A wish for luck?

I've been thrilled at the reception Wish Me Up, Rub Me Down has received. Its the first story in the Desires of the Lamp tales, out now with Resplendence Publishing. It's garnered two recommended reads, which made me very happy.

But, on Sunday, I received even more good news about it. Victoria, over at TwoLips Reviews, has given the novella a Reviewer's Choice Award, which is sweet, to say the least. And it comes just a few weeks after the release of Aliya Baban and the Cave of Pleasure, the second story in the Desires of the Lamp tales.

The lovely lips with this post made my heart beat faster, and I'm thrilled to share them with you.

Mel

A new release

My latest novella, Amethyst Eyes, released from Loose Id today. When a new book releases, I'm always a little nervous. I wonder at its reception, and about reviews. The same thing every author worries about.

This series of stories, tentatively titled The Pentagram Stones, took hold of me at the Romantic Times Convention 2007 in Houston. I spent a lot of time in my hotel room, plotting out ideas and making sure things were put on paper before I forgot them.

The result is Amethyst Eyes, a m/m/f paranormal that deals with stones placed at the edges of a pentagram that keep an evil witch in place. These stones have been stone, and must be recovered before the witch can break his bonds, and spread mayhem and death.

I know you'll love Ansling, Kellen and Tobias. I know I did. Ansling is a strong female who has long fought her gift of vision, and is forced to look at it when she meets her soul mates. The story continues with the second book, tentatively titled Garnet Lips. But that, as always, is scheduled to change.

Take a look at it, over at the Loose Id home page. I know it will entertain and delight your senses.

It's like having a new toy...

My new release from Loose Id, Amethyst Eyes, comes out Tuesday. I'm really excited about this story, a m/m/f paranormal menage. It was a lot of fun to write, and the cover, which is spectacular, was done by Anne Cain.

Seeing the cover for the first time always makes me feel like a kid with a new toy. I want to look at it, and put it on my computer wallpaper, and then show it off to everyone.

Here's the blurb for your enjoyment. Later this week I'll post an excerpt on my Yahoo group, Eclectic Erotic Sirens.

Dive Master Ansling Carr is very happy with the new life she’s made for herself: Until she starts having dreams of two very sexy men loving each other. They want her to join them in a triad, where their sexual energy will locate, and retrieve, a stone that helps hold an evil witch captive in a pentagram.

Ansling, who has long fought her gift of seeing, quickly realizes Kellen and Tobias are her soul mates. They make her body tingle with their touch, and awaken powers inside her that she thought would never be used for good.

Together, they will battle an evil witch sent to protect the stone. And, to recharge their bodies and souls, they will join in mind-blowing passion, that will make all three of them more powerful than ever.

Yet more good news!

For those of you who have written to ask about the next Tygers novel, I just wanted you to know I just received a contract offer for it from Loose Id.

The book, titled Tygers 5: Sweet Redemption, centers around Helena and TK, both of whom were introduced in Tygers 4: Sweet Awakening. I'm thrilled, to say the least. I'll post a blurb later in the week!

Take care,
Mel

I've been tagged...

Tell seven random and/or interesting things about myself. Get five blog buddies to play, too and link to their blogs. Don’t forget to post the rules!

Things like this are always difficult -- *glaring at Michelle* -- but still, fun, *wink*.

1. I'm terribly unorganized (no big surprise there).
2. I make my living with my writing.
3. I write spanking stories for Bethany's Woodshed and Romantic Spankings.
4. I read my first really hot and descriptive romance novel, by Rosemary Rogers, when I was 14, hiding the book from my parents. When my mother found it on my nightstand one night when I forgot to hide it, and then read it, she flipped.
5. Unlike a friend of mine, who says she's never been stopped by a cop, I've received nine speeding tickets in my life. My favorite reaction when stopped? The nice state trooper asked why I was traveling 72 in a 55 mph zone (showing my age, here) and I said, "I don't have a reason. Give me a minute and I'll come up with something, though." I still got the ticket, but at least he couldn't start writing until he stopped laughing. I had high hopes he would let me go, but no dice, especially after he checked my record.
6. I almost got arrested during one of those stops because of a friend of mine, who'd had a bit too much to drink, couldn't keep her mouth shut. I was the designated driver, in case you're wondering.
7. Lots of my story ideas, like the one I just sold to Resplendence called Binding Gillian, come from dreams I have.

People I'm tagging: I'm not sure yet ... give me a bit and I'll get back to them!

Happy reading!
Mel

Absence makes the heart grow fonder?

Or so they say. I am horrible at blogging, as we've discovered. Today, I've added my last two releases for everyone to see. I have another one coming up in two weeks, Amethyst Eyes, a m/m/f paranormal from Loose Id.

During the two months I've been gone, I've finally managed to kick the illness, which was some strange sort of flu that kept hold of me for what seemed like forever. I've also managed to amass a great deal of reviews that I need to let y'all know about.

I've been thrilled with them, and I want to share them. So this weekend I'll post the newer ones, grouping them into books, so you can see what others have to say.

In the meantime, I'm working hard on stories for all four of my houses, which means I'm writing and editing like a fiend. Sometimes I think the laptop is attached to my fingers permanently, but that's just fine with me. I love to write, and creating stories for people to read is a dream come true.

Hope everyone is doing well. I'm going to take a few minutes here and finally respond to a tag that Michelle Hasker gave to me some time ago and let y'all know a little bit about me ... Michelle, you know I'm going to get you for this, don't you? *WEG*

Take care! And look for Amethyst Eyes later this month from Loose Id!

Mel

Aliya Baban and the Cave of Pleasure

This is the second tale in The Desires of the Lamp series. It centers on Aliya, the bi...um, witch ... who was introduced in Wish Me Up, Rub Me Down. Aliya has to account for her behavior to her new pleasure Djinn, Matuse. He learns quite a bit about her, and she learns quite a bit about herself, too.

Here's the link and a blurb for your enjoyment.

http://www.resplendencepublishing.com/m8_view_item.html?m8:item=36-201-107-402-4

Advertising agent Aliya Baban is beautiful with a capital B. Unfortunately, she’s also a witch with a capital B. In her twenty-eight years of life, she’s managed to offend almost every woman she has ever met.

But she doesn’t care, really. That’s just the way life is.

When her boss tells her to get the Cave of Pleasure account, or else get a new job, Aliya takes her party invitation—and the strange lamp she’s received—and attends the nightclub’s grand opening, ready to do battle for her livelihood.

Matuse is more than just the owner of the Cave of Pleasure… he’s a pleasure Djinni. And Aliya has rubbed his lamp. For the next thirty days, she belongs to him. Though he intends to bring intense pleasure to her body, it’s also his job to make sure his "she-devil" changes her wicked ways.

Will Matuse be able to help Aliya overcome her painful past? Or will Aliya fail to make the five heartfelt apologies she needs to make to the five women she has hurt the most.

Serving The Sword - Changeling Press

My BDSM/Urban Fantasy, Serving the Sword, is now available from Changeling Press. This was an interesting story to write. Creating your own world and imposing laws, both real and magical, is great fun. This is the first book in a planned series, called Doms of the Round Table. Here's a buy link and blurb for you.

http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=835

Serving the sword… serving the king

Gwen Montgomery is on a much-needed vacation in England, taking in the sights, when she visits a castle that promotes itself as the home of Camelot. When she touches the sword in the stone, she starts hallucinating about a very dominant man urging her to come to him.

Transported into another reality when she pulls the sword from its home, Gwen quickly realizes there's nothing imaginary about the handsome King of Bregonia. He challenges her at every turn, making her want to submit willingly to his passion. Something she refuses to give in to. Despite her growing feelings for him, she knows she can’t stay.

Élan rules his lands, and his submissives, with an iron fist. No one would dare refuse him in any way. No one except Gwen. Haunted by dreams of the fiery redhead, he finds a way to bring her to his world. Now he just has to convince her to stay. Too bad nothing is as easy as it seems. Can their love keep them safe through the trials ahead, or will their bond be severed by the cold stroke of the sword?

Wish brings home a reward...

I had planned on doing a big round-up tomorrow on all the reviews that I've received lately, and there have been quite a few. But I got one this afternoon that I just couldn't wait to share. Wish Me Up, Rub Me Down, my January release from Resplendence Publishing, received a Reviewer's Top Pick award from Night Owl Romance.

This book, which started out with a dull title, was so much fun to write, and to see it get five hearts, and a top choice award, makes my hands shake and my knees rattle. Thanks so much to Dee for honoring my work with this. Here's the link for the whole review:
http://www.nightowlromance.com/nightowlromance/reviews/Review.asp?ReviewId=1282

And tomorrow, as promised, I'll list the links for reviews so you can see what people are saying.
Until then, take care
Mel

On deck from Melinda...

I have been sick, true, but not totally idle. Maybe that's why it's taken me so so long to get over this crude that's infected my body.

I have signed four new contracts this week That's right, four. The sheer number makes me look at my calendar of editing time and groan. The first one is from Loose Id, for a series tentatively titled the Pentagram Stones. It's called Amethyst Eyes, and is about a trio that has to find a stolen magical stone to help keep an evil witch locked in a pentagram.

The second is A Dusting of Syn, for Resplendence Publishing. It's an adult Cinderella tale about a woman and her battle with, what else, her evil stepmother and two stepsisters, and the knight that comes to save her. It's historical, and is very hot.

The third is for Changeling Press, Spaceport: Black Diamonds. It features a woman who is seeking a map to lead her to a cache of black diamonds back on Earth. She has to battle two men for it, and they all end up winning. *WEG* It's futuristic and is set in the Spaceport world created by Changeling. If you haven't seen this series check it out. It's a lot of fun.

And the fourth is a new publisher for me: Aspen Mountain Press. It's for their Plain Brown Wrapper series, and is called Pajama Party, featuring a woman's coed birthday party set at her island resort.

So, it's going to be a busy time, with lots of editing for me and lots of reading for you. I'll let you know more about each one as the time draws nearer! In the meantime, take care.
Mel

I am awake now .....

Just in time for the arrival of Tygers 4: Sweet Awakening. I've had a very nasty upper respiratory infection for the past week, and have spent most of my time sleeping. The fever broke on Sunday, though, and today I feel like I might live. Hopefully.

Which is a good thing, since I can come by and tell you about Tygers 4: Sweet Awakening. It released today from Loose Id, and is a different sort of Tygers book. This one is a m/f/m menage, and begins in Albuquerque, but goes to the Caribbean, and a BDSM resport called Paragon's.

I had a great deal of fun writing it, and I can't wait to hear what y'all have to say about it. I'm anxious about this one, since it features two Doms and a sub, and I wanted a good relationship between the three of them. So, after you read it, please let me know what you think. Thanks as always for sticking around for the fun! I have some book news, too, that I'll post tomorrow.... just to get you to come back.
Take care!
Mel

Cover for Sweet Awakening

Some things just make you feel great. I've received the cover for Tygers 4: Sweet Awakening. It's absolutely gorgeous and it makes me smile, since I've had a difficult time with some neighbors, recently that has made my life difficult.

Sweet Awakening comes out Feb. 19th. It's the fourth book in the Tygers series, and this one is a menage, m/f/m. A friend of mine said it was great because, "Two Doms are better than one," LOL. Here's the blurb for your enjoyment, and a peek at the cover. I hope you enjoy it!
Mel

When Harper Sampson’s sister goes missing after spending a week at a BDSM resort, Harper turns to the only people who will agree to help her: A detective agency run by Dominants.

Walker Bryant knows the pretty blond will do anything to find her sister, including accompanying him and his friend Oscar Ruiz to the Caribbean resort and exploring her hidden submissiveness.

Harper has tried being submissive before, and didn’t like it. But if it will help find her sister, she’s willing to submit to these two men. Walker’s a loving dominant, who takes her to new heights using words, and sensations. Oscar’s darker side frightens her, and makes her shiver in ecstasy. As she submits to them she realizes that it just took the right Dom, make that Doms, to not only find Helena, but to help Harper find herself.