Friday, December 26, 2014

Food, Glorious Food! from #Viking in Tartan by Suz deMello (#Xmas #food #iamreading)

Introducing the Naughty Literati! Who are the Naughty Literati, you ask? We are a group of steamy romance writers who have banded together to produce excellent stories, stories so hot, so cool, so unique, so special that they deserve special treatment. We plan to give the world--the romance reading world, that is--four anthologies annually--more or less.

Naughty List, our first boxed set, of course has a winter holiday theme, but this is far from your usual vapid fare about kissing under the mistletoe and random sex at office Christmas parties. No--we have stories from the steamiest erotica to the most heart-warming happily ever after. We have medievals and futuristics, ménages and committed couples rediscovering love. You want romance? You want hot sex? We have it all.

And, of course, we also have holiday food, glorious food. And why not? Our winter memories often focus on food, from Halloween candy through the Thanksgiving feast to candy canes at Christmas to Champagne at New Year’s, and hot chocolate anytime.

In Viking in Tartan, my medieval tale of a vampire and clanswoman finding love--and each other--little Clan Kilbirnie celebrates a Yuletide wedding with what were traditional Scottish goodies: roasted lamb with a sauce made of berries and rosemary along with wheat boiled in broth and some haggis. Roasted rabbit and fish from the chilly ponds rounded out the meal, with both a sweet and a savory custard ending all.

Here’s the excerpt:

And that eve, Da joined them, reciting the solemn but joyous words that would bind her to her Viking warrior forever. She glanced around. Their Great Hall wasna so great, but on this afternoon the servants had outdone themselves. They’d cleared away the remains of the previous night’s revelry and decorated every table, mantel and window ledge with fresh evergreen and holly boughs. Their fragrance and bright berries lent a festive atmosphere to the ceremony. Pale moonlight struggled through the few arrow slits uncovered by tapestries.

A fire crackled and glowed, fed by the great Yule log that smoldered in the hearth. She was relieved to notice that because the storm wind had died down, the chimney didna smoke—for they were standing in front of the hearth for the short ceremony.

Clearly aware of the event’s importance, Erland had cleaned his boots, combed his long hair and shaved with a borrowed razor. He had found the largest plaid available and, with her brother’s help, had pleated it into a kilt and wore it belted atop immaculate linen borrowed from her da. The shirt almost fit, Da having gained more than a little weight as he’d aged.

Everyone had washed and was clad in their best. She’d done her part, choosing her finest cyrtel for the event. ’Twas fashioned of a soft red wool that looked especially well with her dark hair and eyes.

Erland looked down, caught her glance and smiled gently, in keeping with the solemnity of the occasion. She smiled back, her heart warmed, her pride swelling. Her man was an unexpected treasure. He’d already shown he could defend as well as love her. And he’d managed to get on with Da and Keith, despite his Viking heritage.

What would their bairns be like? Though she was still a mite sore, she could scarce wait to have Erland again and begin their new life.

How everything had changed in less than a day! She found it hard to remember she’d been willing to die rather than be joined to a man she detested. Indeed, she had promised herself she’d never wed, would never allow herself to be used as a pawn in her da’s schemes.

And she hadna. Fate had chosen her man. But how she had fallen so swiftly for Erland?

She wrenched her mind away from her stray, tumbling thoughts when Da wrapped a swatch of Kilbirnie plaid around their crossed wrists, joining them.

They kissed but briefly, with Rhona mindful of her da and brother watching.

The onlookers’ cheers bounced off the hall’s stone walls before everyone broke ranks to hug her and Erland. He looked a bit startled before he accepted the clan’s embrace.

Image by Dante Gabriel Rosetti,
from Wikimedia Commons
She hoped that amity would continue. Scots and Vikings were fierce enemies, due to the Northmen’s frequent raids. Though the Kilbirnie clan was small and their lands lay in the south and west of Scotland—farther away from Scandinavia—they nevertheless lived in fear of the raiders. The Vikings dominated the islands to the west and north and were a force to be reckoned with.

She shunted all that aside to enjoy her wedding feast. Da had ordered a young sheep, one of the lambs born the previous spring, slaughtered so they ate it roasted with a sauce made of berries and rosemary along with wheat boiled in broth and some haggis. Roasted rabbit and fish from the chilly ponds rounded out the meal, with both a sweet and a savory custard ending all. Everyone noisily crowded around the tables to share the bounty.


Buy the boxed set here:



Here’s a recipe for the custard that Clan Kilbirnie may have eaten that long-ago Yule: 



5 eggs
1/2 c honey
2 c fresh milk
1 tsp finely ground sea salt
Ground cinnamon and nutmeg to taste

Mix the ingredients together and bake until firm. In the 13th century, Clan Kilbirnie would not have had ovens, not even a primitive one. So the cauldron containing the custard would have been placed on the kitchen hearth for the baking.

source: http://cookeatshare.com/recipes/honey-custard-524



About Suz deMello:

Best-selling, award-winning author Suz deMello, a.k.a Sue Swift, has written seventeen romance novels in several subgenres, including erotica, comedy, historical, paranormal, mystery and suspense, plus a number of short stories and non-fiction articles on writing. A freelance editor, she’s held the positions of managing editor and senior editor, working for such firms as Totally Bound and Ai Press. She also takes private clients.


Her books have been favorably reviewed in Publishers Weekly, Kirkus and Booklist, won a contest or two, attained the finals of the RITA and hit several bestseller lists.

 

A former trial attorney, her passion is world travel. She’s left the US over a dozen times, including lengthy stints working overseas. She’s now writing a vampire tale and planning her next trip.


--Find her books at http://www.suzdemello.com

--For editing services, email her at suzdemello@gmail.com
--Befriend her on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SuzDeMello
--She tweets @Suzdemello
--Her current blog is http://www.TheVelvetLair.com

 













Tuesday, December 2, 2014

THE NIGHTWIND'S VISIT: HE'S COMING FOR YOU!


Weaving a mesmerizing tale of witchcraft and eroticism, The NightWind's Visit will take you on a whirlwind journey into a lonely woman's heart and a demon's hellish passions.

The NightWind lays bare the hidden desires of an abandoned woman's soul. For those women who have ever known the brutish sneer of a handsome man; the knowing smirk of a beautiful woman; the disdain of strangers or the disregard of family, this tantalizing tale of supernatural love and passion will have them cheering for Margeaux and wishing for a visit from Ardian Cree.



But be careful what you wish for, dear one, for the NightWind is listening!




Hi, I'm Charlotte Boyett-Compo (Charlee to my friends). I've had several people e-mail me to ask what exactly is a NightWind from The NightWind's Visit. They are curious to know more about this sexy being. Well, here goes: 

I created the first NightWind...Sentian Cree...many years ago in NIGHTWIND and since then his breed of demons have been in several of my novels. I have to keep a tight leash on each of them for they tend to run around causing mischief if I don't. You can find another of them in my latest Ellora's Cave release THE NIGHTWIND'S WOMAN if you want to get to know more about these hot-blooded guys. Visit my website at www.windlegends.org to read an excerpt and the reviews.






NightWinds are ancient demons brought up from the muck of the Abyss to serve the Ones who call him. A lonely woman’s tears, her desperation bring him forth and it will be to her and her kin—for generations to come—to whom he will be bound by a blood oath neither can ever break. In exchange for their immortal souls--which they barter freely to the demon--the women are given wealth, beauty, and power far beyond anything they could achieve on their own. The NightWind will be at the service of her family for as long as the line survives. If a generation--or more--is skipped, he will bide his time in the Abyss until a female is born to whom he can bind himself. If he is allowed free reign he will grow harder and harder to control. He MUST be attached to a witch who will hold his reins tightly to keep him in hand. The Book of Shadows has an incantation from which to summon him and both he and the female must sign their names in blood in the book.

His Abilities and Limitations:

(1. He is an incubus—a male sex demon—but can change into a succubus—a female sex demon—if he wishes to take the sperm of a human male in order to impregnate his lady. As a female, he will gather the sperm and then as the male, insert it into the witch he serves.

(2. Some say his lair is in the frigid wilds of space while there are those who believe it is in the hidden bogs of Ireland or beneath the ridges of the oldest volcano lurking in the deepest part of the ocean. When he is sent back to the Abyss, he can not leave of his own accord. He must be summoned by a witch or a magus with the power to raise him.

(3. Can shapeshift and appear/disappear at will in any guise he chooses.

(4. Has enormous strength and a raging temper that knows no boundaries. He is not adverse to killing and feels no remorse at doing so. He can be bound not to exhibit his brutal nature if the witch wishes.

(5. Must reside within the Abyss until called for by a witch of his line (a familial commitment to that witch by blood). Some who have been granted their freedom after thousands of years of service or have proven they are completely trustworthy and will not harm mankind, can go and come at will within their lair inside the Abyss. One mistake, though, and they will be cast into the Everlasting Torment from which there is no reprieve. 

While a NightWind is primarily an incubus, a male demon in orientation, a Martiya is a succubus and is always female in orientation. It is a much more dangerous creature--as are all females of any species. It is a ruthless, violent, and dangerous entity that hates men. It will use its vast psychic and supernatural abilities to destroy and kill a male upon whom it has cast its sight.


Controlled most often by Roms (gypsy mages), the Martiya is primordially evil and will leave inside its victim a genetic marker so it can find him wherever he goes. The marker is known as the crùca.

Monday, December 1, 2014

RELEASE DAY... NAUGHTY LIST is now available everywhere!

The 13 authors of The Naughty Literati are very happy to announce that our first boxed set of alternately hot, thoughtful, funny, emotional, poignant, suspenseful, and always passionate love stories is now available anywhere you could wish to buy it. Amazon/Kindle, iTunes, Googleplay, B&N, Kobo... we wanted to make certain our readers have the opportunity to enjoy NAUGHTY LIST on all of their favorite digital platforms.

For authors (and hopefully for more than a few readers) a Release Day is a special bubble in time. It's that moment when weeks or months of work and anticipation all of the sudden come to fruition. Just like that, voilà and ta-da -- a book is born. 

To celebrate we're giving away a Kindle Paperwhite that's packed with our authors' books, so don't forget to enter before December 7, 2014! 

Since October of this year, while working closely to put our stories together from miles, many time zones, and sometimes hemispheres apart, the members of The Naughty Literati found we enjoyed playing together so much that we've already got our next boxed set of sensual-to-erotic stories on the drawing board for a February/Valentine's release. That's right. While we're still enjoying today's Release Day glow (and some truly lovely early reviews for NAUGHTY LIST... thank you!) we're already sharpening our quills and shaping more naughty happily-ever-afters for our next release. Stay tuned for NAUGHTY HEARTS coming in February 2015.

Clearly, there is no rest for the naughty!

Naughtily yours,

The Naughty Literati

Alexa, Belle, Berengaria, Charlotte, Francesca, Katherine, Lainey-Jo, Lynne, Marianne, Nicole, Regina, Suz, and Trinity


Excerpt from How The Alien Stole Christmas by Belle Scarlett



Excerpt from How The Alien Stole Christmas by Belle Scarlett

Copyright © Belle Scarlett, 2014

I asked if you understand me, soldier.

Christie needed release, and she needed it now. She gulped some air and started unzipping her flight uniform in anticipation of the next phase of their play.

“Yes, sir. I understand. Please, sir, permission to touch myself?”

The computer was silent for a moment. Then Blitz’s next message unfurled across her vid-screen.
Permission denied.

Christie froze in disbelief, her hand in mid-zip on her flight suit.

What? She glared at his words. Screw that, she thought rebelliously, and seriously considered disobeying a direct order from him for the first time ever.

Blitz seemed to read her mind.

Don’t even think about it, sweetheart. I’ll know if you’re being naughty or nice.

Frustration sizzled through her as she stopped unzipping her suit. Damn her submissive streak. She hadn’t even known she possessed one until she’d encountered Blitzen. As an experienced sexual dominant he had recognized her latent submissive qualities right away, and quickly set about training her in the art of pleasing him during their online play. Now her body wanted to do whatever he told it to do. And that was starting to prove freaking inconvenient.

“Ha. What can you do about it from there? Text me a lump of coal for my stocking?”

Don’t sass me, soldier. You don’t want to find out what I can do about it if you disobey me.

Christie bit her lip. For better or for worse, her sexual satisfaction was now tied to his and she knew it. If he didn’t want her to come, her body would side with him even if her mind was furious at them both.

He was probably just teasing her, as part of the cyber play. Maybe some more sugar would help matters.

“I’m sorry, sir. Please? May I come?”

I like when you beg me, Mistletoe. I grow even harder for you.

“Is that a yes?” She asked hopefully.

Nope. My order stands.

“I can’t believe this!” Blitzen had never seriously forbidden her to climax before.

Believe it. I own your next orgasm. It’s mine. From now on, you will save that delight for me to share, control, and enjoy.

She shivered. He couldn’t be serious. Who knew if they would ever even meet, or when?
“You’re ruthless, you know.”

Yes. And you’re sexy as hell and hard to resist. But I mean it, princess. The next time you climax it will be with your wet pussy tight around my hard cock, squeezing me with every thrust until I come deep inside you.

Christie instantly pictured them together on a large bed in full-on, carnal coitus. Her clit twitched in spasm, yearning to uncork the full orgasm bottled inside her pussy. She could feel her back arch in aroused response.

Damn, this guy was good. He had tuned her fantasies so well over the past two months that she could envision every sexy detail he described exactly as if he was in the room doing it to her.

Okay, okay! I surrender, already,” Christie half groaned, half laughed. She struggled to get her rioting body back under control.

It’s not my fault you have a hair-trigger libido, sweetheart.

She could almost hear his warm, male chuckle in her ear.

“You wouldn’t be able to get me so aroused so fast if your titillating star messages took days instead of seconds over sub-space frequencies,” she grumbled.

Wanna bet?