So much for my big cover reveal plan! I discovered All Messed Up is already up for pre-order so the cover's already been revealed, lol! Anyway, here it is...and the blurb and pre-order links!

If he’s a mistake, she’s ready to make him her favorite mistake.

Windy City Kink, Book 2

Mallory Hurst has tried to live a life that makes up for past mistakes. But now she faces a huge ethical dilemma. Her pharmaceutical company’s unapproved, off-label use of a medication puts lives at risk, and her protests have fallen on deaf ears.

Hoping a trip home will clear her head, she boards a plane for California. And strikes up a conversation with a handsome stranger.

Joe Mason recently learned that the man he’s called father all his life…isn’t. At least that explains why he never measured up to his older brothers. Flying to meet his biological father for the first time, he meets a sleek, sexy woman who makes him want to mess up her perfect hair.

Shared conversation leads to a shared drink between flights, then when their flight is canceled, a shared bed overnight—where their rush of attraction explodes into a night of much-needed kinky fun.

Yet a night of hot, messy sex won’t fix anything—in fact, blowing off steam could have blown their lives all to hell…

Warning: Contains a hot cop, a neat and tidy executive, dirty talk, kink in an airport, mile-high shenanigans, a little foot fetish fun. And love, of course.

Amazon 
B&N 
Kobo


 

I'm having a giveaway this week - since I now have print copies of all three books in the San Amaro Singles series:  With Strings Attached, How to Love and Slammed.

I'm giving away two sets of the series. You can enter on my Facebook page or by commenting here! I'll include any comments from here in the draw. Winners to be drawn Friday July 25!

To enter, answer this question:

Would you rather...

Swim
Surf
Climb a mountain
Lie on the beach

Throughout the week I'll also be introducing you the heroes of all three books - Matt, Carlos, Mike and Dylan ...

First up ...Matt Ferber from With Strings Attached:

Matt is a great guy. He owns a brew pub where the locals hang out. He enjoys tending bar and talking to everyone. He has lots of friends, and likes to help them and look after his mom and his sisters. Everyone likes him -- although his ex girlfriend left because he was "boring". He thinks women want to be "just friends" with him (he's wrong). His best friend (with benefits) is Corey. She knows that everyone sees Matt as a friendly, easy going guy--but in bed, he's super sexy, a little kinky and likes to take charge...

 

So you know those cute warnings Samhain books have at the end of the blurb? Here’s the first one I wrote for Reward of Three:

“Warning: This is not a romance, as in, two (or even three) people falling in love. Also, this is not a full-length novel. This novella contains three people in a committed relationship, love and laughter, sorrow and anger, and hot and sweet M/M/F sex.”

My editor nixed that version because it sounded like I was anticipating snarky reviews the book would get. Which I totally was! So it’s not surprising to me to see comments about Reward of Three from readers surprised that this book isn’t a romance. Hello? It’s the third book in a series about three people in a committed ménage à trois relationship—why would anyone think this is going to be a typical “romance”  - as in boy-meets-girl, they fall in love, HEA kind of romance?

It is a love story—as I said, about three people in a relationship where things go wrong and they make mistakes and almost lose their way…but find each other again.

Also, this story deals with a really difficult scenario that many couples can relate to. Some readers might not enjoy reading the story because of that, if it brings back too many memories. I’ve heard from other readers, though, that they enjoyed the book because they could relate to what the characters are going through.

Also, not every couple who experiences this tragedy has a “happily ever after” ending like Reward of Three does. And I truly feel for those couples. Real life doesn’t always have happy endings. In real life, the people we love don’t always love us back. In real life, we make mistakes and sometimes we can’t fix them. That’s why I love reading and writing romance—because we know there will be a HEA.

 

Of course everyone experiences tragedy differently and I totally respect that, and I totally respect anyone who might choose not to read Reward of Three for that reason. But although a certain subject matter in a book might trigger painful feelings for some readers -- that doesn’t mean it's not a good story.

Here's the official warning for Reward of Three: :-)

Warning: Our sexy threesome is back for their happy ending. Keep extra tissues on hand for tears, a fan on standby for hot sex, and a post-it note to remind you to take a deep breath. It’s time to find out if the juice is really worth the squeeze.

So hey, I'm in Chicago, where all the Rule of Three books are set. I've been exploring places that are in the book. Saturday afternoon I was at the Oak Street Beach. Remember this scene from Rule of Three:

The next afternoon, Dag met Chris and Kassidy at the beach, lazing away a sunny June Sunday on the shore of Lake Michigan, people watching, but mostly watching each other, Kassidy in a tiny bikini that exposed maximum flesh to the sun for it to turn it a deep golden hue, gleaming with the sunscreen Dag and Chris helped her apply with tantalizing strokes of both their hands.

This is where that took place:

On Sunday, we went to a White Sox game. In Rule of Three, Chris and Dag go to a Cubs game (the Cubs are away while we're her) but  here's a snippet from Rule of Three when Chris and Dag go to the Cubs game...

Chris and Dag walked in, bringing the smell of fresh air and sunshine with them. Their eyes sparkled, their faces were tanned from sitting in the sun all afternoon at Wrigley Field and they looked like they’d been laughing.

“Hey, sweetheart, sorry we’re late,” Chris said, hugging her and kissing her mouth. He smelled like beer. Not obnoxiously, like he was drunk, just as if he’d had a few.

“It’s my fault,” Dag said from behind him, and she met his sexy dark eyes. Once again that little current of electricity jolted her as their eyes met and held. “These are for you.”

He held out a cellophane cone full of pale pink and fuchsia gerbera daisies, all bright and cheery. She’d been ready to be annoyed, but the sweet gesture softened her up, even though she totally recognized it as sucking up.

“Thank you.” She moved to take them from him. He opened his arms for a hug. She hesitated. For some reason she did not want to touch him. But she moved toward him anyway and gave him one of those superficial, barely touching hugs you give a near-stranger or an uncle you haven’t seen for years.

But that wasn’t good enough for him, and he pulled her in and gave her a quick squeeze that pressed her breasts into his chest and sent fire licking over her. It was over in a second but she had to swallow and clasp her hands tightly around the flowers. She focused on them instead of Dag.

“They’re beautiful,” she said. “I love them.”

Dag smiled, his dark eyes crinkling and warm. Both he and Chris were bright-eyed and suntanned and happy, and her heart swelled at seeing Chris so relaxed and cheerful. A surge of gratitude toward Dag rose inside her, gratitude for coming back to see his old friend, for bringing such a smile to his face and a sparkle to his eyes. Not that Chris had been miserable. She just knew this meant a lot to him. So she sent a warm smile Dag’s way, and once again their gazes hooked together and hung there, suspended, as if she couldn’t look away.

And Monday all the pretty little patio restaurants reminded me of this scene from Rule of Three. This lunch that Dag and Kassidy had is the first time they spent alone together...Dag's talking about his idea for a new business venture and getting to know Kassidy,and we have a tiny foreshadowing of things to come in Reward of Three...

Their lunches arrived and they ate as they continued talking, asking each other questions and throwing out suggestions, and the interest and excitement built inside her as if she’d caught it from him like a virus. A good virus.

“So, that’s what you want to spend your money on?” she finally asked.

He smiled. “Well. I haven’t decided for sure. I didn’t plan to start off right on the ground floor with something, I was kind of looking for something already established that I could invest in. But man, I’m pumped about this.”

“It’s a lot of work.”

“Yeah. But I think I have enough connections that I can find the people I need.” He lifted a brow. “Wanna come work for me, Kassidy?”

Her mouth fell open and she stared across the table at him.







“Are you serious?” she asked, blinking rapidly at him.

He laughed. “Yes and no. I’d love to have you, but I’m nowhere near ready.”

“You don’t even know me,” she protested. “How do you know I’m any good at my job?”

“I know you’re good.” He winked at her and watched her cheeks bloom with color. Christ, she was gorgeous, all animated during their discussion. Once she’d gotten what he was talking about, her quick mind had thrown out things he hadn’t even thought of—good ideas, but also barriers he hadn’t anticipated. Problem solving with her was a rush.

“What made you go into training and development as a career?” he asked.

“Well, I actually thought of becoming a teacher. All through high school, that’s what I intended to do.”

“You like kids?”

She blinked at him, but smiled. “Yeah. I love kids.”

“Me too. Not that I’ll likely ever have any,” he added. “Anyway, go on.”

“I started working at my first part-time job in this office that had really horrible management, and I had all these ideas how they could improve the place. I got interested in how businesses work and making things better. So then I wanted to go into business, but since I like the aspect of teaching, I decided to specialize in training and development.”

“Cool.” He had a sense from those words “make things better” that she also liked to make people better. Maybe sometimes whether they wanted it or not. Which was admirable but could also be annoying. He smiled at her, liking her sense of purpose. “Anyway. You’re probably happy where you are. But you never know, one day if things work out…keep it in mind. Maybe in the meantime, though, you can be a sounding board for me. Hey, I know—I could pay you a consulting fee.”

She opened her mouth then closed it. Then opened it again. “Great,” she said, glancing at her watch. “You owe me…two hundred dollars for the last hour.”

Laughter burst from his lips and he shook his head. “Nice try.”

I'm happy to announce that I have just signed a contract with Entangled Publishing!

Flutterby is the first of a planned series of four novellas about four female friends living in Chicago.  I don't have many details as of yet since the contract was all just signed, sealed and delivered yesterday, so stay tuned!

DONE!! The WIP is done! Hockey book #2 (still need a title, hmmmmm...) is finished! I wrote a book!

My thoughts on the NHL Awards last night...I was struck by the humble and modest responses of every single award winner, whether in their acceptance speech or when interviewed - all give credit to their teams and their families for their success. 

(JOHN LOCHER/AP)

I was so moved by Dominic Moore getting the Masterson Trophy after what he has been through. 


Also, I predict P.K.Subban has a future career as a broadcaster. 

Some red carpet pics... 


 

This weekend only! Rule of Three is only $1.99 at Barnes & Noble - along with these other great books!

Right now Barnes & Noble has Rule of Three on sale for $1.99 - not sure how long this will last, maybe just this weekend, so if you're a nook or ePub reader and haven't yet picked up Rule of Three - now's your chance!

Available for pre-order
Amazon
B&N
Kobo
iBooks

I've joined up with several other sports romance authors to offer you this boxed set, starting off at .99 until June 20, 2014. It includes my book Offside - if you've already read Offside, still a good chance to try out some other sports romance authors, and if you haven't read Offside, great chance to get it cheap! It is Book 5 in my Heller Brothers Hockey series but it can totally be read as a standalone.

Don't you love the cover? Thanks to Scott Carpenter for such a great job! I love that pic. :-)

Amazon

B&N

He’s impossible to resist…with a ripped body and a heart of a champion…Valued at over $20, take advantage of the introductory price - just .99 thru 06/20/14.
Romance and athletic heroism combine in this ultimate boxed set containing five full-length sports romances by popular authors Cassandra Carr, Kelly Jamieson, Morgan Kearns, Roz Lee and Chanta Rand.


Enjoy football, baseball and hockey heroes in Should've Known Better, Offside, In It To Win It, Inside Heat and The Highest Bidder.
 
Should've Known Better (Storm Series, #1) by Cassandra Carr - Sarah Jenkins, a math geek and hockey fanatic, is thrilled when the NHL hires her as an advisor for the Buffalo Storm. She meets Sebastian St. Amant, a young hockey player looking to make the jump from the minors to the big leagues. When Sarah and Sebastian meet, sparks immediately fly. A relationship is out of the question—Sarah’s an influential staff member and Sebastian’s a player, not to mention over ten years her junior. But the impossible becomes the necessary when they can no longer fight their attraction. Will they weather the storm, or should they have known better? 


Offside (Heller Brothers, #5) by Kelly Jamieson - Honey Holbrook’s attention-grabbing antics were tabloid fodder for years. Now she’s trying to leave her past behind her and make a new life for herself. Matt Heller is recovering from a serious injury that changed his whole outlook on life, determined to resume his hockey career. Neither of them are happy to be working together again after their wild and wicked fling eight years ago ended badly...
 
In It To Win It (Deadlines & Diamonds, #2) by Morgan Kearns - Back in the day, ‘Plain Jane’ Alexander blended into the background, content to watch from the sidelines while Grayson Pierce soaked up the spotlight. Content until he broke her heart. Bitter, she did the college thing, came out of her shell, and never looked back. Grayson loves baseball. It was his pastime in high school, his passion in college, and now…his career. However baseball isn’t the only thing in Grayson’s heart. He likes fast cars, loose women and expensive liquor. When her job as a Sportscaster sends her to Grayson’s doorstep, she realizes that not everything is as it appears. 


Inside Heat (Mustangs Baseball, #1) by Roz Lee - Jeff and Jason are at the top of their game. Jeff is the Texas Mustangs’ closer, revered throughout the Major League for throwing inside heat, while his twin brother Jason is the team’s starting catcher and star hitter. The two have always shared more than their identical DNA, so when they meet Megan, it’s no wonder they both want her. 

Megan doesn’t know baseball, but she does know a sexy guy when she sees one - or two. When a potentially career-ending injury sidelines Jeff, his ego takes a hit, too. Megan finds herself on the outside – the dirty little secret. It doesn’t help that Jeff has gotten the wrong impression about her and his brother. It’s all fun and games until someone falls in love. 
 
The Highest Bidder by Chanta Rand - Quarterback Tristan Rexford is a hunter both on and off the football field. With a seven-figure income, a dazzling smile, and a body resembling Michelangelo’s David, he’s every woman’s fantasy. 

But Doctor Alexa Kennedy barely has time for her patients, much less fantasies. When it comes to men, she’s short on patience and long on disappointment. When one of the hospital’s board members attends a charity benefit and ends up with the winning bid for a date with Tristan, Alexa is chosen to escort him. 

They share a night of passion before Tristan retreats to his glamorous world, leaving her aching for more. Alexa tells herself it was all in the name of charity. She’s too sensible to fall for someone like Tristan. Or is she? 

As you may know I was at the RT Booklovers Convention last week. I had a great time! I met new author friends and new reader friends and new blogger friends. I participated in an awesome reader panel about LGBTQ romance. My Nine Naughty Novelists and I also did a panel discussion about group blogs/writing groups, sharing what we've learned over the last five years together. And I attended the Giant Book Fair - it was crazy but I was so happy to meet readers and even sell some books!

After the convention I stayed an extra couple of days with author friends Erin Nicholas and Jennifer Bernard (aka Juniper Bell) and we had some fun touring around. Here are some pics of my week:

On the swamp tour - I actually held an alligator! Okay, a baby, but still...

Big gator...

Our guide was a crazy Cajun - he dove into the water and wrestled with the gators...

The bayou was exactly how I pictured it from the many romances I've read set there.

Another bayou pic...

Lafayette Cemetery in the Garden District

One of the beautiful old houses in the Garden District...

Another Garden District house...

Me at the Giant Book Fair.

Erin and I on our way to the Samhain Saints and Sinners party...

The table I sponsored - it turned out beautiful!

To share the fun I'm having in New Orleans this week, I'm giving away a NOLA gift pack! This includes a print copy of Nine Nights in New Orleans ( A collection of short stories set in NOLA by each of the Nine Naughty Novelists) a box of Magnolia Company Pralines, Pat O'Brien's hurricane cocktail mix, a limited edition Nine Naughty Novelists shot glass ( ) and a bottle of Zydeco Gator hot sauce! Leave a comment to enter. Will draw the winner Sunday!

It's coming up soon! I'm leaving for New Orleans next week for the RT Booklovers Convention and I can't wait to meet up with author friends, editors, and especially readers!

Here's where you can find me:

Wednesday May 15
Mardi Gras Party (walking with the Samhain float)

Thursday May 15 4:00
Menage a Blog: The Nine Naughty Novelists Talk Group Blogging
Panel Discussion

Friday May 16 1:30
Cover Model Karaoke presented by Nine Naughty Novelists, International Heat and the Smutketeers

2:45
LGBTQ: Top to Bottom, In and Out, Soup to Nuts
Panel Discussion

Saturday May 17
11:00 Giant Book Fair

6:30 FANtastic Day Party

Of course I'll be around at lots of other events and parties,or possibly in the bar :-)  but those are the places I'll be for sure. If you can't find me, send me a message on Facebook or Twitter, I'll have my phone on me at all times!

So here's a cool thing. Amazon now has a way to add things to your Amazon shopping cart from Twitter. Once you link your Amazon account and Twitter, if you see a Tweet with an Amazon link (like, say...a book!) you reply to the Tweet adding the hashtag #AmazonCart, and it adds that item to your cart. You haven't bought it - but it's there for you when you want to. Can't wait to try this out!

 http://www.amazon.com/gp/socialmedia/amazoncart/ref=pe_859730_118138820_pe_button/1

I’ve been working hard but not accomplishing much. After I finished my last book a week or so back, I went back to look at the hockey book I finished back in February to get reacquainted with my hockey guys so I could start the next hockey book! And I made a few changes, adding in some things I’d thought out. THEN I ran into some $##%&( technology issues - I was working on my laptop one day then when I went to my office computer the Word doc wouldn’t open! It was corrupt. And even though I have learned my lesson and always, always save things to two places, for some reason this time I didn’t. I did have the version of it before I made the changes, but then I had to go through it again and try to remember what I changed. AND THEN for some reason it happened again. Now I’m blaming the USB drive I was using - other random docs in it are corrupt too. WTF? After the third time of making those changes I was pretty annoyed. Anyhoo…it’s done and now I’m ready to move on to book 2. I know who my hero is and thought I’d found the girl for him, but then decided no, she wasn’t quite right. So I had to take a couple steps back and give that more thought. I think I’ve got her now! Hoping to start writing tonight.

Well, this is pretty awesome! So amazing to be included in this list!

THANK YOU!

 I've had so many awesome emails and messages from readers this week about Sweet Obsession! Yay! Also some questions. (Oh, and yet another email asking for more Heller brothers hockey books!) 

So in case others have the same questions I thought I'd post here too...

Book 2 in the Windy City Kink series will be out October 7 - All Messed up. We will meet up again with Jack and Sasha briefly...and Kevin.

Lots of you want to know about Kevin! Well, some may be disappointed to know he doesn't get his own book. I wasn't sure if the romance world was ready for Kevin! But we do meet up with him again more in All Messed Up and definitely in Book 3.

As for the Heller Brothers - I'll never say never...but I do have another hockey series in the works, book one is finished and books two and three are semi-planned...so stay tuned!

It's official! The contract is signed for Playing With Fire (Windy City Kink Book 3). Release date should be January 2015 - stay tuned for cover reveal and further details!