Announcing the Crave the Heat 3-Author Blog Tour!

When the irrepressible Laura Kaye, the adorable Leia Rice, and yours truly discovered that we all had erotic Harlequin novellas releasing so close together, we decided to heat up your new year with a joint blog tour that will include some very racy subjects!

About Us:
Stephanie Draven is a multi-published award-nominated author of myth-inspired paranormal romance. Writing for HQN Nocturne, Stephanie’s Mythica series asks the question: What if the monsters of ancient mythology still walked the earth…and what if you found out that you were one of them? Currently a denizen of Baltimore, that city of ravens and purple night skies, Stephanie lives there with her favorite nocturnal creatures–three scheming cats and a deliciously wicked husband. And when she is not busy with dark domestic rituals, she writes her books.

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Laura Kaye Voted Breakout Author of the Year in the 2011 GraveTells Readers’ Choice Awards, Laura is the bestselling and award-winning author of a half-dozen books. Hearts in Darkness is a finalist for the EPIC eBook Award for Best Novella, Forever Freed won the NJRW Golden Leaf Award for Best Paranormal of 2011, and North of Need, the first book in the Hearts of the Anemoi series, was named GraveTells’ Best Book of 2011 and won their 5-STAR Gold Heart Award, and won Sizzling Hot Read of the Year at Sizzling Hot Books. Laura lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.

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Leia Rice is an avid lover of everything Parisian, Ancient Grecian and Ancient Roman. She wishes that women would still wear the pretty dresses and petticoats that they did back in the 18th century, but she’s well aware how much of a pain they must have been. Leia writes historical fiction, romance and erotica in these areas, because she cannot get enough of each respective time period.

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Guest post by Christi Barth

We’re a society who likes to judge others.  First impressions pack a punch that can linger forever.  You might hit it off with a co-worker, until you see them lunching with the office schlub.  Gossip – true or not – can permanently taint an image.  We seek acceptance from others, and often find our worth in what others may think of us.  This can be good…and bad.

Often in books, this theme revolves around the classic bad boy.  He screwed up in his youth, was vilified by the town, or somehow unforgivably hurt the heroine.  Perhaps that has led him to a crossroads: should he live down to everyone’s expectations, or try to surpass them?

In my book Act Like We’re In Love, the Hollywood hunk of a hero has a reputation of treating women as disposable.  So when Luke asks Linnea to meet his mother, she dismisses his request.

“Luke, I’m having the time of my life, but we both know the expiration date on this relationship is closing night. Your suitcases will be packed and ready to go as soon as that final curtain hits the stage. There’s no need to pretend otherwise.”

Linnea’s words were matter of fact, and her tone light and upbeat. Not what he’d expected. Her offer verged on a friendly business arrangement. It seemed perfect. And yet, like a collar a half size too tight, it didn’t quite fit. Chafed parts of him he couldn’t name.

More uncomfortable with every passing minute, every perfectly reasonable statement she made, he lashed out. “Don’t assume you know everything about me. My reality doesn’t have to conform to anyone’s expectations.”

“Forgive me for being rational,” she said, exasperation pitching her voice louder and higher. “We’re not joined at the hip. You’re under no obligation to introduce me to your mother.”

He picked up the pace, his long legs eating up the pavement. Temper pushed him faster till Linnea practically trotted beside him to keep from being dragged along. She flat-out pissed him off. Couldn’t she see how difficult this was for him? Did he really have to spell it out?

“Listen to me. I don’t care whether Mom wants to see you—which, by the way, she does. Don’t you get it? I want her to meet you. It’s important. Not to be polite. Not to torture you as payback for your parents breathing down my neck every day. But because you both matter to me, damn it!”

Linnea didn’t ask for any ties, had no expectations, and had gone above and beyond in the understanding department. Any man on the planet would do cartwheels in his shoes. Instead, her lack of outrage at his lack of commitment annoyed him to no end. If only he could figure out why.

No outraged father wielding a shotgun demands he commit.  Linnea doesn’t ask him to give up his job and stay with her.  Public perception is that, just like always, he’ll walk away from her in a matter of weeks.  Heck, he’s downright famous for the way he cycles through women.  Half of his career depends on his playboy image.  It would be so easy for Luke to be defined by the public’s perception.  And yet, how much richer could his life be if he put in the effort to rise above what little is expected of him?  Spoiler alert – he does decide to knuckle down and work toward true love.

So many great stories abound that harken back to this theme.  If Frodo had eschewed adventure to live the life of a typical Hobbit, all of Middle Earth would be overrun with Orcs by now.  Scarlett O’Hara put aside society’s perception of her as a simpering debutante and not only brought her family back from the brink of starvation, but opened a thriving business.  What are some of your favorite character’s that surpassed the world’s expectations of them?

Christi Barth spent years performing in musicals, singing about love and giving people a happy ending in every performance.  Then as a wedding planner she spent every day immersed in romance.  Now she writes it!  It is exciting to share her love of the theatre with the world through Act Like We’re In Love.  For all her fellow Broadway fans, favorite shows include Guys & Dolls, Phantom, and The Most Happy Fella.  A special curtain call for Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Gondoliers, the show where she met and first starred opposite the love of her life.  She lives in Maryland with the absolutely best husband in the world (sorry ladies, but it’s true!).

As you may know, I had to call a halt to my last Nook giveaway because of legal complications that arose from the contest. In spite of that fiasco, I’m going to try again. (But if anything goes wrong this time, I will know that the Fates do not want me to give away an e-reader!) As it happens, I have a brand-new-in-box Nook Touch. I would like to give it to someone–fellow authors included! What do you have to do to win it?

1. Add my books to your “to be read” pile on Goodreads
2. Post here that you’ve done so
3. If you don’t have a Goodreads account or don’t want one, or you’ve already got my books on your shelves, you can just spread the word about this giveaway on your Facebook or Twitter or Blog or wherever on the internet you talk to people, and post the link here
4. Please go to the share button at the bottom of this post and press the Stumble Upon button. For more good karma join my very infrequent but frequently snarky newsletter!
5. If you don’t want to do any of those things, you can just post here that you want a Nook, but don’t you want some good karma when it’s time to roll the dice and pick a random winner?

The Legalese:

One winner will be chosen at random before Valentine’s Day (2/14/2012) or within a reasonable time thereafter. This contest will be held in tandem on my other website, StephanieDray.com. You can enter the contest on either website. No purchase necessary.

Contest is void where prohibited. I reserve the right to cancel, terminate or modify this promotion if it cannot be operated, conducted or completed as planned, for any reason. Prizes listed may be substituted with other first prizes of equal value, based on availability. Entering this contest constitutes the winner’s consent to the use of his or her name on my site or in promotional materials. I’m not responsible for any problems with your entry, including technical failures related to computer, telephone, cable, and unavailable network or server connections, or other failures related to hardware, software or virus, or incomplete, late or misdirected entries. In case of a dispute as to the identity of an entrant using the Internet, the authorized account holder of the email address used to enter the Promotion at the time of entry will be considered the entrant.

Open to U.S. residents only over the age of 18. Sorry, Canada and other countries have funny laws about contests.

You know, after a book has been out for a year or so, you’re encouraged to move on. I’ve written quite a lot since my RT nominated Poisoned Kisses, but it’s still one of my favorites. So here’s an oldie but goodie:

He might think otherwise, but he couldn’t resist her. She was sure of it.

“A drink for the lady,” Marco said to the bartender.

“And what if I’m not a lady?” Kyra asked, with a provocative smile.

“That’s okay,” Marco murmured, his hand grasping the nape of her neck. “I don’t plan to be a gentleman tonight.”

About Poisoned Kisses

He can wear the face of anyone who has ever hurt him…

Buy Now | Add to Your Goodreads To Be Read Pile! | Excerpt