Beach Day!

Today is my husband's birthday and we are going to the beach. He loves snorkeling and I don't. I love playing in the water and sitting on the beach enjoying the sun and reading a good book. No matter how many times my husband tells me how beautiful things are under the water, I really don't want to see all those things that are under the water. I don't want to see the pretty fish that might nibble my toes or the coral that I might step on and hurt my feet. I really don't like putting my face in the water. I'll float on top of the water. I'll jump in the waves. But I'll keep my face above water and view his underwater world through the pictures he takes. A great compromise for each of us, both enjoying our beach day in our own way.

After almost 26 years of marriage, we have learned that we are each individuals who may enjoy different things and look at life in our own way but that we enjoy being together. It's a matter of compromise. Learning to live together. Being friends as well as husband and wife. Learning the difference between enduring love and being in love. Knowing that we can be mad as hell at each other and argue and disagree but that we will stay together anyway.

Are you too old for sex?

Yesterday I was at Rum Runners, a delightful little harbour-side restaurant, with my husband having Sunday brunch. A more romantic place may exist but I would be hard pressed to name one.

Close your eyes and come wit me to my Island, mon.

America's Paradise. St. Croix. Virgin Islands. Caribbean Sea. Tropical tradewinds. Steel pan band playing. The sight and sound of the waves. The scent of tropical flowers wafting in the breeze. Boats in the harbour. Blue skies. Sun shining. Crabs running loose trying to nibble your toes peaking through your sandals. Dress up Sunday sun dress. Sipping a Bloody Mary while waiting on your food to be cooked.

I took my Bloody Mary and went to the bar to have a cigarette. Sat beside a woman reading a book from her e-reader. Struck up a conversation with her since writing is my game and besides I was curious as to what type e-reader she had. I thought it looked like my Kindle but not really. Come to find out it was a Sony e-reader.

Found out that she liked Nora Roberts books.

Oh, so you like to read romance, I asked her, thinking to myself that here may be new reader for my romance books that I write.

Oh, not just any romance, she replied, I like fantasy and paranormal.

I thought to myself, and you like to read Nora Roberts?! I write romance, I said. Not just any old romance though. I don't write sweet romance. Mine are hot and spicy. Maybe you'd like to check me out and order my books for your e-reader, I said and handed her my card.

Oh I don't think so, she replied. I'm too old for sex.

Now that set me back a bit as I thought about how to reply to that. Well, are you too old to dream, I asked her. Read my books and remember how it was in your heyday.

Romance Writers of America Conference

As Romance Booms, Authors and Publishers Invest in Face Time
By Rose Fox -- Publishers Weekly, 7/22/2009 7:51:00 AM

Around 2,000 members of the Romance Writers of America descended on
Washington, D.C. this weekend for RWA's annual conference. Despite overall
economic woes, romance is selling well in both trade and mass market, and
the mood was quite upbeat.

......

Despite an admission fee close to $500, the conference hotel charging over $200 a night, and the expense of travel, authors were adamant that RWA is a good investment in their careers.

Read the complete article at PW Daily.

The smallest library I've ever seen

As many of you who follow me know, I have a foot in two worlds ... southern Nevada and St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands. I have a condo in both places and divide my time between the two. Nevada is as different from St. Croix as night is from day. One is a tropical paradise and the other is a desert, both beautiful in their own way.

A few years ago while exploring my Island paradise, I ran across the smallest library I have ever seen. I just had to stop and check it out. I couldn't believe that it really was a library but it was indeed, complete with a librarian. I just happened to have a copy of my Desert Heat, Cabin Fever and Emails from the Edge with me in the car because my good friend and author and world-class promoter Janet Elaine Smith taught me to never leave home without a couple of copies of my books just in case I needed them. I asked the librarian if I could donate my books to the library and she gladly said yes. Sooooo ... if you are ever in St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands, stop by the Sunny Isle Public Library and look for my books.

Oh by the way, Janet, if you are reading this you will be happy to know that I also donated a copy of one of YOUR books that I just happened to have on hand. You will know which one if you look closely at the picture below. :)

Barnes & Noble Launches e-Book Store

By Jim Milliot -- Publishers Weekly,07/20/2009

Barnes & Noble made its long awaited entrance into the e-book market with an announcement late Monday afternoon of the launch of the Barnes & Noble eBookstore (www.bn.com/ebooks). In direct contrast to the closed Kindle system from Amazon, B&N’s e-bookstore will carry e-books that can be read on a wide variety of platforms. B&N will offer 700,000 titles at launch, with “many” new releases and bestsellers priced at $9.99, according to William Lynch, president of BN.com. The total includes 500,000 public domain titles from Google which can be downloaded for free. B&N added that it expects to have more than 1 million titles available within the next year, “inclusive of every available eBook from every book publisher and every available eBook original.”

Read the complete article at PW Daily.

So far 3 of my 4 ebook titles are showing up at the new B&N ebook store.

Fantasy Lover by Kristie Leigh Maguire

Today I am doing something different here at Sizzling Hot Romance. I am presenting to you one of my short stories that is featured on my web page, Kristie's Quickies. I wrote Fantasy Lover when my husband was working overseas for an extended period of time and I was back in the States ... alone and horny as hell.

The title of this blog is SIZZLING Hot Romance and I can guarantee you that Fantasy Lover is SIZZLING HOT! Enjoy the read!


Fantasy Lover
by Kristie Leigh Maguire

I close my eyes and see your face, so ruggedly handsome, such dreamy brown eyes that look into my soul. I run my fingers over your cheek, feel the roughness of your skin from the exposure to the weather, the stubble of your whiskers. I run my fingers through your brown hair, feel its texture, and smell its fragrance. I inhale your scent, so masculine, so uniquely you.

I hold out my arms. You come to me. Your embrace is safe, warm and comforting. I lean my head against your strong shoulders as you pull me tight against you, my body pressing against the strength of yours. You give me your strength; it flows from your body to mine as we hold each other tight.

Your hands are rough from work. Their touch is so masculine, so comforting. You tilt my head up as you brush back my hair and smile at me, a smile so soft and tender, so loving, so caring, so full of your love for me. I smile back at you. I am filled with your love.

You lean your head down and kiss me. Your lips are soft and tender as they press against mine. I feel your love passing through your lips to mine as we kiss. I return your kiss and take comfort from it. I am no longer an empty vessel. I am filled with your love to overflowing. You are here with me once again. I am no longer alone. My heart sings in joy at your presence.

I feel your hands on my body as they caress me. My body tingles from your touch. I press closer to you; I cannot get close enough to your body.

I step back from your warm embrace. We look into each other’s eyes. It is time; time to make love, precious sweet love. I untie the belt from my robe and the robe slides to the floor. I am naked for you. I reach out and untie the belt to your robe. Your body is so handsome to me.

I run my fingers over your chest and feel the coarseness of your hair, the strength of your muscles. I feel your hands on my body, molding me, playing me, making me sing, and making my body come alive to your tune. I am melting into you. I feel your mouth on my nipple. It peaks into your warm mouth. I cry out with joy at the sensation and pull your head closer to me. I want you. I need you!

I reach down and take you in my hand. You are so hot. So hard. You moan at my touch and beg for more. I feel your hand on me, caressing me. I am hot, wet. I feel your finger as it rubs against me. I beg for more. I have to have more!

Your strong arms lift me and my legs wrap around your waist. I feel you at my entrance begging admittance. I open to you. You are hot, hard and throbbing as you enter me. I wrap myself around you as you hold me in the strength of your arms. We are joined, moving in tune with each other. We are playing our song, our own special song, so uniquely ours.

I feel your strength, your love as it flows through you to me. Give me your strength, your love. I need you, baby! Fill me to overflowing, take me, love me as no other can! I feel you in me; I feel myself wrapped around your hardness as we move together, joined in love. My body sings! My heart cries out! My love for you is flowing!

I feel you throbbing in me, filling me to overflowing with your love. We move faster, our bodies crying out in need as we play our song, our own perfect love song.

I lick the sweat from your body with my tongue as you hold me cupped in your strong arms, moving with me, moving together. Our lips join and our tongues tangle as we kiss. My body tenses and my stomach muscles tighten. I feel your response within me. We cry out with joy as our song reaches the end, our bodies throbbing in tune with it. We hold each other close as the last strains of the melody fades away.

I whisper to you, “Will you come to me tomorrow night, my love?”

I hear your soft reply, “I am yours, all yours. Just close your eyes, baby—I will be here for you whenever you need me.”

Kristie Leigh Maguire © 2001

Tonight's the night!

Yehaw! Tonight I will be on the plane flying from Las Vegas to St. Croix! America's Paradise and my tropical island home! I can hardly wait. It's been almost a year since I left St. Croix and came back to spend some time at my desert home in southern Nevada. It has been hot, hot, hot here in the desert ... and will only get hotter as we go into August. I'm looking forward to the tropical breezes and liming on the beach in St. Croix.

The Virgin Islands are U.S. territory. There are 3 islands in the Virgins: St. Croix, St. Thomas, and St. John. St. Croix is the largest of the United States Virgin Islands, 82 square miles in area. There are two distinct towns to visit: Christiansted and Frederiksted.

The towns of Christiansted and Fredriksted each has its own distinctive style. The architectural quality and historic interest of the one-time Danish West Indies capital has made part of Christiansted (founded in 1734) a National Historic Site.

In Christiansted, you can shop the day away through quaint shops filled with French perfumes, china, crystal, batik clothing and jewelry. You can visit Buck Island, one of the world's finest dive spots. Frederiksted has its share of shops and shopping. It also has a tropical Rain Forest and Whim Greathouse, a plantation restored to the way it was in the 1700s.

Some interesting facts about St. Croix: Christopher Columbus landed at Salt River on the North Shore in November 1493. And you've gone as far as you can go in the United States on the easternmost point of St. Croix, Point Udall.

See ya'll on the other side! I will be offline for a while.

Lisa Lane - Guest Blogger

Today's guest blogger is author Lisa Lane. Lisa is a friend of mine at Facebook.

Lisa says, "I have been writing novels and screenplays for over twenty years, but my craft didn't take that necessary leap from good to polished until about five years ago. Whereas dialog and narration came rather naturally to me throughout the majority of my life, only my most recent works truly reflect a sense of depth, pacing, and suspense that comes only with experience and time. Of the works I feel are finished or in the process of redraft, I can claim seven novels: two literary, one narrative nonfiction, three erotic horrors, and one erotic romantic sci-fi. I have adapted three of my original novels into screenplays. I also have four original screenplays,as well as a collection of short stories and essays. My stories range from literary, science fiction, and horror to lighthearted comedy, romance/erotica, and heartfelt confession. I love to explore new genres, and then find new and exciting ways to make them my own. My work is eclectic and unique. And I write because I have to."

And now, here is Lisa!

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I want to thank Sizzling Hot Romance for having me as a guest and Kristie Leigh Maguire for inviting me. I feel honored to talk about my work here, especially since I am not the typical romance writer. With that in mind, I want to talk to you today about the distinctive and the unusual.

Breaking Traditions, Bending Rules, and Shattering Boundaries

For those of you who do not know me, my name is Lisa Lane and I write mixed genre fiction. That might seem like a blanket term, but I think it describes my work well. I house many muses, and as a result my writing is very eclectic. Whether is it my pulp sci-fi, romance, erotica, or horror, critics agree that my work has a unique flair all its own.

I am fascinated by the archetype and the cliche, not because of the abuse each have suffered over the centuries, but because of the literary tools that persist within them, despite their abuse. When broken down to their most basic elements, they are what create and delineate the various genres we write. I feel it necessary to suggest that they also ultimately dictate the various rules by which we as writers have grown accustomed to following. For example:

* the Hero in a horror story is a survivor
* the Hero in a romance seeks fulfillment and lasting happiness
* the Hero in a pulp sci-fi is a product of his society

The very nature of these characters create rules I have learned the hard way one rarely breaks:

* only the strong/persevering/smart/etc. survive horror stories
* romance books must always have happy endings
* even the anti-hero must be likeable in his own way

I can think of one story that successfully breaks one of the above three rules; this story is an exception, and it a powerful piece specifically because of the one rule it breaks. The work is an Indie horror film titled CUBE, and only because of its brilliance and unique approach is it able to get away with all that it does, while ending on such a powerful note. Most of us can only strive for such brilliance, and for the meantime, we must follow the above rules.

I have learned, however, that those rules can still be bent. Executed in just the right way, romance can be bittersweet, horror can be enlightening and provocative, and sci-fi can be powerful and heart wrenching. I think that is what literature is all about: learning the rules, and then finding unique and permissible ways of twisting and contorting them to suit the needs of both the audience and the story. When used wisely, such technique can make the difference between a good story and an exceptional one.

In my erotic horror trilogy, THE DARKNESS AND THE NIGHT, I take the most basic elements of the vampire myth, using an archetype akin to Dracula or Lestat, while also importing elements from numerous other genres. The result is a unique tale that is dark and gritty, but also thoughtful, heartfelt, and provocative. It is a work of erotic horror, but it is also a romance, a social commentary, and a tribute to its genres.

A character in book III, Anna, the seemingly human offspring of vampires Karen and Billy, is the perfect example of the character that strips the archetype to its most basic elements, while importing elements from other archetypes and bending numerous rules. Anna is a psychic vampire, and she travels the Astral plane via a Doppelganger, or psychic double, in search of men willing to trade small bits of their life-force for sexual favors. Anna does not drink blood and she does not shun the daylight–unlike her fraternal twin brother, Andy. I chose for Anna to be a twin for a reason: Andy, the archetypal vampire, is a stark contrast to Anna, and by placing the two side by side along their story, their contrast only becomes that much more apparent. Together, they make a statement:

* this story bends rules, and prepared to be surprised


THE DARKNESS AND THE NIGHT: BLOOD AND COFFEE

Life becomes complicated enough, after Karen takes sexy Billy as her lover andhe turns her into a vampire. Once they exchange blood, however, she finds that they share a bond more powerful than anything she has ever experienced. When Karen and Billy become separated, she is forced on the run from her crazy father, who imagines himself a vampire hunter, dream walking demon hunters, and a creepy commune of brainwashed vampires, controlled by orgy-loving leader, John-Michael. In this breathless debut novel, Lisa Lane takes you on a thrilling ride through vampire enclaves, moral dilemmas, and forbidden sexual encounters.

"...the writer is a good storyteller, and does an excellent job of leading the reader on..." - Regina, Coffee Time Romance

THE DARKNESS AND THE NIGHT II: COSMIC ORGASM

Karen's dark, sexy vampire odyssey continues, as she finds herself pursued by John-Michael's bounty hunters by night, and by once-sexy, now-demonic Billy's restless spirit by day. In a strange turn of events, lover becomes captor, foe becomes ally, love begins anew, and Karen survives her biggest challenge yet: childbirth. The second installment to The Darkness and the Night series, Cosmic Orgasm picks up directly where the first book ends, Karen's journey taking her through both the shadows of her past and the glimmer of light in her future. Her sexual exploration continues, as well, with a cosmic experience like none other, guaranteed to leave you breathless.

"I finished the book much quicker than the first and by the time I read the last sentence in the last chapter I really wanted Lisa Lane's next and conclusion to her The Darkness & the Night series to be published already so I could read it. I give this book 4 Open Books." - Phoebe Jordan, Talk About My Favorite Authors

THE DARKNESS AND THE NIGHT III: TWINS OF DARKNESS

Karen learns quickly that being both a mother and a vampire is no easy task, especially since her children, fraternal twins Anna and Andy, are not typical kids. Anna, although seemingly human, has the unique ability to not only travel the Astral, but also manipulate objects and people between planes. Andy also appears to be a normal human boy, but appearances prove disastrously deceiving. With the help of her blood donor and lover, Jason, Karen does her best to offer the twins a "normal" suburban life. Despite them, Anna and Andy come into their own, exploring their family's past . . . and the very different beings they are both slowly becoming. In the process, the author takes us on a wild ride that breaks beyond the boundaries of time and reality, sexual exploration, love and sacrifice . . . and back to the vampire commune.

". . .well written and exciting. This is certainly one of the most unique vampire novels I have come across. It is chock full of imagination and feeling; a totally fresh look at the dark side." - Lototy, Coffee Time Romance

"Having read the first twenty-nine pages off and on, I continued straight through to the end. As I’ve already said, the plot is superb, and when such a plot comes along, I always marvel at the human imagination and what it can produce." - Fanny, Cerebral Reviews

For more information and buy links, visit my website: http://www.cerebralwriter.weebly.com/erotica.html

Thanks for reading! I’ll be popping in throughout the day to chat and answer questions, so if you have a question or comment, I’d love to hear from you!

********

Thank you, Lisa, for visiting with us today at Sizzling Hot Romance!

Kristie Leigh Maguire

Lisa Lane will be guest blogger on Tues July 14th

Mark you calendars for Tuesday July 14th. Author Lisa Lane will be my guest blogger for that day.

Lisa says, "I am a writer. Writing is my passion, my release, and my escape. My day is not complete unless I write at least a few pages, and I craft sentences and redraft chapters as I drift off to sleep each night. It is quite safe to say that I obsess over the written word. I see words as broken shards of colored glass: alone they are worthless, but when placed together in just the right way they have the potential to form great masterpieces."

Be sure to come back Tuesday to learn more about Lisa Lane!

Talking just to hear your head rattle

If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? Which comes first, the chicken or the egg? Why did the chicken cross the road? Why is the sky blue and the oceans deep? What keeps us from falling off the face of the earth into deep dark space? What holds the moon up in the sky and why does the sun shine so brightly? If you dig a hole deep enough will you actually come out on the other side of the earth in China? If a child doesn't eat all their veggies will another child actually starve in a third world country? Is the light on in the refrigerator when the door is closed? Where is heaven and hell? If a person doesn't believe in God is God still there? Does Mother really know best? Do the best die young? Are there really little green men on Mars and is the moon made out of cheese? Did the cow jump over the moon? Is there a man in the moon? Are clouds made out of cotton? Do clouds really have silver linings? Is there a 7th heaven? Why do dogs chase their tails? Did man evolve from apes or did God make man out of dust in His own image? Did God really create heaven and earth in 6 days and rest on the 7th day? Is woman cursed because Eve took a bite of the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden?

If a person blogs and no one reads it, is it like talking to yourself just to hear your head rattle?

1st Turning Point

I am really impressed with this new place for writers. Their slogan is Authors Teach, Share, & Learn–All About Promotion ... and they really do! I was invited to join from Facebook and have not regretted my decision to jump on their bandwagon. I look forward each day for their email message notifying me of a new article posted to the site.

For instance today's article is Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance by by John Foxjohn.

Here is the first paragraph to whet your appetite. Because of copyright that is all that I will post but you can read the complete article by CLICKING HERE ... and I highly suggest you do so if you are serious about your writing career.

The 5 P’s of Self-Promotions

I actually began teaching self-promotions because my friends titled me the “King of Self-Promotions,” and wanted me to teach them. Now I teach the classes at workshops, conferences, and online. I titled these classes the 5 P’s of self-promotions. It stands for prior planning prevents poor performance.

Catherine Wade is guest blogger today!

Today I am presenting author Catherine Wade to you. Catherine and I are friends at Facebook. When I visited Catherine's website, her slogan read, "Romantic Comedy With An Attitude!" Naturally this made me want to know more about Catherine since I, too, have written and published a romantic comedy (No Lady and Her Tramp) that definitely has attitude! I asked Catherine how she got started with her writing career. Here is what she had to say in her own words.

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And I Owe it All to the Flu

First off, thanks to Kristie for inviting me here today take part in her guest blogger section! I’m thrilled to be here!

So Kristie asked me how I got started writing, and I had to think back a bit. A looong bit. You see, I started this madness when I was thirteen years old. I had a terrible case of the flu, and when I couldn’t sleep, my dad would sit with me and we’d watch Star Trek reruns. Yup. Star Trek. Being thirteen, I was a little hormonal, so I fell like the Hindenburg for one of the characters. Being me (a little different than your average girl), I fell for Scotty. Not Checov, Kirk or even Sulu. Scotty.

Even after I felt better, I’d sneak out of bed and watch. I was so obsessed with James Doohan that I started “writing” myself into the episodes as his girlfriend. Up to this point, it was all in my head, but one day I sat down with a packet of notebook paper and started writing down some ideas I had for a new episode. I kept writing and writing until soon I had over one hundred hand-written pages.

That’s when my mom found it. I was mortified! I mean it was a silly little fantasy indulgence, and my mom was not very tolerant of anything so frivolous. But she surprised me. She pulled out an old Royal typewriter she had used in college – and let me tell you those keys were stiff – and told me to type it up. I did. And another hundred or so pages to go with it.

Then my teacher found out about it.

She let me use class reading time to work on the book. I’d go home and type what I’d written at school, then bring it back to her to read the next day. She decided what I needed to do was submit it to a state writing competition, but there was a catch. I had to finish what had now become a novel within a month. At the tender age of fourteen, I was under my first deadline.

I set out my goal, knowing I’d have to edit and retype the whole thing. And I did it, too – with two days to spare. I was so proud handing her that manila envelope, all addressed and ready to go to the contest. I just knew this was my first step into the big world of publishing.

So you expect me now to tell you of my great victory, don’t you? Multiple requests from editors for my fledging work? Yeah…no. I was disqualified. Copyrighted material – I couldn’t write about characters created by someone else, even if the main character of my story was created by me.

It was too late, though. I was hooked. I kept writing – on the sly, mind you, all the way through high school and college. I even took a couple creative writing and journalism classes along the way, but never took my writing seriously. I got my degree in music education, taught school, got married, pumped out babies, and never looked back. Except those times when I’d sneak away to the computer (way easier for editing, by the way) to write a little something.

And then one day, another idea hit me that started sucking up a lot of my free time. It took me six months to write that puppy – all 700 pages of it. Yes, I overdid it a bit. But by then, I had the internet and had met other people who enjoyed writing and who could point me in the direction of a publisher. The rest, as they say, is history. No, I didn’t publish that 700-page book. It’s awful, just like those stories I wrote as a kid. But they all taught me a lot, and I took those lessons and use them today. And my biggest hope is that you can fall as hard for my heroes as I fell for Scotty all those years ago. I know I can.

And to think, I owe it all to a case of the flu.

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Thank you so much, Catherine, for stopping by Sizzling Hot Romance today and sharing your story with us.

You can visit Catherine Wade at: http://www.catherinewade.com/

Catherine's latest book is Let's Dish which is published with Samhain Publishing, Ltd. You can purchase a copy buy CLICKING HERE. Catherine has another book, Another Time Around, which will be released in September 2009

Blurb:

Maggie Donnely has problems no Food Network star ever had to deal with. Her coffee shop is running in the red, her EPT just turned pink, and keeping her business partners in line is making her blue in the face. A run-in with her old cooking school nemesis is the last thing she needs.Kevin Best is a blast from the past with more than Maggie's recipes on his mind. He knows he made one big mistake with her, but she's got no idea just how far he'll go to put her heart back on the menu. When Maggie loses her shop to a fire, and her partners to a stupid mistake, she's forced to turn to Kevin to help her win a contest that could save her bacon. Friendless, desperate - and with the proverbial bun in the oven - it's a choice that could change the rest of her life. If she can learn to love again. What's the old saying about too many cooks? Maggie's about the find out...the hard way.

Author Catherine Wade will be guest blogging on Tues July 7th

Catherine Wade will be my guest blogger for Tuesday July 7th.

Catherine is a friend of mine at Facebook. She describes her writing as Romantic Comedy With Attitude. Naturally this intrigued me as I, too, have published a romantic comedy (No Lady and Her Tramp) that definitely has attitude! I just had to have Catherine blog at Sizzling Hot Romance!

Mark your calendar so you won't miss this event! Invite your friends to come as well. The more the merrier. And don't forget to be thinking of questions that you would like to ask Catherine on her day.

You can visit her website at http://www.catherinewade.com.

Mint Juleps and Southern Plantations

When I hear of mint juleps, it brings to mind southern plantations with the ladies and gentlemen languishing on the veranda sipping their mint juleps whiling away yet another hot summer day. I close my eyes and see one of the southern belles in her hoop skirt with her gentlemen caller, tapping him on the knee with her fan, and flirtatiously batting her eyelashes at him. Days of Scarlett O'Hara and Gone With The Wind.

Being from the South, I often wish I could be transported in time back to those days. To experience it for myself. To be a Southern Belle.

Mint Juleps Recipe

Ingredients
2 cups lightly packed fresh mint
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 cup orange juice
1-1/2 cups bourbon
1 cup orange juice
Granulated sugar
Crushed Ice
Fresh Mint Sprigs
Halved orange slices

Directions
1. Place mint leaves in a medium bowl; set aside. In a medium saucepan combine the water and 1 cup sugar. Bring to boiling, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat; pour over mint leaves. Stir in orange juice.
2. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Strain mixture through a mesh strainer. Stir in bourbon. Cover and chill up to 24 hours.
3. Place granulated sugar in a shallow dish; wet the edge of 8 glasses and dip into sugar to coat. Add crushed ice to glasses. Divide bourbon mixture among glasses (about 2/3 cup per glass).

Garnish with mint and orange slices. Makes 8, 5-ounces servings.

Counting Down!

The annual migration countdown has begun ...

I can't believe it's been almost a year since I left St. Croix to return to my home in southern Nevada. It has been nice being at my desert Stateside home but I am soooooo ready to go back to my tropical Island home.

In a little less than 2 weeks, I will once again be back in St. Croix (US Virgin Islands). I am so excited! I want to feel those tropical breezes blowing in my hair and caressing my skin once again. I can hardly wait to feel the hot sand beneath my feet and jump into those warm ocean waters. To see those vivid island flowers and smell their sweet fragrances. To hear that Cruzan dialect and their "everyting'll be all right, mon!" attitude.

Perhaps the change in scenery will make my creative juices flow and help bring on new ideas for new books for me to write. Or perhaps I will just lime on the beach or while away the hours at the pool with a pina colada in one hand and my Kindle in the other.

Have I enticed you to join me in the Islands? Come on down, mon! We'll have a partay!

Author Kiki Howell is guest blogger today!

In my efforts to bring my readers here at Sizzling Hot Romance something new and exciting, I have begun inviting authors who are of interest to me, and hopefully to you, to guest blog here .

Author Kiki Howell is my first guest blogger that I am presenting to you. Kiki and I are friends at Facebook. I was visiting her website and her "slogan" caught my eye. She describes herself as an author of magical erotic romances. Naturally, since I write sensual/erotic romances too, this caught my eye and made me want to know more about Kiki. AND since she is multi-published with Whiskey Creek Press, I wanted to know how she came to be with Whiskey Creek Press and her experiences with them as an author. Without further adieu, here is Kiki telling us about this in her own words.

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Hi! I am Kiki Howell, Author of Magical Erotic Romances! My byline explains what captures my imagination and what I write about. “Magic” to me means an escape from life, a mystical world where anything can happen. I have always been enthralled with witches and werewolves, demons and angels, vampires and ghosts. So, I use them as my heroes or heroines, or even sometimes as the entity that brings the hero and heroine together. This leads to the next element, which is “romance” – which is magical in and of itself, right? I love that suspense-filled, bumpy road to a Happy Ever After ending. The last word, “erotic,” just amps both the magic and the romance to a different level!

My imagination works overtime, most of the time! This is how, when I finally got back into writing after a long break having my kids, I started my first published stories. I was looking into different publishers who published in the mixed genres I wanted to write in when I found Whiskey Creek Press Torrid. They had a line called, Celtic Love Knots, at the time where they published two short stories with a Celtic theme by one author each month. My brain immediately started brewing ideas!

Whiskey Creek Press Torrid luckily took both of my submitted stories, “Sexual Magick,” and “Tailltean Marriage” and published them in Celtic Love Knots, Volume 10. This is why I feel that reading Calls for Submissions is a great way to break into the business. When a call gets your imagination working overtime, you are writing a story the publisher is actively looking for.

I did the same thing when I wrote my latest release for them, The Witch’s Beast. Whiskey Creek Press Torrid has another line called Torrid Twisted Tales where they publish erotic versions of fairy tales. I immediately thought up The Witch’s Beast which settled a long standing grudge I had with the Brothers Grimm. Even as a kid I wondered why the witch, who started it all with her spell, only got that one line mention. At the end of the Brothers Grimm version of the Beauty and the Beast it says, “An evil witch turned me into a monster...” with no explanation as to why she did it, and they didn’t even give her a chance to explain herself. Disney does give her three lines to explain that the Prince was selfish and unkind—the why, but again, did we ever hear from her? No! So, I felt she had a story to tell, and I wrote my version of the story completely from the witch’s point of view.

Boy, I think I got of topic there a bit, but it only goes to prove my point that sometimes Calls for Submissions can be great place to find your muse!

Please visit me at http://www.kikihowell.com/. Make sure to look at my COMING SOON page where I have listed a novel coming out in October with eXcessic in print and ebook called, A Modern Day Witch Hunt, that I am very excited about! You will also find my LINKS there to my Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter pages.

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Thank you, Kiki, for taking the time to visit Sizzling Hot Romance from Kristie Leigh Maguire and for sharing your thoughts with my readers! Much appreciated. :)

You can purchase The Witch's Beast by CLICKING HERE.

BLURB:
A witch rejected…a few spells for revenge…an arrogant Prince turned into a Beast…a beautiful woman taken captive …And, that is just the beginning of this tale of a Beauty and a Beast told by the Witch who cast the spell that began it all. A dismal castle, possessed candles, and a little mangy fur will be the least of the Beast’s troubles as the Witch goes into a jealous rage over the Beauty he now holds captive.A magic mirror…desperate sex spells…magical seductive dreams…orgasmic punishments in a dungeon…This time, the Beast will be caught between a Beauty who has caught his eye but rejects his proposal of marriage, and the Witch who allows him moments in his human form to fulfill his every sexual desire.For whom will there be a happily-ever-after?

REVIEWS:
You Gotta Read Reviews
(Rating - You Need To Read)
Tir said,"In the spirit of Gregory Macguire's Wicked, The Witch's Beast tells an old familiar tale from a different angle with a sexy spin. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and its characters. Ms. Howell paints Beauty and the Beast in an entirely differently light, putting your sympathies in places you wouldn't imagine when thinking of the original tale. Those once loved in the original story are shown in a new way and expands the character of the Witch who turns a Prince into a Beast, in more ways than one. I would definitely recommend you pick up this book so you can read this tale and find out the new ending to the Beast's story."

The Witch's Beast got 4.5 stars at Ecataromance.com!
"Beauty and the Beast…and the Witch with an erotic twist...The ultimate question comes down to, can the Witch get the Prince in the end? This was a really fun read. Enjoy."

Jade at Ready Reader Reviews said,"I loved Kiki Howell's sexy, erotic version of Beauty and the Beast, The Witch's Beast. Ms. Howell hooked me right away with the witch, Seraphina, flying into a rage caused by Prince Amir's brutal rejection of her. Tying in her tumultuous emotions with the violent storm set the scene for how strong her love and sexual desire for the Prince is and therefore how vicious her revenge. Seraphina's spells and Wiccan beliefs were woven throughout the story in a way that has me believing in her powers and being glad I'm not the one falling victim to her whims. Ms. Howell has created a sympathetic heroine, because after all, who hasn't done impulsive things for love? ... but Seraphina has a grasp on the realities of tampering with nature and a genuine remorse for hurting the Prince and then using her powers for her own selfish desires. Kiki Howell wove an emotionally as well as physically sensual story."

-- "Kiki’s use of words and descriptions is indescribable and weaves a kind of magic around the reader." ParaNormal Romance Reviews

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Kiki Howell
Author of Magical Erotic Romances
http://www.kikihowell.com/