Sunday, December 26, 2010

Gifts we gave this year that WE LOVE!

Gifts my husband and I gave this year that we truly adored were two, with the expectation to give a third.

We gave a teenage girl in Kenya tuition for her last 3 years of high school. Yes, we did this through a non-profit and we did it in memory and honor of our oldest son who died in January and who would have gotten a kick out of this. The $900.00 was certainly an amount we would have spent on him, and now we spend it to give a young girl a chance to improve her life.

The other was a gift to FIRST BOOK, a non-profit that buys books for disadvantaged children. With more than 1/3 of the homeless people in America being children, their chances of having a book of their own to cherish is small. This organization buys books for children. Go visit and donate in any amount to www.firstbook.org

The gift we will give again this year is to Pathways to Housing www.pathwaystohousing.org , also a non-profit, whose mission is to provide housing, stability and social counseling to those in our country who suffer from dual diagnoses, usually some mental impairment and one of more addictions. I urge you to look them up on line to see if one is in your city. For our son who had a brain injury from an auto accident and secondary drug addiction, this group helped make his life more livable, productive and happy. When he died, he was stable, drug free, and very happy. All of this was because of their marvelous professional attention and knowledge. Their philosophy is that a person who has a home of his or her own has a safe environment they know they can go to each night. This alone stabilizes much of their thinking, aids in saving them from desperation and motivates them to continue to live with a sense of pride and self-achievement.
Merry Holidays! May they be healthy, safe and happy.
Ciao, bella!

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

New Lingerie? Bellefleur, Seattle and Soma. New sexy feeling, New titles, New Year


New lingerie from Santa?
I am a woman of a certain age, and I adore silky, well fitting lingerie.
I love a bra that fits my body, not Victoria's Secret's bodies, et al.
I like the new no-line panties. The seamless ones. Butt floss is ouuuuuuuuiiiiiiiee, not for moi.
One of the blogs I follow regularly is one that belongs to a FABULOUS lingerie shop that I discovered when last I was in Seattle with my daughter shopping and buying...furniture. (Yeah, well, you need lingerie All the Time, don't you?)
Where is this delightful shop?
If you live in Seattle, lucky you. You need to go visit, breathe the air, feel the fabrics from Paris and Italy. Take your check book and allow yourself to spend at least $100. If you happen to know someone who is in need of sophisticated, seductive bedroom silkies or who is getting married and you need a gift, wow. You will not be sorry. And they will love your terrific taste.
(No. I do not know the owners and I don't get any payment from them.) If you live anywhere else but the greater northwest, treat yourself to a wonderful few minutes on line and go feast on their words and their choices.

Where else can you go? I love the marvelous new bras at Soma's, the division of Chico's. Yes, they are pricey, but oh so worth it. They wear well. Wash well. No drying in the drier, you know, but still heaven to wear. You look good. They FIT you like skin. If you don't know how to size yourself, do go on line and learn or go to a lingerie shop or Soma's where they will fit you. You. The experience is one you will adore. Daily.
Why, I muse, do I love great lingerie AND pajamas that are soft, cool or warm (think the new bamboo fabric) and just luscious to the touch?
Cuz I feel put together. YOU KNOW what I mean. I feel like I belong to my body and my body to me. Not some chick in a mag with hips the size of which I have not seen on me since before my first child, natural delivery, thanks.

Meanwhile, I hope you like my new covers! My lingerie, if you will, for the New Year! A hunky Best Man (coming up in a quartet with Desiree Holt and Allie Standifer and me called WEDDING BELLES, out in January!), a former spy (#2 in Desiree Holt's and my UNTIL series of romantic thrillers Feb 25) and then a sheriff, date TBD, but soon!
There is a new Regency,#4 in my Stanhope Challenge series, that I just typed The End to yesterday. The Bastard--yep that's the title--debuts Feb. 2!
Happy Holidays. Be healthy, smart and safe.
Ciao!

Friday, December 17, 2010

Welcome guest author, Katalina Leon!

OH, what a title! What a cover! Makes you want to open him up for Christmas, eh?
Say hello to the luscious new book NICE PACKAGE by Katalina Leon.

What's it about?

Christmas chaos is over at the Emerson’s house, but the real holiday fun is just beginning. Jim presents Cora with a big beautiful gift box she is forbidden to open.

What’s in the crimson mystery box?

Cora finds out, slowly, over a twenty-four-hour period. The box contains tantalizing toys, temptation, tricky games and an invitation to an erotic adventure at a mountain lodge that will refresh their marriage and bond them as lovers. If Cora can endure one hellaciously prolonged tease, she’s really going to enjoy getting a nice package.

Now you need a nibble? (Copyright 2020, Katalina Leon)

Cora knew if the bra she wore didn’t kill her she would have to kill the bra. She leaned over the sink full of warm soapy dishes and attempted to discreetly adjust the razor-thin satin straps from beneath her snug cashmere sweater. The racy new bra looked so pretty this morning. Its shades of scarlet trim made it the perfect festive choice for Christmas day, but at the end of many long happy hours it turned on her and showed its vicious side. The bra had a biting underwire and nasty little straps that cut into her shoulders. It was not her friend even though it was beautiful and its delicate lace cups had gleamed a lush crimson in the lingerie store and promised to be a pleasant holiday companion, but it wasn’t. Its true nature had been exposed. The bra had a cruel streak and it had to go.

She stopped washing crystal goblets and removed her rubber gloves so she could reach under her favorite pearl-embroidered red sweater without soaking it. Her damp hands ran the length of the pinching underwire, hoping to locate the exact trouble spot and free her tortured breasts.

“Let me help you.” A big, warm male body pressed against her back and wrapped his arms round her waist. His hands reached upward to gently cup her breasts. “I love how sexy you look wearing this tight sweater.” His warm breath tickled her ear. “Quite fuckable.”

She quickly turned to shush her husband. “Be careful, Jim,” she whispered. “We don’t want the kids hearing that.”

Jim leaned over her shoulder, mischief lit deep within his warm brown eyes. “There are no kids.” He paused. “They just left. My parents took them for the weekend. All the cousins are going to meet at the cabin tomorrow to go snow sledding. Everyone already drove away while you were tidying the kitchen.” He smiled. “We have Christmas night completely to ourselves.”

“Really?” She turned in Jim’s arms to face him, rose on tiptoes and kissed his lips. “Are we meeting the family at the cabin tomorrow?”

“No, we have other plans.”

Her brows dipped. Was everyone truly gone? “I didn’t even say goodnight to anyone or thank them for a lovely Christmas.” She impulsively dodged past Jim, hurried from the kitchen and stared with disbelief into a quiet living room filled with puddled cranberry candles and a sparkling Christmas tree. “They left so quietly, I didn’t even hear anyone leave.”

Jim’s grin crooked to the side the way it always did when he was plotting something silly or fun. His curved smile always gave his true intentions away. “That was part of the plan. We wanted to surprise you. You work so hard every year making the holidays a wonderful experience for all of us, I wanted to surprise you by doing something special just for you.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to his heart, gently kissing the top of her head. “Let’s finish the dishes and I’ll let you in on a little of my plan.” He led her into the kitchen and gently maneuvered her in front of the sink.

She laughed softly. “I see your holiday plan includes me finishing the messy kitchen work no matter what.”

He pressed the length of his torso against her back and kissed the nape of her neck. “We can’t leave a sink full of dishes, we’re also going away.”

She twisted in Jim’s arms to look up at him. “Where are we going?”

“I can’t tell you. It’s a surprise.” His broad hands slid beneath her sweater and deftly unhooked her bra.

The snuggly fitted bra strap popped open. She instantly sighed with relief.

He pushed the bra upward, cupping her naked breasts and gently took hold of her nipples, giving each a gentle but firm tug. The rumpled sweater rose higher as his fingertips lovingly explored her rounded curves. His face nuzzled her hair and gently inhaled her perfume. “I like this scent. It’s crisp and clean. It suits you.” His lips brushed against the nape of her neck with a featherlight kiss, as his palms warmed her breasts. “Your skin is so soft.” He slowly rubbed his body longingly against her. “You feel so good,” he whispered. “I can’t stop touching you.” His hard cock pressed persistently against his trousers and firmly poked against her bottom. “Finish doing the dishes so I can take you into the living room and fuck you under the Christmas tree.”

“Are you joking?” She turned to face the sink and swished her fingers through the warm water searching for any stemware left behind. She picked up a goblet that still had a crimson lipstick stain on its rim.

“No, I’m not joking. I might as well tell you right now, part of your holiday surprise this weekend is that I get to have complete sexual control over you. You’ll do absolutely everything I say.”

She gasped in eager alarm and nearly dropped one of her favorite goblets into the sink. She’d been waiting a long time to hear those words, and now that the moment was finally here, she started wondering what would happen next. Her heart pounded with excitement. She loved it when Jim took charge of her and allowed her to be the pampered submissive. It was what she craved above all else, and it was thrilling to know he felt the same way.

She glanced over her shoulder and gazed into his eyes. A bright smile spread across her face. “We’ll see how well that works out for you. I have to warn you, I’ll only submit to the most clever and masterful hands.” She gently challenged him with her words and her eyes.

His eyes sparkled. “You’ve hinted more than once you were ready to play a few new games with me, and this is the time. We’re starting now.” His gaze fixed directly on hers. “I know you better than you might think. Give me credit for that. I know what you’ve dreamed about, hinted at and hoped for. I even know you enjoy a little anxiety and tension mixed together with your orgasms. Am I right?”

“What?” She wilted over the sink in mock shock. It was true. Her face grew warmer.

“I’ve watched you work yourself into a tense lather on many occasions just to get a bigger sexual thrill. I’ll tell you upfront, I might even spring a few shocking little surprises on you just for the pleasure of watching you writhe. I’ve also taken a good long look at those books you keep hidden on your side of the nightstand, and I know exactly what your fantasies are.”

“Do you?” She blushed furiously. Her gaze focused on the kitchen window above the sink. The window acted as a dark mirror, clearly reflecting her startled face and Jim’s confident expression. “I’m a reader. I’m open-minded. Erotic-romance is fun and exciting to read.” She nervously paused. “Jim they’re just books…”

He looked at their reflection in the window and caught her nervous gaze. “They’re very telling books. Very graphic books. To be honest, I’m as turned-on by them as you are, so there’s nothing to feel self-conscious about. Remember, I love you, Cora. You’re my fantasy girl, and I would never harm you or cross the line, but…” The warmth of his smiled faded and his expression became serious. “This weekend I will be completely in charge of you. Sexually you will be under my control. You will come or not at my discretion, and you will do my bidding.”

Her jaw dropped in disbelief at his words and tone. She glanced over her shoulder. “Merry Christmas, Jim. I hope you didn’t discuss this part of the holiday surprise with your parents.” Her face grew warmer. She was both embarrassed and thrilled to have her secret love-slave fantasies taken seriously and brought into the open.

“Finish the dishes,” he commanded. His lips compressed to a tight line that refused to allow even the slightest hint of a smile to warm them.

Her body twisted toward him. She leaned against the edge of the countertop as she studied Jim’s inscrutable expression. What exactly did he have planned? His suddenly firm but secretive demeanor intrigued her. The determined set of his jaw told her he was ready to play bed Master. Good for her. She loved that game and hoped he was ready to expand on that familiar and beloved role. This was a great opportunity. They both worked so hard, and the boys demanded so much of their time most evenings they didn’t have the privacy or the energy to play at all. On a good night, they simply shared lazy but satisfying sex, rolled over and immediately fell asleep. She was overjoyed Jim had planned a romantic and sexually adventurous weekend outing just for them. She had dreamed of this day, and quite frankly, it sounded too good to be true. Her naturally anxious tendencies kicked in. There had to be a catch? “What about the kids? Will they be all right? Does anyone even know where we’re going?”

“The kids will be fine, and don’t worry. Everyone knows where we’re going, but no one knows what we’ll be doing. This weekend is just for us.”

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

THAT FIRST KISS with Tina Donahue!

In erotic romance a lot of attention is often on the sex scenes. How quickly they begin in the story. Their frequency. The unusual locale where they take place.

While all of that is entertaining, what I find most enjoyable is the first kiss, especially if there’s been a bit of anguish before it occurred. You know what I mean. The hero or heroine doesn’t want to get involved because they’ve been hurt by a rejection, they fear loss, or they’re messed up by whatever plot device a writer can come up with.

While their hearts ache, they still yearn. They want what we all do. Someone to cherish us. Someone to care.

That’s the feeling I sought to explore in Sensual Stranger, my newest erotic romance. Zach’s heart is still on the mend from a tragic loss. Toni’s always been alone. They want each other, but circumstances warn against it.

That’s what makes their first kiss so special to me. Here’s the blurb and an excerpt to show you what I mean:

BLURB:

Into his life she came—wanting…willing…wanton

It’s no ordinary morning when Toni Starr arrives at Zach’s garage. Flat broke, with a past she won’t share, Toni’s instantly taken by such a potently virile man. Direct and unashamed, she tells him she’s a motorcycle performance artist who needs work and knows motors.

Zach knows women, and Toni’s unlike any he’s met. Lushly sensuous, exceedingly assured, she’d easily be his match in business and bed. A provocative challenge that stirs him as nothing has since losing his wife. A chance he’s reluctant to take, offering no more than a month’s employment, then she’ll have to be on her way.

The hours tick by. Each word and glance intensifies their denied yet escalating desire, forcing them to surrender to passion and Toni’s need for Zach’s dominance. Driven by carnal hunger, conquered by yearning, they face the unforeseen truth of Toni’s past and a future neither of them expected.

EXCERPT:

(Prior to this scene, Zach has offered Toni a place to stay at his house, knowing she has nowhere else to go.)

Arm draped over his forehead, fist clenched, Zach regarded the fading shadows on the master bedroom’s ceiling, then chanced a look at the clock.

A muttered oath escaped his lips. Only ten minutes to go before the alarm went off and he’d barely slept.

Each time he’d managed to drift off, he’d awakened in a start from dreams he couldn’t recall. Tension knotted the muscles in his neck and shoulders. He couldn’t relax his arms or legs. An hour ago, he’d finally given in and stroked his rigid cock, masturbating like an out-of-control teen, releasing his cum on the sheet rather than in a warm, soft female body.

Toni’s.

Uh-uh. No fucking way. Even if she did stir him as few females had, she was a complication he just didn’t need.

Rolling over, Zach punched his pillow and buried his head in it. Instantly, his knee and leg hurt. He adjusted his weight and squeezed his lids tight.

Images of Toni arrived without pause, snatching his breath, overwhelming his resistance. He saw the ends of her hair swinging against her smooth cheeks, her plump lower lip shiny from the steak’s juices, her eyes searching his, her expression guileless, wanting, receptive.

He could have taken her on the picnic table and he knew she wouldn’t have protested. Hell, she probably would have encouraged it and more…a lot more. Anything he wanted, no matter how crazy or lewd.

Like tying her wrists to the bed and playing pirate or whatever the hell women fantasized about. Having her willingly submit to his dominance and beg for still more. Playing those games in fun and for mutual pleasure.

Unlike Meg, Toni hadn’t been sheltered. She seemed to expect such behavior from a man, practically encouraging it from him. And yet, despite her gutsy personality and the brave front she kept putting on, she had a world weariness about her, a forlornness that kept pulling him near. Telling him he could ease whatever hurt she’d once known. They could comfort each other.

Until she left, and she would. She had Lucky and Belle to support.

Who in the fuck were they? Where in the hell had she met the couple? What did it mean that she’d adopted them, rather than they’d done so with her?

At dinner last night, after she’d kept dodging his questions about her past, Zach had finally surrendered, asking her about Lucky and Belle’s. Toni’s answer was to tell him about their shop, how excited they were to have it up and running. It had always been their dream.

While they’d done what exactly? What were their previous jobs?

He hadn’t asked. Instead, he’d listened as she’d recounted how Lucky taught her to repair vehicles. Her love for the man and Belle transformed and relaxed her, allowing Toni to smile freely, laugh recklessly, turning her into one of the most interesting and surely most desirable women Zach had ever known.

And he didn’t know her at all.

Sighing deeply, he pushed up on his elbow and looked at the clock.

Shit. Five more minutes and his day would begin. A day filled with Toni easing his emptiness over losing Meg, crowding out his memories of her.

Unsettled, Zach rolled off the bed and yanked on his jeans. T-shirt in hand, he left his bedroom to go downstairs and start the coffee.

He got as far as the hall bath.

His steps paused and his heart lurched as the door clicked, then swung inward unexpectedly. Plumes of steam drifted out.

Unaware of him, Toni looked behind herself at something in the bath. Her skin, more pink now than ivory, glowed from her shower and smelled of soap rather than lavender cologne. Her stretchy blue camisole and plaid boxer shorts clung to her damp flesh.

Zach’s heart beat violently. His limbs went limp. The tee slipped from his hand.

He told himself to pick it up and keep moving before she saw him, to go downstairs.

His legs refused to move.

A bead of moisture freed itself from her freshly washed hair, rolling down her temple to her cheek. Her camisole’s thin satin strap fell over her shoulder.

Ignoring it, Toni lifted a hairbrush to the side of her head, turned and froze as their eyes met.

Her gaze slipped down his naked chest, pausing at his fly, lingering on his erection. Desire quickly replaced her surprise. Her lips parted. A gentle breath spilled out. Her eyes darted back to his.

In a rush of movement, Zach slipped his fingers around the back of her neck, using his body to push hers into the door.

The wood smacked against the doorstop, then vibrated, matching the sounds of his sprinting heart.

Toni dropped her brush. It made brief taps as it bounced across the hardwood floor.

Her skin was so ungodly hot, a pleased groan tore from deep within Zach’s throat. Head lowered to hers, he captured her mouth and drove his tongue inside, filling her as much as he could, his kiss savage, uncivilized, punishing…for making him wait, for making him want.

Sensual Stranger will be available December 15th

Buy Link: http://www.jasminejade.com/ps-8932-50-sensual-stranger.aspx

Email: tina@tinadonahue.com

Website/blog: www.tinadonahue.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/tinadonahue

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000458023097

To celebrate the upcoming release of Sensual Stranger, I’m offering a contest today. One lucky commenter will have her choice of one of my following books**:

1. Lush Velvet Nights – ebook

2. Adored – ebook

3. Deep, Dark, Delicious – ebook

4. Close to Perfect – mass market paperback

5. Bad Boys with Red Roses – trade paperback

6. Take My Breath Away – trade paperback

** Winner chosen at random. Winner in continental US has her choice of one of the six. Winner outside continental US has her choice of one of the ebooks

Sunday, December 5, 2010

#7 on Medieval Best-seller list!

FOR HER HONOUR has hit the Top 10 Medieval Best-seller list at ALLROMANCEEBOOKS.com!
Actually it is #7 !
For those who loved the recent Robin Hood movie with Russell Crowe (a recommendation) and for those who have rented the BBC series of the same name (which was funny, anachronistic yet superbly realistic) and for those who, in general, despise that old despicable King John, here is your novel!
Was John as bad as legend says?
Yes.
Whom did he hurt most?
Women.
Especially widows, he abused by confiscating their lands, forcing them to marry against their wills, even taxing them highly to marry again.
FOR HER HONOUR recounts some of that.
I currently work on the 3rd in this SWORDS OF PASSION trilogy, starring 3 knights who fought with King Richard in Jerusalem and who come home to confront his younger ignoble brother, John.