Hi lovelies,
I am delighted to show you the cover for my upcoming M/F erotic romance, When Christmas is Cancelled. I’m still in the early chapters, and I don’t yet have a blurb or a pre-order, but I was too excited to wait any longer! I plan to release this on the 3rd December. Watch this space for updates and pre-order links.
In the meantime…
Happy Reading!
Lucy x
Blurb:
Society should agree that growing up was a scam. One giant experiment that failed..
Esha More is celebrating her 35th birthday and her quick fix of hair dye and champagne only leaves her with a hangover and more problems. When she asks for excitement, getting thrown in the deep end of a corporate scandal is not what she meant.
Kane Mittal has been called in as a consultant to manage yet another crisis. Kane has enough women making demands, but after Esha tumbles into his life he can’t stop thinking about her.
On a mission to save Esha’s career and Kane’s family business, together they navigate an inept flock of managers while faced with a mounting deadline, their powerful attraction, and a pandora’s box of secrets.
Join Esha and Kane in their adventurous meet-cute, a workplace romance filled with laughter, and a hefty dose of intrigue.
Available from:
Ingram: https://shop.ingramspark.com/b/084?m85tyNocZB4qMFqcFJvarH8nEUFJByquPCQkx6iwmLJ
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Pretty-Average-Arini-Vlotman/dp/1962739023/
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pretty-Average-Arini-Vlotman/dp/1962739023/
TakeAlot: https://www.takealot.com/pretty-average/PLID95437049
Smashwords: https://books2read.com/u/boMEva
*****
Excerpt:
The root of all evil was age. There was no way around it. Everyone said you should know what you’re doing, but there’s a little voice in your head, always there, always whispering, ‘Are you sure?’.
Society should agree growing up was a scam. One giant experiment that failed.
That sounded right.
Esha picked up her cell phone and recited the words into her Deathbed app, nodding to herself in satisfaction. The invention was her special project in the making. An app designed to prepare for one’s death; it was genius. One day her family and friends would read those words at her funeral and lament at her wisdom.
That’ll show them.
Of course, she’d be dead and wouldn’t be around to witness that profound moment. But she could remind them it was predicted before her death. She typed out a quick note on her phone, Add deathbed reminders from predeath musings.
The sound of a child’s high-pitched shout outside her car window brought her back to the present. With her phone tucked into her handbag, she took one last look at her fluffy curls in the rear-view mirror. Satisfied, she slid out of her beat-up Toyota and tapped the steering wheel for good luck. She’d read that finding a grounding symbol kept you, well… grounded. So, she tried to find as many symbols as she could.
Out from the stifling heat of the car, her arms and shoulders tingled from the warmth of the summer sun, the scent of freshly cut grass tickling her nose. She needed to add antihistamines to her next pharmacy run, the pollen was heavy enough to taste. The familiar sound of the golfing wannabe’s hitting their balls in the driving range, laughter from a family getting out of their massive SUVs, and the hollers of fans cheering to a rugby match in the bar made her smile. Filled with a reviving energy that added a bounce to her step, a buzz of excitement ran through her, shaking her from her birthday funk.
While meeting her friends at the local drinking dive for celebratory birthday drinks was a steadfast tradition, she had felt less than enthusiastic this year. Death was one year closer, what was there to celebrate? The only reason she looked forward to the day was the thought of spending it with her two best friends. Getting together for a few hours was becoming harder and far between, so she cherished every moment with them.
“Oi! Ash! Stop staring at the paving and get over here.”
Esha saw her friend Amy who hollered over the cars and sounds drifting from the restaurant, making a beeline in that direction.
Amy had a set of lungs to be reckoned with, being a mum of three kids, and Esha always marvelled at her friend’s contradictory nature. A full head shorter than Esha, Amy was petite in a Bernadette from The Big Bang Theory kind of way. Like her favourite character, Amy was also a firecracker. While Esha was all thighs, hips, and bum; Amy was all boobs, chin, and smiles.
Picking up her pace, Esha dove at her friend for a hug.
“Girl, you did it!” Amy tilted Esha’s head left and right while running her fingers through her hair. “Was it worth it?”
“Hell yeah! It was torture. Six hours in that chair was a pain, but I finally got a change, like a real, noticeable change.”
Esha grinned, swinging her head like a shampoo ad model, and giving herself a surge of confidence. The week leading up to her 35th birthday was a whirlwind of activity. All the updating of wills and policies tired her out. A few days of soul-searching combined with lack of sleep gave her the perfect solution: change. A change was as good as a holiday, right? After adding turquoise streaks to her long, normal brown hair and buying a new shade of pink lip gloss that clashed with her brown skin tone, she felt not a single day younger. So, more change next time. Or a different change.
“Short of cutting the whole lot off, this is about as noticeable as it gets.”
Always adventurous with her hair, Amy sported a pixie cut with detailed etching behind her ears.
Esha caught sight of her reflection in Amy’s sunglasses, admiring the sight of the myriad of blue shades that shone back at her. The shiny strands were highlighted by the early afternoon sunlight, creating a pleasing cascade along her shoulders. Not too shabby, not too shabby at all. Too bad her hair was all going to fall out one day. Bad genes.
*****
About the Author:
A romance fanatic, book worm, book hoarder, and writer, Arini Vlotman is a people’s person and a wordy nerd. She finds comfort in almost any space, but there is nothing quite like being with her husband, son, and fur babies. Where writers are her superheroes and readers are her tribe, Johannesburg, South Africa is where Arini calls home.
One of Arini’s favourite hobbies is Fangirling (is that a thing?), musicians, books, movies, and obscure characters. When Arini finds something she loves, she delves into it like Harry Potter dives into the Whomping Willow.
Catch Arini on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Tiktok so you can share your journeys together. Arini’s debut novel, Pretty Average, hits shelves March 2024.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arinialwaysbeyou
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AriniVlot
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@arini_author
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@arinivlotman
Release blitz organised by Writer Marketing Services.
Blurb:
Jake Perlman’s fate changed forever as a child when a dam broke on the way to school, washing his bus over a bridge. Before the Angel of Death could claim him, a Shepherd named Omiel stole Jake from his fate. Now as a Stolen in his adulthood, Jake uses his powers under Omiel’s guidance to assemble his coterie, a group of Stolen with abilities like his.
Yael Taube learned in her youth she would become a Companion, the soulmate to a Stolen. After an unfortunate event finds Yael in the presence of her Stolen, Jake, things take motion.
Jake and Yael learn of their fates and see hope for their future. However, pulling the coterie together is anything but easy. Between their shared trauma, doubt in their fate, and evil beings called Sirens trying to harm them, the coterie’s future is anything but certain. Despite the Shepherds’ direction, there are dangers ahead. If the Stolen and their Companions come together too soon, it could lead to their undoing, but the world and the coterie are counting on their success.
If you enjoyed reads such as The Irin Chronicles by Elizabeth Hunter and Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick; you won’t be able to put this one down.
Ingram: https://shop.ingramspark.com/b/084?D1otvfjPsz0UGe2bHUFCillMXyYbmZphlUzUdkj6R8A
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Physician-Book-One-Stolen-Ones/dp/1962739015/
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Physician-Book-One-Stolen-Ones/dp/1962739015/
Universal link: https://books2read.com/u/4jM2ak
*****
Excerpt
The landscape was littered with nature’s destruction. Last night’s storm matched Jacob Perlman’s dark mood. He hated his rural middle school and his freshman year sucked. Jake stared out of one of the closed bus windows at the downed limbs and flooded lawns. He was so sick of assholes destined to peak in high school and go nowhere in life. Getting shoved into another locker because he aced a test everyone else failed got old. Yeah, they called him a nerd, but his ambition forced him to be the best at everything he did. He had to be. Being the son of two leading pharmaceutical researchers already placed pressure on him to achieve academic excellence. Jake would graduate in three years and could not wait to spend the new millennium away from here.
The bus driver slowly wound his way down the road, cursing the school not so quietly for not closing due to the flooding and debris clogging the roads. Jake agreed with the old man. He didn’t want to look at his schoolmates, the day had been rough enough already. Out of the corner of his eye, Jake saw Shepherds near each student, which concerned him. The Shepherds were humanoid, almost translucent, and glowed with a golden hue. They bore two wings on their back, and their hair flowed like fire. The creatures rarely stayed near their charges for long. He had always been able to see them and talk with them whenever he wanted, but no one else could. The Shepherds had told him they lived between the worlds of the living and the dead.
When Jake was a child, his parents thought the Shepherds were just imaginary friends. By the time Jake turned ten, he realized adults became uncomfortable when he spoke to the Shepherds or talked about them. His parents told him he was too old for imaginary friends and took him to child psychologists. Jake quickly learned to shut up and limit his interactions with Omiel, his Shepherd. Omiel was a constant presence in his life and taught him to cope with his ability to see into the Veil between worlds. Over time, Jake learned to block out the Shepherds as just another part of the terrain, but if he focused, he witnessed them appearing and briefly following their charges.
Today, every student on the bus had a Shepherd near them, another reason he stared out the window. Normally, he might see two or three. Omiel floated particularly close to him today. Jake’s friendship with his Shepherd had become strained as of late, and he avoided speaking with the creature.
“When the time comes, grasp my hand,” Omiel whispered to him, which alarmed Jake.
He scanned the bus, but as usual no one else heard a thing. The language used by the Shepherds wasn’t English or Hebrew. He knew both, albeit his Hebrew was rudimentary at best, as he had only learned what he needed for his bar mitzvah. Yet, he could understand the beings when they spoke. He wanted to respond, but hell, that would paint a bigger target on his back.
Just as the bus driver crossed the bridge taking them over the river, Jake saw a wall of water and storm debris rushing toward them.
“Watch out!” he yelled at the driver.
Instead of gunning it, the bus driver panicked and hit the brakes. The water slammed into the bus, shoving them to the opposite side of the bridge. They crashed against the guardrails, breaking them like toothpicks. The bus plunged over the edge into the water with a crash, tossing students in all directions. The middle schoolers cried in fear as the bus bobbed upright in the water. The driver was slumped over the wheel unconscious. A tree the floodwaters had ripped up torpedoed through the glass door of the bus. Water roared inside, and everyone’s screaming and panicking hurt Jake’s ears.
He scrambled to the emergency exit window, but the bus spun around in the torrent, slamming into large debris and the underwater riverbanks, tossing him into the seat. Jake was finally able to reach the window and tried to get it open. One girl, Deanna, recovered her wits and helped him yank on it. Deanna was a serious girl who normally left him alone. Jake didn’t know if it was a good idea or a bad idea to open the exit; all he knew was staying inside the bus was a death sentence. The Shepherds stayed with their charges, but again, no one could see them. He wanted to yell at them to do something, but he didn’t have time. The bus was sinking quickly.
*****
About the Author:
Magdalene Dietchka was born and raised in Western Pennsylvania to a large, loving, and crazy family. She is an avid reader, storyteller, and gamer with a deep passion for Dungeons and Dragons. Always proud of her Eastern European heritage, Magdalene studied international relations with a specialization in Eastern European studies. After living in Moscow for a summer in the late nineties, the following year Magdalene met her husband online, and it was love at first sight.
Magdalene Dietchka now spends her days in West Virginia with her husband and two dogs.
Instagram: https://instagram.com/mdietchka/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Magdalene-Dietchka/61550730204957/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MDietchka
Release blitz organised by Writer Marketing Services.
Hi lovelies,
I’m delighted to announce the release of this superb anthology, edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel. The Big Book of Quickies contains sixty-nine erotic stories, including one of mine – Past It. I really hope you’ll check it out!
Here’s the book’s blurb:
This abundant book offers a plethora of sizzling stories for the erotic lover on the go…Who says quick sex can’t be thrilling? There’s something exhilarating about the rush of raw emotions, wild, naked escapades, and the excitement of giving in to temptation without a moment’s notice. The same can be said for an erotic tale that can leave you breathless in just a few minutes of unabashed ardor.
The Big Book of Quickies was designed for erotica lovers who don’t have hours to spare getting swept away, much like the characters you will meet. But don’t let the title fool you: although hasty when it comes to getting down and dirty, this collection offers plenty of variety in these 69 tales of rapture and hot sex of all kinds. From raunchy to romantic, these stories include a wide range of sexualities, turn-ons, fetishes, and kinks, taking place in the real world and paranormal realms.
Whether bedding a stranger just for the moment, taking a few minutes to indulge their desires with a long-time partner, or pursuing their biggest sexual fantasy, putting pleasure front and center is what these horny characters have in common. If erotic tension, burning desire, and instant gratification are what you seek, look no further than The Big Book of Quickies.
Table of contents:
Introduction
Force of Nature Rebecca Chase
Mile High Hotness Rachel Kramer Bussel
The Pain and Pleasure of a Wall Sit Lou Kane
The First Rapture Lorraine Tramain
Her Due Allison Armstrong
Saving the Arts Em Farris
The Shape of Your Name Morrigan Blackburn
Blazing in the Endless Sky Erica McGillivray
Demo Bottom Dena Hankins
Do Androids Dream of Love? Belit Hague
Locked in Eternity D. J.
Urban Fox Charlie Powell
Closed Door Meeting Elena Ramirez
Fantasy XL J. Crichton
Home Is Where the Dom Is Jodie Griffin
First Mondays Henri Tisserand
Signs JK Mill
The Ice Man Cometh Melanie Anton
A Bit Too Hard Mx. Nillin Lore
Kitchen Encounter M.P. Clifton
Darius Dares Posy Churchgate
Fucking Straight Girls Laurel Isaac
Before and After Angela Kempf
For You Evie Bennet
I Summon Him Inside Me Millicent Moore
Naked Truth Avi Ben-Zeev
Foot-Face Dorothy Freed
A Private Matter Jordan Monroe
Consult J.C. Parker
Back Together Andreas Parks
Grains of Paradise Yancy Ball
Magpie T.C. Mill
You Bet Jordyn Kross
Morning Wakeup Rachel Harley
Spiced for Her Pleasure Zélia Parks
Practicing on His Muse Ever Westwood
Dirty Laundry Fidel M. Love
The Box Christian Pan
Remembrance Kristina Wright
Double Fantasy Ramone Quides
In the Text C.W. Steohen
Ask Me Again Tomorrow Julie Fennell
Paint Me an Orgasm Del Bartlette
Fingering Her Nipple Nick Walker
Role Play Peter Marriott
“For A Good Time … ” D. Fostalove
Vacation J.L. Jenson
Ensnared Deborah Castellano
Post Party Present H. Keyes
It All Led Up To This Kendel Davi
Imagine, Reader Mary Walker
Shower Thoughts G.C. Elizabeth
Night Shift Dean Franklin
WYD Inga Gardner
Lumen of Light Candice Leigh
The Measure of a Man A. Zimmerman
Fairy Fluffer Camille Adler
Best Actress in a Leading Role Sidney Kidd
Naughty in the Car Park Cariadwen
I Have a Secret Lilith Young
Quenched Rien Gray
Past It Lucy Felthouse
The Best Thing To Do with a Brat Aime’ SansSavant
An Unusual Proposal Daniel Z. Knight
Searching Susan St. Aubin
Here We Come Nikki Wren
The Lake Minx Noir
Going Up by Going Down A. Boss
The End Anna Sansom
It’s available in eBook and print formats, and you can add it to your Goodreads shelves here.
Happy Reading!
Lucy x
Blurb:
She’s everything he’s desired… He’s the one man she shouldn’t crave.
Knowing the danger the Wanderers pose, Erica Vega intends to hunt down the mysterious group steeped in dark magic, curses, and mind control. As a Deputy U.S. Marshal, she has the law behind her, along with her telekinetic powers. Let the chase and battle begin.
Not so fast. Her superior forbids her to go after any Wanderer, instead ordering her to work cold cases with her new partner Lucian Navari.
Tall, dark, and hotter than sin, Lucian doesn’t play by the book. He has his own agenda and agrees to help Erica hunt Wanderers on the sly where he and she can be up close and personal.
Erica’s not one to mix duty with pleasure, but he’s impossible to resist in too damn many ways. As they investigate an elusive Wanderer, nothing is as it appears—she can’t trust what she sees or believes. Lies masquerade as truth, and deception rules while she and Lucian grow closer in a carnal dance that will change their lives.
Available from: Amazon UK | Amazon US
*****
Excerpt:
He shoved his hair back. “You still don’t trust me.”
She did, more than any man in her life, except for Mike. However, when people got rattled or drank, they sometimes blurted stuff they shouldn’t. Not their fault, but it didn’t make things better. “If by chance you ever say anything about my power, I’ll deny it. I’ll make you sound like a loon. That’s a promise.”
“You think I’m that much of a prick?”
She’d never met a finer man. With him, she felt comfortable and safe. He’d protected her after the tree incident and tried to stop her from behaving like a maniac. Today, they’d become friends without even trying. She should have been scared at the notion and for breaking one of her work rules. Instead, relief washed over her. She wasn’t alone in this. “You’re the man. How many times do I have to keep telling you?”
He chuckled. “God, you’re something.” He searched her face. “Are you all right?”
Her insides still trembled. She suspected from doubt and unease about Pope, and at having Lucian here, close and alone with her. “I won’t lie, I’ve been calmer. Maybe a beer will help. Can I get you one?”
“Yeah. Thanks.”
She delivered the brew, along with damp dish towels to clean their faces and hands. Once they were finished, she dropped the things onto the cocktail table and gestured him to her cloth sofa, large enough to seat four or serve as a makeshift bed for an overnight guest. They sat on adjoining cushions. She didn’t mind having him near. His proximity, scent, and heat unsettled her in a good way. She gulped her beer, hoping it would help her forget the bad stuff.
Lucian sipped his drink and regarded her.
Her throat and face stung with heat. “You’re staring again.”
“Do you mind?”
“Maybe.”
“Then stop making it so easy.”
She lowered her face and smiled. “There’s dust on your shirt and pants.”
He looked and shrugged. “I don’t care, if you don’t.”
His deep voice soothed. His big body promised excitement, comfort, refuge from a crappy world. Stuff she shouldn’t want, at least from him. Work relationships always got complicated no matter how she controlled her feelings. Throwing attraction into the mix made things worse. She gulped more beer.
“You’re sure you’re all right?”
Bubbles tickled her nose. She rubbed it and wanted to lie, tell him to go home, she was okay and didn’t need him here. The words wouldn’t come. She looked at him.
He lifted his shoulders. “What?”
Never had she wanted a man as she did him. “Screw this.” She put her bottle on the cocktail table and crawled onto his lap, straddling his legs. “Don’t talk, please.” She cupped his face. “Unless you don’t want me.”
His eyes rounded. “Are you joking? Hell yeah, I do.”
“Shhh.” She didn’t want words. She needed intimacy and fitted her mouth to his.
He smiled. So did she, their lips lifting together, seeking each other.
The room spun. A ride like no other. His stubble rasped her cheeks and chin. His lips couldn’t have been softer or warmer. Better than what she’d experienced in her dream.
He pulled her close and speared his tongue into her mouth.
She lost her breath. This was past epic and straight into legendary. Even her fantasies weren’t this good.
They kissed with abandon and stark need, each pressing nearer, trying to eliminate any separation between them. His strength thrilled, showing her his power, yet it also felt like a caress.
He growled and tore his mouth free.
“No.” She cupped his head to pull him back to her. “I’m not through.”
“Neither am I.” Holding on to her, he leaned forward, put his bottle on the table then twisted around and pushed her to the sofa. The cushion whooshed from her weight. “Not a word, understand?”
Several locks had fallen over his forehead. His eyes were bright with lust. Face flushed. Fucking gorgeous. “Yes, sir.”
He laughed and captured her mouth with desire, using it with skill. His kiss was savage and unrestrained, tongue burrowed deep, giving her no chance for words. Wild sounds poured from them, more animal than human. It fueled her lust.
She clawed at his shirt and pants, wanting them off.
He pushed up her blouse and tugged down her bra then claimed her breasts. His hands were heavy, hot, and in command. The best thing she’d ever felt.
Reason and good sense fled, replaced by carnal instinct feral in its intensity, nothing timid or gentle about the act.
They rocked and rolled, dry humping, deep kissing. The sofa jerked on the hardwood floor.
He broke free again.
Fuck. He had to stop doing that. She grabbed his hair. “Come back here.”
He hauled her up then pushed to his feet.
She wrapped her legs around his lean hips, her arms about his shoulders.
“Where’s your bedroom?” He looked right, left.
“Behind you.”
He pivoted, carried her across the room, and halted. “Shit. Where’s Rápido?”
“By the chair. Give me a sec.” Using her power, she transported him to his tank. There he could take a soak or bask beneath his warming lamp. Turtle heaven. “What are you waiting for?” She squeezed Lucian’s shoulders. “Get going. I’m about to die.”
“And I’m not?” Huffing, he raced into her bedroom and brought her down to the mattress with him. Springs popped. The frame creaked.
Their mouths were welded together, their kiss long and lingering, deep and wet. The best kind.
He jerked free. “Wait.”
“No.” She kept kissing him.
He pulled away. “We have weapons.” He left the bed and put his Glock on the bureau.
She was right behind him and placed hers next to his.
Grinning, they tore at each other’s clothes. Shoes, pants, tops, and underwear flew.
This time, she pulled him onto the mattress.
Naked, he crawled over her, his rigid cock brushing her thigh. He clasped her wrists. “Don’t even think about moving.”
She liked his alpha side. “Want me to play dead, huh?”
“No way in hell will you ever do that with me.” He slid down her, gripped her knees, and pushed them to her shoulders, exposing her cunt.
Her breath spilled out.
He buried his face in her pussy, his tongue on her clit, flicking it.
Indescribable pleasure shot through her, tingling her inner thighs and mound. Colors dimmed. Sounds faded. The world slipped away, leaving nothing except his hands and mouth on her.
Erica yielded, craving this and him.
*****
About Tina:
Tina’s an Amazon and international bestselling novelist who writes passionate romance for every taste – ‘heat with heart’ – for traditional publishers and indie. Booklist, Publisher’s Weekly, Romantic Times and numerous online sites have praised her work. She’s won Readers’ Choice Awards, was named a finalist in the EPIC competition, received a Book of the Year award, The Golden Nib Award, awards of merit in the RWA Holt Medallion competitions, and second place in the NEC RWA contests. She’s featured in the Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market. Before penning romances, she worked at a major Hollywood production company in Story Direction.
On a less serious note: she’s an admitted and unrepentant chocoholic, brakes for Mexican restaurants, and has been known to moan like Meg Ryan in When Harry Met Sally while wolfing down tostadas. She’s flown a single-engine airplane (freaking scary), rewired an old house using an ‘electricity for dummies’ book, and is horribly shy despite the hot romances she writes.
MeWe: https://mewe.com/i/tinadonahue
Website/Blog: https://tinadonahuebooks.blogspot.com/
Newsletter: https://tinadonahuebooks.blogspot.com/p/newsletter.html
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/tina-donahue
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/146988.Tina_Donahue
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tinadonahue
Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/tinadonahue
Amazon author page: https://amzn.to/1ChWFkO
Sweet ‘n Sexy Divas: https://sweetnsexydivas.blogspot.com/
Hi folks,
Yes, it’s that time again. Get a HUGE 50% off most of my books on Smashwords from now until 31st July: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/cw1985
Happy Reading!
Lucy x
