3 Winners Announced!

Happy Holidays!

I wish all of you and your families a happy, healthy and safe Holiday Season!



Congrats to the three winners of the Thanksgiving Contest! This contest was open only to newsletter subscribers. Because this contest was so popular, the next contest will also have 3 winners and is open to newsletter subscribers. Details will be in the next newsletter scheduled for December 18th, so join the yahoo newsletter list so you can enter! (Just send an email to: Sally_Painter_Paranormal_Books-subscribe@yahoogroups.com that's all )


The entrants for the Thanksgiving Newsletter Contest had to respond to the following scenario:

A demon has marked you for its own. You now have a red aura emitting around your body that lets other demons know you're taken, but you're not going quietly. You must hide from demons. What are the three things you must do or take with you to ensure you survive? Be creative.

Prizes: 3 autographed books awarded: 1 book to 1 winner: Reunited, Book 1 of Gargoyles Seduced, Midnight Treat, featuring To Kiss a Gargoyle and TTGBITN VI, featuring Dream Lovers of Gargoyle Castle.

Here are the winners' responses (all of the answers were fun and creative, so I'm glad it was a random drawing because it would have been impossible to pick from such great creative responses.

Gayle O. Won Reunited:
1. I would drink a lot of Blue Hawaiians to change my aura to purple
(red +blue = purple). They would then think I was royalty and not
Bother or harm me.
2. I would have a shotgun with plenty of silver bullets to shot them
In the head. Hey, it works for Zombies so it must be worth a try.
3. I would take my set of encyclopedias and read from them incessantly
Creating my own demon filibuster. Hopefully the sound of my monotone
Voice going on and on and on will bore them to death, put them to
Sleep or have them leave me alone as they don't want to hear my voice
Going on and on and on for hours on end. :)

Maggie J. Won TTGBITN VI:

1. Go to the beauty salon. Must look my best when on the run.
2. Whip
3. Lots of chocolate















Crystal B. Won Midnight Treat:

1. A magic cloak to cover me and hide my aura
2. A sword blessed by a priest
3. A Blackberry with all loyal contacts on speed dial to help me battle the demons

Big Hugs and Congrats to the winners and to everyone who entered!

$25 Amazon Gift Cert Winner and Next Contest!

Congrats to Pamela S., who won my Halloween $25 Amazon Gift Certificate. Pamela emailed me today that she'd already used the gift certificate! Thank you all who entered. I enjoyed reading your entries and comments. You're such great fun!

The next contest for November is a Thanksgiving Contest that will have 3 winners. I'm giving away 3 autographed books:


Reunited


Midnight Treat


TTGBITN VI

Contest Scenario
You've been marked by a demon and bear the red aura for all demons to see. It's just a matter of time before the demon claims you. You're on the run.

What are the 3 things you take with you or do?

Details on how to enter are in the Current Contest File Folder in my newsletter yahoo group. If you aren't currently a subscriber, you can easily join by sending an email

*This contest is open only to my newsletter subscribers as a holiday treat.

Dream Lovers of Gargoyle Castle

I'm thrilled that EC has repurposed Dream Lovers of Gargoyle Castle into a single title. It's great to have the fantastic Syneca cover for one of my first gargoyle books.

To celebrate, I'm holding a contest on my website http://sallypainter.com for a $25 Amazon Gift Certificate. The contest ends at midnight October 31 and the winner will be announced on November 1.

Oh, and The Halloween Newsletter is up and if you wish to join the yahoo newsletter list, (Sally_Painter_Paranormal_Books-subscribe@yahoogroups.com ) it's very low volume with only announcements and a newsletter every 2-3 months. Some of the contests that I've run in the past have been strictly for the yahoo group, so you may wish to hang out and see what's happening for the rest of the year and the big plans for 2010 sign up.



Below is an excerpt for your reading pleasure. Have a great Monday!

An Excerpt From: DREAM LOVERS OF GARGOYLE CASTLE
Copyright © SALLY PAINTER, 2006
All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave Publishing, Inc.

He led her down a hall and paused in front of a door. The air was electric. Keenly aware of his body so close to her, Tessa panted, trying to refrain from reaching down and grabbing his shaft between her hands.

“I have prepared a nice retreat for us.” He opened the door. Candles flickered in the dark room, giving an instant rush of warmth and romantic glow. Before she could comment, he shoved the door closed and gathered her into his arms.

Demanding lips covered hers. He tasted strong, virile and hot. Oh, so hot and ready. His thick cock pressed against her abdomen and large arms ribboned with powerful muscles encased her. The need to feel him inside her blazed white-hot. He was like a rock of male flesh against her tender breasts. Big hands were everywhere, grasping her buttocks, massaging her breasts then plunging beneath the gown to squeeze tender nipples hard.

She moved her lips over his and opened her mouth to taste him fully. Thrusting his tongue inside, he captured hers in a frenetic twisting and curling. Her mind burst with all kinds of longings and fantasies. He would do whatever she asked, after all it was her dream. Long, powerful fingers threaded into her hair as he pulled her head back to receive the rapid plunging of his tongue into her mouth. Electrical pulses streaked to her clit sending the need for relief racing up her spine in jagged, fiery streaks.

“I knew ye would be mine from the first moment I saw ye. I’ve waited for someone all these years and it was ye,” he said and lifted her from the floor, taking long strides across the room to gently lay her onto silky linens. The cool material greeted her but quickly warmed. His eyes reflected the fire scorching inside her.

“This feels so real. It’s the best dream I’ve ever had.”

“I will be the best lover ye ever had, Tessa.” He splayed his hand over her gown, letting his fingers massage her abdomen.

“I-I definitely want you to prove that to me, right now.” She reached around his muscular thighs and cupped his firm buttocks. The contact of his flesh under her fingers sent wild streaks of need pulsing harder to her groin. She wanted to feel him inside her.

He supported himself with both hands planted on either side of her head. His hard cock brushed her thigh.

“Spread yer legs,” he said in a deep husky voice that melted her into a mindless creature with only one thought, to do whatever he asked. “I want to see yer sweet pussy.”

Fire blazed through her. Trembling, she lifted her legs slightly, parting them.

A low appreciative groan vibrated from him.

“Now, remove yer gown,” he commanded.

Again, she did as he ordered with her fingers slipping against the material. Tightening the grasp, Tessa pulled the gown over her head and let it drop forgotten on the bed.

“Yes,” he said with his fiery breath fanning over her stomach. “Oh yes, ye are most pleasing.” He shifted and pushed her thighs wider apart and let his gaze move slowly over her. Waves of heat washed tender splotches over her following the path of his deliberate regard.

“Ye are indeed a gorgeous woman, Tessa, and I intend to make ye my woman.” He lowered his mouth to her shaved pussy, slipping his tongue inside the mounded crease. She moaned, luxuriating in the flicking motion against the tender flesh. His tongue pressed against the aching throb and flickered against her clit. She moaned, moving her hips to thrust against the building sensations. His tongue darted around her swollen nub, teasing against the hood of her pussy. He caught the folds between his lips in a slow kiss, sucked and tugged against her. The sensation made her wild and Tessa released a deep moan, wiggling under his expertise. Incited by her reaction, he plunged his tongue between the fleshy mounds once more and lashed against her clit harder and faster.

Undulating beneath the teasing, she matched the erotic rhythm. Her body tingled with a need greater than any she’d ever felt. When his hand trailed along her waist and to her breasts, her breath rushed from her in expectation. He closed his thumb and forefinger around the tip and squeezed. She gasped against the intense pleasure streaking to her clit. He released the nipple, only to squeeze a little harder, all the while flicking his tongue faster against her clit.

She twisted under the delightful flames lashing against her pussy. A fierce need roiled in her. His other hand trailed down to her leg and joined his mouth against her pussy where he slipped one finger into her, then another. She groaned under the added sensation of thrusting fingers as he finger-fucked her while flicking his tongue harder. His fingers plunged deeper, drawing her breath from her with each thrust. Cascades of pleasure and heat pulsed through her and up her spine, building upon each new wave of pleasure. The rhythm grew and she lifted her hips to meet it, rising higher with each scorching wave until ecstasy burst in shards of hot release. She shuddered and cried out, molten sensations carrying her deeper in wave after wave of orgasmic spasms.

He sucked against the rush of her juices flowing from her opening and eased his fingers from her pussy. He traced circles around her throbbing clit and the walls of her pussy clamped closed and opened again around his fingers.

“Aye, ye are a comely lass.” His words were muffled as he buried his head between her legs to lick her pulsing clit once more. “Let’s have ye on yer sweet stomach, shall we?”

You can also read:
EC excerpt
Sally's Website Excerpt

Free Book - Danu, the Return

I'm thrilled to offer readers another FREE READ from EC. This is part of The Hussies series. Be sure and let me know how you enjoy it! And, thank you all for being such loyal readers!

The story:

Danu has one weakness—hot, sexy dragon-hunter Ragna. As leader of the Hussy Warrior Hunters, she reaped eternity with him in the Netherworld—until now.

Destiny calls Danu back to Earth—alone. Torn between her sacred duty and her lover, Danu agonizes over losing Ragna forever. Strong, fearless Ragna makes her mindless with desire, and each time he touches her, Danu melts. Ragna is powerless to stop her from being ripped from his arms. His last words ring in her ears… He’ll find a way to return to her.

Get your FREE COPY

FREE BOOK - Not Just an Orgy

NEW BOOK RELEASE TODAY!

Here's another free book read as my way of saying THANK YOU for being such loyal readers!

NOT JUST AN ORGY

Alexia was in trouble the moment Haden Tate kissed her. The months trying to gain access to him had been worth it. His passion overwhelms her and Alexia's plans come undone in a moment of lust. Desire burns her to her toes and her resolve to remain unemotional about the handsome man and his secret sex club melts under his possession.

Haden is hiding more than a private voyeur club within the walls of his Savannah nightclub. He's protecting a darker secret and if this sexy bombshell reporter doesn't stop teasing him, he may just reveal the naked truth to her.

Title: Not Just an Orgy
Genre: Paranormal
Publisher: Ellora's Cave
ISBN: 9990100000060 Ebook (Digital)
Publication Date: April 20, 2009

By reading any further, you are stating that you are at least 18 years of age. If you are under the age of 18, it is necessary to exit this site.
An Excerpt From: NOT JUST AN ORGYCopyright © SALLY PAINTER, 2009
All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave Publishing, Inc.

Alexia Wrightman knew she was in trouble the moment Haden Tate's demanding lips touched hers. Her pulse throbbed. She had to remind herself to stay focused on the reason she was there. It had taken three months to charm him into this date. Every night during those months she'd pretended to be a thrill-seeker determined to be his next most-willing conquest.

And here she finally stood on the precipice of uncovering the truth about the club, River Rat, and its rumored private room, and all she could think about was how good he tasted—a hint of wine mingled with spicy hot. She wanted more. Excitement pounded through her, yet it wasn't because she was so close to landing the biggest story of the century. The tingling sensations racing down her back were because of the man. Not his naughty secret.

She tugged from his kiss, gasping for air. The last thing she wanted to do was sabotage herself by allowing this sexy man to distract her beyond all reason. And the way he kissed…such firm soft lips…

Focus! The mission was to ferret out the rumor of a mysterious secret room called The Sanctuary where he held private orgies. Only a handful of nightclub patrons were invited to enter and tonight she'd just become one of the lucky few. She was alone with Haden. The man of her dreams. The man she'd wanted for her own ever since she'd first seen him months ago. The mysterious club owner who could have any woman he wanted and he'd chosen her.

"Don't you like kissing me?" he asked, and tilted her chin to receive another one.

Firm lips covered hers. Groaning, Haden trailed his fingers down the column of her neck, dipping over the exposed mounds of her breasts. His touch scorched her flesh and her breath caught in her throat as he fingered the bodice edge of her dress. She sensed his longing to plunge his hand beneath the silk and tease her nipples into hardened buds, and held her breath, waiting…

Anticipation trembled all the way to her toes. She was on fire and rubbed against him, writhing under the excited pulses throbbing to her clit. Her nipples ached for his touch and when his fingers finally brushed over the silk bodice, her heart slammed against her chest. A low moan vibrated in her throat. He stroked her, rubbing his thumb in circles to tease her nipples. A streak of pleasure shot to her clit.

Alexia broke from the kiss again and her head fell back against the steel door. She was tempted to remove the rhinestone barrette from her hair and end this charade, but the hair clamp concealing the mini-spy cam was her only protection should things get out of control. She wondered what her cohort Ollie Underwait was able to see through the scope of the lens. Right now, probably the ceiling.

Haden pressed kisses over her cheek, working his way down her neck to the cleavage of her breasts rising above the bodice. She didn't look down, not wanting her best friend on the other end of the hidden camera to witness her succumbing to Haden's skillful seduction. She was lost in a riot of delightful sensations.

Her fingers caressed his strong muscled back beneath the crisp dress shirt. All concerns about Ollie vanished. All desire to prove her journalistic skills seemed unimportant. She nuzzled Haden and he lifted his head. At that moment she only cared that her wildest fantasy was coming true.

"Haden," she panted, and he stopped kissing the fleshy mounds and straightened.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered in a deep silky voice that made wet heat dampen her panties. His brown eyes darkened with desire and fire lashed at her throat. He leaned down to kiss her and she was lost once more. His tongue teased her lips open and slipped between them inside her mouth. God he felt so good. She combed her fingers through his black hair, marveling how soft it felt.

Not Just an Orgy (FREE BOOK)

Thanks and I hope you enjoy it!

Sally:)

Let's go Sexploring!

This month Nadine (Dini) Summers bursts upon the scene in the third book of the Sexplorations series. Only a week after its release its already garnering great reviews:

"MY FISHNET FETISH is just as wonderful as the first two books in the SEXPLORATIONS series. The friendship between Fenny, Dee and Dini is just as vital as the budding relationship between Dini and Jonas. The conversations between the women are simply delightful with phrases that are laugh out loud funny and leave a vivid image in your imagination. I could completely understand Dini’s reasoning for her outlook on sexual relationships and just how hard Jonas would have to work to change her mind. This is one of those rare stories, and series for that matter, that is an honest to goodness pleasure to read and certainly worthy of adding to the keeper shelf. Sahara Kelly and Ciana Stone have certainly pulled out all the stops and brought their wacky personalities to the forefront for this series – and I’m so thrilled to have had the opportunity to get to know these characters through the authors’ eyes. " - Romance Junkies

If you haven't gotten your copy yet, you're missing out on a laugh-out-loud, sizzling tale! Do pay a visit to the Sexplorations site where each month we have a new contest running.

And maybe it's time to think of having a little Sexploration of your own:)

Happy Weekend!!
Ci

Music to romance by

Looking for the perfect romantic music for your candlelit dinner or to share a glass of wine at sunset? Try the Second Movement of Bach's Double Violin Concerto in D Minor.

Yes, it's a mouthful, but well worth the effort to locate this piece.

String orchestras are some of the most romantic musical instruments, especially violins when playing a movement like this one. The two violas compete with each other like two lovers desperate to let the other know, "I love you".

While most musicians will tell you the construction of this piece is an excellent example of a technical composition known as counterpoint, you don't have to know anything about music in order to appreciate its beauty. It'll carry you to emotional highs that are a perfect backdrop for a romantic evening.

Still, if you're curious, it might make good table conversation to know a little about the piece. The technique, counterpoint, focuses on two instruments or sections of the orchestra playing different melodies in a kind of duel - note against note. Each violin's melody is independent of the other yet when played together, they fit. The two harmonize and blend into a wonderful bigger sound that is exciting and breathless.

As you listen to the building of the melody, the strings wail with heartfelt emotion and rise almost to a crescendo only to fall back into the melancholic rhythm gradually rising once more.

So set your table, light those candles and enjoy this piece while dining, knowing you're setting the perfect romantic mood.

Wallis Simpson and King James VIII

Best romantic couples countdown - # 44

Wallis Simpson was an American socialite and married the former King of England. It was a love affair that caused great upheaval. Rumored to be lovers while she was still married to her third husband, Wallis divorced her husband when Prince Edward ascended to the throne in 1936.

The new King of England proposed to her, but there was such an outcry within the royal court because she’d been divorced two times and both ex-husbands were still alive. Gossip and whispers surrounded the love affair and engagement and escalated to the point where King Edward had to choose between his love for Wallis or his duty as King.

On December 11, 1936 it shocked the world when King Edward VIII announced that he was abdicating the throne to “marry the woman I love”.

The controversy their relationship caused didn’t stop there. Rumors followed them wherever they went with rumors about their loyalties to the crown throughout World War II and long after. They were married for 36 years until Edward died in1972.

Kiss me baby!

We all do it. Love it. Enjoy it. We all remember the first time we did it - Kissed a lover.

Scientists believe that the biological process and motivation of kissing is more than just an attraction or a chemical response. It's all about taste testing. A kiss can help you determine if the recipient is a good match for your life partner. So what does the taste test tell you?

There are many subconscious messages been transmitted to each of you when your lips meet that first time, but there are more conscious messages being processed and evaluated.

It's a known fact that if your romance is escalating and moving to the next stage, the first kiss is going to determine if you keep going or if everything comes to a screeching halt with the sound effect of a needle scratching across an old vinyl record echoing in your head.

Many wonderful romances have been doomed by a bad first kiss. Chances are if that first kiss doesn't curl your toes, you aren't going to grant a do-over. No second chances with the first kiss because you've got all the information you need to make that decision.

So will being a good kisser help you in this taste test? Surprisingly, this is one time practice and expertise doesn't mean much.

The first criteria is to put your heart into it. You can't just kiss someone without genuine emotion and expect your partner not to sense it. Kissing should be fun and exciting. It should set your heart pounding and your senses tingling. If the chemistry isn't there, no amount of kissing techniques can change it.

On the flipside, if that first kiss spark ignites a wildfire, then you're on to more great kisses and romantic moments with your newfound love.

So pucker up those lips and get ready to taste test romance..

Internet Romance Gone Bad

You’ve heard stories of successful internet romances and then there are the horror stories of deception and in some cases tragedy.

How can you avoid this kind of incident to your internet romance?

It’s easy for people to disguise themselves over the internet. It’s not a unique story of a woman flying to meet a man. She's out of her own territory and trapped.

What can you do to assure this scenario doesn’t happen to you?... Read rest of Article

Free Book - Lap Dance

Cat’s last task in the Extreme Challenge is to give a lap dance to a stranger. Simple—until she landed on Grant Evanston’s lap. Now she’s a pulsating wreck each time she rubs against him. The new challenge is to not have an orgasm in front of everyone.

Grant needs a woman to accept his true gargoyle form before sunrise or he’ll be imprisoned in stone for another twenty years. His extreme challenge just became to not rip the scant costume from the curvaceous Cat. The sexy redhead has set him on fire and there’s only one way this teasing lap dance can end.

EXCERPT

Stiffening her spine, Cat took a deep breath, before turning back to the handsome man still watching her. His blue eyes were like magnets and latched onto her gaze.

The crowd clapped when she returned and sexy Grant opened his arms wide in a greeting.

“Come on, Cat, I’ll be good. I promise,” he said, giving her a wicked grin.

She closed her eyes. This was the most humiliating challenge yet. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes to the knowing look moving over his handsome face.

“This is not personal,” she said.

“Wanna bet?” he asked with a deep chuckle.

She shook her head and straddled him, letting her bare legs fall against his thighs. He released a deep groan.

Did he have to do that? Her heart pounded faster. She locked trembling hands behind his neck. Well, damn, his neck was like a thick piece of human steel. What did this guy do for a living? Or was he one of those body-builder types?

Her palms were clammy and the nightclub seemed to close in around her. The shouts and cheers were deafening as she rolled her head forward and let her long hair cover his face.

She couldn’t think about how she was sitting on a stranger’s lap about to grind her pussy into… She swallowed hard. Was that…oh yes…it certainly was an erection. She lifted her head, peering at him through strands of curls. He shrugged and a slanted grin lifted one corner of his lips.

Oh, he had no shame or modesty. She closed her eyes, refusing to look at him again and started to grind against him. The last thing she wanted to see was that satisfied grin or the excitement dancing in his eyes.

Get Your Free Copy of Lap Dance

Fae's Gargoyle - Top Pick!

The reviews are coming in for Fae's Gargoyle. Below are some snippets:


"Fae’s Gargoyle will sweep you up in erotic passion as the plot quickly pulls you into the dilemma that faces the destined lovers. The characters develop with each page to give you a well-rounded romance that sizzles and leaves you burning for more of Ms. Painter’s sexy gargoyle stories. Fae’s Gargoyle is a great read and a satisfying quickie..." Night Owl Romance

~~~~~

"Fae’s Gargoyle is like a smooth, rich square of silky chocolate; deeply satisfying, incredibly decadent and completely delicious. This one is sure to have existing fans whooping in joy and sure to create new fans in just a few pages. Ms. Painter is proving to be quite the force in erotic romance writing." Sensual eCataromance

~~~~~

"This erotic fantasy will keep you flushed and fanning yourself, as the newlyweds enjoy each other. The sensuality shared between them can only hold danger off for so long; soon trouble comes knocking on the door. Maria has to complete her mission which happens to include her new husband.

Even though this is a petite fable, it is savory. It is everything you would expect in a longer novel only compressed. The vivid writing will make you feel every caress and penetrating kiss." Bitten By Books

~~~~~

"Sally Painter writes passionate full-bodied whimsical stories that never fail to thrill readers. With FAE'S GARGOYLE we meet this unlikely pair (a fae and a gargoyle) who despite their differences and the troubling situation love with a single-mindedness that is simply enchanting. Of course there's plenty of conflict and butt kicking..." Romance Junkies

Fae's Gargoyle available at Ellora's Cave, Jasmine-Jade

Science takes the heart out of romance

You feel giddy, flushed and unable to think about anyone but your lover. You’re in love and it’s all coming from your heart.

Wrong.

According to neuroscientist researchers it’s actually coming from your head. Science can now explain how romantic love really works and it’s all about hormones, genetics and of course the big processor – our brains.

According to these researchers it all takes place in four little areas of your brain. In other words, it depends on how you’re wired as to how you respond to love and romance.

Another disheartening find for die-hard romantics is that the emotion that love creates is really a chemical response that basically makes you addicted to love. Oh yeah, you already knew love was addictive, but now you have the science to back up your suspicions.

Does this explain why people die for love or even kill for it? Are we truly slaves to nothing more than chemical reactions?

Whether you’re madly in love or horribly heartbroken, it’s still just a chemical reaction that these scientists compare to a cocaine addiction.

So what next? A new drug to give you the same feelings of being in love when you aren’t?

Maybe you’re like the rest of us romantics and simply prefer not to think about the science but just enjoy the way love feels.









For more info: Sally's books are Romantica™ fiction and can be purchased directly from her publisher .

How well do you know your Valentine?

Surprising, many surveys reveal that women know their men better than the guys know their gals. Okay, maybe you’re laughing about now because you already knew this. What would be the results of your personal survey ?

The following questions will help you determine just how well you know each other.Be sure and get your Valentine to answer the questions too.

You can highlight the questions and then print two copies for each of you. The first will be your answers about your lover and the second will be the answers about yourself. Once finished, swap papers and compare notes. Be sure and leave a comment on how you did.

What is your lover’s…

1. Ideal romantic weekend?
   
   
2. Favorite gift to receive on Valentine’s Day?
   


3. Hobbies?
   


4. Favorite school year?
   


5. Favorite musical group?
   


6. Dream car?
   


7. Favorite color?
   


8. Best friend’s name?
   


9. Deepest passion?
   


10. Cherished dream?
    


11. Biggest challenge overcome?
    


12. Favorite book?
    


13. Shoe size and clothing sizes?
    


14. Ring size?
    


15. Least favorite thing to do?
    


16. Favorite food?
    


17. Worst memory?
    


18. Biggest fear?
    


19. Closest relative?
    


20. Biggest challenge facing him/her?
    

Ready for Romance - Valentine's Day Gift

It's not too early to start planning for your evening of romance. What makes Valentine's Day so special?

Some people think it's because of the excuse to get dressed up to go out with your most beloved while some think it's just a commercial excuse to get you to spend more money.

I prefer to think of it as the first reason. I've had many special Valentine's Day romantic evenings and weekends that were pure fantasy and abundant in romance. Attitude seems to be the determining factor of whether you have a wonderful Valentine's or if you become a jaded valentine. Sniff. Isn't that the way it is with most things romantic? It's all about your attitude and how you feel about the person you are with. If you're in love then you probably jump at any chance to show your lover how you feel. Valentine's Day is the perfect excuse even for those who have a difficult time expressing their feelings.

Whatever you do to celebrate this special day with your special someone, remember that it's not so much what you do but that you take the time to spend it with your lover. Those moments all add up and create a strong basis for your relationship for the times when those bonds will be tested in the future. Cherishing each other is something each of us needs to take the time to do. Romance is not just for special days of love's celebration. Romance is for every day.

Gifts are things we give to show others that we appreciate them and care. I'm participating in the Ellora's Cave's new FREE READS called Naughty Nooners launches February 16, and one of my free reads, LAP DANCE will be given away starting on that day. I hope you'll enjoy it. Be sure and drop me an email and let me know what you think about it!

Here’s a little teaser:

“That’s it, now grind your hips,” Cat Ramey’s best friend coached her.

“Grind my hips? Are you crazy? I haven’t even sat down in his lap, yet.”

The man sitting in the chair laughed. It was a deep baritone sound that reminded her of warm sultry nights. She’d introduced herself after Pam had approached him to participate in their video.

She felt his stare moving over her and regretted letting Pam talk her into the provocative skimpy costume. Stiffening her spine, Cat met his dark gaze. Her pulse spiked.

“Get on with it, will you?” Pam whispered.

She turned to her best friend. “You have no idea how silly I feel, Pam. “I’m never going to be able to do this.” She turned to leave.

“Dammit, Cat.” Pam grabbed her by the forearm. “You want to win the contest or not?”

Her friend dragged her over to the alcove near the bar, her brown eyes narrowing into an angry squint.

She’d hated that look ever since the first time she’d seen it in kindergarten.

“You’ve accomplished four of the challenges. This is the last one and you have to do a better job than anyone else to ensure you win. You have to put your heart into this.Pretend he’s your boyfriend. I don’t care what you have to do to make it real, but make it real.”

She glanced back. The nightclub was loud. The dimly lit club was filled with brilliant, strobe light, colors flashing around them. “I can’t do this. People are gathering around―”

“Yeah, it’s a club where lap dances are done. Duh! Come on, you’ve come too far to give up now.

Think about how much you want to go back to college. You can become the doctor you were going to be before your mom…well, you were a good daughter, Cat. You quit to take care of her. Now it’s your time. Stay focused on the prize and what it means to you. You’re going to win the car so you can get back to your classes. So suck it up and sit in that guy’s lap.”

“Grant,” Cat said. “His name is Grant Evanston.”

“Whatever, go lap dance your heart out just the way you practiced.”

Stiffening her spine, Cat took a deep breath, before turning back to the handsome man still watching her. His blue eyes were like magnets and latched onto her gaze.

The crowd clapped when she returned and sexy Grant opened his arms wide in a greeting.
“Come on, Cat, I’ll be good. I promise,” he said, giving her a wicked grin.

She closed her eyes. This was the most humiliating challenge yet. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes to the knowing look moving over his handsome face.

“This is not personal,” she said.

“Wanna bet?” he asked with a deep chuckle.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Fun With Condoms

Make sure the kids aren't looking over your shoulder when you watch this. LOL!

Male sexual sweat - women's brains recognize

Below is the press release sent to me that I found very interesting. I hope you do too:

New study by Rice University psychologist finds women's brains recognize, encode smell of male sexual sweat

Rice University
Office of Public Affairs / News & Media Relations

News Release

HOUSTON -- (Jan. 8, 2009) -- A new Rice University study published in the Journal of Neuroscience found that socioemotional meanings, including sexual ones, are conveyed in human sweat.

Denise Chen, assistant professor of psychology at Rice, looked at how the brains of female volunteers processed and encoded the smell of sexual sweat from men. The results of the experiment indicated the brain recognizes chemosensory communication, including human sexual sweat.

Scientists have long known that animals use scent to communicate.

Chen's study represents an effort to expand knowledge of how humans’ sense of smell complement their more powerful senses of sight and hearing.

The experiment directly studied natural human sexual sweat using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Nineteen healthy female subjects inhaled olfactory stimuli from four sources, one of which was sweat gathered from sexually aroused males.

The research showed that several parts of the brain are involved in processing the emotional value of the olfactory information. These include the right fusiform region, the right orbitofrontal cortex and the right hypothalamus.

"With the exception of the hypothalamus, neither the orbitofrontal cortex nor the fusiform region is considered to be associated with sexual motivation and behavior," Chen said. "Our results imply that the chemosensory information from natural human sexual sweat is encoded more holistically in the brain rather than specifically for its sexual quality."

Humans are evolved to respond to salient socioemotional information.

Distinctive neural mechanisms underlie the processing of emotions in facial and vocal expressions. The findings help explain the neural mechanism for human social chemosignals.

The understanding of human smell at the neural level is still at the beginning stage. The present work is the first fMRI study of human social chemosignals.

The research, co-authored by Chen and Wen Zhou, graduate student in the Psychology Department, appeared in the December 31 issue of Journal of Neuroscience.

The research was supported in part by the National Institutes of Health.


Who Knew?
Located in Houston, Rice University is consistently ranked one of America's best teaching and research universities. Known for its "unconventional wisdom," Rice is distinguished by its: size -- 3,001 undergraduates and 2,144 graduate students; selectivity --12 applicants for each place in the freshman class; resources -- an undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5-to-1; sixth largest endowment per student among American private research universities; residential college system, which builds communities that are both close-knit and diverse; and collaborative culture, which crosses disciplines, integrates teaching and research, and intermingles undergraduate and graduate work.