Edible Delights Vol 2 Author Highlight - Bianca Sarble

Flavor of the Month

Guest post by Bianca Sarble

When it comes to food and sex, the first thing that comes to mind is cake. A deliciously decadent piece of mud cake, served with whipped cream by a sexy, preferably half naked man in front of a roaring fire! Whether you’re vanilla, strawberry or rocky road, sometimes the right food can make you moan just as much.

In Flavor of the Month, Cate Gallagher is a baker but it’s a long time since she’s had any men in her kitchen. She’s learned the hard lesson that all that glitters isn’t sugar coated.

Patrick Garrett is the man to change her mind. He pulls out all the stops and tries to charm her out of his favourite caramel sauce, and if he’s lucky, her heart as well.

I hope you enjoy Flavor of the Month as a part of the Edible Delights Anthology Vol. 2, and read it with a serving of your foodie guilty pleasure.

Excerpt: Flavor of the Month by Bianca Sarble

Taking a break from the Sunday morning breakfast rush, Cate rested her head on the cool surface of the stainless steel countertop wishing the relief she needed would kick in. Either from the pain meds she’d taken for the massive headache, or the two blocks of chocolate she’d eaten to ease the sexual frustration. It seemed now the feminine parts of her had come out of hibernation, they wanted to feast on spring berries. Specifically, Patrick’s berries.

Tying her apron over her work uniform of white T-Shirt and black shorts, she looked up the length of the counter. There he was ordering coffee from Millie, complete with panty-drenching smile. If he aimed that thing her way again, she’d need another block or two of chocolate, which wouldn’t keep her in a size fourteen for long. She tried to turn with the hope he hadn’t seen her.

“Hey, Cate!”

No such luck. She slowly turned to the ordering station.

“How’s your head today?”

She smiled with a level of enthusiasm she didn’t feel. “I’m fine. Thanks.”

“I see my raw masculinity still hasn’t won you over. Can I at least tempt you to sit and have a coffee with me?”

His grin was infectious. His voice was like velvet on her very sensitive nerves.

“Ah…no.”

“No? Is it because I knocked you down with my reckless driving? I can promise you’d make it to your chair without incident.”

He made her laugh. She’d give him that. “Sorry, but the fact that you drive a BMW and wear designer labels doesn’t impress me. Been there, done that. Plus, it’s just Millie and I here today so I really don’t have time to sit around drinking coffee.”

“Got me all worked out have you? We’ll see about that. I know you won’t be able to resist my animal magnetism once you get to know me.” He glanced at his watch. “I’ll just wait around to see if you change your mind.” He grinned and stepped backward.

“I doubt I will.”

He just grinned at her, almost in challenge

What was it about this man that made her laugh? She wanted to stay mad, but it seemed impossible whenever he was around. It didn’t hurt that he looked like a GQ cover model or that his voice sent shivers down her spine, but the kicker was the warmth in his smile.

“Okay, come in. I’ll grab some coffee.”

While she worked on the coffee, Patrick put the flowers on the counter before perusing the sample tray. “So, what are we tasting tonight?”

Cate froze. Cake. He’s talking about cake, not body parts. “Carolyn said she wanted something different, so we have the cherry mud cake, Tia Maria mud cake, Cookies & Cream, chocolate mud cake and last but not least, butterscotch with its own caramel icing.”

“I’m guessing that’s your favorite right?”

“My favorite is all of them. It’s too hard to choose just one.”

As she approached the table with the coffee, he surprised her again by coming around and pulling her chair out for her. His body heat radiated against her back and she had to stop herself leaning into his muscular chest. She gave herself a mental slap to pull her professional mask back in place as she sat. She broke off a piece of her first selection with a fork and offered the handle to him.

“This is the cherry mud cake. I have a recipe for a cream cheese icing that sets it off perfectly.”

Keeping his gaze on hers, he folded his fingers around her hand and guided the fork to his mouth. He hummed and licked his lips as the flavor exploded in his mouth, drawing her attention to his very lickable lips. Maybe she should have served ice water instead of coffee because she certainly didn’t need to heat things up.

Edible Delights Vol 2 Author Highlight - Imogene Nix

The Chocolate Affair

Guest Blog by Imogene Nix

I love chocolate. It’s gooey and oozy as it melts on your fingertips. Silky and smooth coating...well, coating cashews or strawberries in particular.  It’s true I do like food and in particular well prepared and tasty foods, but my weakness is, like many women, for the sweet treats that come afterwards.

It’s not just the sensual texture that draws me. It’s the taste and the way I feel afterwards.  Yes, I guess it is an addiction because I know chocolate releases both endorphin's and serotonin into the body. And yes, chocolate does contain caffeine, which is a known addictive substance, but it also contains many other aspects that are actually good for you (although as with anything, it should be enjoyed in moderation.)

Now, endorphin's are the “make you feel better” chemicals and works very quickly which is why you get that rush straight afterwards and serotonin is also a regulator of the sense of well being (source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serotonin.)  Plus with the added benefit of the fats in the chocolate which makes the flavours more intense it releases another chemical called galanin which helps to control, among many other things, our sense of feeling good. (source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galanin)

Did you know:

Chocolate lowers blood pressure, lowers the bad cholesterol, and lowers the risk of heart disease. Dark chocolate is good for your heart. A small bar of it everyday can help keep your heart and cardiovascular system running well. Two heart health benefits of dark chocolate are:

Lower Blood Pressure: Studies have shown that consuming a small bar of dark chocolate everyday can reduce blood pressure in individuals with high blood pressure.

Lower Cholesterol: Dark chocolate has also been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) by up to 10 percent. (source: http://homemadebyjaci.com/3-really-awesome-health-benefits-of-eating-chocolate/)

Anyway, when I sat down to write my story about Edible Delights it occurred to me, knowing these extraordinary facts, that setting my story of healing a broken heart, the journey of two lost souls in a chocolate factory just made sense.

So here’s a taste: The Chocolate Affair by Imogene Nix

His first view of Deanna McCalchy had taken in the glorious lush curves and midnight hair as she shook it free of the ugly confining hat she wore. Her blue dress molded to her body while the heat of instant arousal suffused him.

Now here stood a true goddess. The thought took him by surprise. He hadn’t thought in those terms for over a hundred years.

His small exclamation of interest had taken her by surprise and she had slipped. He moved with his preternatural speed extending his hands and catching her before she hit the floor.

As one of the two owners of Rustafan, he kept a low profile. He didn’t want his father’s minions to know where he and his sister, Entara, were. They had taken on Christabel as their media spokesperson well before she’d become Entara’s lover. This afforded them a gratefully accepted anonymity.

It was a habit to hide his personal life from others. Right now, he embraced the freedom that afforded him to scan the woman in his arms, feel the weight of her body.

She watched him silently while he righted her.

“Hello, what have I found here? A pleasure princess from Piero?” Knowing that the business mainly transacted with the pleasure planets, the words slipped out. He cringed as soon as he heard them. But she didn’t take offense at his words—at least not vocally, though a red tide crept over her cheeks.

“I don’t know who you are. But this is a restricted zone.” Her soft words of censure made him smile even as she gazed into his eyes. She was off balance, all the better for him to find out how the factory worked and maybe about her too. He shook himself mentally. That wasn’t why he was here.

“That’s okay, I’m supposed to be here.”

“And why are you supposed to be here?” Her words betrayed her interest, but he detected no knowledge of him in her mind and let the tension release from his muscles.

“I’ve been sent here to assess Scheherazade.” He held out one of his hands, and as she clasped it he felt a jolt of recognition, leaving him breathless for just a second. “I’m JD Ruan.”

“Oh heavens.” Her face pinked slightly again and he grinned, though he worked to contain his amusement at her old-fashioned comment.

Book Blurb:

Deanna has one love. The Scheherazade Chocolate Factory. When it’s bought out by an off world consortium, they send someone to inspect their purchase.

JD Ruan is their expert investigator. But JD has a secret. He’s a demon. And not just any kind of demon –a Pleasure Demon.

Secrets, abilities and hidden truths will find their way… especially when chocolate is involved.

About the author

A mother of two, compulsive reader and bookstore owner. She lives in regional Queensland, Australia with her husband, 2 daughters, dog, cats and prize winning chooks. She has a particular fondness for Vampires, Star Ship Captains and things that go bump in the night.

She is also a firm believer in writing what you enjoy… something she strictly adheres to!

Connect with Imogene Nix

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Google+

Edible Delights Vol 2 Author Highlight - Kate Belle

The Banquet

Guest post by Kate Belle

Thanks for having me here again, Jan. I’m very excited about the inclusion of The Banquet in Edible Delights Vol 2 and really happy to share the inspiration for my story.

I’m a big fan of food and sex. They are a great combination, don’t you think? All that juicy deliciousness and sensual pleasure just go together so well. And no one does sexy food better than Nigella Lawson. She’s one of my favourite cooking celebrities and the inspiration for my character Sheba in The Banquet.

I’ve watched with fascination as Nigella’s sexy kitchen antics made the heterosexual men around me melt into a gooey mess. ‘What is it about her?’ I ask them, and their adjectives soon dissolve into oooh’s and aaahh’s and funny little grunts. Whatever it is that Nigella’s got, it’s hard to put into words.

There are many things I love about Nigella. I love that she’s not scared of fat or salt (two of my favourite additives). I love her unapologetically rubenesque figure. I love the uninhibited way she talks about and enjoys food.

When thinking about a theme for my Edible Delights story I kept returning to Nigella and her sensual relationship with food. I wondered what Nigella would serve up to a room full of beautifully dressed men with well developed palates all hungering for her, not just her menu. I imagined a feast of Roman Empire proportions: excessive, decadent, magnificent, a sensory heaven. And I imagined how those men might show their gratitude for such divine offerings, especially if the dishes were mainly aphrodisiac foods. A feast indeed! 

The scene that unfolded in my imagination resembled the renaissance paintings of Ruben. A gathering of plump and sensual nudes draped over a table or each other, indulging in the various pleasures of the flesh, with Sheba at the centre of it all.

Throw into this mix a man who sees Sheba, my celebrity chef, as his saviour. Why? It is her aphrodisiac recipes that have saved him from a life of enforced celibacy. You see, James isn’t an attractive man. I liked the idea that a man cursed with bad looks might find a way to romance through food. James and Sheba are the antithesis of the perfect couple, she is gorgeous and he is not, but James is nonetheless determined to win Sheba’s favour. And what better way to do it than through her taste buds? James develops an exclusive dessert to tempt Sheba. She is intrigued and jealous and sets out to wrest the recipe from James using her many alluring talents.

‘I can be terribly persuasive.’ Sheba stuck two fingers over the top of his jeans and pulled his pelvis toward her. ‘Perhaps you’d like to come back to my hotel room and I’ll try to prise the secret out of you.’

Will James give away his prize recipe in the hope of gaining Sheba’s love? Or will he use it to gain entry into Sheba’s private world? What unfolds is a tale of culinary and sexual one-upmanship where the only one who wins is the one who can keep a secret.

About the Author - Kate Belle

Kate is an accomplished, multi-published author of dark and sensual erotic fiction. Her first full length novel, The Yearning, was published in April 2013 by Simon & Schuster to rave reviews.

Kate holds a tertiary qualification in chemistry, half a diploma in naturopathy and a diploma in psychological astrology. Kate believes in living a passionate life and has ridden a camel through the Australian desert, fraternised with hippies in Nimbin, had a near birth experience and lived on nothing but porridge and a carrot for 3 days.

Kate lives, writes and loves in Melbourne, juggling her strange, secret affairs with her male characters with her much loved partner and daughter, and a menagerie of neurotic pets.

Blog/website: http://www.ecstasyfiles.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/katebelle.x

Twitter: @ecstasyfiles

The Banquet by Kate Belle

Unattractive and lonely James is a cook and restaurant owner obsessed with Sheba, a sexy celebrity chef famous for her aphrodisiac recipes, which have saved James from a life of involuntary celibacy. In studying Sheba’s recipes James has created the ultimate in aphrodisiac desserts, a recipe that never fails to lure women into his bed.

When Sheba appears at the Sydney Writers Festival, James takes the opportunity to meet her at her book signing and woos her with a gift of his dessert. Sheba finds James’ speciality irresistible and exchanges a night of pleasure for the recipe. But James is clever and keeps one ingredient secret, hoping Sheba will pursue him for it. Two months later James receives an invitation to Sheba’s annual banquet, a mysterious event everyone who’s anyone in the hospitality industry is aware of but knows little about. Nervous and out of his depth, James attends in the hope of repeating his one night with Sheba. But nothing can prepare him for what lies ahead as Sheba introduces him to a world where the boundaries between food, sex and one-upmanship are entirely blurred.

Edible Delights Vol 2 Author Highlight - Seanna Smythe

Never on a Sundae

Guest post by Seanna Smythe

Delicious delights you've dreamed of, but Never on a Sundae. Would his beloved Evie cater for the kind of party Aidan had in mind?

Thank you, Jan, for having me on your blog to chat about my inspiration for Never on a Sundae. First up, I’d like to say how honoured I am to have my name on the cover of the Edible Delights Volume Two anthology with four amazing women who are not only talented writers but also treasured friends. My heartfelt thanks goes to the Erotic Writers of Australia group who always make me smile, provide me with inspiration and of course, plenty of eye candy. You guys ‘n girls rock!

Now…on to Aidan and Evie, and what inspired their story. If the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, I have a problem. I burn water. Quite often, the only good part of my cooking is the arrival of hunky firefighters. So Aidan and Evie had no choice but to go with a frozen dessert in Never on a Sundae. My mind immediately went to ice cream and chocolate sauce. There’s nothing like the creamy coolness of ice cream melting on hot tongues, blending with full-bodied chocolate sauce and followed by the tart taste of ripe strawberries…*sigh* but these two needed more than ice cream to bring them together. They needed to be shown why they belonged together like ice cream and chocolate sauce and I needed to help them do it.

I do my best thinking on the back of a motorbike when I’m alone in my head with only the roar of the engine in my ears and the scenic countryside flashing by. So I found myself plotting Aidan and Evie’s story on the back of a Kawasaki 900 Custom Vulcan at the end of winter, in sub-zero temperatures, on a 250km round trip to York via Beverley, Western Australia.  My only desire at the end of the ride was for a huge mug of hot chocolate to wrap my hands around. Evie had other ideas…

Riding pillion with someone you’re close to and trust is like dancing. Your bodies move in unison as you lean to take a bend, your grip tightens around the rider’s waist and you huddle closer as he gives it full throttle on the straight. Adrenalin races through your blood and your heart beats in time with the engine. As you fly down the straight, the wind slaps at your body bringing every nerve end to life and blows away the cobwebs in your mind. Every part of your body is glued to the rider in front, thigh to thigh, chest to back, and everything in between. No wonder Evie was looking for more than a mug of chocolate at the end of the ride.

On their long bike ride, Aidan and Evie learn more about each other than they bargained for—where lust ends and love begins. With the help of a chocolate sundae, these two create a recipe that melts ice cream.

Blurb: NEVER ON A SUNDAE by Seanna Smythe

The sign advertised catering for parties, but he doubted they catered for the kind of party he had in mind…Evie is running away from love and when things get a little too hot with Sydney-sider, Aidan, she disappears to Newcastle to buy an ice-cream parlor, Never on a Sundae. But fate conspires against her, and she finds herself out of business and places to run.

As she’s wrapping up things up, Aidan rides into town on his Harley looking for a unique idea for an ice cream cake for his brother’s bachelor party. He’s been searching for months for the only woman who can do wicked things with chocolate…and his heart. 

You can find out more about Seanna by checking out the following links: 

Facebook: Facebook

Blog: Hot under the Collar

Buy: ED 2 Purchase link

Edible Delights Vol 2 Author Highlight - Alysha Ellis

My Lord's Table

Guest post by Alysha Ellis

I’m part of a group of Australian erotic writers. Wonderful, dirty-minded, hilariously funny and creative writers—so when someone came up with the idea of us doing an anthology together, I jumped at the chance. Then they told me the concept—Erotic Foods.

You know what the problem with sex and food is? Absolutely nothing. Did you really need me to tell you that? Sex! And Food! Two of the best things ever. And I got to write about them.

I decided on a Historical, for no other reason than that I really enjoy Historicals. I also decided it would be a ménage. 

First I created my heroine. Innocent, poor and starving, Susan is on her way to London to seek help from her estranged brother. But when she gets there, her brother is missing, and a strange woman is living in his house.

The woman offers Susan a way of earning money, but as you’d expect, all is not as it seems. Instead of the respectable post Susan believes she’s been offered, she finds herself presiding over an orgy. Up until this point the story was playing out exactly as I intended it to. The next step was to have the two male heroes appear, and for the ménage to develop.

But then, Lord Anthony Winslade stepped out from the shadows. And try as I might I couldn’t get any other man to step out with him. Anthony would share neither the stage, nor the woman. My ménage had changed to the story of a dominating alpha male and the woman he singles out for his own. I know non-writers have difficulty understanding this, but most writers know it’s true. Sometimes the characters take over, and the story is suddenly not the one the writer intended at all.

So believe me when I tell you Anthony Winslade stole my story! I wrote a detailed banquet scene in which food and sex was shared generously. I had intended Susan and her two lovers to get involved. Instead, Anthony watched the group sex for a while then took Susan’s hand, informed her (and me) that he could do much better in private, ordered a delectable meal sent to his rooms and carried Susan away with him.

I have to admit, he was right. What Susan and Anthony got up to in the privacy of his quarters was hot. Who knew you could do that with cream?

So like a good little submissive, I did as I was told. I wrote the story the way Anthony, Lord Winslade demanded it be written. And I’m glad I did. I love my ménages, but I also love a strong man who knows how to dominate a woman and the action. Anthony and Susan’s story engrossed me, and I thoroughly enjoyed the process of discovery that went along with writing it.

I called my contribution to Edible Delights Volume Two My Lord’s Table, but perhaps I should have called it, My Lord’s Story!

About the Author: Alysha Ellis 

I write stories your mother would never let you read, even now that you're all grown up - but what Mama don't know can't hurt her. Live on the wild side a little. Bad girls have all the fun!

Visit Alysha's blog - A Slice of Tart

Edible Delights Volume 2

For everyone who enjoyed reading Edible Delights Vol 1 then get excited. Volume 2 is due for release on the 17th of this month, that's only four days away...*squee.

In order to celebrate I'm going to have a series of blog posts between now and when the book comes out featuring the five authors included in the anthology. I hope you enjoy what the ladies have written for you, both here on the blog and also in Edible Delights Vol 2. 

Starting tomorrow I'll have one post a day by the participating authors starting with Alysha Ellis, then followed by Seanna Smythe, Kate Belle, Imogene Nix and last, but in no way least, Bianca Sarble. I hope you enjoy the fun week that's planned. As soon as the pre-sale and purchase links are available I'll be adding them to the posts, so stay tuned.