I’m hanging out my “Caution: Promo Ahead” sign today. LOL!
Every author knows that we have one line, one paragraph and if we’re lucky one page to grab the reader. I can spend days tweaking and reworking the beginning of my stories. So I thought today I’d share with you the first lines of my books (with the names removed). When you look at them individually what do you think? Does the line make you want to keep reading or not so much?
So here they are in no particular order. Can you figure out which book they’re from? (And I included a line from a book that isn’t currently available at this time.):
1.) She slammed the spade into the soil. Her booted foot thumped down on its metal edge, driving it deeper and transferring her frustration to the wounded earth.
~ Deceive Her With Desire
2.) Margaret Callaghan hid her heartache behind dark sunglasses and the Starbuck’s double-double mocha latte she carried like a shield.
~ In His Eyes
3.) She wasn’t expecting a trip down memory lane when she sauntered into the dingy tavern, but the acrid stench and gruff hum of the Friday night crowd carried her back to one of the seedier establishments on Chicago’s south side nonetheless. ~ A Touch of Lilly
4.) She had definitely made the wrong decision. Less than twenty-four hours ago she was sure this weekend was just what she needed.
~ Invitation to Ecstasy
5.) “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust…” How could this have happened to someone so young? ~ Blind Her With Bliss
6.) It wasn’t much of a noise, just an inconsequential thump in the night that was enough to rouse him from his dreamless slumber. Still cradled in the gentle arms of sleep, his blood thick with sleeping medication, he wasn’t sure if he’d simply
imagined the sound. ~ Shadows of Fire
7.) He splashed three more fingers of thirty-year-old scotch into the crystal tumbler sitting on the mahogany desk, not bothering to add ice. He didn’t need some watered-down version of liquid courage.
~ Divine Deception
8.) She sauntered into the Whip and Bull Tavern, wanting only two things—a cold beer and a hot body. ~ Bonded Souls
9.) Jesus. Even though he wasn’t particularly religious he prayed for Divine intervention. Not that he wanted any lightning strikes or halos of light illuminating the shadowed corner of the club where he’d hidden himself, but a little more help in the patience department would certainly go a long way at the moment. ~ Maid for Master
10.) She raced through the shadows, her claws digging deep in the damp forest floor. Lush ferns of summer slapped at her muzzle but didn’t slow her speed.
~ Bonded by Need
What do you think? Do you have a favorite? Do you think any of them missed the mark?
And my latest book news? Well, I’m happy to announce all of the books in the Dangerous Affairs, sexy romantic suspense series, BLIND HER WITH BLISS and DECEIVE HER WITH DESIRE and CHEAT HER WITH CHARM are now available in audio format. What a kick-in-the-pants to hear someone else reading my stories! I hope you’ll check them out:
Available from:
Amazon
Audible
iTunes
Available from:
Amazon
Audible
iTunes
UGH! I owe you an apology! Last week I was AWOL. In the midst of my daughter’s wedding, I completely forgot my Sunday post. Mia Culpa.
But without further ado, here’s my Six Sentence Sunday offering for this week. Because the reading world is still enthralled with “50 Shades of Grey”, I thought I’d pull something from my own BDSM novella MAID FOR MASTER.
Pressing up against her back, the heat of her skin branding his chest, Jon smiled when her breath caught. “Claire, we need to go over a few rules,” he said as he undid the clasp of the bra and slowly brushed the thin straps from her shoulders and down her arms.
Nuzzling into her neck, his hands skimmed her arms and he continued, “I intend to push you to your limits tonight.” His lips nipped her earlobe and he felt her melt against him. “Pain and pleasure will intertwine until you’re not sure where one begins and the other ends.”
His hands slid to her hips, across the satin of her belly, up to the weighty flesh of her breasts as he whispered, “every part of you is mine and I will use your body as I wish for my pleasure.”
Thank you so much for visiting. I really enjoy the comments you leave each week. Click HERE to check out other authors participating this week.
MAID FOR MASTER is also available for Kindle and Nook.
Welcome to another Six Sentence Sunday. After everyone enjoyed this post last week from my BDSM novella, MAID FOR MASTER.I thought I’d up the heat level … just a tad.
“Beautiful,” he whispered as he admired the crystal-studded nipple and clitoral clamps. “Open yourself to the sublime pleasure of the pain, Claire and let it center you.” He leaned in, brushing his lips feather-light across her cheek, the heat of his words shivering across her skin. “You can do this. We both know it’s what you want. My pleasure comes from knowing how much you want to please me—and I am very pleased.”
Click HERE to check out other authors participating this week.
MAID FOR MASTER is also available for Kindle and Nook.
Welcome to another Six Sentence Sunday. Because the reading world seems to have fallen for “50 Shades of Grey”, I thought I’d pull something from my own BDSM novella MAID FOR MASTER.
“Does the public dungeon intrigue you?”
A male voice, thick and rich as honeyed molasses shivered down her spine. When Claire attempted to turn, he pressed into her back, nestling his face against her neck so that only a whisper separated his lips from the shell of her ear.
Power buffeted her but didn’t smother and rather than drowning, Claire felt swaddled in the absolute security of this man. When she inhaled to speak, the clean scent of soap and fresh air filled her nose. “Yes.”
Click HERE to check out other authors participating this week.
MAID FOR MASTER is also available for Kindle and Nook.
Welcome! This week’s six come from my contemporary erotic romance “Maid for Master” available from Ellora’s Cave.
Even though Jonathon Brierton wasn’t particularly religious he prayed for Divine intervention. Not that he wanted any lightning strikes or halos of light illuminating the shadowed corner of the club where he’d hidden himself, but a little more help in the patience department would certainly go a long way at the moment. It went against his baser nature to sit back and wait rather than walking over and convincing the copper-haired beauty leaning over the railing across the way to put on his collar and join him in one of the private dungeons below.
She was a natural submissive. He felt it in every fiber of his being. Claire Calderwood just didn’t know it—or at the very least—was unwilling to accept that part of herself.
Check HERE for other participating authors. With over 160 blogs to visit, I’m sure there’s a little something for everyone!
I feel fortunate that I skirted the worst of Irene. I rode out the tropical storm in southern Maine with a bunch of family. With a generator to run a crock pot we had warm food and great company playing a very spirited game of Spades while the wind howled and the rain came down in torrents. I’ve been without internet for the last week and though I’ve been going through withdrawals, it’s nothing compared to the people still without power and worst still … damaged property.
But while I was away, several reviews came around for my books. And since I’m working feverishly to catch up on all things blogging (including some over due guest blogs) I’ll leave you with some happy reviews.
Lilly at Romance Junkies gave Love’s Bounty 3 RIBBONS and had this to say…
Passion and suspense go hand-in-hand in LOVE’S BOUNTY. Author Nina Pierce knows how to turn up the heat and keep it on high, which makes LOVE’S BOUNTY a deliciously erotic read. Couple that with the danger brought about by Ayden’s case and you’ll find that LOVE’S BOUNTY is definitely a high-octane thrill of a read.
Stacey at Sizzling Hot Book Reviews gave Invitation to Ecstasy 5 Hearts and said…
Sara and Derek have both met their demons but they need each other to be able to face them and overcome what was left in the wake. By pushing the other one, each learns the art of letting go of the hurts others have welded upon them and they begin to believe in themselves once again.
Invitation to Ecstasy is a quick read that will suck you right into the lives of Sara and Derek. I laughed and I cried at different points of their story. Nina Pierce does a fantastic job of giving you enough details to understand the plot and the characters without drowning in them. Invitation to Ecstasy is one of my new favorite books.
Stacey from Sizzling Hot Book Reviews also reviewed Maid for Master giving it 4 HEARTS and said …
Maid for Master is a sexy erotic romance with lots of emotion. Friendship, love, anger, and hate all forge bonds between the characters as they experience something new. Ms. Pierce brings to life the story of Claire and how her darkest desires do not make her a bad person. In Maid for Master, she explores the ability to live out those fantasies and still be a strong woman.
Maid for Master is the perfect book for someone looking for a story of love with hot fantasies and even hotter interactions. It has a softer romantic side of the BDSM lifestyle that is fun and exciting to read about.
First, I’d like to wish everyone celebrating a very Happy Easter. Though I couldn’t be with my children this holiday I did send each of them an easter basket full of candy…because I just can’t give it up!
If you’re keeping track of my crazy house hunt, Mr. Nina and I made an offer on a house that required quite a bit to upgrade and bring back into shape because the former owners passed away and it’s currently sitting empty. Unfortunately the powers that be who are running the estate didn’t think our offer was reasonable and walked away without discussing it. I think that house will be empty for a looooong time. (Though I told my realtor if they come to their senses…we’d still be willing to talk to them.) Anyhoodles, that means Mr. Nina and I are going back to the drawing board and will be house hunting some more.
In the “better news” category, I got a wonderful review for MAID FOR MASTER from Nocturne Romance Reads. Rayna gave it 4.5 hoots and has this to say…
Pierce has this enigmatic way of pulling the reader into her stories and Maid for Master does not disappoint. You get thrown right into a hot BDSM resort complete with role playing, one on one Dom/Sub relationships and to boot, a beautiful story line to follow. Readers not only get to be enticed with hot steamy sex scenes but also get to see a blossoming love relationship between the H/H…A tantalizing story! I suggest running a bubble bath and settle in for a while with this hot steamy read.
Yep, I’m snoopy dancing. How about a brand new EXCERPT to celebrate?
Claire’s bare feet tread steadily along the sandy path. Shafts of sunlight flickered in the cool shadows of the palm fronds. Lush leaves of thick underbrush tickled along her breasts and belly, raising goose flesh. Never had she been so aware of the sensations playing over her body. Even as the warm breath of the ocean breeze danced with her hair, caressing her sensitized skin like a lover’s touch, peaking her nipples and stroking her damp folds, Claire tried not to condemn herself for what she was about to do.
Determination winning out over uncertainty, she focused on her desires rather than the process. Soon there would be no sheltered path to hide her nudity. No way for her to deny her darkest fantasies. No opportunity for her to turn from her Master’s command.
But she would not deny him. Could not deny him.
He’d understood that before she’d been conscious of the thought.
Everything about the man demanded her attention. His presence filled a room and stole her breath. His touch shivered through her. Her body was never sated, always yearning for another caress, another stroke of those long fingers—another brush of his lips. But it was the sensual authority in his voice that captivated. Even a mere whisper thundered through her veins, pushing her to obey.
It was that voice Claire had heard when she’d read the beautiful script of a controlled hand. As clearly as if he’d been standing at the door to her suite commanding her submission, the timbre pulsed hot need straight to her pussy.
Claire,
It has been too many hours since I last touched you, breathed the heady scent of your arousal, tasted my sweat on your lips. My cock hardens at the thought of you strapped to my bench, your flesh laced with the red streaks of my flogger and your luscious mouth sucking me deep. Join me at my luncheon in two hours at the Masters’ lodge behind the main building. Bring nothing but the gifts I have given you.
Master Xavier
She hoped she had not misunderstood. Had he intended for her only to bring the gold band and the leather collar she wore? As she broke through the protective barrier of the foliage and rejoined the main stone walking path, Claire realized it didn’t matter. She’d made her choice.
I spent the better part of this week in another state shopping for a new home. The realtor said by the end of it we’ll be creating our own house in our heads putting a bathroom with a different livingroom and adding a kitchen from a different house. Oy! Was he right! My head is spinning with all the houses we’ve seen. I have to tell you, we looked at one house that was … interesting. There was no way to save the house from itself. There was an indoor pool (empty and without a liner) and an outdoor pool and bedrooms that just … weren’t. The realtor looked at me when we were alone in the kitchen, smiled and said, “there’s nothing to be done here, but blow it up and start again.” I nearly busted a gut. Our realtor is normally very stoic and says very little. But the man was right.
Anyway, we found some beautiful neighborhoods with houses that needed renovating and some beautiful houses we could move into in places we’d rather not live. I’m not sure what we’re going to do at this moment. All I know is now that I’ve returned home, there are boxes begging to be packed. I have two weeks left to get it all done. One foot in front of the other …
On the writing front I have to admit I didn’t get anything more than blog posts and a couple of guest posts written. My current WIP is just a couple of scenes away from being finished. I just need to buckle down and pound out the words and find my Happy-Ever-After for my lovers. I’d like to finish it before I move at the end of the month. Goal stated.
I did get a really nice 4 CHERRY review from Whipped Cream Reviews for MAID FOR MASTER. This is part of what Mistletoe had to say …
I enjoyed this book right from the start. Claire is a strong woman who can stand on her own. Yet as a submissive she decides to give up control to her Master. Whether he is Master or just plain Jonathon he is a wonderful man who will do anything for love, including keeping a secret from Claire and hoping that, when he reveals it, his heart is not torn out. Watching the two together makes for one hot read. Claire blossoms as a submissive and the love that grows between the two is wonderful…it includes some scenes that were very intense and very hot! I enjoyed this book so much and was happy to see the love and trust between the characters. Nina Pierce does a wonderful job of pulling the reader in and keeping you glued to the pages. I will definitely be on the look out for more of this author’s books in the future.
I’ll end today with an excerpt from “Maid for Master:
Jonathon dropped the cell phone into the oak drawer of his desk, grateful for the interruption. He’d been sitting in his office below Paradise Cove’s main club for the last hour trying to figure out how to handle Claire. No—not handle—men had been doing that her entire life. The woman needed someone who loved and respected all sides of her—the devoted mother, the caring daughter, the submissive lover as well as the corporate executive with an advanced business degree.
He could be that man—wanted to be that man.
Guilt and fear knotted cold in his gut. He’d come close to confessing everything this morning at breakfast. Seeing the gold band winding delicately around her biceps had sent his heart into overdrive. He wasn’t sure how Claire would react when she woke this morning in one of the staff lounges and found he wasn’t there. He had feared she’d feel abandoned once again and throw it all away. Thank God she hadn’t.
He’d tried to steer her toward the idea of the two of them together, but even his heartfelt confession of love hadn’t been enough to open her eyes to the possibility that there could actually be something between them. The disappointment had wrapped tight around his heart and he’d grabbed her computer, looking for a diversion.
Jon had fully expected to see that Claire had been pining over her ex-fiancé, which she’d done. But a few clicks of her internet history had brought up the XTC Resort website and its staff photos. His heart had skipped several beats knowing she’d been surfing their website. Of course he had no way of knowing exactly what she was trying to find, but he’d hoped she’d been looking for him. Well, not him but Master Xavier, the Dom who had held her last night as she’d allowed herself to purge the anxiety and discontent blinding her heart.
Jon understood how little she valued herself. Knew she believed she didn’t deserve to find a fulfilling relationship. Claire’s life had been nothing but one compromise after another.
Well, he planned to change all of that.
First off, I’d like to thank everyone who hung out with me on my recent blog tour. I had a blast visiting other blogs and hearing from so many of you. So, earlier this week I threw every commenter’s name in a hat (okay, there were so many I had to use a box, but you get the idea). I shook them up, held the box over Baby Girl’s head and she pulled out a name. Congratulations to …
Fedora C.
from California
Fedora won a box of goodies from my prize closet, including a 2011 Ellora’s Cavemen calendar and copy of Healer’s Garden.
Tracey D.
Tracey won a digital copy of Bonded Souls.
I also had 3 wonderful reviews this week for “Maid for Master”.
DARK DIVAS gave it 4.5 DELIGHTFUL DIVAS and Lily said …
Maid for Master is a wonderful read that doesn’t candy coat the road that Claire and Jonathon have to take in the BDSM world in order to become a couple. Ms. Peirce does a fantastic job of making each of the characters seem human and with that they each have their own set of faults and issues to work through. While at times I wanted to strangle both of them, this was a delightful read that I truly enjoyed and will read again in the future!
MANIC READERS gave it 4.5 STARS and Patrizia said …
The story is warmly and gently told and we realize from almost the beginning how much Jon cares for Claire and the lengths he will go to make her happy…Maid for Master is a kinder, gentler type of D/s and it showed much more love and caring than many I have read. I liked it.
NIGHT OWL REVIEWS gave it 4.25 STARS and Elf said …
Maid For Master is a novella that follows the journey of a woman who finds that she is ready to explore her darker submissive sexual nature and discovers that the Master who is willing to train her has only been waiting for her awakening…A nicely steamy tale…
I’m snoopy dancing all over the house. Since I left excerpts all over the internet last week I won’t post another one. But how about another look at the book trailer?
I’m a little homesick. I’ve spent this week bumping around the blogosphere visiting with other authors and chatting about Maid for Master. But even I’m a little tired and looking for a break. I’ve got three more stops. Check THIS POST and find out what stops I have left. This coming Wednesday I’ll choose a person at random from all those who commented on the various blog posts to win a box full of goodies including my book Healer’s Garden.
On the writing front I’ve had a really good week. I did shoot something off to my editor at Ellora’s Cave and should be hearing something in a few weeks. In the mean time my muse and I have come to an understanding. She understands I NEED her to stay put and play with me and I’ve come to understand she needs more hot showers, space heaters, and wine to survive this crazy-cold and snowy month. The bribes seem to be working. We’ve been a finely tuned machine this week cranky out the words. (Let’s hope we can keep up that New Year’s resolution through the end of the month.)
On a personal front … I am jumping up and down and screaming with joy. Most of you know I have multiple sclerosis. I can walk around my home, but it is becoming increasingly difficult for me to get around malls or hotels. For years, and I do mean years, my neurologist and I have been trying to convince my insurance company that a motorized wheelchair would improve my life significantly. Finally, FINALLY a chair arrived at my door step on Friday. There’s still the question of how we’re going to transport it, but expect to see me and my sexy new wheels and writer’s conferences this year. I CAN NOT wait. It’ll save me from all kinds of difficulties that have kept me home. Yay!
So what are you up to this weekend? Any special plans?
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