It's Monday -- you know what that means!  Time for a freebie!

The Prize:

One digital .pdf copy of Ensnared by Blood, the fourth book in the Inherited Damnation series.

Beth Whitley has finally put her life back together after her husband’s betrayal and is determined to piece together the clues to her past. But she never imagines an ancient scroll bearing the name of a Celtic ancestor will plunge her into a world of demonic ritual. Nor does she suspect that a kiss shared with genealogist Fintan McClaine will unveil the secrets of her dreams and a burning desire.

Fintan McClaine wants freedom from the dark curse he’s suffered for centuries. When Beth arrives with evidence that she shares ancestral ties with his Selgovae Celt tribe, he must confront the truth of his inherited damnation. As he struggles to convince Beth the truth within her dreams, she awakens a dangerous and forbidden yearning in his heart.

To save them both, Fintan must convince Beth to believe in herself and her ability to overpower his unholy sire. If he fails, he will remain an eternal slave to his tainted blood and lose Beth forever.


The Rules:
Post your comment to my question
On Tuesday, one commentor will be drawn at random
Winner will be notified by email and announced here, so be sure to include your email address!
If you can't post on the blog for whatever reason, email entries are accepted as well.

The Question:
Do you believe in the paranormal?


~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

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Morning everyone.  I particularly hate technology.  Maybe because mine is so old. But it seems that I keep running into technological issues.  In the last year both computers have died, one requiring a total gutting, files have become corrupted, the printer is permanantly fried... and let's suffice to say that several of these things manage to screw up my Thursday New Voices posts lately.

So enough about my technological woes.  Jannine is here and she's got one awesome story to share with all of you!  Please give her a warm welcome as she shares Nothing But Trouble, and maybe tells us a little about that kiss on the front cover.  Shew :fans self:


Nothing But Trouble

Chase Paladin avoids commitment like a patch of stinging nettles. He's seen how love can trample a man, and he doesn’t plan to get hitched—ever. But when Honor Jackson walks into his life, hell-bent on keeping her distance, she turns his convictions inside out.

One look at the too-handsome cowboy with laughing green eyes and a killer smile, and Honor knows he's nothing but trouble. She's come to Redemption, Texas to help an old friend, not to let another man charm her into certain heartache.

But every time she turns around, Chase is there, and the closer they get, the more she fears he’ll break her heart. So when anonymous threats make it clear that someone in Redemption wants her gone, Honor is ready to oblige. Only now Chase isn’t certain he can live without her.

Will two wary hearts take a chance on love before it's too late?

So here's Jannine!

Something About a Cowboy


Thank you, Claire, for having me on your blog today to share my new release, Nothing But Trouble. This book is part of the Honky Tonk Hearts series published by The Wild Rose Press. When I saw the call out for this series, I knew I had to write a story for it. Why, you ask? Well, there’s just something about a cowboy…

What is the appeal the cowboy has for us, both in the old west and the more modern version? I grew up on John Wayne movies, Gunsmoke, and Bonanza. And who can resist Clint Eastwood in The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. (Sigh) The classic western has morphed into a more modern counterpart in films like The Horse Whisperer and Brokeback Mountain.

Is it the hat and boots, the wide open spaces, the swagger? I think our love of cowboys is in the attitude. Cowboys are tough and independent men, but they have an inherent value system when it comes to treating people, especially women, with respect.

My hero in Nothing But Trouble is Chase Paladin. He’s full of charm and swagger, and he dearly loves women. All women. Chase isn’t the settling down sort, and he always makes his intentions clear from the start. When Honor Jackson arrives in Redemption, his conviction that love doesn’t last is put to the test. He won’t allow himself to hurt her, but can he really let her go?

Please share – what do you love most about cowboys?

~~~~~~~
I'll go first with an answer -- I love the work hard ethic, I think the most.  Just more in tune with the world around us, and they never... stop... even when they aren't officially "on the clock".

Jannine, Chase sounds like a heartbreaker, and a man I'd like to get my hands on!  Let's take a peek at him with this fabulous excerpt!

~~@~~
EXCERPT
~~@~~

Chase reached over and gave her arm a squeeze. The imprint of his fingers on her bare skin tingled like a brand.


“I’m sure you’ll do just fine. Soon as word gets out, you’ll draw the locals like bees to honey.”

She rolled her eyes. “I’ve never heard that line before.”

“I can see I have an uphill battle ahead. Charming you won’t be an easy task.”

Leaning her head against the high vinyl seatback, she avoided his smiling eyes. “More like impossible, so don’t bother trying.”

His lips firmed. “Is it me in particular, or are you always this friendly?”

She didn’t answer immediately. Stroking the dog’s silky coat, she spent a moment composing her thoughts. “I’m sure you’re a whole lot of fun. You’re handsome and entertaining.” She let out a breath. “You’re probably a firecracker in bed to boot.”

He coughed and shot her a wide-eyed glance.

“But I’m not in the market for a fling with a good-looking cowboy.”

“Why not?”

“Huh?”

“What happened to put you off men?”

“Life happened. I plan to work for Andee for a couple of months and get my ducks in a row before moving on. I’m pretty sure—make that one hundred percent positive—getting involved with you would complicate the equation, and I’m no math whiz.”

“What are you a whiz at, besides putting men in their place?”

~~@~~
YOU
HAVE JUST READ AN EXCERPT FROM NOTHING BUT TROUBLE~~@~~
Well there you have it -- one smokin' hot cowboy certain to keep you up at night.

Thanks everyone for being so welcoming to Jannine.  She's a great lady, and her writing is wonderful.  I'm certain you'll fall in love with Chase every bit as much as Honor does, and I hope you'll rush right out and purchase Nothing But Trouble.

BUY NOW!

Meanwhile, here's where you can learn more about Jannine:





~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

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Hi, everyone!  I'm trying hard to get the Tuesday Teasers back in gear, along with the Monday Pick Me Ups.  So in an effort to get that accomplished, here's this week's teaser.

Ensnared by BloodInherited Damnation, IV

CHAPTER ONE


Thirty didn’t make Beth Whitley old. It made her worldly. It made her wise. It made her…experienced.

Beth zipped her suitcase shut and stared at the plain black canvas. Precisely why she was returning to Scotland in the middle of winter, her least favorite time of year, when snow would make her miserable. At this point in her life, she should understand her roots. She should possess a solid grasp of where she came from, and more importantly, where she was going.

Correction—she knew where she was going. She needed to connect…with something. Something she caught only fleeting glimpses of and couldn’t quite name, though the yearning often kept her awake at night. Something that came from family and had dissipated when everything else in her life fell apart.

Her impromptu trip didn’t relate to the fact that Scotland made her want to paint again. Nor was she going because her best friend, Emily, insisted Beth’s reoccurring dream of a circle of standing stones meant something.

And she certainly wasn’t taking the ancient scroll of runes Emily had discovered in a tiny metaphysical shop off Broadway just to see Fintan McLaine again. Even if she had nearly lost her head the last time she was there, and a comforting hug became awkward when she turned her head to kiss his cheek and missed, only to plant her lips against the corner of his sensual mouth. The spark was instantaneous, taking root in her gut and spreading like hot coals through her limbs. The complications—not so much. He was handsome in a scholarly, bookish kind of way, and she might be staying in his home this trip, but he wasn’t guiding her into foolishness.

No, she’d left foolishness behind the day she signed her divorce papers. She’d rearranged her caseload, pushed back one pressing trial, and was going to Scotland to follow up on the lead to her heritage that was in the scroll. Nothing more.

With a decisive nod, Beth snapped a lock onto her suitcase’s zipper and set it on the floor. This was for her. Understanding her roots was something she’d wanted to do since college. For the last two years Fintan had been trying to help, but they’d hit a dead-end with the all-too-common surname, Drust. Now that same name was in the falling apart wax-coated parchment that she couldn’t read another lick of, and Fintan could translate runes better than any genealogist in Scotland. He was also the premiere expert on ancient Celt and Pict tribes, the only person who’d been able to trace her lineage as far as they had.

She couldn’t wait to see his reaction to the antiquated leather-bound writings. When she’d phoned, she’d mentioned only that she was coming with some new information. As he had every time, he gave her a warm welcome, cautious remarks about not to get her hopes up. But with his passion for early Scottish ancestry, he’d be elated over the sheer age of the document even if it led them down another dead-end path.

She, however, couldn’t shake the gut-level instinct that in three days she would finally know her origins. Whatever Emily found, it was different than anything Beth had witnessed in Fintan’s vast collection. That her ancestor’s name was included sparked hope she couldn’t stamp out.

Beth rolled her suitcase to the door and turned to survey her small apartment, checking off the to-do list in her head. She’d locked the windows, left her cat at the vet’s, and turned the heat down. As her gaze traversed the tight confines, the same sense of accomplishment she experienced every time she walked through the door swelled the space behind her ribs. She was, at last, her own person.

Not Beth McGillacutty, Dan McGillacutty’s wife and firm associate, but Beth Whitley, who was done following the path everyone else wanted her to take.

The tears for a life of missed opportunities were over. Her dominate ex had been history for two years, but he was finally excommunicated from her career and her heart. She’d rebuilt herself, started her own private law practice, and in another six months, she could put a hefty deposit on a house of her own.

And in a few short hours she could make up for the embarrassing way she’d presented herself the last time she’d seen Fintan McLaine. This time he’d see her in control, not on the edge of total breakdown, grasping at whatever she could to ground herself while the life she understood slipped through her fingers. No more babbling about throwing away art in exchange for law. No more looking back. No more…distractions. He would see her how he should have the first time they met, and that god-awful pity wouldn’t register behind his grey-as-steel eyes.

Besides, she hadn’t scheduled time for distractions.

A smile broke across her face, and she slung her purse over her shoulder. Humming a soft tune, Beth left through the paper-thin front door, heading for the cab that waited to take her to the airport.

****

“Twenty-two. Finally done.” Fintan tossed the roll of white satin ribbon onto his desk and reclined in his chair with a heavy sigh. He eyed his sister with a lifted brow. “My fingers feel like ground beef. How did I let you talk me into this?”

Brigid’s mouth curved into a sly smirk. “Because you thought if you helped, I’d be inclined to change my ways and join your band of merry-makers.”

He grunted. True enough. Centuries had passed since the last time he and his sister had seen eye-to-eye on anything, but he still held hope that she’d realize the strength that came from their mother’s blood and give up the demonic callings of her soul. He kept trying, and every once in a while she surprised him with something selfless. Like tonight when she’d walked into his office bearing an armful of hand-dipped orange candles, proclaiming they were exactly what his coven needed for the upcoming Imbolc ritual.

She had no plans of attending. Her rite would be far darker. Far more foul than Fintan could likely imagine, though he’d witnessed atrocities over the course of his 2000-plus years of existence.

Still, she offered the gift.

“What’s in it for you?”

Brigid’s smile turned frighteningly angelic. “Why would you think that?”

He tipped his head and looked down the length of his nose, his lips pursing in exasperation. “I haven’t lived with you for five hundred years and not learned a thing or two, Brigid.”

She shrugged. “I’m just looking out for my personal interests.”

“Which would be?”

With a light laugh, Brigid finished the tidy bow she was tying around the final candle and set it aside. She folded her arms across her chest and reclined as well, mirroring his position. The lightheartedness left her expression. Her amber eyes flashed as the fire in the hearth crackled. “There’s another holiday upon us. Another birthday coming. I have no intention of letting another ritual that will damage our father come to pass.”

Not just any birthday—his. Which meant, he held the ability to add another nail to their vile father’s coffin if he managed to get his hands on their mother’s ancient spell. Brigid knew he’d do it in a heartbeat. If it were possible to end his incubus sire’s existence with a knife, Fintan would plunge the blade into Drandar’s black soul without a moment’s hesitation.

But the scroll hadn’t surfaced. Not only that, even if it did, there was no guarantee he’d be the one to find it. The ritual could still be enacted by another sibling. That Cian, Rhiannon, and Belen had all embraced mortality on their birthday was strictly coincidence.

“That’s ridiculous. You know not a single line in any of the spells that have been uncovered so far call for the ritual to take place on a birthday, Brigid. What if Isolde finds it, or Dáire—he’d do anything for mortality. Or Taran? Isn’t he the one who’s stalking a woman in France? Seems to me that’s your most likely candidate.”

Brigid let out a soft chuckle. “No.”

“No?” Fintan spread his arms wide, indicating the empty castle room, the quiet that surrounded them. “Look around you. No women. No chance of falling in love and needing to lift the curse before I kill her.” Sitting forward, he folded his hands on his desk and gave his sister a meaningful stare. “Taran is your threat. Mark my words.”

Her laugh rang sharp with mockery. “Wrong. Taran is no fool. While you all have him tromping through the streets of Paris and hunting down this girl, you couldn’t be more wrong. He’s been in Italy. Prowling the beaches for drunks.”

Surprise landed a fist in Fintan’s gut, but he swallowed it back before the emotion could widen his eyes. Italy? Their darkest brother had taken great care to hide his whereabouts. Why?

He shook off the question. What Taran did was beyond Fintan’s control. Beyond all their ability to reason. Even Brigid, as faithful as she was to their sire’s blood, couldn’t hold a candle to Taran’s dark ways.

“Taran will not put himself in a position to make that fatal mistake, Fintan. Dáire, is being watched. Isolde is of no concern. Father could wipe the floor with her.”

Not quite, if the story Belen relayed about what Isolde had done to their father the night of Yule was true. But those siblings who opposed Drandar had kept that tidbit to themselves. Drandar’s pride would never allow him to admit the daughter most like their mother had bested him either.

Fintan gave Brigid a one-shoulder shrug. “So you’re here to watch over me.”

“Why not? I live with you. It makes sense. Besides.” She eased to her feet, her smile returning once more to its false angelic state. “You’re the one expecting company.”

As if on cue, a heavy knock sounded on the thick wooden door. A light feminine voice called, “Fintan? Brigid?”

“Yes, Muriel?” Fintan answered.

The door creaked open and a middle-aged blonde stuck her head inside. “Miss Whitley is here. Shall I show her to the front parlor?”

Fintan glanced at his sister, silently warning her that he wouldn’t tolerate any of her usual antics. “Bring Beth to me, Muriel. We’ll need the resources here. Is her room ready, the fire going?”

“Yes, everything’s prepared.”

At Fintan’s nod, Muriel slipped out again. Brigid threw her brother a wink. “I’ll leave you to your…research. But Fintan, I swear to you, I will not allow you to carry out any ritual beyond what you have already planned for your small coven.”

The sound of annoyance that rumbled in the back of his throat came out more like a snarl, a sound far closer to the dark blood he tried to ignore than he cared to admit. He took a deep calming breath then ordered his voice to remain level. “Go away. You have a room on the other wing of the castle. Stay there.” Taking three candles off the stack, he set them aside. He’d imbibe them for his ritual later.

Laughing, Brigid picked up one of the ribbon-embellished candles. She drew it under her nose, breathing in cinnamon and nutmeg. “I’ll know, Fintan. I will know.” With a saucy wave of the long taper, she sauntered out of the room, her wild red hair dancing around her waist like the flames that licked at the stones within the hearth.

Fintan watched her go, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. She was up to something. Something with the candles. He’d stake his immortal life on that fact. But what, exactly, eluded him.

Before he could dwell on the matter, the sound of heels clicking along the stone floor alerted him to Beth’s arrival. He rose to his feet as she entered the open door, Muriel her silent shadow. Yet the woman Fintan had expected wasn’t the one who filled the threshold. Her plain brown hair now bore enchanting shades of blonde and red that gave her delicate face new color. The tailored black pants she wore, the stylish white blouse, and the four-inch heels eradicated the memory he’d harbored of fraying jeans, faded sweatshirt, and sneakers.

She stepped into the room, crossing in front of the fire to shake his hand, and Fintan’s heart came to a standstill. Not because her confident smile held the impact of a head-on-collision, or because her missing glasses now revealed sparkling jade green eyes. But because he would stake his very soul on the fact he’d seen this new woman before…over two thousand years ago.





~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

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The other day, as I was driving home, I was listening to my favorite talk show on the radio.  Yes, I know that makes me seem incredibly boring.  But with two small boys, about the only time I can catch the news (and the much-needed weather this time of year) is via the radio.

So I was listening to the talk show and I learned a piece of information that stunned me so badly, I almost forgot to make my turn. 

Were you all aware that there is a large percentage of the young adult population that does not realize Titanic was a real event?

It's true, I swear!  There were Twitter posts indicating this all over the place on the day of Titanic's anniversary.  Young adults have missed the proverbial boat somewhere.  They're too wrapped up with movies, and believed this was just another James Cameron box office hit.

This very much saddens me.  As someone who thrives on history, I teach my boys regularly about different events in our history even if I'm fully aware of the fact it may not make complete sense until they are older.  My eldest knows why Pearl Harbor was bombed, and while he loves the movie for it's action and the dogfights in the air, he knows it wasn't just a glamorous Hollywood fiction.

He's six.  Why do folks three times his age have no clue about the events that happened in our world in what is still the modern era?

Are high school teachers really not teaching these things?  I find that hard to believe.  My HS professor was amazing.  But then again, my history class was accelerated and we covered a lot more than I think conventional classes might.  I couldn't say for certain, and add in the fact that this was... a while... ago... it wouldn't particularly surprise me to learn otherwise.

Well surprise, yes it would.  But I do understand times change.

We, as a society, however are losing our history.  If this is the trend amongst the youth, where is that going to leave us in another forty years when these young men and women obtain positions of political power or influential assignments? 

I'll tell you where that leaves us -- exactly in the position Rome was in when she began to fail.

The writing on the wall is screaming out in bright crimson -- teach your kids these things, folks.  Even if they roll their eyes and grumble, fill in the gaps.  Find out what they are not learning in the classroom, and educate them about the events that took place in your lifetime.  Otherwise, as the old saying goes, history will repeat itself.  For those of you who know -- that won't be a pretty sight.

~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

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This month is Jazz Appreciation Month, and in honor of my city's roots, I'm blogging about Kansas City's Jazz beginnings on the Roses of Prose blog.

Please stop in and check it out!

~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com


Hi, everyone!

This week has been insane, let me tell you.  Not the least of which included the prospect of buying a new-to-me car to replace the non-fuel-efficient truck.  Well... not replace.  Supplement.  Truck is a must-have for farm life.  Anywho, resolved that this evening, and am now the proud owner of a Mazda Protege.

But enough about the mundane!

I have a new release out this week!  For those of you who've inquired about the Inherited Damnation series, this is book four, and I think you'll like it perhaps a bit more than the first three. 


Ensnared by Blood
Inherited Damnation, IV
Beth Whitley has finally put her life back together after her husband’s betrayal and is determined to piece together the clues to her past. But she never imagines an ancient scroll bearing the name of a Celtic ancestor will plunge her into a world of demonic ritual. Nor does she suspect that a kiss shared with genealogist Fintan McClaine will unveil the secrets of her dreams and a burning desire.

Fintan McClaine wants freedom from the dark curse he’s suffered for centuries. When Beth arrives with evidence that she shares ancestral ties with his Selgovae Celt tribe, he must confront the truth of his inherited damnation. As he struggles to convince Beth the truth within her dreams, she awakens a dangerous and forbidden yearning in his heart.

To save them both, Fintan must convince Beth to believe in herself and her ability to overpower his unholy sire. If he fails, he will remain an eternal slave to his tainted blood and lose Beth forever.

I think you'll really like Ensnared by Blood. It's a bit darker than the other three, and the heroine is influenced by something many of us struggle with.  For those of you just tuning in, here's a little about the series:

Damned At Birth...

Thousands of years ago, sixteen children were born to the Selgovae High Priestess, Nyamah. Eight were sacrificed by their incubus father in a quest for eternal power. Eight Nyamah secreted away. For betraying her evil mate, she was executed, her body divided, her soul chained to the mortal plane.

Nyamah's magic lived on. Written before her death, her book of sacred rituals details the means of destroying the incubus, Drandar. If this is accomplished, her spirit will at last rest peacefully.

But the immortal children who can carry out the rituals are divided. Some crave the innocence of light and mortal existance. Some thrive on the dark needs of their conflicted souls. Others tend the balance, forever devoted to the ancient Celt ways.

None may ever know the beauty of love, for if they should, they cannot resist the calling to kill the one who holds their heart.

Check back Tuesday for a teaser!



















~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

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Good morning, everyone! It's Thursday's New Voices time again!

Today I'm very excited to bring to you Wendi Zwaduk, a fellow author of sinfully sexy romance. She's currently on tour with two books, Over My Head, and When You're With Me, and today we're going to take a peek at them.







Over My Head



What happens when two opposites realise they have more in common than expected?

I’m a dancer…and a damn good one. I work at the Silver Steel Gentlemen’s Club. My hard and fast rule? No freebies and no office dating. Except for Slade. Hard, fast, slow, gentle...I don’t care. I’ll take him any way possible. But he’s not that into me.

Or so she thinks. I’m a bouncer at the Silver Steel. Astra doesn’t realise I see her—I can’t help myself. She captivates me every time she’s on the stage. I want her, but I have a...problem. I’m not at the Steel to pick up chicks or even work the room. I’m there to stop the influx of drugs into the community. Yeah, I’m a cop. But if the job means sampling the dancers... Well, as long as I keep my heart out of it, I’ll be fine.

I hope.

Reader Advisory: This book has a kick ass hero, a dancer with all the right moves, hot sex, a little mutual anal play for good measure and mention of drug use.










When You're With Me



A topless dancer and a cynical cop doesn’t equal a lifetime love...or does it?

There’s more to Jude Nelson than just a sequined thong. She’s got big dreams to become an artist. There’s one tiny wrinkle in her plan—she’ll never forget the bloody image of her friend’s battered body in the dumpster.

Who can a nude dancer turn to for help? Certainly not a hardened undercover cop...

Detective Drew Alwyn is on the case to find out who murdered his good friend and fellow officer. But the moment he sees Jude, he can’t look away. He has to decide which is more important—his dedication to his job or the girl who holds his bruised and battered heart.

Will these two opposites come together to solve the case or will their desire consume them?

Reader Advisory: This story contains scenes of bondage, mentions of drug use by secondary characters, silk, sequins and art supplies used in foreplay, voyeurism and a little spanking for good measure.




YUM, yum, yum!

I'm going to turn the blog over to Wendi now, who's going to share some thoughts on strip clubs, cops, and why the combination works so well. Be sure not to skim -- Wendi has a giveaway today!



I happened to be in front of my laptop trying to figure out what to blog about for this stop on the tour. I needn’t have worried. Claire came to the rescue.

“Wendi, you and I both have books about stripping and strip club life combined with hot cops. We’re certainly not the only authors that have sexy steamy stories with these professions, and the combination does really well with readers. What do you think is the draw? What makes it hot and alluring, and why does the pairing work so darned well?”

Talk about a rescue. You all might be wondering the same things. So I’ll break it down and try to the best of my ability to answer.

I’m sure we’re not the only authors to tackle the idea of a cop and a strip club. But my brain has just sprinted with the idea of a stripping cop... the muse is intrigued. Filing that thought away for later.

So why does the pairing work so well? The draw has to do with the idea that they are on either side of the law. How many times have you seen a story on the news or in the papers that has to do with something bad going down at a strip club? It happens. I think part of the draw also has to do with the idea that cops are the closest thing to bad boys who are still good boys. Does that make sense? They can wield a gun, use handcuffs and take down the bad guys and yet, they can easily go rogue. That’s alluring. A man with muscles and a badge. And there I’ve stumbled across another reason the cop is hot—he’s a man in uniform with a badge. Women like men in uniform.

So what exactly makes a stripper alluring? That’s a toughy. Really. When I think of a stripper, I think of a woman with great looks, great assets (her body) and few inhibitions. Do I know my interpretation leaves a little to be desired? Sure. Now I’ve talked to strippers—I wouldn’t have written a book with a stripper character without it—and I know they enjoy being naked. They enjoy the attention. There’s another thing that can be a hook up about strippers. The ones I talked to are very nice people, but they don’t always have that heart of gold like the Julia Roberts idea. They have to feed the family and like the money. Again, that’s not bad, just more honest than a woman who strips but is completely Pollyanna about things.

All that said, it does make it hard to understand the draw of a stripper heroine. Sort of. I look at the stripper heroine this way—they may not have hearts of gold, but they aren’t all bad people. They are people trying to live their lives. And they do things that most people couldn’t do. Most people wouldn’t get up in front of a crowd, without liquid courage, much less lose their clothing while dancing.

So back to the original question. What makes the pairing of a cop and a stripper so hot? For me it boils down to this: strippers are in command of what it looks like to be sexy. They are confident and have moves to draw in onlookers. Cops have the muscles, the badge, the uniform and they ride the line between control and danger. Sex is really a tight rope between control and tipping into ecstasy. I like to read about two people (or more sometimes) being confident in who they are and confident in their sexual attraction to each other. It’s hot. And if you throw in some kinkiness... you need fireproof paper or a fireproof reader.

What about you? What do you think is the draw and the allure to a cop and a stripper in a story? I’d love to know!

Me too! Me too, says Claire!

So post your thoughts in the comments section below. In return, your name will be entered for Wendi's contest. She will be giving away a $10 GC to Total-e-Bound to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Follow the tour -- the more you comment, the better your chances of winning! Tour dates can be found here.

Meanwhile, more about Wendi!







Wendi Zwaduk
I always dreamed of writing the stories in my head. Tall, dark, and handsome heroes are my favorites, as long as he has an independent woman keeping him in line. I tend to write books with titles taken from songs because music is one of my many muses.

I earned a BA in education at Kent State university and as well as a Masters in Education from Nova Southeastern University. I've tried my hand at teaching, waitressing, and retail sales, but writing holds my heart.

I love NASCAR, romance, books in general, Ohio farmland, dirt racing, and my menagerie of animals. I have more stories than my brain can handle percolating. I can't wait to share them with you!

Stay Tuned in with Wendi via her website blog facebook Twitter Manic Readers



Thanks so much, Wendi, for stopping by the blog today! Best of luck with the new releases!





~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

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Hi everyone! A little while back, we had Carrie Ann Ryan here and had a great time talking to her. Well, she has another new book out, TRINITY BOUND, and I asked her to come back and tell us about this sexy story!







TRINITY BOUND


Hannah Lewis, a rare earth witch, is taken from the only life she’s ever known. Held against her will by a sadistic wolf, she almost gives up hope that she’d ever see her real life again. But as her fellow captive, a werewolf named Reed, tries to calm her fears, she begins to feel a spark of something she never thought she’d feel – love. But is Reed, alone, enough to get her out of this dark basement so she can move on with her life?

Reed Jamenson, the artist of a werewolf Pack of Alpha males, knows instinctually that Hannah is his mate. Thus, despite their imprisonment, he will do all to protect her and then worry about their hearts. But is he strong enough to find a way for both of them to escape? And why does he feel as though something else is missing?

Josh Kolb, an ex-military human, stumbles upon Reed and Hannah and finds he must trust this new world of supernatural beings to survive. But that desire will lead the three to a triangle of attraction that will test the boundaries they all possess and its consequences in defeating the enemy. Can they all trust one another to save themselves and life as they know it? Even at the cost of their own hearts?







Carrie Ann is going to talk to us about those oh-so-sexy werewolves. I'm turning the floor over to her now.


What is it About Werewolves?


Those of you who have read any of my books know I love werewolves. I can’t help it. I love them all. I love Lycan, Weres, Shifters, Werewolves, and Real Wolves. All of them.

I think my love of werewolves comes from their Pack ideals.

Ha! You thought I was going to talk about their drool worthy bodies. Well…that’ll come later. Shhh…

Where was I?

*shakes head and blinks*

Oh yeah. Packs. Werewolves, in my books anyway, are Pack creatures. Their first goal is to protect their mates, families, and Packs. Everything they do is to strength the Pack. But they don’t do it blindly. They work as a cohesive unit and yet can fight and let their animal nature go…wild.

It’s not like worker ants. If someone falls in the Pack or if they need a shoulder, their Pack is there.

In Trinity Bound, I have Reed, Hannah, and Josh. Reed is the middle child of the Alpha and has lived almost a century as part of the Redwood Pack. He is loyal, caring, and strong. Hannah is a witch and covenless. But she had her mom growing up and is very caring—she just needs someone to be with.


And then there is Josh. He’s human and alone. He doesn’t have a Pack. But boy does he need one.

In fact, the three of them need each other.

And they’ll have the Pack to make sure they have someone to lean on.

Oh, and werewolves are hot. I mean really, why would I write an ugly hero? Either inside or out, my men are drool worthy. What more do you need? LOL

What do you like about werewolves?


Well let's take a closer look at TRINITY BOUND while you're here, Carrie Ann!


~~@~~
EXCERPT
~~@~~


Reed planted his feet, his fists clenched. Josh did the same on the other side of her, yet with a gun in one hand and a blade in another. As a human, he would need all the protection he could get. A gun wouldn’t necessarily kill the beasts, but it would slow them down. And frankly, he looked damn sexy all armored up. Reed too, with his natural charisma.

And, totally not the time again to let her thoughts wonder.

But what a place they would go.

Hannah gave a nod to both men and closed her eyes, calling to the Earth. She may be a Healer, but she could still go on the offensive with the Earth and kick ass if she had too. Well, at least she hoped he could. She’d trained with her mother – Hannah held back that sharp pain of loss – but she really hadn’t used it, and tiredness ached her bones.

Another wolf’s howl echoed in the not too far distance. Hannah concentrated and moved her arms like an orchestra conductor to take a large pile of soil, rocks and roots in her hold. The resulting mass looked like a crested wave and slammed into the wolves trying to come from behind in a sneak attack.

Stupid wolves. Didn’t they know she could feel them when they trampled heavy-footed on her Earth?

Josh and Reed each granted her a look of pleasant surprise, then a sexy smile.

They’d underestimated her. They wouldn’t do it again.


~~@~~
YOU HAVE JUST READ AN EXCERPT FROM TRINITY BOUND
~~@~~






Carrie Ann Ryan is a paranormal and contemporary romance author. After spending too much time behind a lab bench, she decided to dive into the romance world and find her werewolf mate - even if its just in her books. Happy endings are always near - even if you have to get over the challenges of falling in love first.

Her first book, An Alpha's Path, is the first in her Redwood Pack series. She's also an avid reader and lover of romance and fiction novels. She love meeting new authors and new worlds. Any recommendations you have are appreciated. Carrie Ann lives in New England with her husband and two kittens.

Carrie Ann loves hearing from readers. You can find her at:

Website Blog Facebook Author Page Facebook Friend Page Goodreads Twitter: @CarrieAnnRyan










Carrie Ann will be giving away an autographed bookmark to one commenter at every stop, and a $25 Amazon.com gift certificate to one randomly drawn commenter. Follow the tour and increase your chances of winning! Tour dates can be found here.

Thank you for stopping by today, Carrie Ann. Best of luck with TRINITY BOUND!

~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

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Pick Me Up w/ Brenda Whiteside

Hi everyone! We have another give-away today!

Brenda was here last week, with her book, Honey On White Bread.

Today she's giving away a copy to one random commenter.

All you have to do is answer Claire's question in the comments below:

What is your favorite memory, favorite tale, or favorite fictional story (book, movie, etc) about the World War II era?







Honey On White Bread




When seventeen-year-old Claire Flanagan is wrenched from her father and deposited at the Good Shepherd’s Home for Wayward Girls, all dreams for Hollywood stardom are lost. But when twenty-year-old Benjamin Russell helps secure her release, she starts to believe in a happy future with him…until she discovers his ex-girlfriend is pregnant.

In this post WWII coming of age novel, Claire discovers the silver screen can’t compare with the fight she takes on for the leading role in her own life.



~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

Labels:

Hi everyone! We're back today with Brenda Whiteside, one of the authors I write with at Roses of Prose. I subjected her to my interview and she graciously participated. So let's get to talking books and showing off her newest release, HONEY ON WHITE BREAD.







Honey On White Bread


When seventeen-year-old Claire Flanagan is wrenched from her father and deposited at the Good Shepherd’s Home for Wayward Girls, all dreams for Hollywood stardom are lost. But when twenty-year-old Benjamin Russell helps secure her release, she starts to believe in a happy future with him…until she discovers his ex-girlfriend is pregnant.

In this post WWII coming of age novel, Claire discovers the silver screen can’t compare with the fight she takes on for the leading role in her own life.




So, Brenda, briefly take us on the journey with you – when did you start writing, did you start in the genre you’re published in now, what hurdles did you have to overcome, etc.

BW: The first thing I wrote, a poem about fairies, accompanied a picture I drew in the fourth grade. The drawing came first and I added the poem to a corner of the crayon masterpiece as an afterthought. As far back as I can remember, my goal was to be an artist. I loved to write, but for some reason I’d never considered a writing profession until I took a class in creative writing. Suddenly I had a lot more fun writing than painting.

I piddled at writing for years, took a class here and there. The turning point came when a fellow student in one of my evening classes suggested we form a writers group for the exchange of ideas. When I got positive feedback from the first short story I read to the group, I was hooked.

Obviously you write in the historical romance genre. Is that your favorite genre to read?

BW: Genre never really crossed my mind until I submitted my first book to an agent. Romance? Not me! Unfortunately, I fell into the mindset of romance being synonymous with bodice-rippers. I’d never read one, never touched a Harlequin or any of the others. I didn’t think I read romance, much less wrote it. Hmmm…Wuthering Heights, Sho-Gun and not to mention the works of Shakespeare – to name a few – all my favorites. I guess I do read romance! When I took a real close look at what I wrote, ah-oh, it was romance, certainly not category and maybe a bit out of the norm, but still romance.

Do you write in any other genres, or under any other pen names you’d like to share?


BW: I can’t say romance is my favorite genre to read. Mixing it up is important to me since I get bored with the same diet all the time. That might be why my published books, and what I am writing right now, are a bit different, although within the broad spectrum of romance. My first published novel, Sleeping with the Lights On (The Wild Rose Press), is a contemporary. My characters are at least fifty years of age. It’s a little humorous and a little suspenseful but pretty light reading. My second published book is a 1945 historical romance, a coming of age novel. Honey On White Bread (Melange Books) is more serious and deals with a younger heroine and hero. I also had a short released, Tattoos, Leather and Studs (Melange Books) which is a contemporary about a blind date.

My one and only author name is my own. If I ever write out of contemporary or historical romance, I might consider a pen name. I can see the benefit, keeping my readers from getting confused, but it’s not an issue right now.

Please tell us about anything coming down the pipe next, and of the books you have published, do you have a favorite? If so, which one and why?

BW: July 4th, The Morning After (The Wild Rose Press) will release. This is a contemporary western, definitely light-hearted and sexy. My current work in progress is a contemporary romantic mystery. I just typed “the end” on the first draft, and I still don’t have a title. Working title is Lacy Dahl which is the name of the heroine. Yes, I mix it up a bit. My favorite so far has to be my first one. The first time is always the best, right? I don’t think it’s the best well-written, but it’s a fun book.

Let's go back to Honey on White Bread, your most recent release. How did the idea spur, did you have to do much research, any interesting tidbits that we should know?

BW: I grew up listening to my mom’s stories of her life growing up in the thirties and forties. I also spent hot summer afternoons in Phoenix, with the curtains drawn and the evap cooler blasting me while I watched old black and white movies from that era. Between the two came the inspiration for Honey. Some of the stories my mom told me ended up in the book, although changed to suit my storyline. She had quite a colorful childhood.

What’s one thing about your hero that we wouldn’t necessarily learn in the book? A secret dream, an embarrassing habit, an episode from childhood.

BW: My hero, Benjamin Russell, is very much a 1940’s kind of man. Male/female roles were pretty defined back then. But he’s a sensitive guy in spite of his toughness. He’d never want you to know he’s a pouter. Yeah, if Claire doesn’t give him enough attention when they’re in a group, he pouts. But that’s kind of sweet, don’t you think?

I do! What’s one thing about Benjamin that makes your heart go pitter-pat?

BW: The tough guy that is sensitive is so sexy. The fact that he takes care of his whole family and wants desperately to take care of Claire is admirable.

If Benjamin doesn’t have a pet in your novel, what kind of pet would best suit his personality?

BW: He doesn’t have a pet in the book but if he did, it would be a dog – a big, shiny, yellow dog, just as strong and loveable as Ben.

Aww, very sweet! Well, we can't talk heroes without their counterpart - the heroine. Tell us about yours! What is your heroine’s greatest fault?

BW: Claire Flanagan is mature for her age, seventeen, but still not adult-mature in the beginning of the book. And so she toys with Arnold, who loves her. This immaturity causes her problems. Although poor and motherless, she’s spoiled. Not her finest trait. But maturity does come and her ability to love is deep and powerful.

Without giving away details that might spoil the story for those who have not read it, could you tell us the one strength your Claire provides to Benjamin?

BW: Her respect and love for Benjamin keeps them both doing the right thing – even if it hurts.

If Claire was your daughter – what advice would you give her upon meeting Benjamin?

BW: If Claire were my daughter, and considering the era, I guess I’d tell her the same thing her father Hamish told her. “You’re too young to get serious about a man. You ain’t getting married until you’re eighteen.”

If we peek in on Claire and Benjamin's lives ten years from now, can you give us a glimpse of what we’d see?

BW: Ten years after the book ends, 1956, finds Ben owning his own construction company. He works long hours but has his dream. Claire is a stay at home mom with two little girls who adore their daddy. Claire never made it to the “silver screen” but reads plenty of Silver Screen Magazines. They go to the drive-in every Friday night with the girls in their pj’s. It seems idyllic for the fifties but there is strife at times – Paulie is probably divorcing, Richie is gay causing a point of contention between Ben and Claire, the father that abandoned the Russell children reappears and wrecks havoc and Arnold comes back to haunt them. Hmmm…can I get another book or two out of this?

Laugh! We'll let's go back to you for a little bit. How has writing changed your life?

BW: Writing has changed my life or rather my life goals. In fact, writing is the goal. Doing something you love is so uplifting. I consider it almost spiritual in nature. Connecting with your inner creativity, no matter the medium, is like that.

In your opinion, what is the hardest part of writing a novel? Why?

BW: To define the hardest part about writing a novel, let me tell you what is the easiest for me. I see characters first. Their personalities, the way they look, dress and talk all come to me as if I have a motion picture in my head. Then I have to delve into their stories. The hardest part is figuring out their flaws and the conflicts of their lives. Often, I have to wait for them to talk to me and drop me some clues. This all happens before I put fingers to the keyboard.

What do you find most difficult about your job as an author?

BW: I love writing. I have to write, everyday, or my day is incomplete. But the hardest thing about being a published author is the promo. Granted, at least I’m writing – like this interview – but, still, I’d rather be writing my book. Now on the other hand, one of the most fun things about being a published author is connecting with readers – like this interview!

The rigorous, time-consuming interview? You're too kind, Brenda. But thank you very much for coming by today!

BW: Claire, it’s been great being here. Thank you so much!

You're welcome! Before you go, tell everyone where they can find you!

BW: You can find me elsewhere:

My web site: www.brendawhiteside.com
Facebook
Twitter
I blog on the 9th and 24th of every month at Roses of Prose
I blog about prairie life on my personal blog

And I really do love connecting with readers. You can sign up for my “announce only” newsletter on my web site, and I would love to see you on Facebook.

For those of you just tuning in this week, I'm going to share Brenda's excerpt from our Tuesday Teaser feature. Remember, she'll be back on Monday for a giveaway!



~~@~~
EXCERPT
~~@~~



“I’ve never snuck into a theater before. Sneaking into a dark theater with Arnold …” Paulie laughed. “Are you sure this isn’t supposed to be a date?” Paulie appeared at once timid and suspicious.

“I’m sure. He’s getting me … us in to see a movie for free. Dick Hames! He’s so dreamy.”

“Arnold’s dreamy.”

“You know, Paulie, Arnold is a dear friend …”

“Oh, pooh, Claire.” Paulie batted at my skirt.

“Okay, okay, a special friend. We haven’t made any promises to each other or anything. He’s cute, he’s fun … but …”

“But what?”

“Oh, I don’t know.” A hint of guilt over the difference between how I felt about Arnold compared to how he felt about me passed like the breeze drifting over the porch boards. His were childish whims of infatuation, pushy, uninvited. “It’s kind of hard to explain…” I toyed with the folds of my skirt. If most of the girls at North High were stuck on Arnold, a great catch I didn’t appreciate, then I wished my best friend could change places with me. If only …

“Hey, ladies.” The blur of a male figure in jeans had ascended the porch steps, not pausing to pass pleasantries.

He opened the screen door and stepped into the house. Benjamin. My second encounter brought on an unexplained reaction; my heart pattered even though I’d barely caught a glimpse.

“Oh, hey, Ben,” Paulie said. “You look tired, big brother.”

Her words stopped him. “Little bit.” He paused behind the screen door.

“This is Claire.”

He tipped his head to me. “Nice to meet you, Claire.” He continued on into the house.

“Same here,” I muttered as the screen door shut.

“Now, where were we?” Paulie put a finger to her mouth.

I looped an arm through my friend’s. “We were going to see if your momma could use some help. Come on.” I pulled her from the seat. “Let’s help then freshen up before dinner.”

We let the screen door slam behind us and turned into the kitchen in time to see Benjamin lift his mother from the floor and spin around twice.

“You stop that, Benjamin Willis. Man or no, I can take a hand to your hide, if I need to.” Her hands flailed gently at his chest.

He laughed as he set her down, steadying her before letting go. Taut muscles on the back of his arms flexed with the effort; his deep laugh filled the kitchen. I couldn’t help being drawn into this entirely pleasant scene, comical and radiating warmth, inviting me to take part in their joy. His mother snatched a dishtowel from the counter and swiped at his legs.

“Hold off now. I give, I give.” He withdrew what appeared to be a check from his back pocket.

Mrs. Russell accepted the paper without comment and stuffed it into the frayed pocket of her red checked apron. He kissed her on the forehead, took the bottle of beer she offered him, and leaving the kitchen, nodded in my direction.

I sniffed the sweat of hard work and the yeasty smell of beer as he passed by. My head reeled for a moment with the warmth of the kitchen and the people within, combined with the essence of what I labeled man.



~~@~~
YOU HAVE JUST READ AN EXCERPT FROM HONEY ON WHITE BREAD
~~@~~

Buy it today!:

Melange Books
Amazon
All Romance eBooks



~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

Labels: ,

Hello readers!


This week, I'm bringing you fellow TWRP Author and good friend, Brenda Whiteside. She has a brand new release out, Honey On White Bread, and we're going to feature it all week.


So, today, we have a short excerpt. Thursday she's going to tell us more about her and the book, and then don't miss Monday and your chance to win Brenda's GIVEAWAY!


That said, let's dig right in on this new title, which I've had the pleasure of reading, and highly recommend!

Honey on White Bread



When seventeen-year-old Claire Flanagan is wrenched from her father and deposited at the Good Shepherd’s Home for Wayward Girls, all dreams for Hollywood stardom are lost. But when twenty-year-old Benjamin Russell helps secure her release, she starts to believe in a happy future with him…until she discovers his ex-girlfriend is pregnant.


In this post WWII coming of age novel, Claire discovers the silver screen can’t compare with the fight she takes on for the leading role in her own life.










~~@~~
EXCERPT
~~@~~



“I’ve never snuck into a theater before. Sneaking into a dark theater with Arnold …” Paulie laughed. “Are you sure this isn’t supposed to be a date?” Paulie appeared at once timid and suspicious.


“I’m sure. He’s getting me … us in to see a movie for free. Dick Hames! He’s so dreamy.”


“Arnold’s dreamy.”


“You know, Paulie, Arnold is a dear friend …”


“Oh, pooh, Claire.” Paulie batted at my skirt.


“Okay, okay, a special friend. We haven’t made any promises to each other or anything. He’s cute, he’s fun … but …”


“But what?”


“Oh, I don’t know.” A hint of guilt over the difference between how I felt about Arnold compared to how he felt about me passed like the breeze drifting over the porch boards. His were childish whims of infatuation, pushy, uninvited. “It’s kind of hard to explain…” I toyed with the folds of my skirt. If most of the girls at North High were stuck on Arnold, a great catch I didn’t appreciate, then I wished my best friend could change places with me. If only …


“Hey, ladies.” The blur of a male figure in jeans had ascended the porch steps, not pausing to pass pleasantries.


He opened the screen door and stepped into the house. Benjamin. My second encounter brought on an unexplained reaction; my heart pattered even though I’d barely caught a glimpse.


“Oh, hey, Ben,” Paulie said. “You look tired, big brother.”


Her words stopped him. “Little bit.” He paused behind the screen door.


“This is Claire.”


He tipped his head to me. “Nice to meet you, Claire.” He continued on into the house.


“Same here,” I muttered as the screen door shut.


“Now, where were we?” Paulie put a finger to her mouth.


I looped an arm through my friend’s. “We were going to see if your momma could use some help. Come on.” I pulled her from the seat. “Let’s help then freshen up before dinner.”


We let the screen door slam behind us and turned into the kitchen in time to see Benjamin lift his mother from the floor and spin around twice. “You stop that, Benjamin Willis. Man or no, I can take a hand to your hide, if I need to.” Her hands flailed gently at his chest.


He laughed as he set her down, steadying her before letting go. Taut muscles on the back of his arms flexed with the effort; his deep laugh filled the kitchen. I couldn’t help being drawn into this entirely pleasant scene, comical and radiating warmth, inviting me to take part in their joy. His mother snatched a dishtowel from the counter and swiped at his legs.


“Hold off now. I give, I give.” He withdrew what appeared to be a check from his back pocket.


Mrs. Russell accepted the paper without comment and stuffed it into the frayed pocket of her red checked apron. He kissed her on the forehead, took the bottle of beer she offered him, and leaving the kitchen, nodded in my direction.


I sniffed the sweat of hard work and the yeasty smell of beer as he passed by. My head reeled for a moment with the warmth of the kitchen and the people within, combined with the essence of what I labeled man.



~~@~~

YOU HAVE JUST READ AN EXCERPT FROM HONEY ON WHITE BREAD
~~@~~

Come back everyone on Thursday to learn more about Brenda and Honey on White Bread.



~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

Labels:

"Victorians used the term 'limbs' as a euphenism for legs, which were thought to be so sexually exciting to a man, even a glimpse of a table leg could incite him to sexual frenzy. Table skirts were invented to prevent any unnatural unions between men and furniture."
~
(History Channel International)

IMMORTAL TRUST is
AVAILABLE for PRE-ORDER




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