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
WELCOME! I’m so happy you found your way here. This weekend, over 40 authors are offering fun, and prizes and lots of sexy spring love in our “Fool for Love” blog hop. If you’ve stumbled upon my blog without finding your way to the “bus”, then click HERE to join in all the fun and see what fun other authors are offering.
Since writers are always looking for the hero that will grab a reader by the heart, I’m wondering what romance hero tugs at your heartstrings every time …
1. Cowboys are one of my favorite heroes. Just a few weeks ago one of those sexy men walked into my dreams and decided perhaps I should write a series set out west. Who doesn’t like a sexy man in a hat and chaps and a reeeeaally slow smile and eyes just for you?
2. And who can resist a man in (or out) of uniform? Like say … a fireman? My vampire firefighter, Reese Colton in SHADOWS OF FIRE is one of those sexy men you want showing up at your house, but not when he’s on duty … maybe just a social call?
3. Oh, yeah … why choose one hero when two can be so much naughtier! I’ve never written a book with twin heroes … but seriously … why not?
4. *sigh* That durn horse of mine is always running off and the neighbor is such a hero for bringing him back. I’m a lucky gal! (Actually, I call that good training!)
5. My favorite hero is that alpha male with soft gooey center only the heroine sees, like Cole Takoda in my SHIFTING BONDS series. This wolf shifter is both the police chief and the keeper of the heroines heart … what more could a woman want? Tattoos are just a nice perk.
6. And this guy is so bad … you know he’s going to be really goooood! That scars tells me he’s wounded and ready for some healing. He reminds me of Dallas Sawyer, the futuristic FBI agent in my sexy ménage A TOUCH OF LILLY
7. When I’m feeling down, I would love to have a musician to sing to me. Damon Corey in BLIND HER WITH BLISS is a concert pianist who pays the bills as a bad boy shock jock. *sigh* Yeah, that’s a lethal combination!
8. And when you’ve had enough of the city, a hero like Nicholas Gradin from DIVINE DECEPTION will take you for a ride on his motorcycle through the vineyards of New York to forget all your troubles.
9. Puh-lease, you didn’t think one of my badboy heroes wouldn’t be wearing a kilt? Have you ever visited my blog?
10. I grew up on the coast of Maine. I love the beach. And a man bare foot and bare chested in just jeans walking at the beach … oh yeah, it makes my knees weak every time! Rainmaker, the FBI agent in my novel IN HIS EYES spends a lot of time hunting down a serial killer on the beach.
11. And then there’s a hero like Jonathon Brierton in MAID FOR MASTER, the real estate magnate who will push you to limits you didn’t think you’d enjoy … 😉
12. What fun is a romance without a hero who makes himself comfortable while he’s waiting for his woman to come home?
Now get out the Windex and paper towels and clean off the monitor and your keyboard. I only offer the eye candy and prizes, you need to clean the drool up off your own chin! LOL!
So what type of romance hero is your can’t-resist-must-read-because-he-makes-your-knees-weak-and-your-heart-race-and-make-you-seek-out-your-man-must-buy-the-book hero? Curious writers want to know.
**** THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED ****
Anyone commenting on this post between now and SUNDAY, APRIL 6 at 4pm EST will be eligible to win a gift pack of goodies including a signed copy of DANGEROUS AFFAIRS. One winner will be chosen at random from the commenters on this post. Thanks so much for visiting! (Shipping to US residents only. An international winner will receive a $15 Amazon gift card in lieu of prizes.)
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.
Writing. *sigh* I’m avoiding it like the plague this morning. I’m not sure why, just am. The laundry and bills seem to be shouting louder than my WIP and I’m having a grand time flitting around blogs and visiting with my friends. I turned to my own blog in hopes of channeling my energy into something at least semi-productive.
I know what’s slowing me down. I’m trying to come up with an idea for a western series … because I’m totally enamored with cowboys. But I know there are readers who are looking for the third book in the XTC Resorts series (and I do love Ethan). So I’m stuck. I’m not working on either one.
I’m like that. Sort of a one-book woman.
There are authors who have multiple projects going and thrive on the schizophrenic jumping around of plots and characters. That is so not me. Which may be why I get stalled. I know I’ve mentioned this on numerous occassions, but Ethan Jacobs is just being uncooperative. He’s dragging his feet, unwilling (or perhaps unable) to find his stride and let me unravel his story. He’s a great matchmaker, but doesn’t seem to want to find his own forever love. I’ve promised him all sorts of stuff including some very hot sex in the dungeon with a very sexy woman who’s never explored her submissive side if he’ll just help me write his story. Ah hem. But does he throw me a bone? Um…. no.
So we go ’round and ’round but don’t make any headway. Now I’ve put him on the spot. I keep dangling Jonathon (Maid for Master) and Derek’s (Invitation to Ecstasy) happy stories in front of him, hoping Ethan will be so jealous he’ll want to jump on the band wagon. I’m not above a little peer pressure.
But it doesn’t seem to be working. My CP says move on. Write a story that’s singing to me. I can’t.
Don’t ask me, I just can’t. It’s not that I don’t have partial projects sitting on my computer … I do. But I’ve given them all a fair go and finally had to abandon them for lack of research, character motivation, or (dare I say it) lack of sufficient plot. (That’s not the case with Ethan, he has all that in spades.)
I know some of you out there are shaking your head, wondering what the heck I’m rambling about this morning. But the writer friends of mine totally get this.
So it made me wonder. How many projects are too many to work on? Are you the incredible juggler keeping several things in the air all at once or the jockey sitting astride one horse, focused completely on finishing this single race? Do tell. Inquiring minds want to know.
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’m participating in Whipped Cream’s SPRING FLING. They’re giving away a KINDLE, NOOK or $150 Giftcard to one lucky commenter at the end of this month. GO HERE to check out my post about May/December relationships. Leave a comment and you’re entered.
You can also visit the other posts and comment there as well. Every comment on every post is an entry … Good luck!
This week Black Raven Reviews gave MAID FOR MASTER four Ravens and MacKenzie had this to say…
Nina Pierce did a great job of bringing these characters to life; really taking her readers on a journey along with both Claire and Jonathon. The location was breathtakingly detailed; the characters well developed. The erotic scenes were intense as well as sensual. Every scene drove us toward the ending at a steady forward pace…With such great details, I hope that Ms. Pierce might one day revisit these characters. I’m sure that Claire’s brother, Jonathon’s best friend, could use a soul-mate too. *grin*
If you’re looking for a fun novella with intriguingly hot BDSM scenes and seriously passionate moments, then be sure to check out Maid for Master by Nina Pierce.
A TOUCH OF LILLY finalled in RWA’s Passionate Ink’s Passionate Plume contest. w00t! w00t!
I thought I’d leave you with an Excerpt:
Some emotion she couldn’t decipher marred Dallas’s brow. “I want to help you,” he said. “But I can’t keep you safe if I don’t know everything.” He brushed hair from her face. “Thaegan mentioned some myth, but I’m thinking it’s much more than that.”
The man was an enigma. She wanted to believe the compassion in his voice was real, but the hard set of his jaw communicated something entirely different. But when it came right down to it, she wanted someone to know. Someone who could share her burden without judgment. Lilly had no idea if Dallas was that person, but sitting here, bound and naked, she figured she really didn’t have a whole hell of a lot more to lose.
“She was my great-great-grandmother. It’s barely a part of me.” Lilly looked down. Even with Dallas’ hand warm on her shoulder, there was shame in the telling.
His finger came under her chin and gently lifted it. She had no choice but to stare into the chocolate pools of his eyes. “Then it’s not your fault. Whatever it is, the responsibility belongs to someone else.” His thumb brushed over her lips. “The beginning. Start at the beginning. I have no idea what it is. What you are.”
Confusion and frustration warred within her. How could he not know? The answers were as obvious as her beaded nipples and the dizzying aroma of her arousal. Dallas was so close she could feel his body heat pressing against her, making it hard to fill her lungs. Yet the man seemed immune to the sexual energy crackling between them. Even without trying, her own arousal was usually enough to affect any male close to her and drive one with his hands on her to sexual delirium.
“I mean…you’re very obviously human.” One side of Dallas’ mouth curved, the dimple dancing. “But there’s something that makes you special.” His hand brushed up her face to cup her cheek and she couldn’t stop herself from leaning into it. “I just want to understand it.”
His gaze searched her face, settled on her lips and Lilly thought for a moment he might kiss her. She wanted to feel the heat of his mouth on hers. Instead, he dropped his hand, rubbing them both on his jeans. “Just please explain to me what Thaegan was talking about.”
Even that slight rejection stung. Seduction and escape no longer mattered. What Lilly needed now was Dallas—a human man to accept who she was. Filling her lungs with courage, she stared straight ahead, unable to witness his revulsion as she recalled the story her mother had told her the night of her first menses. “Serapheliums are an ancient race. They came from another galaxy, hundreds of light years from where we are now. It’s said they resembled humans, but their beauty was unmatched. Gods bowed down to their perfection and angels sang at their births.” She chanced a look at Dallas and shrugged, embarrassment heating her cheeks.
“I can see the resemblance.”
She laughed out her disbelief. “Yeah, whatever.”
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