Sydney Cougar Series Highlight 1

Continuing on with my book highlights, today I have the first two books from the Sydney Cougar Series, The Cougar Club and Catching a Cougar. Enjoy ☺

The Cougar Club

Preconceived ideas, miscommunication and being single can be a pain in the butt, especially if you're about to turn forty.

Zeke Munroe is twenty eight, owns a nightclub called Rubens and has found the woman of his dreams. She’s older, she’s sexy and she’s driving him nuts. He can’t find the right time to introduce himself and make his move, until she walks through the door of his club.  

Jasmine Page is thirty nine she’s an events organizer and Rubens is the hottest new venue in the city. When she goes to check the venue out Jasmine discovers she’s in a Cougar Club. The men are young, the women mature and the owner of Rubens is  the closest thing to perfection she’s ever seen. 

Zeke  and Jasmine need to overcome preconceived notions, miscommunication and an eleven year age difference in order to see if sexual heat and passion can turn into a meaningful relationship. 

M/F, erotic romance, contemporary, cougar.

Heat rating: Four Flames

Word count: 18,971

Publisher: Secret Cravings Publishers 

Excerpt

As she lifted herself onto the seat, she slipped her shoes off and watched them tumble to the floor. Jasmine rested her elbows against the bar, propped her hand in her head and rubbed her temples. Great, the hangover is starting before the partying has finished. Jasmine finally crossed her arms over each other and let her head fall forward to rest against them. She closed her eyes, and shivered now that she was no longer dancing. 

Something icy cold was placed against Jasmine’s arm and she felt another chill run through her. She raised her head and stared at the 

large glass of water in front of her.

“You’re probably dehydrated. You hardly stopped dancing all night.” The deep, smooth voice washed over her, causing her body to begin to heat once more.

Jasmine turned her head toward the warmth and when she finally managed to refocus her eyes, she almost moaned in ecstasy. If there was a God then he had truly out done himself. The man smiling down at her was perfection. He was sitting on the bar stool next to her, leaning against the wall. His hair was dark, almost black and hung just below his broad shoulders in long tantalizing waves. It was pushed back from his face at the front, except for one stray curly strand that had worked its way loose to kiss up against his cheekbone. His eyes were dark like 

his hair and conveyed the same warmth as his voice. His lips were thick and lush ready to be kissed. As her gaze roamed down his body, she was taken by the hard chest and abs that were defined under his tight black T-shirt, his legs were a lengthy example of perfection, muscular thighs under dark denim, and a bulge…Jasmine snapped her eyes back to his face and hoped she wasn’t blushing.

“Drink,” he leaned forward and spoke softly into her ear.

Oh, how could a man smell so divine? She had never smelt a man like him before and she could feel her pussy start to tingle, as he watched her bring the glass to her lips, taking a refreshing drink. She inhaled deeply. Accents of cinnamon and spice tantalized her nostrils. Talk about olfactory heaven.  

 “I just thought I’d sit here while I waited for my friends.” Jasmine had no idea why she felt the need to explain her presence to him and couldn’t understand why he looked at her with a wry smile as she spoke.

“I think they’ve left.” He gestured toward the dance floor.

“Oh God, I fell asleep didn’t I?” Jasmine was horrified once she realized the house lights were on and the dance floor empty. In fact the whole club was empty except for a few bar staff who were cleaning up.

“We cleared everyone out and closed the club about fifteen minutes ago.”He was smiling at her as he spoke. “You looked so peaceful I thought I’d let you sleep until I was ready to leave.” 

Jasmine gasped when his body brushed against hers as he bent forward, a blaze of heat stroking her body where he touched. She noticed how his gaze roamed along her stockinged legs as he bent to pick up the shoes. As he returned to an upright position, his lips brushed against her leg and he planted a kiss on the lace that sat mid thigh. She wanted to move, to push her wayward hemline back in 

place. Instead she just stared at the heated point where his lips had been, feeling the warmth spread upward toward her quickly moistening

pussy.

“Nice stockings.” He stated as he took her hand and assisted her in stepping down from the stool. Jasmine wasn’t sure how she did it, but she managed to pull the hem of her dress back into position as he led her through a door and down a hallway to the club’s back entrance.

 “Can’t I go out the front door?” she asked quietly.

 “Not if I’m taking you home, I park my car out the back.”

 “I can get a cab…you don’t need to take me home. I mean I don’t even know who you are. I assume you work here, but won’t you get in trouble or something if your boss finds out you’ve left with one of his customers?” Jasmine knew she was jabbering but all of a sudden she felt nervous, and she always talked when her nerves got the better of her. “Is it actually good business practice for the bar staff to 

take inebriated women home with them?”

Jasmine didn’t have time to stop. Unaware he’d turned around to face her, she slammed right into his hard chest and would have fallen back, had he not slipped his arm around her waist and held her against himself.

“Firstly, I’m a bit offended that you think I’m one of the bar staff. Not that there is anything wrong with working the bar, I sometimes still do it if we’re short staffed. Secondly, I apologize for being rude and not introducing myself. I’m Zeke, Zeke Munroe.” Jasmine thought she was going to burn alive being pressed against Zeke. She placed her hand on his chest and attempted to step back, but he held her firm. “In case you’re wondering what I do here, I’m the owner, and I like to ensure the safety of my customers at all times. It wouldn’t be safe to let you wander off into the dark at this hour. Therefore, I’m taking you home.”

Zeke released her from against his chest, and began to walk forward with her once again, though this time his arm stayed around her waist.

“I don’t want you to go out of your way. You can just put me in a cab.”

“Your place isn’t out of my way. In fact, you could say we live together.” He opened the door of a black Porsche and deposited her into the seat before leaning inside and doing up her seat belt.

“I live by myself, and I’m not giving you my address. So you will just have to either put me in a cab or take me to the train station.” Jasmine thought Zeke was way too cocky for his own good and he needed to be taught a lesson. She imagined he was used to women flinging their pert little bodies at him and, despite the fact she had the urge to do just that, she wasn’t going too. If she didn’t give him 

her address then he would have to let her go.

“Okay, you don’t have to give me your address. Have it your way.” 

Jasmine exhaled and relaxed her head back against the soft leather seat, satisfied she had taught Mr. Zeke Munroe that some women are impervious to his rock hard body and dominant charm.

Buy Links:  store.secretcravingspublishing   www.amazon.com  barnesandnoble.com

Catching a Cougar by Jan Graham

Independence and stubbornness can 

be good traits, except when it means 

you run away from the only man 

you've ever loved.

Justin Davies is twenty-eight. He manages Rubens nightclub, affectionately referred to as The Cougar Club. His life is good, except for one thing. A sexy little cougar has dumped him and Justin wants her back. He knows she is the only woman that can make his life complete, he also believes he can do the same for her. When Justin recruits some friends to help him catch his commitment phobic cougar, the fun begins. 

Katie Swayne is thirty eight, an artist who’s finally started to   achieve the success she always dreamed of. She doesn’t need anything to  interfere with that, especially a relationship. Katie’s rule when it comes to men is, love them and leave them, never get emotionally involved. Then she met Justin Davies. Once Katie realized she cared for Justin, she didn’t merely walk away. Katie ran, as fast as she could, determined to never look back. 

M/F, Erotic Romance, contemporary, cougar.

Heat rating: Four Flames

Word Count: 18,949

Publisher: Secret Cravings Publishing

Excerpt

“You seem tense.” Justin’s statement caused Katie to freeze mid-brushstroke.

“Go away, Justin.” Katie refused to turn around and look at him as she spoke.

“No.” Justin laughed his answer.

In the two weeks Katie had been at the club “Go  away” and “No” had been the  introductory words to every conversation Katie and he had engaged in. As he stood watching Katie pretend to ignore him, Justin felt another introductory response kick in. Just the sight of her made him hard and today she looked particularly sexy. She was barefoot, her long legs were uncovered and the denim shorts she wore hugged her ass so tightly it was enough to make him jealous. The hem sat just below the globes of her cheeks and straggly frayed strands kissed against the top of her thighs. The tie dyed purple singlet top she wore cupped her breasts tighter than the denim grabbed onto her ass. Every time she’d walked into the main bar to get a cold drink, the subtle bounce of her breasts had left him in no doubt that she had chosen to leave her bra at home today.

It wasn’t that she was barely covered which made her look sexier than usual. It was more than her clothes. It was the way she tied her hair up in a loose knot on the top of her head, the escaping strands that draped around her neck and shoulders, the paint smudges scattering her soft skin and the fact that she was totally unaware the paint was even there. Katie shone when she worked, when she created, and Justin loved that about her. She also glowed when she orgasmed and he, of course, loved that as well.

“You’re doing an especially good job at pretending to ignore me today.”Justin felt Katie shiver when he placed his hands on her shoulders and 

began to massage her. “Mmm…very tense. Lucky I’m here to help.”

“You’re not helping and I’m not tense.” Katie tried to push Justin away, but he had a firm hold on her and despite her protest, he knew she loved his touch. Katie had worked on the mural for two weeks and Justin made sure he was always there when she was. If she worked during the day, Justin was there. If she worked at night, Justin was there. If Zeke was at the club when Katie arrived for work, within an hour Justin would arrive to replace him. If Katie tried to work in the early hours of the morning then Justin would volunteer to stay. After all, for safety reason she couldn’t be in the club by herself. It was a masterful plan, designed to give her no breathing space at all. Initially Justin had simply 

been at the club, but two weeks into the gig he made sure he was all over her. He never did anything inappropriate, but he ensured he touched her whenever he could. Massaging her  shoulders like he was now, a good morning kiss on the cheek or forehead, a gentle stroke down the arm, a hand in the small of her back and the thing he knew she found hard to ignore—standing behind her, so close she 

could feel him even when he wasn’t touching her at all. He’d see her inhale, taking his scent into her lungs and letting out a barely audible sigh as she exhaled. He made sure she felt his breath on the side of her neck, or at least his voice wrapping her in an embrace that wouldn’t let her escape. She would lean ever so slightly back toward his body, trying to initiate the anticipated physical contact without admitting to it. Justin was like a magnet commanding her to respond to him. 

He knew her resolve was weakening.

“You can’t continue to resist me forever Katie Swayne,” Justin whispered in her ear.

Katie attempted to move but, he was right. She was being held in place not only by his hands but by a force she couldn’t resist. It  was the same force that drew him to her, Katie was just better at denying it then Justin would have liked. He stopped massaging her shoulders when she allowed herself to relax against his hard chest. Justin took the opportunity to  enfold his arms around her waist, covering her body like a warm cloak.

“I’m not resisting anything,” Katie lied. “We broke up remember?”

“We didn’t break up, sweetie, you ran away.” Justin leaned in and kissed the soft curve of her neck. “And if you ran away, then that means you can run back.” His gentle kisses continued between his words. “I’m right where you left me, baby, all you have to do is turn around and run back.”

Buy Links: store.secretcravingspublishing.com   www.amazon.com   www.barnesandnoble.com 

Secret Cravings Second Anniversary Cruise

Wow two years and still growing. Secret Cravings Publishing (SCP) is holding their second anniversary celebrations this weekend. Thirty authors are going on a virtual cruise around the world and stating their cruise destination on each of their blogs. There are prizes galore, from not only SCP, but also each participating author. I'm giving away an ebook copy of each of my cougar novellas, yep all four to one lucky winner. Below you'll find the blurb for each of the four titles, so you know what you're in for if you win. All you need to do to go in the draw for my books is comment on this blog and if you aren't already a follower then please follow the blog. My winner will be chosen on Tuesday, January 8th and notified via email so be sure to leave a valid email address with you're comment. If your email is sent back to me as not valid a new winner will be chosen. 

To be eligible for the major prize draw with Secret Cravings you need to answer or match a minimum of 25 of the 30 authors to their chosen cruise locations. The list of participating authors can be found on the SCP blog -http://secretcravingspublishing.blogspot.com/ once you have your answers email them to the beautiful Dawne. the email address is  reviewcoordinator@secretcravingspublishing.com 

The SCP prizes are 

Grand Prize- iPad2

First place- Kindle Fire

Second Place- $50 SCP gift card

Third place- $25 SCP gift card

Well, while you read the blurbs for my four Cougar novellas I'm heading for my cruise destination... MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA.

Good Luck everyone and Happy Anniversary Secret Cravings Publishing.

The Sydney Cougar Series, available from the Hot Flash titles at SCP...buy now.

Zeke Munroe is twenty eight, owns a nightclub called Rubens and has found the woman of his dreams. She’s older, she’s sexy and she’s driving him nuts. He can’t find the right time to introduce himself and make his move, until she walks through the door of his club. 

Jasmine Page is thirty nine she’s an events organizer and Rubens is the hottest new venue in the city. When she goes to check the venue out Jasmine discovers she’s in a Cougar Club. The men are young, the women mature and the owner of Rubens is the closest thing to perfection she’s ever seen.

Zeke and Jasmine need to overcome preconceived notions, miscommunication and an eleven year age difference in order to see if sexual heat and passion can turn into a meaningful relationship.

Justin Davies is twenty-eight. He manages Rubens nightclub, affectionately referred to as The Cougar Club. His life is good, except for one thing. A sexy little cougar has dumped him and Justin wants her back. He knows she is the only woman that can make his life complete, he also believes he can do the same for her. When Justin recruits some friends to help him catch his commitment phobic cougar, the fun begins.

Katie Swayne is thirty eight, an artist who’s finally started to achieve the success she always dreamed of. She doesn’t need anything to interfere with that, especially a relationship. Katie’s rule when it comes to men is, love them and leave them, never get emotionally involved. Then she met Justin Davies. Once Katie realized she cared for Justin, she didn’t merely walk away. Katie ran, as fast as she could, determined to never look back. 

Isabelle O’Connor never considered herself the type of woman who needed a knight in shining armor to come and rescue her, until one does. Well he’s more a knight in blue jeans and white shirt. After all, it is modern times. Unfortunately, her perfect hero has a flaw... he’s a cop.  Isabelle decided years ago never to become involved with a police officer again, and she isn’t going to change her mind now.

Mark Dean loves being a cop. He also loves the hot redhead he rescued from a creep’s unwanted attention at a local nightclub. Mark knows that before he can gain Isabelle’s affection he has to convince her of something. Being a cop has nothing to do with her reluctance to date him. Isabelle’s heart never healed after the death of her husband and Mark makes it his mission to help heal this feisty Cougar’s heart.

Susan Dean didn’t have any idea that taking a job at her brother’s law firm would change her life. Then she met junior partner Blake Daniel’s. They are complete opposites. Blake is young, confident, dominant and determined to claim anything he wants in life. Not that he’d want a woman who turns into a clumsy, nervous wreck that can barely string a sentence together when he’s in the same room as her, or would he?

Blake is a patient man, and it’s a good thing he is because waiting for Susan Dean is driving him to distraction. The attraction between them is obvious. He turns her into a horny mess everytime they’re in the same room, not that Susan appears ready to admit that fact. Once Blake decides it’s time to make a move on his voluptuous co-worker, Susan will have no option but to submit to his seductive demands.

Come over for a chat

I'm chatting all day today (15th) over at The Romance Reviews forum. Here's the link to the chat so feel free to drop in and say hello. http://www.theromancereviews.com/forum/index.php?topic=434.0

You do need to join the TRR site (it's free and easy) in order to access the forum but there are lots of things going on over there and it's always an interesting place to peruse. Hope to see you there, come along and ask anything you like, I'll try and answer any questions about my books and my writing as best I can.

It's all Happening - New Releases



Purchase Now

What a week I've had. Apart from some personal dramas things have been busy writing wise. The second novella in the Sydney Cougar Series was released on Friday. Catching a Cougar is the story of Justin and Katie. They hooked up for a few week but then Katie pulled the plug on the relationship and ran away like a scared little kitten. Justin designs a plan to catch her again and recruits some of their friends from The Cougar Club to help. If you're interested in purchasing the book click the purchase now link and it will take you to the publishers website so you can grab a copy.

The other exciting thing going on is Finding Angel is due to come out in paperback within then next four to six weeks. I'll keep you posted on the exact date and post the link as soon as it's available. I know some people have been waiting for the physical book to come out so I hope you'll be as pleased with the news as I am.

The Romance Review Anniversary Party

Anniversary Party for the Romance Review is under way. Yes it started on the first of March and runs all month.

You get a chance to win a copy of my books and lots of other great prizes. Visit the Romance Review party website and register for free...  http://www.theromancereviews.com/event.php

The Cougar Club question is being listed on the 8th March (win a PDF copy of the novella) and the question for Finding Angel (win an ebook version of the book) is on the  March 19th.

Happy Anniversary Secret Cravings Publishing

I love a celebration, I mean who doesn't? Special occasions remind us of the things in life we need to appreciate and be grateful for. Loved ones, family, friends, things we've achieved, and even the lessons we've learned from our failures. We can celebrate anything, and I know in Australia we often do. I mean the whole country nearly closes down on the first Tuesday of November each year for the Melbourne Cup (for those of you who don't know, it's a horse race). I see all my overseas friends sitting in front of their computers with stunned expressions. I kid you not, we celebrate a horse race. It's a huge day, workplaces stop to watch or listen to the race. The only movement in the whole country is people jumping up and down screaming at a TV screen.

My point is, celebrations are a great thing. For the last month, authors who are part of the Secret Cravings stable (I may as well stick with the horse theme now I've started) have been blogging and giving away prizes because it's Secret Cravings Publishing's (SCP) First Anniversary. I'm only new to the world of writing and publishing but so far it's been a great experience for me, much of it due to SCP. My first novella in their Hot Flash Line came out this month, three more in the same series are to follow this year. I'm thankful to be able to participate in SCP's first year and the anniversary celebration. Congratulations on being an excellent publisher. I hope your success continues to grow and that you keep putting out quality books for years to come.

Happy Anniversary Secret Cravings.  

Win a Copy of The Cougar Club.
My first novella, The Cougar Club was released through SCP just this month. I'm giving away a PDF copy as part of the celebration. So, for your chance to win, all you have to do is leave a comment on this blog (along with you email address of course). I'll be announcing the winner on the 16th for those who participate.  

Also if you participate in the competitions and make blog entries on all the celebration blogs you can go in the draw to win the major prize from Secret Cravings Publishing. for more information about how to win the major prize visit the link below.

http://secretcravingspublishing.blogspot.com/2011/12/one-year-anniversary-blog-hop-starts.html

4 out of 5 for The Cougar Club

Well The Cougar Club is out and today there's a review for it on Kinky Book Reviews. Riane gave it 4 out of 5 kinks...yippee. I'm so happy about the review. It's nice to know that other like what I've written. I'm also guest blogging today as part of the Kinky Book Reviews New Year Launch Party so rock along and check it out.

Click here to visit the review and guest blog. 

You could win a copy of Finding Angel

by leaving a comment under the post.

The Cougar club review is also up on the site,

so have a read and see if you'd liked to buy the

Novella.

I hope you all have a great day, I'll be spending my day working on Playing Jax, the second book in the Wylde-Shore Series. It's all about Steve Jax, his wife is dead and he believes he may never love again. I'm trying to convince him otherwise. Let's hope his heart isn't too broken and he can find his way back to happiness.

Join the Cravings Club

As you know Secret Cravings Publishing (SCP) has contracted my Sydney Cougar Series, the first novella in the collection is due for release in February 2012. I've just finished the second round edits and the book is great thanks to my gifted editor, Kyle. There are some amazing authors being published through SCP and the company has just set up their readers club. The Cravings Club is the eClub for Lovers of reading and romance.

SCP is inviting readers to become a Charter Member of the Cravings eBook Club and receive Taming The Cougar* by Sandy Sullivan and Hunting Jaguar** by D. McEntire absolutely FREE!

As a club member, you receive four BRAND-NEW EBOOKS, specially selected by the Editorial Director, every month for a total price of only $9.99 for all four. This comes out to barely $2.50 per book, much less than the retail price and you’ll be able to enjoy your books even before they hit Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

As a club member, you will also receive:
· a monthly newsletter
· sneak previews of new books
· exclusive interviews with your favorite authors
· special offers not available to the general public

It's only $9.99 per month, once you join the program, you are charged automatically, through Paypal, every month. Your books get shipped within one day after the PayPal payment has cleared. You get to tell SCP what you like to read and a few other things at membership sign up. It's a great way to discover new authors and books that you may not find out about otherwise. You can cancel membership at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe button located on the Cravings Club tab at the bottom of the SCP website and you keep the FREE BOOKS as a gift.

It's easy steps to join to join. Just click on the link on the right hand side of my blog page and it will give you all the information you need.

About the free books:
*Taming the Cougar - a western, erotic romance:
Marla isn't looking for love or anything else from a man. Can Marla put aside her distrust of men for a younger man? Can Chris convince her he's not like other guys?

**Hunting Jaguar- paranormal erotic romance:
Rachel Hayes' Father set out to prove the existence of the Miloni temple and the Jaguar people. Tumi is a descendant of the Miloni race and is sworn to protect their secret with his
life. Will he be forced to uphold his vow at the cost of his heart and Rachel's life?

Something is wrong, were fixing it soon.

This past week I feel like my life has been one long error message. I hadn't been able to figure out what was wrong until I was trying to update my website and a message popped up on my screen. Something is wrong...we're fixing it soon. Just great! It was only then it occurred to me, maybe the problem is me. Well, metaphorically of course. It never ceases to amaze me that the universe can send you enlightening massages through the most benign circumstances. My decline started last Saturday on an escalator at Central Station in Sydney, around 10 a.m. in the morning. Contrary to what some of my friends think, I was NOT drunk...lol. I managed to see the day through until around 3 p.m, then I had to call an end to my planned weekend of fun and frivolity. I retreated arriving home about two hours later, very sore and hardly able to walk. Poor me. The week just got worse from then on.

I had so much work to do, including finishing my second book. Up until I'd gone to the city I'd been flying through the pages, everything falling into place, sticking to my schedule of at least one chapter a day. After the incident, everything stopped, just like the bloody escalator.

Sunday I decided to rest, I took painkillers and slept most of the day and night. Monday I knew I had to get back to work. I had a schedule, daily tasks to complete, a To Do list a mile long. I tried to write a few blogs...it didn't work. I didn't like them, the words wouldn't come out the way I thought they should. I opened my manuscript, then closed it. If I can't get a blog to make sense then how can I write a book. I decided I'd give myself another day off and went back to bed to read. Tuesday I managed to finish the guest blogs I'd been working on and emailed them away, I did a couple of tweets and updates on a couple of other sites. I opened the manuscript, then closed it. It all seemed overwhelming. I went back to reading the book I'd chosen the day before. The rest of the week continued the same way, turn on computer, check emails, tweet, post, open manuscript, close manuscript, go to bed and read. Outside the rain pelted down on the ground, the sky was grey, the clouds dark an ominous. It reflected my mood perfectly.

By Friday I was firmly entrenched in a dark lazy cocoon. I constantly ran through the tasks I knew I had to complete. Write two book reviews - at least I've finished reading the books, I'll do the reviews later. Do a final edit and submit the second novella in the Sydney Cougar series to my publisher- it's not good enough and I don't feel like being rejected in the mood I'm in. Work on completing Playing Jax, the second book in the Wylde Shore series - why bother, I don't even know if people will like the first one. I had no idea where the thoughts were coming from but I didn't resist them, I let them dwell. Big mistake. I swear if my name was Vincent van Gogh, I'd only have one ear by now. But I'm not Vincent and all I really had was a sore knee, a messed up bed, five completed novels scattering the floor, and a miserable attitude. I picked up the next book in the series I found myself reading and snuggled under the blankets. Who cares, not me.

On Saturday, after crying my way through the final chapters of Christine Feehan's Dark Melody, I realised the rain had stopped. So, with both ears still intact, I dragged myself out of bed, showered, dressed and took my lousy attitude to life out to do some grocery shopping. I will go back and apologise to the check out operator I growled at sometime within the next couple of days, after all it wasn't her fault she was in a good mood. Today I sat down at the computer determined to get back in touch with my old self. I sent the book review requests I had been putting off all week, did the social network stuff, returned emails and attempted to update the website. Error and inspiration message from the universe received. Thanks so much.

Something is wrong, we're fixing it soon. Well...no...I'm fixing it now actually. I'm fighting my way out of the fog and I'm on my way to turning my sappy, depressed attitude into a blessing. I've decided to channel my misery into my novels villain. She is a woman who likes to make people miserable because her own life is not turning out the way she wanted it too. Not that I'm like that, but I figure I can turn my current wallowing, oh poor me, life sucks week, into something worthwhile.

It's Amazing What A Younger Man Can Do For An Older Woman.

It's official.... I have just signed my first publishing contract! Yay.

*Insert mental picture of a chubby woman doing a happy tushie dance here*

My good friend Suzie has been telling me for too many years to remember, I should ditch dating the older aging hippies I'm usually attracted to and go for a younger man. Yeah, Yeah... blah, blah... has always been my standard response. Well on the fourth of September 2011 a younger man by the name of  Zeke made my day and I'm still reeling from the aftermath.

Get your minds out of the gutter.... please, what do you think I'm talking about here?

If you've read any of my previous posts, visited my facebook page, or had anything to do with me over the last twelve months, you'll know that I've been trying to get my novel "Finding Angel" firstly written and secondly, now that it's completed, published. It's been an interesting time. Angel still needs a home and I'm confident she will find one, we just need to be patient. But Angel is another blog for another day, today it's all about hot, young and very sexy, 28yr old.

Zeke popped into my head as I was looking at submission requirements for publishers to submit Angel's story too.

I happened to noticed a publisher (Angel's story didn't meet their criteria), was asking for submissions for a new line called Hot Flash. They were seeking short stories/novellas that centred on liaisons between older women and younger men. And there was Zeke, like a little light shining bright in my head. I must admit he was a bit pushy, wouldn't leave my thoughts and out of sheer desperation, in an attempt to simply get rid of him I started to write. Zeke and his love interest Jasmine made their way to the pages before me and, 5 days and almost 20 thousand words later I had written 'The Cougar Club'. I sought the opinion and quick editing  opinion of my two friends (Heps and Suzie, hi lovely ladies) who always help proof my work and then sent the submission off to the publisher. 

I wrote the story and did the submission, mainly for the experience. I had a friend tell me that Zeke was a mere distraction and I should get back to writing the follow up to 'Finding Angel' after all, Steve (the main character of the book) is more my age and he's a damn fine man to be involved with. I shouldn't be flirting and running off to play with a 28 yr old.... yeah right.

When the offer to publish and the contract arrived I was blown away. I sat at my computer and burst into tears, don't ask because I have no idea why. Crazy 45 year old woman hormones probably, or shock, who can tell. Poor Suzie thought someone had died when I rang her at the crack of dawn and gave her the good news. She ran around her house and did the happy tushie dance for me, as did my friend Heps because I admit it took me about 24 hours to get into dance mode... but I'm there now.

So, what of my flirtation with young men and have I finally returned to Steve?

I loved the experience with Zeke, it was a quick, flirty, lust filled affair, that's left me fanning myself in amazement. I get a warm shiver of excitement every time I think of him, but I have gone back to Steve. My heart currently belongs to him, he is more my age and he draws me in the most subtle of ways. He waited patiently for my return, he understood my need for distraction and now that I'm back with him we are having a lot of fun. He knows I'm loyal to him and will ensure his story comes to life in a timely manner. I have to confess though, Steve caught me looking at the door of The Cougar Club yesterday, he merely shook his head and laughed. He knows I have a wandering eye, he also understands that Justin, the clubs new assistant manager, needs my help to win the heart of Katie. 

I love you Steve and I'll be back soon.... Mwah.

Note: The Cougar Club, is being published by Secret Cravings Publishers with an expected release date of February 2012.

Thank you Secret Cravings, you are the best and here's a free plug.
I think everyone should waddle over to the Secret Cravings Bookstore and buy an ebook, of course it won't be my book just yet, but you can always revisit the site again in February. I'll be sure to remind you all.

In the meantime have a look and save the store in favourites. http://store.secretcravingspublishing.com/

My New Novella

I recently finished writing a short story (around 20k words) called The Cougar Club so I thought I'd do a little blog on it.

The Cougar Club

Zeke Munroe is 28 years old and the owner of a club called Rubens in Sydney Australia. Rubens is fast becoming the most popular night club in town because, in a city where gay venues rule supreme, Zeke's establishment caters to the more mature woman looking to have fun. Of course where mature women gather on mass, so do the men that love them.

Business is great but Zeke's personal life isn't, he needs that one special woman to share his successful life with. After moving into his new harbour side home Zeke becomes infatuated with the girl next door. He needs to introduce himself to the lovely Jasmine, 11 years his senior, so he can proceed to sweep her off her feet and make her his own. The only issue is they never appear to be in the same place at the same time. When Zeke sees Jasmine walk through the doors of his club he can't believe his luck. Jasmine has finally come to him, he doesn't have to admire her from a distance anymore, tonight he intends to get up close and personal... really personal.  

Jasmine is a 39 year old events organiser and, since her divorce, has been determined to experience all life has to offer.  When her friends Katie Swayne, a 38 year old Artist and Trudie Dean a 42 year old wife and mother, take her to Rubens she quickly realises she may be out of her depth. It doesn't take Jasmine long to discover why Rubens is sometimes referred to as 'club rub'. If one more handsome man rubs up against her while she's dancing , she might very well embarrass herself by melting into an orgasmic puddle in the middle of the dance floor. The men sure are friendly here... friendly and much younger than she usually likes them. 

This wasn't exactly the sort of experience Jasmine had in mind when she agreed to go out with her friends. What she doesn't realise is that Zeke intends to make Rubens an experience Jasmine will never forget and at the end of the night when she literally lands in Zeke's lap, he has every intention of keeping her there.

Do you want the truth or something beautiful?

Submissions have been driving me nuts recently. Yes I've been doing them, apparently an author needs to do submissions to publishing houses if she actually wants her book to make it into print or even ebook format.... who knew...lol. I send off one, then get a thanks but no thanks letter and I send off another one to someone else. Trying to find a publisher for a novel is really the most frustrating thing I've done in a long while. Yes it's a fact of life if you choose writing as a career, I understand that but I'm not really finding pleasure in the dance I am now engaged in.

It wasn't until I went and had a sulk in bed the other day, that I realised finding a publisher is a bit like dating. I know my mind is strange but bear with me... I'm about to ramble and then hopefully reach a poignant conclusion.

When you meet someone your interested in and get to go out on a date you are faced with a few choices, and I'm not talking about where to go. I'm talking personal choices. I find the choice is basically summed up by the Paloma Faith song "Do you want the truth or something beautiful?"

You put on the outfit you keep for special occasions because it makes you look better that anything else you own. It might be that tight skirt that shows how perfectly rounded your butt is, along with the top that you bought when you went out shopping and your girlfriend said 'that make your tits look great, you so need to buy it.' You add the lace top stockings and your highest platforms that you sometimes refer to as your 'come fuck me shoes'. Next you get out the paint and move onto your face. You add a little foundation just to make sure the uneven tone is covered, the mascara and eyeliner highlights your eyes making them more alluring, the lipstick makes your lips look fuller and more kissable. You straighten your hair, ensure it has a nice shine..... by the time you get out in public you look like a new woman..... and for what? To impress someone you know very little about.

So he sits through dinner and talks at you (about himself of course) he burps loudly, looks at the asses of the other women who walk past the table and when he's disinterested in what you're saying, he stares at your tits. I mean really, you knew you shouldn't have worn that push up bra and top that makes them look great, what else did you expect? You console yourself that at least he's not yawning. By the end of the night you may or may not have decided to have sex with him, depending on how cute he is.

The next day after you've made him breakfast he looks at you and sees who you really are. Your hair is now a wavy mess with a few dry ends, because you showered late last night after he decided to cum all over your tits while having sex. Of course he was sound sleep so had no idea you'd even left the bed. You have no makeup on, your tits aren't as pert because you aren't wearing a bra and the fluffy dressing gown hides your shapely everything.  Arh... finally the truth.

Then the dance really begins, he might call, he might not. He may ask to see more of you before he decides no you're not what he's looking for. If he's nice he'll probably let you know he doesn't want to hear from you again. If not, you just won't hear from him. So, after a designated timeframe, and its different for everyone, you move on. You go out, find someone else and do the dance all over again. Hopefully before you run out of options you meet the one person in the world who thinks that your truth is beautiful.

A dance with a publisher is much the same, minus the sex and need to shower of course. You show an interest in them by sending in the submission. You give them a part of yourself to look at, usually the first three chapters of your manuscript. You make that part of you look as beautiful as you can. You dress the story up in your synopsis, you have the hook line, you try to make it sound interesting within the guidelines they insist you work within. You give them the pitch and hope they respond favourably.

If the publisher reads on past the initial query and synopsis (i.e. they decided to spend the night.) In the cold light of day things might look different. There are one or two spelling and grammar mistakes (well sorry, after editing 60 million times by myself I'm cross eyed and might have missed a few things here and there.) The manuscript basically fits into the guidelines they have for publication but it doesn't have all of them (oops did I have a DP scene, when I shouldn't have?). The now wavy hair looked better straight.

If they like the beautiful packaging then you might hear from them again, but even then they could still decide that you're not what they are looking for. If they're nice they will probably let you know they don't want to hear from you again. If not you just won't hear anything. So, after a designated timeframe, and its different for everyone, you move on the the next publishing house. You start the dance and hope for a different outcome.

And, just as it is with dating, hopefully before you run out of options you find the publisher who thinks that your truth is beautiful.

Finding Angel Character Biographies Finished.

Well it has taken a little while but I have finally added the character bios to my blog site. After all, what else is there to do on a cold, rainy Sunday in Tahmoor.

There are four pages in total (one for each of the main characters). Just look at the page menu on the right hand side of this page and you should see the bios listed.

You can find out all the relevant information on Christian, Daniel, Steve and Angel. There is of course the basics of what each of them does and their physical appearance but I've also tried to give you an idea of the type of people they are. To help you get a better feel for the gang I've also included some personal quotes made by each of them in the book and a picture collage inspired by each character.  

Anyway I hope you enjoy the read, and don't forget to let me know what you think.

Looking for sexy men.

On Sunday night I started working on the bio's for the men from my novel Finding Angel. While I was putting the info together I decided you might like some pics to help you visualise my heroic hunks.

What a disastrous idea!

After many hours of research or depending on your view of things, perving at images on the net, I discovered an unknown truth about the male species. You see it is just as difficult to find fictional men (pictures of anonymous guys that resemble my hunks) as it is to find perfect real life ones. How disappointed was I? I always believed that you can find anything on the net, but Sunday night proved me wrong.

Yes, there are lots of pictures of sexy men on the net. Google them and up they pop. Loads of them, just not ones that I needed. Story of my life really, lots of men around, none that I'm interested in. Of course there were some criteria that limited my search.... the pics needed to be stock photos, royalty free and not cost a bomb if there was a fee attached. Then there was the physical characteristics of the men I was looking for. A blond wavy haired sex god with brown eyes, a dark haired dominant hunk with nearly black eyes and a long haired lean muscled guy with tats.

Easy I hear you say, what's she bitching about? 

Well here's what I found out. Sexy blond haired men don't exist if you want them to have long or shoulder length wavy hair. Straight hair, short hair... no problem. Sexy men with dark short hair are in abundance (which you would  think gave the character of Daniel a leading edge.... wrong). They are in abundance with light coloured eyes not dark brown, nearly black. Most blond men have blue eyes, men with really dark brown eyes that are nearly black must never allow people to take pictures of them. Men with long hair of any colour who have tattoos either look like drug addicts or Satan.

Some of the men who, in the thumbnail images, looked like they might have a sexy dominant appearance usually turned out to be an illusion. Once the image was enlarged they looked like they were trying to pass a rock. If they weren't passing a large item out their bum then they just looked like they'd slap you if you offended them. Finally, about 10pm, I found three pics that I thought would be perfect. Yay me. Unfortunately perfection costs and I refused to pay $200 AU for the right to use the pictures. Like an unpublished author has that kind of money to throw away.... NOT.  So I did the only thing I could think of that might be of use. I enlisted my best friend, the gorgeous Lady Macbeth, to help me (much to her husbands' amusement).

One long distance telephone call later and she was on the phone telling me it can't be that hard to find what I was looking for. After assuring her hubby she was not looking at porn, we set out again to find Christian, Daniel and Steve.  At about 1am, after searching men who were too thin; too young; too old; muscles too big (yes this is possible); men who looked mean, sappy, gay, violent, drug addled; wrong colour eyes; hair not long enough; hair not wavy enough or OMG how many times was he hit with the ugly stick.... I finally called it a night. Disappointed and frustrated I went to bed... (again, not a new feeling... it's the story of my life really).

Monday morning with a new determination I finally found images that, even though they aren't exactly what I had in mind, they'll do. Yes... I settled. Just like so many of us do in real life I found men that weren't exactly what I was looking for but they'll do. I guess it's true that beggers can't be chosers.... even when your looking for an imaginary man.

The Virgin Blog or How to Lose your Virginity at 45.

This is the monumental virgin blog... meaning my first on this site. For all those dyslexic people who are thinking I'm a virgin and I'm writing a blog all I can say is.... lol, yeah right, I'm 45 yrs young....you're too funny.

Anyway, I just spent the last few hours trying to figure out what I'm doing (a tech head I am not) and hopefully now I've got it all sorted out. Well it's all sorted until I hit my first problem where something doesn't work properly.

So why am I doing blog I hear you say? Well for a few reasons, some of them based on technical incompetence, others on the need for a presence on the net and simply because I think it could turn out to be a bit of fun. 

Safety tip number one: never say you'll do something before investigating if you can do it.

I've ended up with this blog by accident. Initially I set up a facebook page to promote my work as an author. I had a few people who liked the page suggest that I put character profiles and some chapters on it so they can read bits of the novel. Good idea I replied, I'll do it!  Then I couldn't figure out how to do that on the facebook page.... mmm, yes technical incompetence. I had to admit that I jumped before looking and I overestimated my ability again. So, after much thought and beating myself around the head, I decided to set up the blog and link the facebook page to the blog.... no applause needed.

So, for those that know me on facebook, I'm still there and all you have to do is click the link I provide and you'll find me here, blogging away in my PJ's while eating pringles :)

The second reason for setting up the blog was to have the ability to include the blog spot and the facebook page links in submissions for publishers. I can't understand why publishers require an online presence when you're unpublished but according to some submission guidelines they do.  So given that a web page is so out of my reach on both a technical and financial basis, here I am.... Blogging.

My final reason for blogging is a simple one..... I think it might be fun. I am looking forward to being able to hop on here in the early hours of the morning when I can't sleep (yes happens often) or I'm bored (happens sometimes) and dribbling incoherent shit all over the page just to amuse myself. Oh, and of course hopefully amuse you guys as well.  I will begin the character profiles from the first novel 'Finding Angel' within the next few days so stay tuned. I'll then post some of my favourite bits from the novel so you can all get titillated. Finally I'll do an update on the second book and keep you all posted as it progresses.

Well that's all for now, the pringles have run out and I need a cuppa.... ciao for now.