My favorite book by @amgriffin

My Favorite Book

The title makes it sound as if I'm about to write an essay, *snort* rest assured it's nothing that formal. I'm an avid reader (well, I used to be before I started writing and my TBR list grew from 10 - 200) so I have plenty of favorite books to share.

When I first picked up a Johanna Lindsey book I couldn't put it down. Even after I finished it, I re-read it and then ran to the local book store and bought more. Even when I was in nursing school and my pennies got tight, I turned to checking her books out from the Library.

The book that started it for me was Love Only Once. I was hooked into the Malory family the first time I started reading about them. And by looking at the Amazon ranking for this book that was released in the late 1980's or early 1990's I can say that I'm not the only one that her stories have had an effect on.
http://www.amazon.com/Love-Only-Once-Johanna-Lindsey-ebook/dp/B00512LSAS/ref=wp_bs_1_B00CKD6FR2_kindle_edition

While Johanna Lindsey is my go to favorite for historical romance, Dean Koontz is my go to for paranormal. Anything Dean touches is gold. In my humble opinion, his shit don't stink.
 I'm digging his Odd Thomas series, but like I mentioned, I'll read anything he puts out. This is the book that I read, well listened on Audible, a couple of months ago:

Innocence http://www.amazon.com/Innocence-Novel-Dean-Koontz-ebook/dp/B00CQZ653S/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1393804533&sr=1-1&keywords=dean+koontz

I could go on, but I'm afraid my post would span pages and pages, and considering the title is "My Favorite Book", I'm already going over my allotment. LOL.

Happy reading!
-Griffin

Interview with Chocolate Hotness a.k.a @amgriffinbooks

Hey ya'll,

A little while ago I was interviewed while on blog tour, but it didn't get to the host in time and wasn't posted. It was a good interview and worth while, so here you go.

1. Tell us 5 things that make you happy

Just 5 (LOL)? I would have to say personal peace is first. I think if one has personal peace that everything else will fall into place, including happiness. Hmm… When I originally saw this question I thought I would have a list a mile long, but in reality I’m happy with only having one answer. Anyone who has had a bout where their personal peace was ever disrupted will understand where I’m coming from. Without personal peace everything else seems to unravel. I think this is what makes some stories better than others. As readers we tend to identify with the hero/heroine and when they become unsettled (losing personal peace in some form or another) we identify with that and we long for them to find it again (happy ending).

2. What makes your perfect man, perfect? What do you look for in a hero?

I like strong, commanding men. I like for them to know what they want and go after it. They also know when to fold when needed or regroup when necessary. I like them sexy and handsome. They don’t necessarily need to be model perfect. I like a man with some flaws and maybe a scar or two. I want them to have been through some kind of struggle in their past—things didn’t come easy. Whew! In a nutshell I guess I like reading and writing about imperfect men. When you read one of the stories in the Loving Dangerously series you will get where I’m coming from. In Dangerously Mine, Taio Xochis is trying to stay out of his father’s shadow and in doing so has become rigid and stuck to his ways. Kane Epps in Dangerously Yours is hell bent on revenge that it takes him a while to recognize love staring him in the face. And Rasha from Dangerously Hers gets knocked on his butt by a feisty human.

3. What qualities make up your least favorite heroine?

I don’t like heroines that a too stupid to live. We all know the type. They always seem to be in trouble by doing, saying or going somewhere stupid. I like my heroines smart, witty and sassy. They’re one step ahead of every once else (or they think they are).

4. Do you have any quirks? When writing, or otherwise?

Quirks? Hmm… I don’t think so. I’m pretty normal and easy-peasy.

5. Do you have any hobbies that you take part in when you aren’t writing?

I love traveling! I’ve been on 5 trips this year alone and two of those were out of the country. Wait, is traveling considered a hobby? *shrugs* I don’t know, but I’m counting it as one.

6. What do you like to read?

I love science fiction, that’s why I write it. I also love paranormal. I’m sold on anything with vampires, shifters, witches or faeries. But what people are most surprised to find out about me is that I love historical romance. I can read anything about a Scottish Laird or the life of “the Ton”.  I actually read more of those than anything else. I don’t write it because I really don’t have the patience for the amount of research that would have to go into it. And also because my heroines tend to cuss too much to conform to the historical mode.

7. If you had to pick one of your characters to survive a zombie apocalypse with, who would it be and why?

All of my characters can survive a zombie apocalypse attack. They seem to really love weapons and are quite trigger happy and like to see heads roll. The men in my books are either royal guards which are highly trained warriors or they are space pirates who have lived on gut and gumption. My females have some type of martial arts or weapons training. So yeah, I’d be on their team. LOL.

8. Tell us a bit about how the idea for your book came about.

When I first sat down to write Dangerously Mine I knew my story would start at the end. The end of life on Earth as we know it. I wanted strong female characters that would face their futures head on without snivelling or cowering in a corner. I also wanted to create an event where I could have endless possibilities to follow humans as they move forward in their new lives on new worlds. I hope that one day when a new sci-fi author is asked this question he/she will be able to say that one of my books has opened their eyes to a different way of writing and scenarios

9. Which of the seven deadly sins are you most partial to? Which do you indulge in the most?

O.K. so I actually had to look this one up. I’m not partial to any of them. I really hope this means I can get into heaven.

10. Who is the person who most inspired you? Either in your life, or writing?

I would have to say my mother. She’s a writer as well. I remember her at her desk on her typewriter for hours at a time. She inspired me to get published. That’s something she never inspired to do. She was afraid of her work not being accepted or liked.

11. Do you have a favorite quote?

My late grandmother used to always say “Everybody has a little good in them. Either good for something or good for nothing.” It would crack me up when she would say it because it usually came right after someone would say something like, “I have a good man.” Needless to say she was feisty.

12. Can you tell us a little about your latest project?

I’m in edits with the fourth book in the Loving Dangerously series titled Dangerously His and I’m one week from submitting the fifth book titled Dangerously Forever. Dangerously His is about two people who want to be together but are being separated by forces they can’t control. Dangerously Forever is the story where Eva (from Dangerously Mine) and her best friend Allysan finally reunite. It’s definitely not the end of the series. There are still so many worlds and characters to explore.

13. Last but not least, if you could be anyone else in the world, who would it be, and why?

I really enjoy being me. I have a really good life. I love my family, my husband and kids. It’s by far not perfect, but that’s what I tend to like anyway.

Aries Baby!

ARIES BABY!

 

 March 21 - April 19

 

 

 

Aries is the first sign of the zodiac, and that's pretty much how those born under this sign see themselves: first.

Yeah baby! We're first because we're the very best.

 

Aries are the leaders of the pack, first in line to get things going. Whether or not everything gets done is another question altogether, for an Aries prefers to initiate rather than to complete.

How did they know that I have a million things that I want to get done?

 

Aries is a bundle of energy and dynamism, kind of like a Pied Piper, leading people along with its charm and charisma. The dawning of a new day -- and all of its possibilities -- is pure bliss to an Aries.

Okay, sooooo I'm not sure with this one. I don't like people following me. It gives me the creeps. And the dawning of a new day? Hell, I still have stuff from this day that I didn't finish.

 The symbol of Aries is the Ram, and that's both good and bad news. Impulsive Aries might be tempted to ram their ideas down everyone's throats without even bothering to ask if they want to know.

Yes, yes. My ideas are the best. Even if I have to paint you a picture and make-up a song to get you to see reason. I will and you will. Why? Because I know best--about everything.

 

You're not likely to convince the Ram to soften up; these folks are blunt and to the point.

I've been told that I don't have a filter. Why would I need one?

 

Much of Aries' drive to compete and to win comes from its Cardinal Quality. Cardinal Signs love to get things going, and Aries exemplifies this even better than Cancer, Libra or Capricorn.

Did you read that? We exemplify and blah, blah, blah. We're better than those other signs.

Taking a peek at Roman mythology, we find that Mars was the God of War. Our man Mars was unafraid to do battle, and much the same can be said for Aries. These folks are bold, aggressive and courageous. They can summon up the inner strength required to take on most anyone, and they'll probably win. Aries do not lack energy or vitality, and they can stay in the game longer than most anyone else. Now that's a winning edge.

You know what my takeaway from this is? If you want a war call an Aries.

 

Sadly, Aries won't usually be around for the final victory (defeat? never). These folks will more than likely have bolted to the next project before the first one is done.

Humph. I wouldn't say bolt. I would say, "Have moved on."

Aries love physicality, so they won't sit on the sidelines for long, if at all.

Huh? What? No sitting on the sidelines? Are we talking about Aries? I like to sit.

 

Making things happen is what it's all about to these folks. Aries are also unafraid of stepping onto new terrain. The challenge inherent in taking on the unknown is heaven on Earth for Rams.

Great, now back to stuff that I know about. I can take on the world and am not afraid to do it! Who's with me!

 

Oh, and on the subject of arguing, it's the Ram who will have the last word, so save your breath.

Of course! My hubby knows best. I can wake him up in the middle of the night to get the last word in.

 Aries plays as hard as they work. These folks are happiest in a spirited soccer match or engaging in the martial arts.

Sure. In my head.

 

The Ram's color is bright red, a sure sign of the fire that breathes within.

Umm, black. I'm breathing black from within.

 The great strength of the Aries-born is in their initiative, courage and determination. These folks love to get things going and are fearless along the way. Their dynamism and competitive spirit add considerably to any of their endeavors.

Yes! All Aries are great. We'll one day take over the world. Now where are my fluffy house shoes?

Information taken from: http://www.astrology.com/aries-sun-sign-zodiac-signs/2-d-d-66918

ROMANTICON! WOOT!

And yes, it needed the all caps!

OMG I can't believe it's time for Romanticon. By the time this post goes live it will be two days into one of the most awesome conferences I've been too and I'll be doing the Clockbuster's workshop and then getting ready for the old Hollywood party. I'm in love with my dress for that.

Okay, so I've only been to one other one and that was RWA in 2008.

Still, Romanticon rocks. My first time there was in 2011. I was painfully shy, it was the first time away from my youngest and I was NERVOUS.

Though I got over my nerves fast. A few times when I was missing my baby Rodney made me laugh, because he found out I was just over the border from where he lived, so we shared border crossing stories, or rather he acted out a few which made me almost pee my pants and Angelo (RIP), well he caught me teary eyed on the elevator and cheered me up immensely and we talked about our children. I'm going to miss Angelo.

Besides the bit of homesickness, I met so many amazing people that I'm looking forward to seeing again.

I'm also going to meeting the Cabal of Hotness face-to-face. Yes, I haven't met any member of the Cabal except Anya Richards (Who's my neighbor and CP) and Cristal Ryder (who is my RWA Chapter mate and CP). I didn't go to Romanticon in 2012 when the Cabal was formed. Cristal Ryder invited me and it sounded crazy. So I emailed Lea Barrymire and she was like "Oh course! More the merrier."

I don't think Lea knew what she was getting in to! ;)

This year it's going to be crazier. I know it.

No hiding in a corner for me. There may be some home sickness, but not that much. I've been on deadlines all this year, fighting some illnesses I won't get into here, so I'm looking forward to letting loose and having a blast!

Oh, and a Happy Anniversary to my DH who is home alone with three kids. Yep, today is also my 11th anniversary. Almost forgot about that! ;)

It's Romanticon Madness week with the Cabal of Hotness!

Mornin' all! I'm leaving for Ellora's Cave Romanticon early on Wednesday, as soon as I drop DD off at school. I've never come in this early for a convention - it doesn't officially start til 7pm on Thursday, but I think I'm going to like getting there and settled before the masses descend.

If you've never been to Romanticon, here's what it's all about: fun, and celebrating the genre we all love so much - romance! Sure, the Cavemen are there, and hey, they're hot, but Romanticon isn't about the Cavemen. It's about Ellora's Cave and their books, it's about the authors, and it's about the readers. It's a three-plus day celebration of all that us publishing/reading types hold dear. And that's why it's so awesome.

Last year was my first Romanticon, and I'll admit to some nerves. I didn't know what to expect. But now I do, and I intend to have a great, relaxing time. I know a lot more authors and I hope to meet lots more readers.

Kaener Langford, Shoshanna Evers, and me, last year on Friday night

I want to talk to the publisher, the awesome Raelene Gorlinsky, to find out some of the marketing endeavors Ellora's Cave has coming up. With my background I'm always interested in what the publishers are doing to push our books in this crowded marketplace. I recently did a promotion in conjunction with Ellora's Cave where the first book in my Buckin' Bull Riders series, Impact, was free for two weeks. It was downloaded thousands of times, and I'm hoping to snag some new readers after they read the book. I'm grateful Ellora's Cave gave me the opportunity to do that.

So let's see...what are the highlights of the conference? Don't go by these times, I could be wrong about some of them. I could probably look them up, but I'm running on five hours of sleep, it's 7:45am, and I'm not a morning person.

The Cavemen at the Sunday Night Bingo party. Yes, it's a pajama party.

Thursday, 7pm Meet and Greet - this is the first official event of Romanticon, where all the authors, readers, and Cavemen mingle. There's karaoke, but I'm self-aware enough to know I can't sing and nice enough not to subject people to listening to me.

Friday, 1-2pm Cover Model Shoot - pick two Cavemen, wrag your arms (and hey, legs) around them, and the awesome EC Art Director Syneca Featherstone will snap some pictures. This event is repeated on Saturday at the same time.

Friday, 3-3:50pm Ann Mayburn, me, Cristal Ryder and Piper Trace present Zero to Hero, How to Make Your Hero a Hero in Bed. We're hoping to get some good discussion going here. And Piper is bringing bananas. We can't tell you why.

Friday night New Bollywood party with costumes, dancing, and Cavemen.

Saturday night Old Hollywood party and awards ceremony with costumes, dancing, Cavemen, and lots of lovely awards being given out.

Did I mention that the Cavemen perform? Three times? Oh yeah......

I'm not big on costumes, but I love the ones I have for these parties. I can't wait to see what everyone looks like. And whose saris stay together. I didn't get a sari for New Bollywood night. Knowing me, I'd trip over it and we'd have a dominoes situation. It wouldn't be pretty. People are talking about a really wide variety of costumes for the Old Hollywood party, and they sound really cool.

Sunday, 12-4 Sexporium (aka the big book signing!) with all the authors. I think I'll have two different print books there this year, plus cover flats for three more. Plus, I just might have some special swag for readers who buy a book (or an ebook) that day!

Sunday night Bingo! Look for the lavender basket sponsored by me, Cara Carnes, and Rebecca Royce!

Whew! Then we all drive/fly home on Monday and collapse. Not likely to happen, unfortunately, since many of us have evil day jobs, kids, homes, pets, and husbands (or wives - hey, I'm equal opportunity). We'll sort through our pictures, keeping some for blackmail - did I say that out loud? - and posting some on our websites, blogs, and social media.

The totally awesome Cara Carnes and I at the book signing last year. Can you tell I have a raging migraine?

You can follow the Cabal of Hotness on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/CabalofHotness, Ellora's Cave at http://www.twitter.com/EllorasCave, or me at http://www.twitter.com/Cassandra_Carr. Then there's Facebook. My personal page (where I'll probably post pics since it's way easier from my phone) is https://www.facebook.com/BooksByCassandraCarr?hc_location=stream, Ellora's Cave is https://www.facebook.com/EllorasCavePublishing. Lastly, some authors, readers, and EC itself will be putting stuff up on Pinterest, Instagram...

Hope to see lots of you there! If not, attend virtually.

My theme music...for the moment

So when I was thinking about my theme music nothing good popped into my mind. I mean, I do have a song, every good crime fighting ninja does. But what plays on a loop in my head wouldn't be considered "theme music".

I played the violin in the 6th grade and my favorite song was called The Indian Waltz. Yeah, I know, having a dreary violin solo playing in the back of your mind wouldn't be a great motivator for anything, but I find that I hum it all the time and it has a calming effect on me.

For this assignment that song just wouldn't do. So I went with the next best thing. The song that I turn up and bounce to whenever it comes on. I'm almost too ashamed to admit it because the singer has been losing her mind lately but here it goes:

Griff's Partying Theme Song

Imagine just for a minute that it was song by someone with an ounce of sense and while we're at it, a good singing voice. I love the lyrics. It reminds me of the good old days of hanging out with girlfriends and shutting down the clubs. Drink in the right hand and left hand in the air kind of fun

So take a minute. Listen to the words and try to remeber those good old days. Which may actually be this past weekend for some!

-Griffin

I'm a bitch... #CabalofHotness

That's right. I'm a bitch. I'm a lover. I'm a child. I'm a mother. I'm a sinner. I'm a saint. I do not feel ashamed.

What am I talking about? My theme song, of course. It's Bitch, by Meredith Brooks.






People have asked me how a lovely woman like me can have "Bitch" for a theme song. (I see you snickering over here. Pipe down.)

I think it's an accurate reflection of me. I am many things to many people. For instance, I really am a nice person. Until you threaten someone I love. Then I am your worst enemy. I'm a child when I run around Chuck E Cheese with my four-year-old. I'm a lover with my husband. I'm a mother when my four-year-old wants to have ice cream eight times a day.

All woman are like this. All adults, really. So while Bitch may seem like a negative song, it's really not. It's a reflection of the life we all lead.

How philosophical, I know. Don't get used to it.

Before I go, I wanted to tell you about a new release I have out. It's an anthology I wrote with two friends, Isabo Kelly and Stacey Agdern. Here's the blurb:

Going All In-
Professional hockey players Marcus, Alex, and Chris attend their team's Vegas Night fundraiser unaware

their lives will change forever. Can they face their difficulties and win the most important game of their lives – the game of love? These guys are going all in…

HEDGING HIS BET: Cassandra Carr
Marcus Mitchell never thought he’d find the love of his life with champagne dripping from her shirt rather than walking the runway at Fashion Week like the models he usually preferred, but you can’t always plan these things. Annalise Alonso isn’t going to make it easy for him, though—he’s going to have to work for her love. Now, Marcus is taking a shot and hedging his bet on love.

CASTING THE DIE: Isabo Kelly
After she sees his murder in a vision, Nathalie Mendez has to warn star hockey goalie Alexander Semenov of the danger. To keep him alive, she risks exposing her many secrets. But once the die is cast, her biggest gamble involves her heart.

PLAYING HER GAME: Stacey Agdern
Melanie Gould has been dubbed ‘The Girl in the Lace Corset’. But she doesn’t always like to be the loud mouth defender of the romances she writes, and is definitely not good at playing the games relationships require. Of course, she’s never gone head to head with a guy like Chris Emerson. Chris is trying to behave, and someone like Melanie would destroy his plans to stay under the radar. So what happens when the ‘Girl in the Lace Corset’ and the NHL’s most infamous bad boy go one on one?  Will they play her game?  Will they play his? Or will they both end up in the penalty box?

Until 9/12/13 it's $2.99 - that's less than a dollar a story, and each averages 28k so it's a great deal! Going All in is on Amazon and Smashwords and should be distributed everywhere else soon.

http://amzn.to/145t6mG
http://bit.ly/15ebHsQ (Smashwords)

I also have a free read that's a bridge story between two books in my Storm series. It's titled Moving Day
and features characters from Should've Known Better and from Underneath It All, which releases this fall.

Here's the blurb for Moving Day:
It's moving day for Sebastian, who's making a home with Sarah. Though Rob couldn't be happier for his friends, after the move has been completed he finds himself at loose ends, questioning the direction his own life is heading. Unbeknownst to him, Sebastian and Sarah are worried about the same thing and hope he can find someone special. Will he ever get his happy ending, or is Rob doomed to eternal bachelorhood?

Download it now at:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/moving-day-cassandra-carr/1116394706?ean=2940045205016
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/moving-day-storm-series-1.5/id686796518?mt=11
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/345118
http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/moving-day-storm-series-1-5

And remember, there's a little bitch in all of us!

Hotness Happens - Part Seven

It's time for the newest installment of the Cabal of Hotness' first multi-author novella. Click the links to read Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five and Part Six to catch up on the story!


To Ryan's complete shock, Steele eyes lit up when they saw him and God help him, his boss' little dick grew. A centimeter. He wasn't looking of course. It just sort of...caught his eye because Steele's cock looked a little like a grub worm except not as ribbed or wiggly. Then he realized he was staring at it again. And he swore it waved. No, that wasn't a wave, it was Steele walking ever closer with his undersized junk hanging out. Antoinette's eyes were wide and startled, but the horrified shock began to wear off when she saw Ryan's reaction.

"Are you here to watch?," Steele asked as his hand came up to stroke his...grub worm. That was the only comparison Ryan could make because it definitely wasn't a cock. "Here to see me give this gorgeous woman the kind of orgasm you only read about in books and erotic spoofs?"

"Um." Yeah, he'd like to see Steele try. Ryan had been married to her for years, dated her for longer than that, was toting around a solid ten inches of cock and had the kind of oral skills that he'd learned from that sex class she made him take a few years ago and he still couldn't get her off all that easily. If his boss thought that tiny cock was going to make Antoinette come harder than she ever had before...Hell yeah, he'd like to see it.

"Sure," he said with a confident smile. "Let's see what you got, boss man."

Steele flashed a grin at Ryan and turned on his heel to face Antoinette again.

"My dear," he called holding a hand out to her.

She sashayed over, gorgeous body flashing at them and leaving Ryan rock hard all over again. He could really use a pair of her underwear right about now, the thought of finally getting one up over his boss was that sexy.

Antoinette slid her hand into Steele's and the minute their skin touched, her eyes widened again and the air in the atmosphere of the bathroom changed.

Hotness Happens~Part Six

It's time for Part 6 of our novella! Part 1 is here. Part 2 is here. Part 3 is here. Part 4 is here. And Part 5 is here.

 

Ryan watched as Antoinette crooked her finger at his boss and spread her legs, inviting him to fuck her right there on the bathroom counter. But the most surprising part of it all was the rush of blood to his cock. He didn’t think he’d like to see another man fucking his wife, but his cock said otherwise.

Shit. He really was a sick fuck. If wearing women’s underwear was only the beginning, the end might be a little scary.

“Come here big boy.” Antoinette cooed and Ryan could hear his bosses footsteps come closer, until he could see the man grinning at his wife, undressing her with his eyes. Not that she was wearing much clothing, mostly a bra and those silky underwear that were the cause of all this.

The fact that he still wanted to touch them, wanted the silky softness rubbing against his cock right now just proved how messed up he really was.

His dick jerked a little and the cock ring tightened painfully.

“Why yes I will.”  Steele said in what he probably thought was a sexy growl. Sounded more like he was constipated or something.

Ryan wasn’t surprised that Steele would jump right on her. He’d heard the rumors, knew Steele had a reputation as a sex addict and that getting a job as a secretary here required a lot of extracurricular activities. But this was his wife, not some bimbo that wouldn’t last more than two weeks at the company before she was replaced by someone new.

Antoinette didn’t waste any time, she pulled Steele in for a kiss and her hands went straight for his zipper. Damn, he didn’t know if he could let this happen, let his wife fuck his boss, but he wasn’t really in any position to stop it even if he wanted to. If Ryan stepped out of this stall, if he said anything, he would probably piss off his wife and definitely lose his job.

Antoinette moaned as she kissed Steele and pushed his pants and underwear down to the floor, but underneath it all was the biggest surprise of all. Steele had the smallest penis Ryan had ever seen. It was barely even an outie.

There was no way Antoinette was going to let him touch her with that thing.

Ryan blinked a couple times, thinking he might be hallucinating, that a man couldn’t really have a penis that small, especially the same man who bragged in staff meetings about the enormousness of his cock.

“I…um...” Antoinette hesitated.

Oh God he hoped she didn’t say anything like fucking Steele was going to be like throwing a hotdog down a hallway...or even worse, laugh at him.

Antoinette didn’t hold things back. Steele didn’t know she was his wife, but he could find out someday and that would be very bad for his career. Ryan held his breath and closed his eyes, but then he lost his balance a little, fell into the wall of the stall and it made a little thumping sound.

It wasn’t loud, but Steele and Antoinette both turned their heads his direction and he knew he was screwed. And not in the literal way he was hoping for just a few minutes ago.

 

Sky Robinson

 

~Add a little sexy to your day~

  

http://skyrobinson.com/

 

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Cabal Story part Four!

This month the Cabal is posting a story...but you wouldn't expect a regular story from US, would yah? Nope...we're each writing a bit, so no one knows WHERE this'll go! The first part is here and the second part is here. And part three is here. Below is part four!

Ryan was hard. She had a way of doing that do him even when she was pissed. In fact, when angry, she was so much more exciting. He maybe one sick fuck, but Antoinette came a close second. Shit his balls ached and his dick was near to bursting.

He smiled. She thought she had the upper hand but it was he that had orchestrated this whole game. Grovelling into the phone had been hard, but necessary.

He made his way through the maze of cubicles to the management offices and the executive bathroom. It was risky, but the reward could be worth it. He strode like he had purpose and after a quick glance up and down the opulent hall, he opened the outer door, slipped inside and closed it quietly behind him.

A smile curved his lips when he heard heels clicking on the marble floor inside the restroom. Those definitely weren’t Gucci loafers. She was inside and up to something.

Ryan pushed the door open, and with a soft whoosh it shut behind him. He turned and gazed around. Empty except for a bag on the counter by the sink. He held his breath and tip toed over to it. He felt like a dumb ass walking so stealthily but something made him hold his breath, as if he were waiting for the boogey man to jump out at him.

Reaching his hand out, he fingered the zipper and pulled. It let go like gun shots in the quiet room, stepping closer he leaned over to look inside when the slam of a door scared the crap out of him. He jumped and spun around trying to figure out how he would explain his presence in this room that was off limits to office staff.

“Holy fuck!” He choked and his eyes bugged out of his head. Ryan couldn’t decide if he was going straight to hell or on the first flight to heaven.

Oh, I wonder what happened? Stay tuned....

Cabal Story Part 3

This month the Cabal is posting a story...but you wouldn't expect a regular story from US, would yah? Nope...we're each writing a bit, so no one knows WHERE this'll go! The first part is here and the second part is here. And here's part three!

“Baby, please…” He was barely whispering, and Antoinette really, really wanted to make Ryan shout, so all his friends could hear their conversation. “I’ll do anything you want.”

Ooo…she had the sick little fucker now. If he could live out his fantasies, ruining a perfectly good pair of silk panties and almost choking her to death in the process, it was only fair she got the same chance. “Anything?”

“Anything!” He was grovelling nicely, but she’d make him grovel even more by the time she was done. “I’ll do whatever you want. Just don’t leave me.”

“Huh.” She pretended to think, waiting until she stepped out of the elevator on his floor before continuing. “Okay, if you mean it, go to the executive bathroom.”

“Whu…what?”

She had to stop herself from laughing out loud, and made her voice low and mean as she repeated, “Go to the executive bathroom—NOW.”

“Uh…uh…okay.”

He’d told her hardly anyone used the executive bathroom, afraid the boss would catch them, so she’d picked that as the rendezvous point. After taking a peek to make sure no one was at the urinal, she slipped into the men’s room, laid the bag she’d been carrying beside the sink and hid in one of the cubicles.

Stay tuned to find out what happens next... :)

Cabal Story- pt 2

Story Time!!! Pull up a chair, grab a drink and listen up. LOL

This month we're doing something really fun! We're telling a story. Each of us will be adding a paragraph or two to the ongoing story. The fun in that? None of us know what's going to happen. It's going to get wild!

You can check out part one HERE...

*clears throat* Here's the next piece of the story....

"You aren't going to make me say it now, are you? Please baby, I'm at work." He lowered his voice to a whisper. "The guys are going to hear."

She grinned and knew it held a hint or four of evil intent. "I don't care. If you want me to forgive you then you better start explaining what you did."

He sighed. "I'm sorry that I masturbated using your special silky underwear and then wore them around the house."

She waited. The next part is what had her furious. When the silence between them stretched too long she prompted him, forcing herself to loosen the grip on her phone. "And?"

"And I'm sorry that I put them in your mouth when you were sleeping." Embarrassment clung to every word.

She took a deep breath to calm the anger boiling in her guts. Her vindication was at hand. "Ryan. What are you going to do to make this up to me? You're a sick fuck but I'm okay with that. You owe me something here, though. This is beyond anything you've done before. So, what are you going to do to fix this?"

I'm handing off the story from here... I can't wait to see what Ryan comes up with. LOL
~Lea (aka Geeky Hotness)

Cabal Story Month

Welcome to August!

This month on The Cabal we're giving you lovelies a very special treat - A Story! But this won't be just any old regular story, nope. We're each going to add a paragraph or two to the story as the month progresses. By the end of the month we should have a true spoof worthy tale that we have shared with you.

Enjoy!

Antoinette thrummed her fingers against her knee impatiently. Her other hand had a death grip on her cell phone, holding it up to her ear. What she really wanted to do was throw it across the room, where it would hit the wall and hopefully shatter into a million pieces. It would cost her dearly to get a new one, but at least until then she wouldn’t have to listen to Ryan’s constant begging for her forgiveness.

“Baby, please it won't happen again,” he whined.

She needed to have him say it—admit it openly. “Do what again?”

(moves to the edge of my seat. What exactly did he do? Hmmm, we'll have to wait to find out!)

-Griffin

Ideas - the bane and lifeblood of every writer's existence

It's funny - I rarely remember exactly where I got the specific ideas for my books. They come from so many places. Some pop into my head as I'm writing the book and others are stewing in there for weeks or months. Additionally, if I was smart (and sometimes I am!) I might've written down the idea to get it out of my head.

Some writers are plagued with too many ideas and not enough time. I'm one of those. Others are plagued by the opposite problem - they finish a book and then say "Uhhhh, what next?" But no matter which camp you fall into, your ideas, or as they're known in writing circles, your "high concepts", can make or break your career.

When I decided to write about bull riders, I tried to come up with a unique angle. Other, more well-known authors were already writing about them and I didn't want people to pick up my book, roll their eyes and put it back down. I've mentioned this before but perhaps not here, so I'll go over the story behind my bull rider books again.

Collision, book 2 in the series, was originally book 1. I thought about the idea of two athletes together, but wanted to do something different than, say, a female barrel racer and a male bull rider. I wanted people from two different worlds. How about a figure skater and a bull rider? Bingo! And Collision was born. I wrote Impact, which became book 1 of the series, right after Collision, and honestly, my high concept wasn't as unique. But my readers seem to like the book, so I must've done something right. I have a feeling Conner, the hero, has a lot to do with that. Tall, dark, and smoldering. Yum.

The idea for my most recent release, On Display, didn't even come from me. Picture the scene: Ellora's Cave Romanticon conference, October, 2012. Just in case you don't know, Ellora's Cave hires hot guys to pose for their covers exclusively. They're called Cavemen, and let's just say they can be intimidating when you first meet them. Not because they're not friendly -- they are -- but because these guys are MELT YOU INTO A PUDDLE AT THEIR FEET GORGEOUS.

You can see where that might be frightening. But being the brave little soldier I am, I walked into the meet and greet Thursday night armed with an icebreaker question... "Tell me about something I can put in a book." Well, one particular Caveman, David, told me about two things, both of which are now in books. The first thing was a sexual position and ended up in Velocity, book 4 of my bull rider series, and the cover David is on. Yes, I knew that he'd be my cover model when I wrote the scene with the position he told me about. I ain't no dummy. It's called inspiration. ;-)

The other idea was a little more vague. He mentioned an encounter he'd had in the past against a semi-private fence. That idea festered, and I do mean festered, in my brain for months. Finally I knew I needed to get it out of there since it wouldn't leave me alone. These wonderful, irritating ideas are called plot bunnies. They're like an earworm, only an idea rather than a song. And they can drive a writer crazy. So I wrote On Display, which features a sex scene against a semi-private fence. I think I'm going to have to buy David a drink at this year's Romanticon. Hmmm, maybe he'll give me more ideas if I do...

Time Warp

Time warp. Letter to me. Time paradox.

Dear you - me,

Don't be alarmed when you find this letter. Yes, its from me to you, from the future.

You're embarking on a path that will fill you with a multitude of emotions. Good and bad. Lots of highs and lows. If you know this going in then you'll ride the waves with a calm mind. Hopefully. But knowing you, me...er us, you'll be a freak show at times. When your computer dies in 2008, don't fret, you'll finish that story on another one without any problems. Computer you say? Yes, you'll struggle with handwriting, an IBM selectric but push on and don't let it be a hurdle. There's too much at stake.

First. Pick a genre that you're comfortable writing, might stretch you and even pull you a bit out of your comfort zone. I know you don't like research, but suck it up and do it. You have to. Find something fun to research - oh, just so you know, you will do research at a sex club - yes that kind of fun research :) And NO, I'm not going to tell you when and where, you'll know when the time comes.

In 2003, you're going to have a few divas give you a real hard time. Stand fast and don't let what they have to say make you falter. I let it and it set me, us, back about five years. I kick myself for letting this happen, especially after a hugely encouraging 2001 (shhh, you win a contest with Harlequin and get a request too). I wonder where things would be for us right now if I'd stood fast. And speaking of Harlequin, in the early 80's when you receive the guidelines you requested from them, don't let it scare you off. Figure it out and WRITE for crying out loud! I could be published 30 years now if you had, you silly ass.

Remember this pic of me, you...us in Grade 11. Time warp.

The romance genre will go through huge changes. From what your reading now, bodice rippers, historicals, pirates and cowboys (they never go away btw), and then along comes big epic books - you'll love one called Scruples, rags to riches stories, werewolves and vampires, space operas, aliens, zombies...so, try and be one step ahead of the game. Be the first in and set the pace. Don't pooh pooh anything.

But above all, enjoy it. Love what you do and it will be fine. It's all good.

Happy writing and if you begin to waver, feel that kick in the ass? Yep, its me doing it through the time space continuum.

me, your future self. 

You can find me at:

www.cristalryder.com

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