A New Print Release!

Today is a wonderful day.

The Be-Wished series, five years in the making, consists of four books: All In, A Wolf at Her Door, Once Upon a Kiss, and Just Winging It. The first two stories were published in their own print anthology last year called Wolf Wishes. 

Now, the second volume, Midnight Wishes has been published in print!

I hadn't seen the cover until today, but I love it. As an author who has most of her stories sold digitally, it's exciting and special when you see your work in print. One of these days, I'll do a book signing. Maybe at the Romance Writers of America Conference or the Romantic Times convention next year.

Until then, I'm just thrilled to have these books available.

Spider Webs...Japanese Rope Bondage

Max, the hero of my novella Fit To Be Tied, is an entomologist who specializes in tarantulas and an aficionado of Japanese rope bondage, otherwise known as shibari. I think tarantulas are fascinating and I liked the subtle tie (pardon the pun) between a spider web and Japanese rope bondage.

In the book I mention one particular species of tarantula, Haplopelma lividum--the Cobalt Blue. Although beautiful, they're particularly quick and vicious. Here's a great quality video showing a Cobalt Blue snatching up a cricket. The action is over fairly quick, but you can really see incredible detail on the spider.

Are you afraid of spiders? Or are you like me, just a little bit morbidly fascinated by them?

Once Upon a Kiss Celebration - Day Seven

Tomorrow is the big day when Once Upon A Kiss comes out! I'm so excited and can't wait.

If you are interested in on-screen kisses, check out this list of the Best and Most Memorable Film Kisses of All Time in Cinematic History. It's twenty five pages long and the first one is from 1896! It's current to 2009. Check it out. I got lost looking at the various kisses for quite a while.

Today, I want to know if you have a favorite on-screen kiss. One of my favorites is actually Lady and the Tramp--the spaghetti kiss.

Is there a kiss between humans that you especially remember?

Comments enter you to win your choice of one of my books. Winner to be announced tomorrow!

Once Upon a Kiss Celebration - Day Six

Obviously in my newest novella from Ellora's Cave, Once Upon A Kiss, a kiss plays an important role in the plot. This is typical fairy tale fare. Snow White and Sleeping Beauty needed the lips of a man in order to get their happy ending. In my story, it's the hero, Joe, who needs a lip lock.

So, today, just for fun, let's pretend you're deep in enchanted dreamland. Who would you want to give you your up-close and personal wake up call? (Boyfriends and husbands don't count.)

Comment and you are entered to win your choice of one of any of my books. Winner to be announced Wednesday, August 25!

Once Upon A Kiss Celebration Week - Day Four

When one of my books comes out, I traditionally do a sex tally. Here are how the numbers fall for Once Upon A Kiss:

Number of sex scenes - NINE. Wow. I think that's a record for me.
Percentage of sex in the book - 8%
Longest sex scene - 1,418 words
Shortest sex scene - 175 words

I'm wondering what the shortest sex scene you could write would be... Maybe, if you really used your imagination it could be one word.

Yes.

Can you write a sex scene in ten or less words? Give it a try and get a chance to win a free book. (Winner to be announced Wednesday, August 25, the day Once Upon A Kiss comes out.

Once Upon A Kiss Celebration Week - Day Two

I hope you liked yesterday's excerpt. I also hope you commented. Every comment is a chance to win a copy of any of my backlist.

Today I'm going to focus on the concept of wishes. Wishes are fun to think about. They're like the ultimate hypothetical. In the Be-Wished world that I created, you can't just wish for world peace. The Universal Wish Federation avoids "granting wishes that could affect the economy, the environment, or health on a global scale."

All three friends in my series find true love as a result of their wishes, even if they didn't technically wish for love. So, I'm posing a few choices to you. What would you wish for...?

Love or money?
X-ray vision or invisibility?
A lifetime supply of McDonalds or Pizza Hut?
To be the ideal weight or in excellent health?

Chime in to win a free book. Drawing to be held Wednesday, August 25.

Once Upon A Kiss Celebration Week - Day One

Welcome to the countdown until Once Upon A Kiss comes out! I'm very excited about this because it's the third book in my Be-Wished series. The premise for the series is that three friends made wishes on "magical" woven bracelets while on vacation in Mexico. Little did they know that the Universal Wish Federation exists and that soon a fairy would make their wishes come true. It started with All In (Mariah's story), continued with A Wolf at Her Door (Paige's story), and now we have Livvy, the last of the three friends to get her wish granted. To start off the week, I thought I'd offer an excerpt from Chapter One of Once Upon A Kiss. I hope you enjoy it.

“What?” the fairy asked, a worried look on her face.


“Well, I…I had an idea. Can you, ah, manipulate time? See, I was thinking maybe you could bring us back to just before I told you to get lost…”


Paige put a hand over her heart. “Oh my God, that would solve everything.”


But Davina was shaking her head. “No. Sorry, no can do. Turning back time requires like ten tons of red tape, clearance that I don’t and probably will never have, not to mention a unanimous vote of the regulatory court, and those old fogies are so conservative they never vote for anything. I’m still PO’d about their decision on de-legalizing… ” She trailed off and stared into space.


“Davina, what is it?” Mariah asked in a low voice. “You thought of something just now.”


“No, I didn’t.”


“Yes you did, you crafty fairy, you. I distinctly saw that I-thought-of-something-just-now look on your face,” Mariah said.


“I saw it too,” Paige piped in.


“Well,” Davina said, “to tell the truth, I do feel that the three of you were a package deal, seeing how you all wished at the same time. Even though technically I’m not obligated, I feel obligated to see this through.”


Livvy felt a faint flicker of hope.


“So, what I thought of is this,” Davina said glancing left and right. “I can try to grant you a wish under the table. Because you relinquished a claim on the other wish, I’m not allowed to use Federation magic on you, but there’s magic out there on the black market I could get.”


Mariah looked all for it, but Paige’s expression was pinched. “I don’t know. I’ve had experience with bad magic.”
“Black market magic isn’t bad necessarily,” Davina said. “It’s just not guaranteed. Sort of like generic drugs. Same thing, but without the big company to back it up. Sometimes you hit a minor glitch but I should be able to handle whatever comes up. However, if we do this, you can’t speak of it to anyone.”


“She’s totally not kidding,” Paige added. “You have to be super careful.” She went on to explain how she’d gotten Davina in trouble when she’d mistakenly blabbed something to the wrong person and it had almost ended in disaster.


“But you do have to tell the guy involved. That’s Rule One that I had to learn,” Mariah said.


“No, actually, this is non-Federation, so the pamphlet doesn’t apply to her,” Davina said. “But it is generally a good rule of thumb to not keep secrets of this magnitude from your true love. So if we’re all agreed?” Davina arched her brow and looked at each of them in turn. “Good.”


The fairy then whisked away the gelato with a flat-palmed sweep of her arms and garbed herself in an austere black pants suit, aviator glasses and a short-brimmed trilby hat with a leopard band.


Leaning forward, Davina said, “Now here’s the thing, Liv. Because we’re using the street stuff, you have to be broad when making your wish. In fact…” Davina held her hands up in front of her, her eyes wide. “Pretend I’m Tiger Woods. I am the Tiger Woods of magic.”


“Oh, brother,” Mariah said.


Davina ignored her. “Now, you wouldn’t make Tiger tee off in a closet would you? Of course you wouldn’t. You have to give him room to maneuver. So think in broad terms. You don’t have a certain person in mind, do you?”


For one crazy moment, Livvy thought of Joe, the next door neighbor who had moved in not long ago. The man was ripped. Like Rambo ripped. He had a buzz cut and a wicked-awesome tat of butterflies on his upper arm.


He was also severely handicapped.


The property manager had told her he’d served overseas in the Army and come back disabled, which explained his military bearing, evident even though he used a wheelchair. This filled Livvy with compassion and admiration. She’d suddenly become eager to meet him. She’d gotten along very well with Henry, the man who’d lived in the apartment before. That sweet old guy had found love, gotten married and moved away, leaving his handicapped-accessible townhouse behind as a rental.


One Saturday soon after the ex-soldier moved in, she saw him and a friend coming out of his house. She had baked cookies for him a few days ago, but hadn’t seen him until now. Worried she might not get another chance before the cookies went stale, she hurried outside.


“Oh, hey, wait!” she called.


They stopped. The neighbor, dressed in khakis and an Army t-shirt, turned his chair toward her. He wore a cap and sunglasses and didn’t look like he’d shaved in a couple of days. His legs leaned toward the right, perfectly parallel—knees, ankles, feet, all side by side.


“I wanted to introduce myself,” she said, a little breathlessly. “I’m Livvy. I live next door.”


“Hey, good to meet you, Livvy. I’m Joe.” He flashed a dazzling smile at her. “This is Noah, my caregiver. Are those for me?” he asked, gesturing toward the bag of goodies.


“Yes. They’re to welcome you to the neighborhood.”


“That’s really nice of you. They look great.”


As he took the bag, Livvy noticed his eyes dropping to her breasts and lingering there. When he again met her gaze with a half smile playing around his full lips, her breasts tingled and she felt a flush of desire between her legs. A split second later she remembered he was in a wheelchair and got so flustered that when he invited her to go with them to the movies, she’d babbled a lame excuse. Later, she felt embarrassed and angry with herself. Having lived next to Henry for so long, she had always thought of herself as very accepting of and savvy about paraplegics. For instance, she knew that some of them had healthy sex lives, but for some reason, when faced with the prospect of actually having sex with a man in a wheelchair, she’d freaked out. Irritated at her apparent prejudice, she berated herself soundly and resolved to be more tolerant and open the next time she saw him, but hadn’t seen hide nor hair of him since.


“Earth to Livvy,” Davina said. “Do you have someone special in mind or don’t you?”


Livvy started, then shook her head. “No. No one special. I trust you to find the right man for me, Davina.”


Davina raised a brow and graced both Paige and Mariah with a smug look. “That, I shall,” she said. “Just make your wish.”


“Something with possibilities,” Livvy confirmed.


“Exactly.”

Hopefully, you're well and truly hooked and will want to buy Once Upon A Kiss when it comes out next Wednesday, August 25. Until then, every comment made during this celebration week will be an entry in the contest to win your choice of any of my electronic books, either from Ellora's Cave or Liquid Silver Books.

Once Upon a Kiss

A friend of mine recently expressed interest in Once Upon A Kiss, saying it sounded interesting. I thought, "Oh, she must have read the blurb." But when I came here to refresh my memory on it, I found I had not posted it. So, without further ado, The Blurb:

Livvy thought she lost her chance for a Happily Ever After when she dismissed the wish fairy who knocked on her door, so when a prime specimen of masculinity appears on her front lawn one stormy night, she can’t quite believe it. Like a prince in distress, he needs her kiss to bring him out of his enchanted sleep.

After a war injury left him paralyzed, Joe Kimball never expected to walk again, but when he regains the use of his legs thanks to his sexy neighbor, he can’t argue when she insists the credit belongs to a wish fairy. Nor does he want to. Arguing is the last thing on his mind now that he is a whole man again.

Unfortunately, a few days of hot sex do not a fairy tale ending make, and as the magic becomes increasingly volatile, Joe and Livvy realize there’s more at stake than just their happiness.

This Eye Candy Belongs to ME

Here is the cover for my new book, the third in the Be-Wished series. Isn't it gorgeous? Don't you just want to touch those muscles to see if they're as hard as they look?

Heh heh.

His name is Joe Kimball. But don't get any ideas. He's taken. ;)

The book is scheduled for release on August 25. I can't wait. I've been working on this one for over a year.

The Wait

So, my editor, Grace (I love that name), has my manuscript. Tomorrow she'll have had it a week. If I had nails, I'd be biting them. (They're in very sorry shape from all the water exposure at work.) I really am dying to know what she thinks.

It's a little ridiculous to take so long writing something and then be impatient afterward. Oh, well. It's not like I don't have Woman's World stories I need to write.

The End

I've finished ASKING FOR IT, the third Be-Wished book! I'm so happy. I can't wait for my editor to read it, but she doesn't get back from Jamaica until Monday. Even though she and I have never worked together before, I love her already because she gave me a hard deadline that really lit a fire under me.

The very last line in the book is

Love him forever.

Tee hee. I don't think I spoiled the ending for anyone.

Leap of Faith Celebration - Day 4

The Incan civilization was grand. Although, I learned a lot researching for this story, I took some creative liberties, especially concerning the punishment for defiling a Sun Virgin. But hopefully the result justifies the tweaking of historical fact.

I was going to make up a trivia quiz for today's blog entry, but saw that there are many perfectly good quizzes already out there. Why reinvent the wheel (which the Incans didn't have, by the way)?

Take this quiz if you want. If you'd like the chance to win a free e-book from my backlist, to to the comment section and let me know something you learned about the Incas that you didn't know before.

My score: 40% (How embarrassing!) The quiz was hard!

If you'd like to purchase the book in which those creative liberties were taken, go here. :)

Can you wait three more days?

Leap of Faith is going to be released on October 26. I can hardly wait. This story was previously published by another e-publisher, but during a time of intense turmoil for that company. Hence, Leap didn't get the exposure or the sales that it might have. Years later, I submitted it to Liquid Silver, where Maria Rogers, my editor, helped me strengthen the story and in three days you can see the result.

Here's a blurb:

Kira de la Fuente’s vacation to the land of her ancestors turns into a nightmare when her guide abandons her in the mountains of Peru. Without provisions or shelter, she is relieved when the enigmatic Amaru comes to her rescue. A powerful, self-assured man in his prime, he possesses an uncanny knowledge of ancient Incan ways. And for good reason.

Ever since he crossed the sun god centuries ago, Amaru has been paying the price—a life of isolation and misery, prayer and atonement. Kira’s arrival brings many good omens and Amaru comes to believe she might be the one to finally free him from his unearthly prison. But one last test has yet to be revealed, and it is Kira, not Amaru, who must pass it.

Booksigning Tomorrow

I will be signing copies of Ellora's Cavemen: Seasons of Seduction, Volume 3 tomorrow. It's an anthology of six hot stories. Mine is called "A Man of Vision."

Location: Barnes & Noble Encino, corner of Hayvenhurst and Ventura.

Time: 12:30 - 2:00(?) I'm not sure of the ending time, but I'll stay until the enormous line of fans dies down. LMAO

I'll also be passing out the personalized M&Ms I got just for this occasion. If you come and buy a book (or books) make sure you take one of Los Angeles Romance Authors' (LARA) flyers and bring it to the register with you. LARA gets a percentage of the sales. The money will help our organization continue to provide support and education for published and aspiring Los Angeles area romance authors.

Woot! Great review of A Wolf at Her Door, by Book Utopia Mom. She's one tough cookie and was impatient for the sex to be over with so she could get to the meat of the story. I can see how someone could feel that way. That makes me think about the third Be-Wished book and consider changing a couple of things.

Anyway, here's the link if you're interested in reading what she said. I got a 42/50. Yay!

Book Utopia Mom Loved ALL IN

My friend Evie Byrne sent me an email to day to tell me that Book Utopia Mom reviewed ALL IN and loved it! In a rush I went to see, and sure 'nuff, Evie was right. I was thrilled to read the review. This reviewer is very tough and doesn't hesitate to say exactly what she thinks. However, she's very articulate and thoughtful and has the ability to zero in on the weaknesses and strengths of a book, unlike many online reviewers.

So, click here to see the review.

Leap of Faith Update

I just turned in the final line edits of Leap of Faith. It's a novella that was once briefly offered by Phaze Books, but is now being released by Liquid Silver Books. Yay! It's been revamped a bit. Ended up adding another sex scene.

The release date is sometime in October. That's about all I know.

The first chapter opens with the heroine crossing a dangerous bridge and lo, I found a picture of an Incan bridge. How cool is that?

Here's a short blurb for the book:

Centuries ago, Amaru defied the Incan sun god and has since been condemned to a life of isolation and misery. Only through faith will he find forgiveness. But is it his faith that is required, or that of the young woman who stumbles into his closed off world?

Fast-paced, exceedingly funny erotic romance

It's official. I love Book Utopia Mom. Here's her review of Losing It (Eppie Award Finalist).

If you want some highlights:

I laughed more in the first 700 words of this novella, than I have at most full-length stories in a very long time.

I can’t emphasize enough how real the interactions in this novella felt. That’s the very root of why I loved the romance in this so very much.

Ms. Willoughby is the most exciting new author I’ve found so far this year. This was an exhilaratingly funny, wonderfully sexy romance. I can’t wait to get my hands on more of her work.

WOOT!

Losing It Review

Oooh. Book Utopia Mom plans to post a review today of Losing It (published by Liquid Silver Books). As soon as it's up, I'll post a link. She said she liked it, so I can't wait.

(Hey, I just realized her acronym is BUM. LOL) BUM is notorious for being right up front about what she thinks. She's not afraid to talk about what didn't work for her, which I admire. Many reviewers are card-carrying members of the "If you can't say anything nice" club, which is all well and good, but if their purpose is to advise readers about which books to purchase and all they ever say is nice things, that would mean you should buy every single book they review.

Anyway, I didn't mean to go off on a rant, so I'll just go and check if the review is up yet.

Again.

LOL

Still Lost!

Happy Anniversary to my novella Losing It! The story of Charlotte and Ben was published by Liquid Silver books three years ago. It's hard to believe that much time has gone by. That story made it to the finals of the Eppies that year, but didn't win. I was still thrilled to have finaled, though.

So, to celebrate, I have a giveaway offer good for today only.

One of the main characters, Charlotte, loses her virginity. Was your cherry-losing experience a good one? Comment yea or nay, email me your email address, and I'll give you a free copy of Losing It.