Vote for Me!

My very first BDSM short story, Belle Behind Bars got a totally awesome review from Whipped Cream Reviews.  As if that wasn't enough to make my day, I got an email telling me that the story was up for Book of the Week at the site!!

So between Saturday morning and Sunday evening, you can vote for it if you want my undying gratitude.

I hope you have a great weekend, too!

My Big, Awesome Week

This is a big week for me. Tomorrow is my birthday and today is release day for my first book from Carina Press, Protective Custody. I'm also doing a blog tour and will be all over the blogoshere. If you'd like to find me and have a chance to win some of the prizes I am giving away, here's my schedule for the next couple of days:

Monday: Not Your Usual Suspects, You Gotta Read, Book Junkie. Tuesday: Manic Readers. Wednesday: Carina Press Blog, Romance Junkies, The Romance Dish. For a full list of blog stops and interviews, check my website.

Here’s a little about Protective Custody from Carina Press:

Witness to a murder, but no one will believe her…

Shocked by the brutal crime she witnesses through the window of her small office, Megan Jackson calls the police and is devastated when they question the truth of her story. With no body and no evidence of a crime, she’s written off as a nutcase.

Megan suspects the killer saw her face. Terrified, she calls the only person she can trust—her ex-boyfriend and former police officer, Will McCoy.

Despite a devastating breakup, Will jumps at the chance to help the woman who broke his heart. When the killer ramps up the stakes, Will is forced to take her into hiding—where the passion they once shared reignites, deeper and hotter than ever. But can Will keep Megan alive long enough to win back her heart?

Text Copyright © 2011 by Wynter Daniels

Cover Copyright © 2011 by Harlequin Enterprises Limited

Permission to reproduce text granted by Harlequin Books S.A. Cover Art used by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises Limited. All rights reserved. ® and ™ are trademarks owned by Harlequin Enterprises Limited or its affiliated companies, used under license.

Treading New Waters

I've been hearing so much about established authors trying out self-publishing that I decided to give it try. My friend Jax of Jaxadora Design made me this lovely cover.

So here goes:

Game of Smoke and Mirrors

When Jia Mason’s estranged husband turns up missing from their Florida vacation home, Jia is the prime suspect in his murder. Afraid she’s being railroaded by the police, she flees to New Hampshire in search of answers only to be arrested there.

Zack Sizemore is tasked with extraditing the beautiful fugitive until a blizzard strands them with nothing but their mutual attraction to keep them warm. When they stumble upon a deserted cabin, Jia sees her opportunity to charm Zack long enough for her to escape. What she doesn’t count on is falling for the handsome lawman. Or the danger that awaits them in the remote cabin.

Buy it HERE or HERE

What do you think of self-published books? Do you buy only authors you know? Does self-publishing a book affect how you feel about an author?

A FREE Read!!! The After Party is now available for your Kindle HERE

Or download other ebook formats HERE.

Victoria meets a handsome stranger at a relative’s wedding. When he asks her out for a drink after, she invites him to her place. After a steamy encounter, they discover they have more than their profession and their love of cats in common. Their paths have crossed before. But will that connection end what they’ve just begun?

Branching Out

So I took the plunge. I started my own blog - no other contributors to keep me afloat. Why is this a big deal for me? I've done it before but it's been a couple of years. Being part of group blog means the responsibility to keep it fresh and interesting (and up-to-date) rests in the hands of many people. But an individual blog - well, if I screw that up or neglect it, I only have myself to blame.

So here goes. You can find me now at http://wynterdaniels.blogspot.com/. If it's not updated at least once a week, you have my permission to give me a serious tongue-lashing. Please, stop by and say hello.

Do it Your Way

Have you ever been reading a book, having a perfectly good time indulging in a sexy love scene when you hit a word that turns you so off that you actually cringe? I know I have. Even though I write both erotic romance and erotica, I sometimes run into names for body parts that turn my stomach. I think everyone has a line they're not comfortable crossing in that regard. But what turns my stomach might just turn you on -- and vice-versa.

And what about certain sex acts. Most publishers of erotic romance and erotica have a list of taboo activities they don't want to see in submissions because they cross nearly every reader's line. But that leaves a host of other naughty behaviors wide open and many of us enjoy being "bad" to some degree. Unfortunately in our culture, there seems to be more that's considered bad than what's considered good!

Our sexual mores have been influenced by ancient cultures, political movements and religious teachings. The ancient Greeks' ideas about sex centered on penile-vaginal penetration to the point of male orgasm. Too bad for the ladies.

Most Western religions teach that male-female sex within the matrimonial relationship is the only acceptable way to do it. Many governments even dictate what people may or may not do in the privacy of their bedrooms.

As long as the parties involved have a fully consensual relationship and have safe, fulfilling sex, why should it matter to politicians or clergy? Sex is one of the most fulfilling endeavors we humans engage in and it is an important part of our health and happiness. So whatever you call it, just do it!

Title Love

I have a brand new book out. Rude, Crude and Socially Unacceptable is now available from Ellora's Cave. When I started writing this story, the title came to me almost instantly, like a gift from the title gods. When I sent the submission to my editor she told me she'd accept it merely on the title. Of course, by the time I sent it she had already bought five other stories from me.

But titles don't always fall from the sky. In fact, for many authors, titling their books is even more challenging than writing them. In the big picture, how important are titles? Have you ever purchased a book based on its name?

Here is a bit about Rude, Crude and Socially Unacceptable:

Biker Nick Ramos needs help transforming his image. He hires his new hairdresser to make over his life, but he has an ulterior motive. He wants to get April into his bed.

April Conway is wary of all bikers since one destroyed her family. But Nick awakens secret desires she never knew she had. Betraying her family isn’t an option, but she is powerless to resist Nick’s erotic pull.

You can read an excerpt HERE. Enjoy!

Happy Thanksgiving!

With the holidays gearing up, my calendar is filling with social engagements and family obligations. One of those social events is a yearly party we attend or host with a group of five other families. We've been doing this for more than ten years now. Some of the kids are in college now, some of the couples no longer together, but the tradition continues.

One of the things we usually do is a White Elephant Exchange. None of us are wealthy, but we all have enough. So when this year's hostess suggested we do something different, I immediately applauded the idea. She said she has a few soldiers stationed in Afghanistan to whom she regularly sends little gift packages. This year, with so many people hurting financially and so many soldiers away from home and their families, she wants us each to bring a gift for a soldier. She will then mail the items off.

The kids usually do their own exchange, but we decided to have each bring a new toy for a local toy drive for children in need.

I thought the sentiments were so worthwhile, I should blog about it. Maybe other people will follow suit. With Thanksgiving upon us, I always think about everything and everyone I have in my life. I'm so thankful for those who put their lives on the line every day to keep the rest of us safe.

That said, here are some links to help you send items to soldiers:

US Postal Service Supporting Our Troops links: http://www.usps.com/supportingourtroops/

Holiday Gifts for Troops: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/6435603/ns/today-today_entertainment

USO: http://action.uso.org/action/sem-generic-basic?sc=OM-google-p_GeneralMilitary-search_soldier

How to Send a Holiday Gift to a Soldier: http://www.howtodothings.com/careers/how-to-send-a-holiday-gift-to-a-soldier

One question that friends and readers alike love to ask me is, “How do you come up with all those story ideas?” I have a pat answer to this question—from reading the newspaper and magazines. You see, I often get the kernel of an idea from a story about a woman in peril or a dignitary visiting the United States from some exotic land.

But when I thought about my latest release (my first from Ellora’s Cave), I realized there was no way I got the idea of a woman ending up on a tropical beach with two handsome bodyguards, the premise for the story. So I started thinking about where the spark for the idea came from. I couldn’t come up with a single clue. Regardless of how creative someone is, all story ideas originate somewhere. Anywhere.

Even from distractions. My two biggest distractions are my secret guilty pleasures—playing Scrabble on my computer and watching an occasional mindless reality show. Far as I know, I’ve never plucked a story premise from Scrabble. But one of my earlier books, Falling Star is about a grown up child star who is forced to accept a gig as star of her own reality show. So yeah, I might have gotten that idea from television.

The more I thought about my viewing habits, it hit me. The inspiration for Tropical Exposure was one of those movie star/socialites you see on the entertainment channels with a million flashes greeting them every time they leave a restaurant or go to the gym. I wondered how annoying that would be.

Hence the distraction yields inspiration. Check out the blurb for Tropical Exposure:

Megastar Marin Shay disappears from the radar a few weeks a year for a vacation from the pressures of Hollywood. This time, though, instead of the usual bodyguards she gets stuck with—beefy middle-aged men with bad breath and even worse comb-overs—she lucks into some scorching-hot eye candy.

Tony and Josh share the same objective—taking care if Marin in every way possible. And when she proposes they indulge her fantasy of a ménage a trois, both men are definitely eager to please.

There’s only one problem—one of them is really a tabloid reporter who could ruin everything.

Are you reminded of a certain pop princess? Okay, so honestly, only the character’s phenomenal celebrity is reminiscent of said princess. But that’s all it takes. This author takes the inspiring spark and runs with it. Did I mention when I was growing up all my dolls had back-stories? Even the stuffed animals had sordid lives. Perhaps my head has just always been filled with stories. Might explain why I daydreamed my way through school!

Okay—maybe I’m just weird.

New Release and Giveaway

I am so excited that today is release day for my first erotic romantic suspense, or rather, my alter ego's.

Here’s a little about the book:

When Kelsey Ackerman’s assistant at her used bookstore is murdered, the police label it a botched robbery by a desperate drug addict. But Kelsey suspects the perpetrator was looking for a rare Shakespeare volume that someone unknowingly donated. Now a killer’s sights are set on Kelsey.

Jail guard Jason Jones only wants to protect her, but after suffering a controlling father and an abusive ex-husband, Kelsey wants nothing to do with the confident, hot sergeant. Until the danger becomes crystal clear, and the only man who can save her is the very man she can’t resist.

You can read an excerpt HERE or purchase the book (or any of my other books) HERE.

I will draw one commenter to receive a free copy of TROPIC OF TROUBLE.

Lots of Happenings

September will be a busy month for me. Between two book releases, guest blog spots and teaching an online class, I will definitely have my hands full! Out of the Dark, a collection of three novellas will be out September 24. My story, Emotional Baggage is near and dear to my heart. Here's the blurb:

Germophobe Reese Robinson is sentenced to reside in the Buffalo apartment building she inherited after it is sited for health violations. She never suspected the mysterious tenant downstairs was actually her long lost love.

Fugitive Jon Bender thought he was safe until Reese moved in. Can he disguise his identity or will his heart give him away?

Coming September 30 from Ellora's Cave - Customer Service. Here's the blurb:

Mystery shopper Carly Weber’s husband divorced her for a snooty sales woman, leaving Carly with a bruised and battered self-image. When she evaluates a new sex toy and lingerie store, she finds much more than kinky gear. One by one and then together, two hunky salesmen pleasure her and give her the best customer service of her life, restoring her confidence in the process.

I will also be blogging over at Deliliah Devlin's blog on September 22 and giving away a copy of Customer Service! So check it out.

I will also be teaching an online class with my nurse practitioner friend, Joanie White. We are teaching MedSpeak for writers at CFRWA. You can register for that HERE. It is a 4-day class for fiction writers interested in learning how to research medical information, common misconceptions and a whole lot more.

A Release and a Contest

Today is another release day for Wynter Daniels! You know how much I love those. So to celebrate, I am giving away a free copy of this short story. Just pop over to my Yahoo Group and join up. I will draw a name and give away a copy of Getting Even with Warren. Here is the link for the Yahoo group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WynterDanielsEroticRomance/join

Here's a little about Getting Even with Warren:

Widow Macy Halstead learned of her much older husband’s voracious appetite for cheating shortly before his death. Now it’s too late to get back at him. When she meets his bi-racial illegitimate son at the funeral, a mutual attraction flares. She leaves with him and the two share a night of hot passion.

Alex Jackson set out to get back at the father who treated him like dirt. Bedding his old man’s widow fit the bill—until he forgets his reasons and realizes he really likes Macy. But after a steamy fling, she seems to have second thoughts. Can they overcome their initial agendas and explore the possibility of a relationship?

And if you'd like to read an excerpt, just click HERE. Purchase the ebook HERE.

It's Heeere!!

I am soooo excited! Horsing Around, my very first cowboy story will be released tomorrow, Wednesday, June 23 from Ellora's Cave. Leave a comment here and I will enter you in a drawing to win my other EC book, Tropical Exposure. Horsing Around features an uber-hot hero, a reluctant heroine and some hot Florida horse country hanky-panky. Check it out for yourself!

Blog Hopping

Come join me at Cynthia Eden's Blog on Wednesday, June 16. I will be dishing on what I hate about being a writer. Comment and I will enter you in a drawing to win the Wynter Daniels ebook of your choice.

Ellora's Cave Authors at Coffee Time Romance

Join my alter ego, Wynter Daniels all during the month of June over at Coffee Time Romance for a Readers' Retreat featuring a bunch of Ellora's Cave authors. There will be excerpts, sneak peeks and contests. Win a copy of my first Ellora's Cave release, Tropical Exposure. Check out my June 23 release, a cowboy story titled Horsing Around. Hope to see you there!

I just got my release date for my next Wynter Daniels book. Horsing Around will be available June 23 from Ellora's Cave. I can't figure out what I love most about this cover - Is it the hot guy's muscled shoulders? His amazing pecs? Or perhaps the hint of awesome abs? What you might not have notices is that this cover differs from the one below. Since the cowboy in the story lives in Ocala, Florida, about as far from the west as one could get, the publisher decided it was better to release it under the contemporary line, Moderne, rather than the western line, Lawless. Either way, this is one hot cover and one hot story. Here is a blurb:

City girl Paige Eastman arrives at her recently deceased father’s Ocala, Florida horse ranch to settle his estate, but she finds more than material assets with his business partner, resident cowboy Jake Skinner. The two engage in a hot fling until Paige learns she must sell the struggling enterprise out from under Jake.

All Jake wants is a chance to turn the business around since Paige’s father nearly ran it into the ground. But his attention quickly shifts to wrangling the hot prima donna who is now his partner. Can they overcome their differences without dousing the fire burning between them?

Stay tuned for release day contests!

Two Hawt New Covers!

I'm so excited to share my upcoming covers. I love it when I get men on the cover, particularly smokin' hot ones. Honestly, I think the books garner more attention that way. If you'd like to read a little about these stories, please visit my Wynter Daniels' website HERE. Both books should be released over the summer. And I have more coming, but I'll tell you about that soon.

The New Me

Check out my brand new release, Tropic of Trouble from Ellora's Cave. This is a steamy read that I wrote under my new pen name, Wynter Daniels.

Megastar Marin Shay disappears from the radar a few weeks a year for a vacation from the pressures of Hollywood. This time, though, instead of the usual bodyguards she gets stuck with—beefy middle-aged men with bad breath and even worse comb-overs—she lucks into some scorching-hot eye candy.

Tony and Josh share the same objective—taking care of Marin in every way possible. And when she proposes they indulge her fantasy of a ménage a trois, both men are definitely eager to please.

There’s only one problem—one of them is really a tabloid reporter who could ruin everything.

You'll find more of Wynter's sexy stories at my new website - http://www.wynterdaniels.com/