SWEET/HISTORICAL BLOG HOP & GIVEAWAY! GRAND PRIZE, $25 AMAZON GIFT CARD!

THE WINNER IS: ANITA LIMBECK!!

Welcome to the world of sweet romance. All intimacy is behind closed doors for sweet books. I have several. Here are some excerpts from my sweet book with Secret Cravings Publishing, UNDER THE MIDNIGHT MOON. Leave a comment with your email address and be entered to win a copy of the book.

Can a "sweet" book without sex still be hot? Judge for yourself. Here are a couple of  steamy snippets from UNDER THE MIDNIGHT MOON:
He cupped her head with his hand and pulled her lips to his. Her softness melting against him started a fire inside. He wanted more. He wanted it all. With his chest heaving, he eased away from her. Too fast. Too fast. Slow it down. “It’s late. I’ve gotta work tomorrow,” he said, pushing to his feet.
She lowered her lashes and nodded. With his hand under her chin, he tilted her head back so he could see her eyes. “Truth? I’m getting…uh…carried away. I should go.”
“Nice to know chivalry isn’t dead.” She took his hand and pulled herself up to standing.

********  

“I want you, Mindy. Have from the first time I saw you,” he whispered, his breathing erratic.
“I want you, too,” she said.
“Let’s make love,” he said, burying his face in her neck.

Her hands slid over his shoulders and down his back, pulling him down on her. She brought her leg up, her mouth to his ear.
“Yes,” she whispered, closing her eyes.

He ran his hand up from her ankle to her knee to her thigh. Again she gasped. Drew pushed up on his arms away from her. He kissed the tip of her nose then sat up. After pushing to his feet, he extended his hand. She took it, allowing him to pull her upright. He led her upstairs to his bedroom. She closed the door softly behind her.  

 ******** 

 ONE MORE SNIPPET...

Scampering up the steps at a good clip, she collided with Drew, who was exiting the bathroom, wearing only a towel wrapped around his waist. Mindy found herself with her hands on his damp, bare chest and embarrassment creeping up her neck. She stared at the firm muscles and the light covering of blond hair between her fingers. Glancing up, she noticed his smooth face. “You shaved.”

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TUESDAY TALES - PICTURE PROMPT

Welcome to Tuesday Tales. This week we have a picture prompt. Here's the photo and the continuation of Buddy's story in First & Ten. Today we see things from Emmie's perspective.

“Pull over,” Emmie said, rising from her comfy seat on the tour bus.

“It’s bad enough you had us take this stupid road. Now you wanna stop?” Her manager, Stash, blocked her way. The bus slowed.

“Yeah. In front of that barn.” Emmie grinned.
“You call that a barn? It looks more like a group outhouse.”
“Be quiet, Stash.”
The bus pulled into a nearby driveway. The driver opened the door
“Here you go, Miss Emerald.”
“Five minutes! You’ve got five minutes!” Emmie was on the ground heading for the building before Stash could utter another word. She tramped through the tall weeds, running her hand along the rough side where paint peeled.
It hasn’t changed. Her mind drifted back to college days at Kensington State. In those days she was just “Emmie, Buddy’s girl.” She and Buddy would steal away sometimes when he didn’t have football practice. His wheezy, old car took them here. Emmie packed a picnic. They’d eat and share their dreams by the banks of the river.
The first time it rained, they took shelter in the old barn. Buddy made love to her there. She sighed at the memory of his tender touch. 

“No one makes love like Buddy,” she mumbled to no one. One peek inside and she spied their initials, where Buddy had scratched them into the wood. The barn became their secret place to be alone. 
The crunching of someone pushing through dried brush took her attention.
“What’s so great about this dump, anyway?” Stash asked, a freshly lit cigarette dangling from his mouth.
“You wouldn’t understand.”
"It’s Buddy, isn’t it?”
"You don't get it."
"Puppy love," he snorted.
She raised her hand to slap him, but Stash was too quick. He clutched her wrist and squeezed. 
"You're hurting me."
"Tough."

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TUESDAY TALES - WORD PROMPT "CURLY"

 Welcome! This week's prompt "curly" fits into Buddy Carruthers story in the First & Ten series. Take a look. Don't forget to return to Tuesday Tales and read the wonderful other stories there.

 ******

The cheerleaders, referred to as The Connecticut Queens, were practicing on the field while the team was warming up. Buddy was dating Christy Mather, a cheerleader for the past three years. Blonde, with long, curly hair, she was gorgeous.

They had been going out for three months. But it was a “no strings” relationship. Buddy insisted on that. He’d never gotten his heart back from Emmie. How could he give what he no longer owned? Christy had seemed content in the beginning, but he noticed her shift, trying to get closer to him.

The two teams broke for lunch. Christy found Buddy before he hit the locker room.

“My folks are coming for the weekend. Dad’s gonna take us out to Manny’s Steakhouse. Wanna come?” She batted her eyes at him and wagged her adorable rear end, like a puppy, anxious to be petted. Hey, Buddy’d pet her, but not in public.
“Can’t this weekend.”
“Oh? We don’t go on the road until next weekend.”
“Yeah. But I’ve got plans. Tell ‘em thanks, and I’m sorry.” Buddy headed for the safety of the locker room.
“You said the same thing last time.” Christy tugged on his arm.
Buddy pulled her aside, walking out of earshot of the others.
“I told you, this isn’t serious. I don’t meet family unless I’m serious.”
“It’s been three months, Buddy.”
“I guess you didn’t believe me.”
“I thought you just needed time.”
“Space. I need space. I like you a lot, Christy. We have fun together. But I’m not looking to settle down.”
She made a face. “When will you be?”

When Emerald becomes Emmie again. “I don’t know. Maybe never.

Don’t wait for me. You’re a beautiful girl. Find someone who wants what you want. It isn’t me.” He cupped her cheek, staring into her eyes.

“Buddy…you’ve been...”
“Don’t go there.”
“But I thought…”
“I told you. Flat out. No commitment.”
She frowned at him. “I can’t help it, Buddy. I’m in love with you.”
“Gotta go.” Buddy brushed her cheek with his lips. Are you in love with me or the millions I’m making? One knee blow-out and it could all be over. Would you still be in love with me?
Buddy trotted to the locker room and stripped off his uniform.

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TUESDAY TALES - FOOTBALL ROMANCE

 Welcome! Tuesday Tales are back! Here's a snippet from my new football romance series, coming in 2015, called First & Ten. This is the story of Aloyisius "Buddy" Carruthers.

*****

   Buddy turned to his favorite page in the scrapbook. The one with the picture of Emmie and him at the junior prom. She wore a green ribbon in her long dark hair. He rubbed his fingers together, remembering the feel of the ribbon. The color matched her eyes. “Emerald” was his nickname for her because her eyes were the color of the fine gem. She was the funniest, sweetest, most beautiful girl he’d ever seen. And she could sing like an angel. 

   Now she was the famous rock star called “Emerald”. He hadn’t seen her since college graduation, five years ago. She’d shot to the top like a rocket. With her talent and looks, he wasn’t surprised. He glanced at his cell and closed the book. It was almost time for training camp. He placed it on a shelf and sat down at the computer.

   One look at Fb first. He went to the Buddy Carruthers page. Sure enough there were at least four more posts with sexy pictures of women he didn’t know attached. The ones that were too revealing, he deleted quickly, if reluctantly. 

    A star running back for the Connecticut Kings, he was in demand with the ladies.

And Buddy didn’t disappoint. He had a girlfriend in every town. But not the  one he wanted, Emmie. They spent every moment together in college. But it ended badly. She went her way and he went his. Now he lived with regret, he let her get away.

   He closed his computer, grabbed his car keys, fed his fish and his cat, Scruffy, before heading for his car. He put the Miata in gear and roared down the winding road to the stadium. Football was his first love. But it didn’t fill the space in his heart he had given to Emmie Baxter so long ago.

   “Carruthers, get your ass out here,” Coach Bass called.

   “Coming, Coach.” Buddy slammed his locker shut, hiding the picture of Emmie he’d taped to the back. With a sigh and a smile, he joined his teammates on the field. 

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FAMOUS LEFTIES - QUIZ!

                                 LEFTIES  -- GOOD OR EVIL? WEIRD OR CREATIVE?
 Yes, I admit it, I'm left-handed. When I was a kid, I looked up the word sinister, which comes from the French "sinistre" or LEFT-HANDED! That's right, the definition of sinister in French isn't evil, it's left-handed! In school, left-handers dealt with modern desks created for right-handed students. We were taught to bat rightie, golf rightie and play tennis rightie. Wasn't being leftie ever going to be good? Not according to myth. Did you know?

1. In India and Indonesia, eating with the left hand is considered impolite.
 2. Chinese characters prove extremely difficult to write with the left hand. 

3.Getting out of bed with the left foot first means that you will have a bad day and be bad tempered . i.e. getting out of bed on the wrong side. 

4. An itchy right palm means that you will receive money. An itchy left palm means you will have to give money.

Getting out of bed with the left foot first means that you will have a bad day and be bad tempered . i.e. getting out of bed the wrong side. - See more at: http://www.anythinglefthanded.co.uk/lh-info/myths.html#sthash.z7rBRRdb.dpuf

Getting out of bed with the left foot first means that you will have a bad day and be bad tempered . i.e. getting out of bed the wrong side. - See more at: http://www.anythinglefthanded.co.uk/lh-info/myths.html#sthash.z7rBRRdb.dpuf

Getting out of bed with the left foot first means that you will have a bad day and be bad tempered . i.e. getting out of bed the wrong side. - See more at: http://www.anythinglefthanded.co.uk/lh-info/myths.html#sthash.z7rBRRdb.dpuf

Getting out of bed with the left foot first means that you will have a bad day and be bad tempered . i.e. getting out of bed the wrong side. - See more at: http://www.anythinglefthanded.co.uk/lh-info/myths.html#sthash.z7rBRRdb.dpuf

QUIZ!

Lots of famous people are left-handed. Which one  in each of these trios is left-handed? 1)  Presidents: Herbert Hoover, John Adams or Millard Fillmore? 2) Novelists: W.H. Auden, Lewis Carroll or Mary Shelley?    3) Actors: Joaquin Phoenix, Dan Ackroyd or Paul Rudd? 4) Actresses: Bette Midler, Kate Blanchett or Goldie Hawn? 5) Comedians: Howie Mandel, Jay Leno or Jerry Seinfeld? Leave one "guess" + your email in a comment and I'll pick two people at random on Sunday to choose from any of my ebooks. Here are a couple of covers.

 

   A few more

famous, left-handed folks: Harry Truman, Bill Clinton, Diane Keaton, Matthew Broderick, Greta Garbo, H.G. Wells, Betty Grable, Cary Grant, Peter Graves, Richard Dreyfuss, Robert DeNiro, Peter Fonda, to name a few.