on the arm playfully. “No worries. We’re only taking one trip tonight so you just need a single to London Bridge on the Tube.”

“All right,” Kristian replied, carefully tapping the relevant areas of the touch screen, feeding his money into the machine and triumphantly retrieving his ticket.

“Okay, I’m ready to go!”

“Come on then.” Ryan hoisted his bag back onto his shoulder and walked in the direction of the Underground, with Kristian close behind.

“Hey,” Kristian said, pointing as they passed a map of the Underground, “don’t you need to check where we’re going?”

“Nope,” Ryan said, without breaking stride, “I know London pretty well, plus I double checked all this stuff when I organised this part of the trip. What can I say, it’s the Boy Scout in me.”

“Cool. I guess it makes things easier when you’re not checking a map every two minutes. So how long will it take us to get to London Bridge station from here?”

They stepped onto the escalator. Rather than standing still and letting the moving staircase do its thing, Ryan continued to walk, eager now to get this leg of traveling over and done with so he could have some fun. It had been a long day, or at least it felt like one. They’d actually only traveled around one hundred and fifty miles from the outskirts of the Peak District to the centre of London, a couple of hours on the train, but it had felt like longer. Perhaps because he’d been so eager to actually get to London and start their adventure.

“Not long mate. Probably about ten minutes. It’s a direct journey and at this time of day it shouldn’t be too busy. We can dump our stuff at the hostel then have some drinks next door.”

“There’s a pub next door? No wonder I let you sort out this trip. You’re a fucking genius!”

By now, they’d reached the bottom of the escalator. Ryan stepped off, then turned to face his friend. Tapping his head, he grinned and said, “It’s not just a hat rack, mate.”

Kristian laughed. “You’re right there.” He paused. “It’s a fucking chick magnet, too!”

Ryan frowned, looking genuinely confused. “It is?” Then he shook himself and smiled. “I wish someone had told me!”

“Are you kidding, mate? Everywhere we go, women are checking you out.” Kristian grinned. “Why do you think I agreed to go traveling with you? I’m hoping some of your apparent sex appeal will rub off on me and get me some action!”

Ryan laughed, then started walking towards the southbound platform for their connection to London Bridge. “So that’s your ulterior motive, eh? Never mind being my best mate, or seeing the world, you just wanna get laid?”

This is part of the Ellora's Cave for Men range, so the language and the plot is much more male-focussed, but there's absolutely no reason why women can't read it too. I've read other stories from that range and loved them. So if this sounds like your kind of thing, you can grab your copy next week here. And don't forget to add it to your Goodreads shelves here!


Thanks so much for stopping by! :)

*****

Lucy is a graduate of the University of Derby, where she studied Creative Writing. During her first year, she was dared to write an erotic story - so she did. It went down a storm and she's never looked back. Lucy has had stories published by Cleis Press, Constable and Robinson, Decadent Publishing, Ellora's Cave, Evernight Publishing, House of Erotica, Ravenous Romance, Resplendence Publishing, Sweetmeats Press and Xcite Books. She is also the editor of Uniform Behaviour, Seducing the Myth, Smut by the Sea and Smut in the City. Find out more at http://www.lucyfelthouse.co.uk. Join her on Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to her newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/gMQb9

Monday, 19 November 2012

Oh So Very British by Lucy Felthouse

I love me a drama. On the TV that is, not in real life. I watch all kinds of things, and find that they inspire me in my writing, whether it be settings, characters, storylines, etc. Mostly, though, I find it's characters that inspire me.

And one of the dramas I watch, Strike Back, has two particularly inspiring characters. Michael Stonebridge and Damien Scott are sexy, brave, elite soldiers, and the chemistry between them is brilliant. So much so that I thought it was time to pen my first gay erotic story - about them. Don't get me wrong, this is not fan-fiction. My characters look the same as Michael and Damien, and that's about it. Oh, and they're still soldiers. But instead of being elite soldiers that go on covert missions, my two are on exercise on Salisbury Plain. And they're oh so very British. They complain about the weather, they complain about their helicopter being late, they swear a lot, and say "mate" even more.

And you know what? Totally hot sex aside, I had lots of fun writing this story. It was something new, writing about two men together, but I just took what I've learned from writing lesbian fiction, and applied it to Ditched. I've had reader feedback asking for more about Damien and Michael (yes, I pinched the first names, too), so I may well go for it in the future. I look forward to penning more adventures about my oh so British sexy soldiers ;)

*****
Private Damien Stone is living in a nightmare. He’s out on exercise on Salisbury Plain with Lance Corporal Michael Scott—who also happens to be a huge pain in the arse. He’s a teacher’s pet who seems to delight in bossing Stone around. But that’s not the real reason Stone appears to dislike him so much. It’s because Stone—who’s bisexual—is seriously attracted to his superior, but he can’t do anything about it, because Scott is straight. Or is he?

More info, excerpt and buy links: http://lucyfelthouse.co.uk/published-works/ditched/

*****


Lucy is a graduate of the University of Derby, where she studied Creative Writing. During her first year, she was dared to write an erotic story - so she did. It went down a storm and she's never looked back. Lucy has had stories published by Cleis Press, Constable and Robinson, Decadent Publishing, Ellora's Cave, Evernight Publishing, House of Erotica, Ravenous Romance, Resplendence Publishing, Sweetmeats Press and Xcite Books. She is also the editor of Uniform Behaviour, Seducing the Myth, Smut by the Sea and Smut in the City. Find out more at http://www.lucyfelthouse.co.uk. Join her on Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to her newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/gMQb9

Thursday, 15 November 2012

Rosemary Morris' Novel shortlisted

I am delighted to announce that my novel Tangled Love, set in Queen Anne's reign, 1702-1714 has been shortlisted at The Festival of Romance. The results will be announced on the 17th November at the gala ball in Bedford.

Wednesday, 7 November 2012

Where is it set?


One of my books, The Gentle Wind's Caress, is set in an area of Yorkshire known as Calderdale. The villages that feature in the book are Hebden Bridge and Heptonstall.

Hebden Bridge is the little bustling village that the heroine of the book, Isabelle, visits to shop and sell her wares on a market stall, but it is the farming countryside around Heptonstall, high up on the moors above Hebden Bride, where Isabelle lives on a run down farm which she tries to keep from going under despite the odds being against her.

Hebden Bridge

The area is naturally beautiful and running through the valley is the Calder River. This part of Yorkshire, like most areas, is steeped in history, and you can enjoy many local attractions, whether that be sipping coffee in Hebden Bridge, hiking along the many walking trails throughout the valley, learning the villages' history at places like Gibson's Mill (this is also Isabelle's surname, as I've made her a fictional distant relative of the mill owners), or visiting natural beauty spots like Hardcastle Crags.

For more information on Hebden Bridge: http://www.hebdenbridge.co.uk/tourist-info/index.html
For more information on Heptonstall: http://heptonstall.org/

A snippet from The Gentle Wind's Caress:


The cartwheel fell into a hole, jerking her back to the present. She forced herself to relax. Yes, she had married a stranger, but what had been the alternative? Living on the streets would have been much worse and she had to think of Hughie’s future too.
Isabelle raised her chin and concentrated on her surroundings. They’d left Halifax immediately after the wedding tea and driven straight to Hebden Bridge, where Len stopped to purchase goods, which for some reason, he grumbled about. Now, they drove up the steep, winding Heptonstall Road and her new husband had barely spoken to them. She couldn’t blame him really. Obviously, the situation wasn’t easy for him either. She expected that men become equally nervous as women when they married.
Craning to look past Hughie, Isabelle marvelled at the magnificent scenery of the valley below. The grey stone terrace houses of Hebden Bridge hugged the slopes as though they had been hewn from the valley sides. The silver ribbon of the River Calder coiled through the town like a lazy snake. Beside it, caught in glimpses between trees and buildings, lay the Rochdale Canal.
Familiar names in a new and unfamiliar life.  
The muted noise of the small village of Heptonstall greeted them like a soft caress on the wind. The narrow, quiet streets reflected the lateness of the day; many would be inside enjoying their tea. Isabelle took eager interest in the Old Church and Weaver’s Square, and counted seven public houses, but all too soon they left the stone thoroughfare of Towngate and headed northwest on Smithwell Lane and out of the village. She would have to investigate the village properly at a later date.
Isabelle stifled a yawn, she had been awake since before dawn. The day’s toll flagged her strength. She still couldn’t believe she was now married. Opening her eyes wide to keep alert, she surveyed the countryside as it opened up on both sides of the road. The higher they rose, the cooler the weather became and the bleaker their environment. This was moor country. The crisp autumn air awoke her senses. Her gaze lingered on the hues of the heather covered moor. How beautiful it is. Maybe being married and living in the country would be an enjoyable experience. Surely, nothing could be worse than living by Matron’s rules and spending her time hiding from Neville?

To learn more about The Gentle Wind's Caress, which is available in paperback and ebook, visit online sellers such as Amazon, and my Facebook author page.


Friday, 26 October 2012

Enchantment at Halloween

Halloween, All Saint's Eve, October... a time of endings and beginnings, a time of enchantment. The authors of the British Romance Fiction blog have come together to celebrate this moment with their own stories of magic - magic of the paranormal and the everyday.

Take a look - some titles are FREE!

 Hywela Lyn. 'Dancing With Fate': Enter a world of enchantment and magic when a Greek muse meets a man with a destiny, and two legends become entwined for all eternity.








Barbara Elsborg shares her Trueblood series - a family of pure blood vampires link the five standalone stories.

 The Consolation Prize Chloe wins four days at a spa but arrives to find the other guests who have unusual eating habits don't come out in daylight, and who is that naked guy chained in the basement?
 Falling For You Every month when the moon is full, Jo has an uncontrollable urge to jump every man she sees but she runs from tempation only to find herself as dinner when she falls into a hole and lands on a vampire. http://www.loose-id.com/falling-for-you.html

 Lightning in a Bottle Erin's fun, exciting and a bright flash of light in Felix's life, but there's a snag, she won't stop biting his neck. http://www.loose-id.com/lightning-in-a-bottle.html

 The Misfits Holly is a hopeless faerie whose uncooperative wings land her in the arms of a vampire and a werewolf but instead of running away, she doesn't want to leave.

  Fight To Remember A vampire trapped in a rocky grave, a girl who for the past eleven years can't remember who she is when she wakes and a werepuma bound to a demon and forced to fight in her deadly club - the world of three collides but for three to live, one of them must die.

www.barbaraelsborg.com
www.barbaraelsborg.blogspot.com


 Linda Banche 'Pumpkinnapper' - Pumpkin thieves, a youthful love rekindled, and a jealous goose. Oh my! Theme: Enchantment of a second chance at love, or Autumn, or Magic Holiday Romance.

Buy link: Amazon.com








Lee Rowan:



All Souls, a story in the Royal Navy anthology Sail Away.

On the night when the veil between this world and the next is thin, a malevolent enemy returns to destroy Will Marshall, the man who vanquished him years before. Only David Archer can see or fight him, but what weapon is any use against a ghost?




Laurey Buckland: A Girl's Guide to Fairy Tales

Four friends unwittingly chase the happily ever afters they believe are confined to the world of fairy tale fiction - but will they every start living the once upon a times they hoped for?









Jane Lovering  Vampire State of Mind, Vampires - they're real, they're really here, and they're really really keen on filing.


 Jenny Twist. Bedtime Shadows:  A Victorian Dolls' House When Violet sees the dolls' house in the antique shop she has to have it. But the Delacorte House is no ordinary dolls' house. Is it enchanted?

This anthology contains two ghost stories, one were-cougar and one vampire. Something for everybody!
 Away With the Fairies. (Magic) When Lucy walks through the wall only her sister knows she's gone to Fairyland
 Spellbound 2011 (Halloween) Uncle Vernon There’s something very peculiar about Uncle Vernon. Nobody knows what he does in the cellar at Halloween. But he’s quite harmless, really. Isn’t he?
 Take One At Bedtime (Paranormal) A girl who can kill just by thinking of it, a vampire, an old lady who wreaks dreadful vengeance, and a variety of ghosts. What's not to like?
 Warm Christmas Wishes (Magic) Jamey and the Alien Jamey only wants one thing for Christmas.He wants his Daddy to come home. But first he has to kill the alien. Will Santa Claus use his magic to help?
 Winter Wonders. (Paranormal) Mantequero Ignacio is the perfect holiday romance. Not only is he handsome and sexy but he makes you lose weight. A lot of weight!
  
Follow me on:

My Website: https://sites.google.com/site/jennytwistauthor/
Amazon: amazon.com/author/jennytwist

 Charlie Cochrane: The Shade on a Fine Day  Eight for dinner at the Canon's table means the potential arrival of a ghost.
 Music in the Midst of Desolation Tag line: Old soldiers never die – they get whisked straight back to earth to take part in angelic “manoeuvres”, but why does their mission have to involve the men they left behind?







Lindsay Townsend: The Snow Bride. She is Beauty but is he the Beast? Medieval romance, enchantment and magic in a winter, snowy landscape.

A Christmas Sleeping Beauty. Can the prince wake beauty in time for Christmas or will she sleep forever?









A Knight's Enchantment. A beautiful alchemist and a valiant knight join forces to free their loved ones - and find an explosive passion...











Lucy Felthouse: Weekend at Wilderhope Manor: Is a lesbian paranormal erotic story, set at Halloween.

This book is FREE on Amazon from the 27th – 31st October.
The Cottage in the Woods: Is a paranormal lesbian shapeshifter story. 
Susie White and the Right Hand Man: Is a paranormal/fairy tale love story. 
Love Through Time: Is an erotic paranormal romance containing ghosts. 
Bite with Height: Is a lesbian vampire erotic romance, set in Paris. 










Rosemary Gemmell.

'In the midst of danger and intrigue, Lydia Hetherington begins to fall in love with enigmatic Lord Marcus Sheldon during an enchanted evening at Vauxhall Gardens in 1813.’
Champagne Books: 

Miriam Newman. 'Deidre, an ancient tale of Ireland.'

FREE paranormal short story. A classic Irish tale of love, magic, betrayal and revenge.







Elizabeth Lamb: Tall, Dark and Kilted (Contemporary Romance, Forthcoming October 29th)










KB Walker. 'Once Removed'.  A silent cry for help...  

Copies of “Once Removed” are available in paperback or e-formats.

You can also follow Kimm’s work at http://nutsandcrisps.wordpress.com









My paranormal romance series includes all manner of paranormal beings, from vampires, witches, demons, werecougars, werefoxes, and the first book takes place in the fall, complete with a Hallow's party on Halloween.



Lash
and
Shadow Man  (forthcoming)

My paranormal action adventure series revolving around the weresnake Lash in the 1920s and 1930s also includes vampires, witches, demons, and many werecreatures.







Short stories involving horror, fear, and paranormal entities, like the murderously protective grandparents in my short work, Granma's House.







Tales of vampires running the gamut, such as my romantic Night Music about vampire human love and Partners, about the bond of friendship between a vampire and a werecougar.







Short stories of supernatural, paranormal justice, such as the title story, The Hunt, Night Cry, and others.








Madeline discovers the true secret of the old mansion called The Chalet; a seductive spirit whose undying love has waited decades to claim her for its own.









Short YA stories involving animals, such as Heart's Solace, the love story of a tortured werecougar, and a Russian girl's fight to save him from his enemies.


Tales of zombies of scifi and paranormal creation, both funny and bloodcurdling.

Jane Richardson. Edinburgh FogGreg was crazy ever to let Julia go. Will she give him another chance or leave again—this time forever?










Kelley Heckart

Cat's Curse, Beltaine's Song and Winter's Requiem all belong to the Dark Goddess Trilogy and share the same tagline: A Greek vampire, Celtic kings, vengeful goddesses, an ancient faery curse…






Of Water and Dragons                                                       

Of Water and Dragons weaves together the Roman history, Celtic lore and magic of ancient Britain to create an unforgettable story of love and sacrifice.

Blending Celtic lore, history and magic, Ravenwolf takes the reader on a journey to an ancient land filled with spiteful goddesses who threaten to tear Ambiorix and Nemu apart.

White Rose of Avalon                                 

Morgaine, Queen of the Faeries, will do anything to save Avalon, but is she willing to sacrifice Lancelot, the only man capable of filling her heart with love?
Buy link: http://kelleyheckart.com/white_rose_of_avalon.html




Happy Halloween! Happy Reading!