Scroll down for today’s Giveaway!

Today I’m thrilled to have Berkley author Beth Kery with us!

Beth writes HOT erotic romances. Her latest release is SWEET RESTRAINT, which just came out July 7th. Author of more than 17 published novels, Beth has found her niche mixing dominant alpha males, rich characters, and unexpected twists into hot, erotic reads with an emotionally compelling relationship between the hero and heroine.

5) If you could be one character from any book you’re read or written who would it be and why?
This is one of those questions I have such a hard time answering, because it’s similar to choosing a favorite book or character. Since SWEET RESTRAINT just came out, I’ll say I’d like to be my heroine Laura Vasquez, because she gets to be taken captive by the man she’s loved since she was six years old and couldn’t have. Her lover, Shane, is dead sexy, brilliant and determined as the devil to get her to reveal a truth she’s held for years, to give over the burden of the responsibility of her secret into his hands. I don’t think I’m the only woman who harbors a tiny captive fantasy, and I have to admit, if Shane Dominic really existed, I’d want to be hauled off to an isolated cabin with him.

Just a side note: one of the reasons I really liked my cover for SWEET RESTRAINT is that the rope on her leather cuffs is loose. Laura can get out of her captivity if she really wanted to.

But she doesn’t really want to, and I doubt I would either.

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Beth has gratiously donated a copy of either WICKED BURN or DARING TIME to one lucky commenter. To be entered into the drawing, simply answer this question:

What book covers stand out in your mind? Which ones recently caught your attention?

The winner of STOLEN HEAT is…
DonnaS!

and

The winner of STOLEN FURY is…
Booklover1335!

DonnaS & Booklover1335, email me at elisabeth@elisabethnaughton.com with your snail mail addys and I’ll get your books in the mail!

Thanks to all for participating. Don’t forget to enter for Shelli Steven’s TAKE ME below!

Enter, Enter…

Today I’m thrilled to welcome a super fab author and good friend…Shelli Stevens! For those of you who don’t know Shelli…shhhh…she’s the author your mother warned you about…

Please help me welcome Shelli Stevens!!

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1) What kind of books do you love to read and how do those stories impact your own writing?I love all genres. I especially love medieval romance novels and most historicals (except I confess to not being a big regency fan). I also enjoy futuristic and romantic suspense, heavier on the romance.

2) What are you working on presently? What about upcoming releases?
I’m currently working on several proposals that have just gone out! They range from futuristic to paranormal (all hot!). As for what’s coming out soon, well Take Me just released from Kensington Aphrodisia, and at the end of the month I’m in the Sexy Beast VII anthology with Kate Douglas and Anitra Lynn Mcleod. I also have the second book Luck be Delanie coming out from Samhain in my Chances Are series. Busy release schedule!

3) What’s the best compliment you ever got on your writing or book(s)? You write like a girl. Ha, no just kidding. But that would be great. I love getting compliments from other authors (that’s a huge one!), and I love it when someone emails me to say they read my book straight through. Couldn’t put it down. Or burned dinner or something. Seriously, anytime I get a compliment I’m all giddy and excited. It means someone enjoyed my writing and you just can’t beat that.

4) What’s your writing schedule like?
I tend to write mostly when the kid is asleep, because she’s not old enough to be in school all day, so she’s hanging around with me.

5) If you could be one character from any book you’ve read or written who would it be and why?
Oh gosh, who’d I be. Hmmmm. I think I’d be Maddie from Gemma Halliday’s book Spying in High Heels. She’s a riot and has the yummiest cop love interest.

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Today Shelli’s giving away a copy of TAKE ME to one lucky commenter. To be entered into the drawing, simply answer this question (taken from one of Shelli’s reviews)…

When was the last time you were “breathless”?

We’re halfway there. Don’t forget to enter…

Please help me welcome good friend and phenom author, Megan Hart!

Some lovers never leave you…

Twenty years ago she had her whole life spread out before her like a mesmerizing map. She was Bess Walsh, a fresh-scrubbed, middle-class student ready to conquer the design world. And she was taken. Absolutely and completely.

But not by Andy, her well-groomed, intellectual boyfriend who hinted more than once about a ring. No. During that hot summer as a waitress and living on the beach, she met Nick, a dark haired, local bad boy. He was, to put it mildly, not someone she could take home to Daddy.

Instead, Nick became her dirty little secret; a fervent sexual accomplice who knew how to ignite an all-consuming obsession she had no idea she carried deep within her.

Bess had always wondered what happened to Nick after that summer, after their promise to meet again. And now, back at the beach house and taking a break from responsibility, from marriage, from life, she discovers his heartbreaking fate–and why he never came back for her. Suddenly Nick’s name is on her lips…his hands on her thighs…dark hair and eyes called back from the swirling gray of purgatory’s depths.

Dead, alive, or something in-between, they can’t stop their hunger.

She wouldn’t dare.

Don’t you just LOVE that cover? Please help me welcome Megan Hart to the blog!

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1) What kind of books do you love to read and how do those stories impact your own writingPleasure and Purpose ?
My favorite books are horror, sf and f, thrillers. Books about serial killers. But not romantic suspense, go figure! I don’t read much of what I write, especially when I am writing it, but…when am I not writing it…so that means I don’t read a lot of erotic romance or romance unless it’s in between my own books.

2) What are you working on presently? What about upcoming releases?
Right now I’m editing several projects and plotting a Spice Brief. I have a whole bunch of upcoming releases – the best way to keep up with what I’m doing is to check out my blog at www.readinbed.net where I usually blabber about what I’m writing, what I have coming out, what I’m thinking about doing, that sort of thing. This summer I have DEEPER coming out from Spice, followed by Pleasure and Purpose and No Greater Pleasure, two historical fantasy romances out from Berkley Sensation in September and October. I’ll have a couple more Spice releases coming up, as well as two books from MIRA and a few more books in the Order of Solace series from Berkley…I’m going to be very, very busy writing. I hope you’ll all be busy reading!

3) What’s the best compliment you ever got on your writing or book(s)?
The best compliment anyone can give me is that my work moved them – to cry, to laugh, to kiss their partners. Something. That’s the best.

4) What’s your writing schedule like?
During the school year it’s writing from approximately 9-3:30, interspersed with editing, Twittering, Facebooking and IM’ing…in the summer it’s usually writing poolside or editing in the morning followed by more work at the pool in the afternoon, then writing or editing from about 9 pm until 1 or 2 or even 3 am.

5) If you could be one character from any book you’re read or written who would it be and why?
I think I can safely say I don’t want to be any of the characters from any of MY books…wow, they have to go through a lot, don’t they? But hmm, from someone else’s…I don’t know. I guess I can’t pick once, since I’m pretty happy with my own life, I don’t want anyone else’s.

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Megan is offering a copy of DEEPER to one lucky commenter. To be entered into the drawing, simply answer this question…

Do you like straight-laced heroes or bad boys like Megan’s Nick?

The winner of Cynthia Eden’s MIDNIGHT’S MASTER IS…
Razlover’s Book Blog!

Raz…email me at elisabeth@elisabethnaughton.com with your snail mail addy and I’ll forward your info to Cynthia!

Thanks to all who participated! Don’t forget to enter for a copy of STOLEN HEAT!!

Today is the day! STOLEN HEAT officially hits store shelves TODAY!

His past tore them apart. Her lies thrust them back together. Now a killer’s out for revenge, but the biggest threat for both may just be the heat they thought they’d already lost….

Antiquities dealer Peter Kauffman walked a fine line between clean and corrupt for years. And then he met the woman who changed his life—Egyptologist Katherine Meyer. Their love affair burned white-hot in Egypt, until the day Pete’s lies and half-truths caught up with him. After that, their relationship imploded, Kat walked out, and before Pete could find her to make things right, he heard she’d died in a car bomb.

Six years later, the woman Pete thought he’d lost for good is suddenly back. The lies this time aren’t just his, though. The only way he and Kat will find the truth and evade a killer out for revenge is to work together—as long as they don’t find themselves burned by the heat each thought was stolen long ago…

“Exciting, action-packed and fast moving, this story seamlessly alternates from the present to the past. A first-rate mystery, it has well-developed characters and a suspenseful and satisfying climax. A fine romantic thread winds through it all.”–RT BOOKReviews

“This is a well-thought-out concept and wonderfully written books in the trilogy so far. The mysteries are complex but the love is simple, a balance achieved with characters you can’t help but like. The third book, Stolen Seduction, is due out next year and I am looking forward to it. You get to know both the hero and heroine of that book while reading the first two. I like them already, so I know their story is going to be just as good as these first two. After reading these two books, Ms. Naughton is now on my auto-buy list.”–The Good, The Bad & The Unread

“STOLEN HEAT is an awesome combination of deadly suspense, edgy action and a wonderful romance with characters that you’ll laugh, cry and yell with. I had a great time reading it and I’m definitely looking forward to more of Ms. Naughton’s books.”–Wendy, Night Owl Romance

In honor of release day, I’m giving away books! One lucky winner will get a copy of STOLEN FURY, the first book in the trilogy, and one will get a copy of STOLEN HEAT. All you have to do is leave me a comment here to be entered into the drawing.

And in case that’s not enough for you, I’m giving away goodies at these other blog locations today:

Writeminded
Night Owl Romance
Muse Interrupted

Happy reading! And don’t forget to enter my STOLEN HEAT CONTEST!

Be sure you enter…

One quick programming note: I was out of town yesterday with sporadic internet access so I didn’t get a chance to get my guest author spot and the Day #12 Freebie posted. Therefore, sometime this week I’ll be posting TWO prizes. Check back to find out what day that is!

Now back to our regularly scheduled program…

Today’s guest author is Cynthia Eden. A good friend of mine and a phenomenal author. Read on to learn more about what she’s up to.

Tall, dark, and formidable, Niol Lapen is the last demon on earth most people would ask for a favor, yet the sexy little reporter who wanders into his club dares to do exactly that. Holly Storm already knows too much about his kind, and Niol has no wish to help her get in deeper over her head. But working alongside her may be the only way to stop a killer, even as it ignites a primal desire unlike anything he’s known.

Holly has seen firsthand what Niol is capable of, but that doesn’t frighten her nearly as much as her body’s instinctive reaction to him, or the wild, fierce passion that would tempt her to follow him through hell itself. Something evil and relentless is prowling the streets of Atlanta. And as Holly’s search leads her into danger that even Niol could never have predicted, she’ll uncover a secret that could rip her world apart….

Review blurbs:
“The heat that Holly and Niol generate warms the chill from a truly gruesome organ-stealing murderer. Readers will cheer at their unlikely attraction, but the twist in the plot is what really makes Eden’s latest unforgettable. “
–RT Book Reviews, 4 Stars

“The Midnight Trilogy has reached its third book, and the action only gets more perilous while heightened passions between the hero and heroine continue to rise with each new scene. Cynthia Eden has compiled a marvelous cast of characters whose fascinating lives will draw you into every captivatingly revealing detail.”–Amelia of Sensual, 5 Stars

Please help me welcome Cynthia Eden!

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1) What kind of books do you love to read and how do those stories impact your own writing?
I love sexy, dark romances. The darker, the better.  Those books are usually my reward reads. Once I finish working on a manuscript or I meet my page goals, I get to read my books. And how do they impact me? Well, they inspire me. They challenge me—they make me want to write more!

2) What are you working on presently? What about upcoming releases?
I am just finishing up the third book in my upcoming “Deadly” romantic suspense series for Grand Central. The series will be released next summer (June, July, and August), starting with DEADLY FEAR. I’ve been writing these 3 books for the last six months, so when my husband asks me what I’m thinking about, my answer (for a while!) has been, “Killers.”

3) What’s the best compliment you ever got on your writing or book(s)?
I’ve had readers email me and tell me that my books kept them up until 1 a.m. (or 4 a.m.!)—and that just thrilled me. To know that my work involved someone so much that she went without sleep…there is no greater compliment for me.

4) What’s your writing schedule like?
It’s crazy! I have a three-year-old, so I usually write very late at night, and I don’t go to sleep until I meet my page goals. But then, “Sleep is for the weak” became my mantra after he was born. I know, it’s not a very good—or healthy—mantra, but it’s mine.

5) If you could be one character from any book you’re read or written who would it be and why?
I’d love to be Cara Maloan from MIDNIGHT SINS. She’s a succubus, and she can pretty much control every man she meets. A very hand talent and one I’d like to possess!!

Thanks for interviewing me, Eli!

***

Cynthia is donating a copy of MIDNIGHT’S MASTER to one lucky commenter. To be entered into the random drawing, simply answer this question:

If you could possess one superpower, what would it be and why?

This is a multiple winner post. Sorry I didn’t post these earlier – I was out of town for the weekend and had sporadic internet access.

Okay, here we go…(and in case you were interested, the winners are all picked randomly by a custom random generator at www.mathgoodies.com)

WINNER of the Ankh necklace…
Alice Sharpe!

WINNER of the Leslie Langtry’s I SHOT YOU BABE…
Cathi!

WINNER of Avery Beck’s SEXY BY DESIGN…
Joder!

And finally…

Caroline Fyffe has gratiously offered TWO copies of WHERE THE WIND BLOWS. And the winners are…
Llehn & Emmanuelle!

Winners…email me at elisabeth@elisabethnaughton.com with your snail mail and email addys and I’ll forward your info to the respective authors. Thanks to all for playing along. Be sure to check out the cool prizes this week!

Don’t miss out….Enter!

Today’s guest author is Caroline Fyffe!

Two hearts meant to be together;
One secret bound to rip them apart.

Chase Logan liked being a loner, a drifter, free and clear as amountain stream. But one look into Jessie Strong’s sky blue eyes and in the span of a heartbeat, he found himself agreeing to be her husband-and a father!

Jessie Strong knew it was all pretend. And only temporary. Just until the adoption went through for three-year-old Sarah. But the longer Chase stayed, the less she could imagine a long, lonely Wyoming winter without him. Times may be tough-supplies short and danger just outside the doorstep-but with the strength of the pioneer spirit and the warm glow of love in their herts, Chase and Jessie are determined to have a true family at last, no matter WHERE THE WIND BLOWS.

Welcome, Caroline!!!

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1. What kind of books do you love to read and how do those stories impact your own writing?
As most of you would think, I love reading AND writing historicals, mostly westerns. It’s just my passion. But, years ago, I started a reading binge where I read every—well it felt like it–Native American book I could get my hands on. Fiction and non-fiction. I wish I had retained all that knowledge! LOL That led into my Clan of the Cave Bear days. I read that series and went on looking for other authors who wrote similar stuff. Loved it.

2. What are you working on presently? What about upcoming releases?
Presently I’m finishing up a historical western inspirational (that’s a mouth full). It’s a story of two sisters traveling to a gold mine in the Sierra Nevadas. I grew up in the Placerville area, just minutes from where gold was discovered in Coloma. I worked as a freshman in high school until my senior year in a soda fountain/restaurant, The Sierra Nevada House; in Coloma where we served gold strikes and sluce boxes (huge ice cream creations) It was great fun.

My debut book, WHERE THE WIND BLOWS, will be out possibly by the time this blog is posted. It’s a Lonesome Dove meets Little House on the Prairie story. A friend of mine called today from Okalahoma to let me know it had arrived at B&N there. I checked our area (Lodi, Ca.) and it wasn’t here yet. I’m so excited to actually go to a store and see it among the other novels. That will truly be a dream come true. Dorchester has also purchased my 2007 Golden Heart final manuscript, The McCutcheon’s, which was titled Montana Sky at Dawn at the time, slated for an August 2010 release. Leah says the title will change once again. LOL

3. What’s the best compliment you ever got on your writing or book(s)?
The best compliment I ever received in my writing career was winning the 1999 Golden Heart with my very first manuscript. It was unbelievable. The year before I attended my first RWA conference in Anaheim. Not knowing what to expect I packed something nice for the awards ceremony but when my good friend and roomie saw my outfit she generously offered to lend me one of the two dresses she’d brought. It fit me to a tee and was so beautiful. She gave me some long, drop-down rhinestone earrings to wear and I felt like Cinderella. Then, when I walked inside the ballroom, I was bowled over by the immensity of it. I try not to ever lose that feeling. Then and there I stopped, closed my eyes and asked God to let me be a Golden Heart finalist the next year. Guess what? Wishes do come true. I joked later that I wished I’d asked to let me be a GH finalist AND sell! That took quite a few years longer.

4. What’s your writing schedule like?
I wish I could say I have a concrete writing program.—but that’s not true. When I’m in a good routine I jump out of bed at 4:30, get a cup of coffee, and fire up the computer. My boys are grown and gone so if my hubby doesn’t need me for anything I can write all day. And, I usually do. If I’m at a good spot I can turn out about ten pages.

5. If you could be one character from any book you’re read or written who would it be and why?
Wow, that’s a hard question. I guess it would be Laura Ingalls Wilder. I love that slow, small town feel, loving family and yes, she’s a writer! Perfect. But, there are so many other heroines that I’d love to be also, if I thought long enough, it might be someone different each day.

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Caroline has generously offered a copy of WHERE THE WIND BLOWS to one lucky commenter. To be entered into the drawing, simply answer the following question:

Did you watch Little House on the Prairie? Who was your favorite character…or…what was your favorite episode?

Today’s Saturday Snippet is openings. This is the opening for STOLEN HEAT, which releases NEXT Tuesday, 7/28/09!!!!

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Excerpted from STOLEN HEAT:

Worthington Fine Auction House
Downtown New York City
All things considered, she looked pretty good for a six-year old corpse.

Katherine Meyer checked her reflection in the bathroom mirror one last time and smoothed a few wild strands of hair back from her face. The black slacks and matching jacket were perfect, not one thing about them the slightest bit memorable. No one glancing her direction tonight would ever see anything other than
the professional assistant she resembled, and that was precisely the way she wanted it. The less attention she drew, the safer everyone would be.

Her stomach rolled as she turned down the long hallway. Her sensible flats clicked along the cement floor. Muffled music from the party out front drifted to her ears. Ahead, a security guard looked up from his post at the end of the corridor and gave her the once-over.

She smiled what she hoped was a confident grin as she approached and flashed the I.D. badge she’d lifted from a Worthington’s employee days before. The picture had been digitally altered to match her current disguise—dark brown, bobstyle wig, blue color contacts, tortoiseshell glasses. As long as the man in front of her didn’t look too closely, she was home free.

“Hold up there.”

So much for easy.

The guard stepped from behind the counter, blocking her path, displaying at least six feet, three inches of hulking muscle.

He wore the standard blue uniform, had short-cropped dark hair, was big and brawny and the epitome of the straight-laced no-one gets-by-me-without-a-pass gate keeper.

Kat took a quick breath and glanced at the nametag on the man’s chest—James Johnson—then at his waist where a utility belt held a two-way radio.

No guns. Not that she could see anyway. And as far she was concerned, that was the best news she’d had so far tonight.

“Only authorized personnel past this point,” he said in a gruff voice. “I’ll need to verify your I.D.”

She smiled, unclipped the badge from her jacket and handed it to him with hands she somehow managed to keep from shaking. “Big crowd out there tonight,” she said casually.

Breathe, Kat. Just breathe.

His eyes flicked from the badge up to her face. “What’s your business in the storage room, Ms. Anderson?”

“I’m working with Marsha Griffin, the liaison between Worthington’s and the Odyssey Gallery. Just doing one final walkthrough before Ms. Griffin arrives and the auction begins. You know how anal some of these independent gallery owners can be on their big night.” She rolled her eyes for effect.

“It’s Jim, right?” She reached for the badge before he could study it in-depth again. “We met about two months ago when I was doing work with the Met.”

His brow wrinkled in confusion, like he was having trouble remembering back.

Perfect. Just what she wanted.

She clipped the badge to her jacket again, gave a small smile and did her best to look nonchalant. “How’s your daughter?

Broken arm heal up okay?”

His eyes widened in surprise. It was obvious he was searching his memory for their last conversation. Too bad he wouldn’t find it.

“Uh, yeah.” He scratched the top of his head. “Sarah gets the cast off on Tuesday. How did you—”

“I bet she’s thrilled.” Kat took a step around him and headed for the steel door at his back. Distract, dismay, then detour.

That was her life motto. Or, at least, her new life motto. “Broke my arm when I was seven. Longest six weeks of my life.”

She paused at the door, looked over her shoulder and lifted her brow as she waited.

He stared at her a full second, then gave his head a small shake and turned. “Oh, right. Sorry. You’ll need to sign in first, Ms. Anderson. It’s standard procedure.”
“Sure.” Kat took the clipboard, signed her alias, and waited while he unlocked the door from his station. “Thanks, Jim. I’ll only be a few minutes.”

She eased into the room and closed the door behind her.

Leaning back against the cool metal, she let out a long breath. Her performance had been near-Oscar worthy.

She reached up to wipe her brow. Top-notch acting, but sweating buckets. It was a wonder Jim-the-Sentry hadn’t noticed. One tiny mistake like that could send her to an early grave.

Or late, considering how you looked at it.

Since, legally, Katherine Meyer had died in a car bomb in Egypt, she couldn’t possibly be breaking into one of the most famous auction houses in the world. But here she was. The trick now was simply to stay off everyone’s radar. The trick always was to stay dead.

To Buy STOLEN HEAT Click Here.

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Check out the opening scenes from the works of some of these other authors:

Beth Williamson
Cynthia Eden
Elisabeth Naughton
Eliza Gayle
Jaci Burton
Jody Wallace
Kelly Maher
Lacey Savage
Lauren Dane
Marissa Scott
McKenna Jeffries
Michelle Pillow
Moira Rogers
Sasha White
Shelley Munro
Sylvia Day
Taige Crenshaw
TJ Michaels
Victoria Janssen
Vivian Arend