Category: Friday Five

Friday 5: Caitlyn Willows

Please welcome Caitlyn Willows to the blog today. Thanks for joining us, Caitlyn!

What kind of books do you read for fun?
I’d like to say I’m fairly open to any genre, but there are exceptions. I don’t read inspirational and, oddly, I don’t read erotic romance unless I’m using some of the sex toys I recently purchased from a website similar to Winkwinksextoys. I’m so enmeshed in erotic romance with my own writing (and freelance editing jobs) that I actually prefer to recharge by reading other genres for fun. I can only do so much erotic research via websites such as watchmygf.xxx and therefore write erotically afterward, I need something else to rest from all the sex! My choices are all over the place-romance (historical, contemporary, paranormal, suspense), horror, adventure, fantasy, science fiction, young adult. Tell me a good story and I’m onboard. But…yeah, another but…for fiction I won’t read print books. I prefer ebooks. I read at bedtime and ebooks allow me to get nice and cozy in bed. To really “curl up” with a good book.

What’s the one thing you can’t live without?
One thing? You’re asking that of a person who packs “all her stuff” whenever I go on a trip? Oh please let me bore you with the details… Besides clothes for every single day, beauty regime items (the list grows the older I get), I also pack laptop, Kindle Fire, Kindle Paperwhite (just in case), papers, pens, pencils, notebooks and (in case I get bored-and I bore easy) an embroidery project. How sad is that? Sadly, my grandchildren are the same way-“We must have our things.” Oh baby, I know! Heck, if I could pack my Tempurpedic bed and pillow I do it. I have a laptop tote for purse and, boy, the things in there. One thing only? What time of day is it? Morning…coffee. Evening…wine. Oh dear, I do have problems. Hmm…one thing only. Let’s go with my Hori Hori gardening knife. I can do a lot with that sucker. I’m even told it would serve me well if there’s a zombie apocalypse.

If a genie granted you three wishes, what would they be?
I’ve watched X-Files. I know how tricky those genie wishes can be.
1. Health, prosperity, and long life for myself and family without conflict or burden or stress.
2. To take advantage of the good, positive opportunities life has to offer.
3. To maintain a positive attitude in this world awash with negativity.

What is best writing advice you can give?
Learn every single thing you can about this business-top to bottom and everything between. There is power in knowledge. Be informed. Don’t follow the herd. Find what works for you and run with it. Always be professional in everything you do. Trust your instincts, those that come from that quiet place inside you, not the ones that drive you insane. If your gut is telling you something, listen to it.

Can you share a little about your current release with us?
LiesThatBind
What’s better than one cowboy? Two! Released in March 2014, Lies That Bind is an erotic suspense about those two cowboys and the woman they love. This hot bdsm menage was awarded Book of the Month at BDSM Reviews. This story is so hot that it could definitely make some grandmother porn from HD Porn movies even better. But anyway, here’s a little blurb:
After a year’s absence, Tessa returns to the Texas ranch and two cowboys she left when her life turned inside out. She’s here to bury a friend, cut her ties with this town, that’s all. That may be all that Tessa’s planning, but Rex and Tyler want their woman back and they’re not going to make it easy.
If one good man is hard to find, two are even harder to resist. Tessa’s determination to shut them can’t withstand the fire of their mingled passions. Pretty soon, the fire draws them back to each other. How can she leave when it feels so damned good tucked up nice and tight between them?
It’s not long before Tessa realizes she’d rather bend her pride to be with her men than live the hell of loneliness without them. Also not long before someone else starts threatening their new romance by killing anyone who’ll expose this town’s dirty laundry. Not long before Tessa’s secrets make her a target herself…
For buy links and excerpt, go to: http://www.caitlynwillows.com/excerptLiesThatBind.htm

Readers can learn about my other releases through my website: www.caitlynwillows.com.



Friday 5: Suz Demello

Please welcome Suz Demello to the blog today. Thanks for joining us, Suz!

What kind of books do you read for fun?

Right now I’m really into Young Adult paranormal—stuff like Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, Cassandra Clare. I love Libba Bray’s books, especially Going Bovine.

What’s the one thing you can’t live without?

Uhhh….oxygen?

If a genie granted you three wishes, what would they be?

Ten thousand wishes and a really hot guy.

What is best writing advice you can give?

Read excellent writing.

Can you share a little about your current release with us?
Sherlock's Scandal
Would love to, and thanks for the opportunity. Sherlock’s Scandal is Sherlock Holmes fanfic, which can be published now because courts have declared that the Holmes stories are public domain.

Here’s what it’s about:

Are you a Baker Street Irregular? Sherlock’s Scandal is a very irregular Sherlock Holmes tale, but who isn’t attracted to the tall, handsome Holmes as he stalks through the foggy streets of Victorian London, saving the day again and again?
Follow Sherlock as he woos and wins the elusive Irene Adler. Sherlock’s Scandal is a typical Suz deMello read: fast paced with a whole lot of kink!

And here’s where you can score a copy:
http://www.ellorascave.com/sherlock-s-scandal.html

Here’s my bio and a few URLs:

Best-selling, award-winning author Suz deMello, a.k.a Sue Swift, has written seventeen romance novels in several subgenres, including erotica, comedy, historical, paranormal, mystery and suspense, plus a number of short stories and non-fiction articles on writing. A freelance editor, she’s held the positions of managing editor and senior editor, working for such firms Total-E-Bound, Liquid Silver Books and Ai Press. She also takes private clients.

Her books have been favorably reviewed in Publishers Weekly, Kirkus and Booklist, won a contest or two, attained the finals of the RITA and hit several bestseller lists.

A former trial attorney, her passion is world travel. She’s left the US over a dozen times, including lengthy stints working overseas. She’s now writing a vampire tale and planning her next trip.

–Find her books at http://www.suzdemello.com
–For editing services, email her at [email protected]
–Befriend her on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sueswift, and visit her group page at https://www.facebook.com/redhotauthorscafe
–She tweets her reading picks @ReadThis4fun and @Suzdemello
–Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/suzdemello/
–Goodreads: http://bit.ly/SuzATGoodreads
–Her current blog is http://www.fearlessfastpacedfiction.com



Friday Five: Robyn Bachar

This week my guest on the blog is Robyn Bachar. Thanks for joining us, Robyn!
What kind of books do you read for fun?

I enjoy a variety of romance—historical, paranormal, sci-fi, pretty much anything with a good story. I’ll read any heat level. Lately I’ve been reading a lot of sci-fi romance. I highly recommend Cathy Pegau’s f/f sci-fi romances. They’re awesome.

What’s the one thing you can’t live without?

Coffee. I can barely brain before I’ve had my first cup of coffee. It’s essential to life and to writing. I’ve spent a lot of time in coffee shops working on my books.

If a genie granted you three wishes, what would they be?

I’m too paranoid for wishes. Genies are crafty, and will always use your wishes against you somehow. Like you wish for a million dollars, and the genie poofs a pile of money into the room—from a local bank, and now you’re on the hook for bank robbery. No thank you.

What is best writing advice you can give?

Apply butt to chair and turn off the Internet. When you come to a spot where you’re stuck, or where you’d be tempted to chase the research rabbit down the Wikipedia hole, use brackets. Like, [add fight scene here] or [research local history later]. Once you’ve hit your word count goal or finished your first draft then you can go back and fill those holes in.

Can you share a little about your current release with us?

Morningstar72web

Morningstar is the second book in my sci-fi erotic romance Cy’ren Rising trilogy. (The first book, Nightfall, is currently a free read.) Morningstar picks up about six months after the events in Nightfall, and it’s packed with spicy m/f/f romance and space opera action. And a virgin hero, which I know is catnip for some readers. 😉

You can find Robyn at the following links:

Twitter
Blog
Facebook
Google+
Goodreads
LibraryThing
Shelfari
Amazon

Nightfall is currently available as a free read at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, All Romance eBooks, Kobo, Samhain Publishing, and the iTunes store.

Morningstar is available for purchase at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Samhain Publishing, and the iTunes store.

 



Friday Five: Neil Plakcy

This week my guest on the blog is Neil Plakcy. Thanks for joining us, Neil!

What kind of books do you read for fun?

I read all kinds of books, from literary to genre, but my favorites are light-hearted mysteries and romance.

What’s the one thing you can’t live without?
Chocolate – preferably dark.

If a genie granted you three wishes, what would they be?
1. A cure for Parkinson’s Disease
2. Enough money so that I could live comfortably and just write
3. Round-the-world travel

What is best writing advice you can give?

Learn to read like a writer – analyze the books you enjoy to learn how the author handles sentence structure, pacing, character development, etc.

Can you share a little about your current release with us?

accidental_contact_200

I have three books coming out this fall. Love on Stage is the second of my “Love on” series of M/M romances for Loose Id, about recent college grads falling in love on South Beach. Accidental Contact is a collection of ten short mystery stories from MLR Books, about the hero of my Mahu Investigations series, openly gay Honolulu homicide detective Kimo Kanapa’aka. The Next One Will Kill You is about a young gay FBI agent solving his first big case in Fort Lauderdale, and will be out from Dagger, a new mystery imprint from Riverdale Avenue Books.

www.mahubooks.com



Friday 5: Guy Ogan

Please welcome Guy Ogan to the blog today. Thanks for joining us, Guy!

What kind of books do you read for fun?
I love to read in the Paranormal genre’ since that is where I write. I’m not however a big fan of Horror. My vampires were “turned” for the most part because they were attacked by the evil type of vampire, but survived for various reasons. My vamps swore to fight against evil, be it vampire, human criminals or evil politicians.

What’s the one thing you can’t live without?
Well, other than the normal food, air and shelter most living things need, I have to have my Kindle (with over 300 books loaded, about 100 read so far – I leave comments as long as I can make them at least a four-star).

If a genie granted you three wishes, what would they be?
A fiscal conservative President, Senate and Congress would be my first wish, a Supreme Court that followed the Constitution and Bill of Rights as written would be my second, my third would be for U.S. manufacturing to be reinvigorated.

What is best writing advice you can give?
Write what you’re passionate about and either know or can thoroughly research!

Can you share a little about your current release with us?

Immortal Relations
In my third book, “Immortal Relations Coming Out” my good vampires, having saved the world from a nuclear war, an oil crisis caused by terrorists and two ecological disasters, discuss “coming out” to the humans in order to form a true symbiotic relationship. There are twists and turns that cause the release of information to be stymied at first, but other factors enter into the situation when they set up a new coven in Southern Canada with which to monitor the efforts of the Marxists in Washington D.C. trying to destroy America.

You can buy Immortal Relations Coming Out here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00G5BQS18/ref=cm_sw_su_dp

Or learn more about the Immortal Relations series here:

http://immortalrelations.blogspot.com/



Friday 5: Jenna Ives

Please welcome Jenna Ives to the blog today. Thanks for joining us, Jenna!

What kind of books do you read for fun?
I write contemporary and futuristic erotic romances, but I love Veronica Roth’s Divergent trilogy and Marie Lu’s Legend series (I realllly wish those would be made into movies)! And, of course, the Hunger Games books. So does that make me a dystopian fan?

What’s the one thing you can’t live without?
A bottle of champagne in my refrigerator. If I have unexpected company drop by, they’re always impressed!

If a genie granted you three wishes, what would they be?
For enough money to comfortably pursue my dreams (write more books, travel the world & paint Chinese watercolors), for health that I could enjoy those dreams, and for three more wishes!

What is best writing advice you can give?
Writing is hard. The secret is to sit yourself in the computer chair and just write. It’s one thing to want to write a novel, but it’s another thing to have the dedication to actually do it. Perseverance is almost more important than talent.

Can you share a little about your current release with us?
My story Snow White And Her Seven Lovers is a modern-day erotic fairy tale, and the title says it all. It was the 2013 International Digital Award-winner in the Erotica Short category!

281_SnowWhite7LoversFINAL

Here’s the blurb:
What’s a girl to do when she wakes up poisoned in the ER and finds that she’s lost her memory, her family, and very nearly her life?

That was me. Three months ago. With no identity, no money, and nowhere to go on the day I was discharged from the hospital, I gratefully accepted my gorgeous ER doctor’s offer to move in with him and his equally gorgeous six friends – the ones who’d found me unconscious in an apple orchard. My plan was to stay until my memory returned, and I could figure out who I was and if someone really had tried to kill me.

Together with Doc, these were an amazingly diverse bunch of guys, but there was something about each of them that attracted me powerfully enough to want to explore it. The policeman with his clever handcuffs. The cunningly linguistic librarian. The disciplinarian teacher. The virgin computer whiz who loved to play sex games. The engineer who created shotgun orgasms. The wildly imaginative baker.

Becoming intimate with these seven men completed me in ways I suspected discovering my name never would. That is, until the fateful day a man showed up claiming to be my fiancé…

Thanks for hosting me today, Amanda! Readers can find me at www.jennaives.com , my blog at: http://fierceromance.blogspot.com or on Twitter @jennaivesauthor or FB http://on.fb.me/1gxFlZn.



Friday 5: Ashley Ladd

Please welcome Ashley Ladd to the blog today. Thanks for joining us, Ashley!

What kind of books do you read for fun?

Romantic comedy (erotic and sweet), chick lit

What’s the one thing you can’t live without?

My kids (this includes my furry kids)

If a genie granted you three wishes, what would they be?

1) For all my children to have good, secure careers and incomes
2) To be financially independent/secure
3) To be slender (and stay that way!)

What is best writing advice you can give?

Read a LOT, in all genres, but particularly in the genre(s) in which you write. Also, give yourself permission to just write. The first draft doesn’t have to be perfect, not even close. Get the words on your page. Then go back and fix when you edit.

Can you share a little about your current release with us?

Today, August 29th, my contemporary male/female/male (light) BDSM erotic romance releases at Totally Bound at: https://www.totallybound.com Since this is considered an “early download” which means it can be purchased from Totally Bound’s sight but not at Amazon, ARe, or any other booksellers—yet. Her Men’s general release date is: September 26th.
hermen_800

Tag:
Julie has never forgotten her men, Timmy and James. When she gets a second chance to rekindle the romance at their reunion, she can’t choose between them.

Blurb:

Forty-four year old Julie Weston has loved Timmy and James since her college days twenty something years ago. She’s fantasized about both all these long years, never able to choose between them.

Hoping Tim and James will attend, she attends their college marching band reunion. When both men show up her dreams are answered. They’re sexier than she imagined and she hopes they won’t be disappointed by her older self.

It turns out both men came just to see her again and neither is happy about the other’s presence. They fight over her, confusing her more than ever. It takes a hot ménage…or two…for her heart to decide which one she’s in love with.

Excerpt: Her Men

A shadow fell across Julie, waking her up from her nap and a husky voice washed over her. “You’re going to be sorry falling asleep out here. This sun is brutal.”
Groggy, she shaded her eyes and looked up at the shadowy figure in awe. “Timmy, is that you? You’re early.”
He leaned down, his body still sinewy and strong, and held out his hand to her. Nary a wrinkle marred his matured face. Only a few laugh lines fanned out from his eyes which added to his attractiveness. “You, too. Is that a sign?”
She couldn’t help but chuckle. Since when did Tim believe in signs? “A sign?”
“That you want to see me, be with me in private, as I want to see you and be with you in private.”
She swallowed hard and put her hand in his, her heart somersaulting when they touched for the first time in more than thirty years. A maelstrom of emotion washed over her and she didn’t want to mess up what was probably her last chance to be with him, so she wasn’t about to play coy. Slowly, seductively, she licked her lips. “You read my mind.”
As he helped her up his gaze smouldered into her eyes. He dragged her against him and his hard cock rubbed against her. He nipped her ear, then whispered huskily, “Your nipples are puckering against your suit. I’d call that a sign.”
Standing on her tip toes, she replied hoarsely, “Your very hard, very hot cock is pressing into my stomach. That’s another sign.”
He pressed his lips to hers, not plundering but light enough he was able to speak against them, “Then we should do something about all these signs.”

BUY LINK:

Publisher’s site: https://www.totallybound.com/her-men

Author Bio:
Ashley_Ladd_bio
Ashley Ladd lives in South Florida with her husband, five children, and beloved pets. She loves the water, animals (especially cats), and playing on the computer.

She’s been told she has a wicked sense of humor and often incorporates humor and adventure into her books. She also adores very spicy romance, which she weaves into her stories.

Amazon page: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Ashley%20Ladd&sprefix=Ashle%2Caps&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3AAshley%20Ladd

Goodreads page: https://www.goodreads.com/AshleyLadd

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ashleyladd

Blog: http://www.ashleyladd.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ashleyladdauthor



Friday Five: Ayla Ruse

This week my guest on the blog is Ayla Ruse. Thanks for joining us, Ayla!

What kind of books do you read for fun?

AR: Historical Romance first, thriller/action-adventure second.

What’s the one thing you can’t live without?

AR: Book stores. Or a library card.

If a genie granted you three wishes, what would they be?

AR: A perfect clone, a brand new vehicle and a much bigger house.

What is best writing advice you can give?

AR: Never stop writing. Ever.

Can you share a little about your current release with us?
AR_EarthCon_large
AR: Sure! My latest is an erotic sci-fi/paranormal romance entitled FEVER HITCH (EARTH CON). Here’s a little about the book:

She’ll be their perfect mate…if they can keep her satisfied.

Felicia Walker loves her job as an illustrator at Fever Hitch Comics. During this year’s annual Earth Con, she will not only draw caricatures, but she’ll also be decked out in body paint to represent the F’ldae — an alien species from the comics. As she starts off a night exploring the off-limits, alien side of the convention, Felicia is unprepared for the spiraling events that will make her behave like a true F’ldae… in full mating heat.

Agent Slate Reese, along with his best friend Agent Ryker Seals, are Metons who want to settle down, but they’re having a difficult time finding the female to complete their mating trio. With the vast assortment of alien species converging on this area, surely there’s one female who wouldn’t mind spending a night with both of them.

FEVER HITCH (EARTH CON) can be found at:

Changeling Press: http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?upt=book&ubid=2257
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Fever-Hitch-Earth-Ayla-Ruse-ebook/dp/B00M01NOOG
All Romance ebooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-feverhitchearthcon-1576851-146.html
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fever-hitch-ayla-ruse/1119982219?ean=2940149684243
Ayla bakes away in the sunny south but dreams of warm fires in a cabin anywhere it might be snowy. Then she could let her muse looseR on a writing rampage that would probably result in the loss of limb function! Instead, she sits in front of noisy fans and types in waves while fielding the needs of her family. She loves to hear from readers and you can find her almost anywhere on the web.

Website: http://www.aylaruse.com
Blog: http://www.aylaruse.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ayla.ruse
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AylaRuse
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/aylaruse/



Friday 5: Margo Bond Collins

Please welcome Margo Bond Collins to the blog today. Thanks for joining us, Margo!

What kind of books do you read for fun?
I read the same kind of books I write: romance, urban fantasy, and mystery. I teach college literature classes, so I get my fill of serious literature there; I like for my entertainment reading to be light and fun!

What’s the one thing you can’t live without?
Coffee. Seriously, you don’t want to try to talk to me before I have coffee in the morning.

If a genie granted you three wishes, what would they be?
Ugh. This question isn’t fair! On the one hand, I’d love to ask for perfect happiness, but I suspect that wouldn’t be good for my fiction, since I (like most writers) draw on experiences, both good and bad. Anyway, don’t those genie stories always end badly for the wisher? Thanks, but I think I’ll pass. . .

What is best writing advice you can give?
The very best advice I ever got was just this: keep writing new things. Always have a work in progress. Finish writing a piece, do a quick edit, and submit it somewhere for publication. Then move on to the next project. Don’t wait to hear back—that way lies madness! If it’s rejected (and often it will be; that’s the nature of writing for publication), don’t let it get you down. Just send it out again and go back to your work in progress.

Can you share a little about your current release with us?
Absolutely! When gift-shop owner Kylie Andrews was dumped at the altar, she took her Mexican Caribbean honeymoon alone—and when a handsome stranger offered to take her mind off her problems, she was happy to spend a week with him. But when she got off her plane in Texas and saw her picture in a tabloid, she realized that she had been with rising country star Cole Grayson. Now Cole is in town for a concert and determined to win her back—but she’s just as determined to keep him at arms’ length. The child of a former rodeo star, she doesn’t want to end up in the spotlight—and as a musician, that’s right where Cole wants to be.

Here’s the official blurb, and more information about me:
Taming the Country Star Cover

Blurb:

He’ll do anything to win her heart. She’ll do anything to keep him away.

Country star Cole Grayson is in town, and Kylie Andrews is less than thrilled. As if months of changing the radio station and tearing down his posters weren’t bad enough, now she has to deal with a town of fans swarming toward the man who deceived her the year before. But when Kylie’s eyes meet Cole’s again, she can’t deny the electric chemistry that drew her to him the first time around.

Cole Grayson is on a mission. Ever since Kylie left him, he hasn’t been able to forget her sweet country smile. After writing a song just for her, he sets off for her hometown to prove he’s not the player she thinks he is. But as much as Cole can’t forget her, Kylie wonders if she can forgive him…

_____________________________________________
Buy Links

Kindle US: http://www.amazon.com/Taming-Country-Star-Hometown-Entangled-ebook/dp/B00KK4DORC/

Nook US: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/taming-the-country-star-margo-bond-collins/1119610297?ean=9781622661664

Kindle Worldwide: http://bookShow.me/B00KK4DORC

_____________________________________________
MargoBondCollins

About the Author

Margo Bond Collins is the author of contemporary romance, urban fantasy, and paranormal mysteries. She has published a number of novels, including Taming the Country Star, Legally Undead, Waking Up Dead, and Fairy, Texas. She lives in Texas with her husband, their daughter, and several spoiled pets. Although writing fiction is her first love, she also teaches college-level English courses online. She enjoys reading romance and paranormal fiction of any genre and spends most of her free time daydreaming about heroes, monsters, cowboys, and villains, and the strong women who love them. She currently writes for Entangled’s Red-Hot Bliss line.

_____________________________________________

Connect with Margo

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/margobondcollins
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.MargoBondCollins.net
Blog: http://www.MargoBondCollins.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MargoBondCollin @MargoBondCollin
Google+: https://plus.google.com/116484555448104519902
Goodreads Author Page: http://www.goodreads.com/vampirarchy
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/MargoBondCollins
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/mbondcollins/



Friday 5: Margaret Fieland

Please welcome Margaret Fieland to the blog today. Thanks for joining us, Margaret!

What kind of books do you read for fun?
If it’s printed, I’ll read it. Seriously, I’m a terrible book junkie, and I get withdrawal symptoms if I don’t have a large stack waiting to be read. I love my library — I can borrow up to ten e-books at a time. My kids gave me a Kindle Fire for my birthday last year, and I love it.

I read a lot of romance, a lot of science fiction, and a fair amount of young adult books of various genres. I occasionally read mysteries. I read a lot of poetry, some biography and general non-fiction.

What’s the one thing you can’t live without?
Air. Water. Food.

I remember reading Heinlein’s The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, which features, among other things, a sentient computer named Mike. In the book, which takes place on the Moon, you pay for air. I’ve never forgotten it.

It’s a fun book, well worth checking out if you’ve never read it.

If a genie granted you three wishes, what would they be?
Gads! I’m very wary of having three wishes granted, because everything has side effects, and I can’t know what the effects of my wishes would be. Wishes are dangerous things.

That said, I’d wish for good health, an end to financial difficulties, and for my next novel to become a best-seller.

What is best writing advice you can give?
Learn your craft. The rules may be made to be broken, but IMO you really have to ‘get’ them first. That includes grammar, punctuation, and the like, as well as conventions around point-of-view and the like.

I started writing fiction by accident. I was writing poetry exclusively at the time, but I joined a writing forum that required everyone to write fiction as well. I started with children’s fiction, under the mistaken impression it was easier. Ha. But I got hooked on writing fiction, and I’ve been at it ever since.

Can you share a little about your current release with us?
My latest release is called Broken Bonds. It’s about a major in the Federation Guard who is posted to be in charge of a base on an alien planet. The Terran Federation and the Aleyni have an uneasy relationship, to say the least. There are two previous novels in the series, but both are Young Adult novels.

When I started the first one, Relocated, my middle son was in the army, stationed in Afghanistan. Hence, the hostile relationship with the Aleyni and the desert environment.

Here’s an extended blurb:

brokenbonds_200X300(1)

Broken Bonds

Sex with aliens? How about romance with aliens? A treason accusation? Brad Reynolds has his hands full. When Major Brad Reynolds is assigned to head the Terran Federation base on planet Aleyne, the last thing he expects to find is love, and certainly not with one of the alien Aleyni. How can he keep his lover, in the face of political maneuvering and of Ardaval’s feelings for his former partners — and theirs for him?

Excerpt (PG):

Brad took a deep breath of cool night air, inhaling the nutmeg scent of the flowers planted around Ardaval’s front door. Before Brad could knock, the door opened and Ardaval stood in the doorway. Brad hesitated before putting out his hands palm up.

Ardaval placed his hands over Brad’s. “My heart, my home, my hearth.”

“My hearth, my home, my heart,” Brad murmured in response.

Smiling, Ardaval directed his gaze at Brad’s eyes; it evoked the same curious flutter in the pit of his stomach as the last time they’d met. Ardaval held open the door and gestured for Brad to enter. “You’ve come to discuss Gavin.”

“I have.” Brad followed Ardaval into the front hall where tiles of local stone sparkled on the floor and a padded bench stood under a window. Through a doorway on one side, a glance revealed a kitchen furnished with dark wood cabinets, clean and a bit bare.

“Come.” Ardaval gestured toward the back of the hallway where a doorway led into a center courtyard, open to the cool night air, and motioned to a small table. A red-leafed tree in the center spread its leaves overhead. Brad sat, and Ardaval sat beside him.

Brad needed to talk about Gavin Frey’s political views. Views that, as far as he could tell from the records, were the opposite of his own. A breath brought him the scent of Ardaval’s skin, musky, with a hint of clove. Was it duty or cowardice keeping him from reaching for Ardaval’s hand and kissing the palm?

Ardaval clasped Brad’s hand in his. “Tell me more about why you were posted to Aleyne.”

Should he remove his hand? No. He enjoyed Ardaval’s touch and what was the harm, really? When he glanced up, he found Ardaval regarding him with evident amusement.

“I recommended that a man who used psi to save his squad be given a dishonorable discharge.” Brad hesitated. “Although the soldier deserved a medal rather than a court martial, he was a fool to admit he caught a thought.”

Ardaval nodded.

“About Gavin Frey. Is he your shan?” The thoughts slipped out.

Ardaval stared into Brad’s eyes for a a second or two before he replied. “As you surmise, he is my son; my shan, because I didn’t raise him.”

Might as well ask this, too. “His mother never told you about him?”

Ardaval shook his head. “No, she didn’t. He spent six months here after she died. Then we disagreed over a matter of ethical principal and he left.”

Given what he understood about Frey, Brad would have been surprised if they hadn’t.

“He married, but his wife died. He has a son who is now fourteen by Terran Standard years.”

“His mother possessed a strong psi talent.”

“She contacted you?” Brad’s eyebrows rose to his hairline.

“She did. I suggest you keep an eye on the boy.”

“Do you believe he has gazal?” If the boy developed Aleyni mind speech abilities, he’d need careful watching. Brad’s own family had been fairly accepting but how would Frey react if he discovered his son possessed gazal? And what about the terrorists, who might try to exploit Keth’s talent?

Ardaval nodded. “I do, though of course we’ve never met. Gavin doesn’t, or at least if he does, he keeps his mind so locked down it’s the same thing.”

Brad sighed and rose. He’d completed what he’d said he’d come to do.

“It happens this way with us, at times.” Ardaval paused for a moment. “We’ll meet again.”

Brad turned to leave. He couldn’t ignore this connection, wish it away, any longer. Only Ardaval’s assurance kept him moving out the door.

Publisher’s website:
http://museituppublishing.com/bookstore/index.php/new-releases/broken-bonds-detail

Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Broken-Bonds-Novels-Aleyne-ebook/dp/B00E5SGVSS/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1374851946&sr=1-1

Barnes and Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/broken-bonds-margaret-fieland/1116214695?ean=2940148784913

Bookstrand:
http://www.bookstrand.com/broken-bonds

Where to find me on the web:

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/margaretfieland/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/margaret.fielandAuthor
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/madcapmaggie
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4417476.Margaret_Fieland