Sexy Zombie Apocalypse?

If the zombie apocalypse is headed our way, I'm OK with it as long as Ethan is there.

Who is Ethan?

He's the sexy (yes, I said sexy) zombie from my novel NO BRAINER.

To learn more, please the Romance Writers of the Apocalypse blog here and learn more about my sexy zombie Ethan.

NO BRAINER is available from Silver Publishing here.

Author Kayla Jameth & Her Sexy Male Cinderella

I am so excited to kick of the new year with a special guest post by a special writer friend.  Kayla Jameth and I share a publisher and a love for m/m romance!  Kayla’s new story is one that I read a while back, and as soon as I did I know that Kayla was destined for a wonderful writing career.  I have always been proud to be one of Cinder’s fairy godmothers!!  Please welcome Kayla to the blog:

Hi Rebecca! It's good to be here with you again. I've brought your godson with me. Cinder was just saying how much he looked forward to seeing you again. He's grown quite a bit since you last saw him.

How did I come to meet Cinder? A mutual friend, Linda Reilly, read the Samurai Champloo fanfiction slash I had written (sort of on a dare) and suggested I write an m/m fairy tale for a submission call. I remember thinking at the time "Yeah, right! Who wants to read something I wrote?" But I like puzzles and so I found myself thinking about plausible scenarios for one. I finally settled on a Cinderfella (m/m version of the classic Cinderella story).

Once I came up with the scenario, Cinder wouldn't give me a moment's peace. Remember that fanfict I was writing? I was working on the third chapter and Cinder wouldn't let me finish it until I wrote his story. Insistent little thing! So I set Infinite Infatuation aside and went where Cinder wanted me to go.

That first night, I wrote half the story! I finally tore myself away from his clutches at 4:00 am. I had to get up at 6:00 am for work. That pissed him off and he didn't talk to me again for a couple of days. But in the end, I got his story down.

From the Ashes is a story about succeeding against all odds. Life has always taken Cinder in directions he wouldn't have chosen, but he finally gets the opportunity to reach out and grasp what he wants with both hands.

For anyone who is unfamiliar with French, cendres is the French word for ashes and is the root word for Cinderella, little ash girl. Since Cinderella comes from the ashes, it seemed like the perfect title for my tale of how Cinder rises from the ashes of his life.

From the Ashes is available from Breathless Press starting January 4^th here. 

Cinder never thought that he could rise from the ashes of his life, but an unexpected encounter with a woman claiming to be his fairy godmother may be just what he needs. Finding himself flung into his very own fairy tale, she sends him off to meet his Prince Charming. But was the gown really necessary?

FROM THE ASHES Excerpt:

Cinder glanced around. Paper lanterns floated in the trees, lined the walks, and graced the gazebo near the reflecting pool, giving the grounds a mystical air. Their warm glow caught the dancing jets of the fountain splashing merrily to his right. The musical, crystalline tones carried on the night wind’s breath. He was reminded of the enchanted gardens in the fairy tales his father had read to him when he was a child. What would happen to him if he dared walk there?

Henri led him toward the gazebo. Soon he would find out.

The cool breeze caressed his uncovered neck. Cinder shivered at the ethereal touch. Henri turned to him, the question clear in his eyes, but he didn’t know how to answer. Instead he breathed in the tangible scent of rich earth and flowing water, hoping to calm his bounding heart.

Henri lightly stroked his arm. Cinder’s breath caught at the silky brush of the other man’s fingers. He drew another shaky breath. Henri may have meant to soothe him; instead his touch set Cinder’s wayward body aflame.

They left the last of the courtiers behind as they entered the dim interior of the fanciful pavilion. Vines climbed its intricately carved posts, perfuming the air within. The music and voices of the aristocrats faded away. Only a single intrepid nightingale could be heard over the cheerful burbling of the fountain. Hidden from the rest of the court, an unworldly sense of peace filled him. Was his very own fairy tale about to come true?

Bespelled and bemused, he could feel the magic in every beat of his heart, in every trembling breath he drew.

Once inside the bower, Henri reached to cup Cinder's cheek. Unused to being touched, he nearly flinched away but managed to still, heart pounding, before giving himself away. The older man's thumb slid across his cheekbone and came to rest lightly on his mouth. Why did he want to lean into that caress?

The other man's warm, slightly musky scent filled his nostrils, drowning his senses.

Henri's other hand wrapped around his waist and drew him close. He leaned closer while tipping Cinder's face upwards. Cinder's breath left him in a rush, stirring the noble’s hair. Henri was all that he could see, his mouth slowly, carefully descending toward Cinder’s. If he allowed this, the other man might discover his deception. He couldn’t risk that, so why then did he ache to feel Henri’s kiss? Their lips brushed, light as thistle down.

Surprisingly, Henri's mouth was soft and warm upon his own. After a moment, it pressed more firmly against his. Something fluttered in his chest, trying to get out.

Cinder didn't think to pull away until he felt Henri's tongue seeking entrance. The hand on his face slipped to his nape and held firm. He froze in shock, not even daring to breathe, as flames rushed through his body. The very beat of his heart betrayed him.

The questing tongue stroked his lips and pushed between them. It slid over his teeth, seeking to enter. When he protested, Henri swept in and began a lazy, sensuous exploration that left him breathless.

Soon he found himself returning the caress. Henri responded to his fledgling attempts by pulling him closer and moaning into his mouth. He had never experienced anything so sensual and erotic. He fed his own needy pleas to the other man one at a time.

Finally they separated slightly, Cinder panting heavily, trying to catch his breath. Was Henri as affected by their kiss as he was? A quick glance confirmed Cinder was not alone in his arousal. Flushed and gasping, Henri gazed at him with eyes full of wonder and something unnamed smoldering in their depths.

About Kayla:

A knight and a former princess, Kayla Jameth now spends her time writing m/m romance. A true Renaissance woman, she has done everything from cross stitch like a proper lady to welding with the best of them. An eclectic life has left her with a unique understanding of the world inhabited by men and an appreciation for the difficulties faced by men in m/m relationships. It is her devout wish that her experiences translate into a richer telling of such tales.

Find Kayla here:

Blog: http://kaylajameth.blogspot.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Author.Kayla.Jameth

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KaylaJameth

Happy Holidays from Paradise!

It's that time a year when many of my friends and loved ones are snowed in, so I'd like to send you a little aloha from Paradise . . .

Happy Holidays from my little island!!

The Pink Lady (a.k.a. Royal Hawaiian Hotel) sends her love too:

Wishing you warmth and aloha this holiday season.

Happy Release Day!

Happy Release day for my new Christmas short story THE ANGEL'S FALL!

Archangel Michael has spent centuries watching a single soul. This Christmas season, everything changes when Michael encounters Darcy, the soul's current host. Together, the two explore the passions that have waited lifetimes to be realized.

Keep warm over the holiday with this hot, sexy tale of love and lust finally realized after centuries of waiting!

THE ANGEL'S FALL is available here.

Secrets of a Zombie in Love: And Other Warm Body Tales

I was so excited when I went to see Breaking Dawn II, and saw the preview for Warm Bodies!  The trend is continuing -- zombies are in control -- and now it is spreading to romance.  I love the idea of a zombie in love. 

 It's the reason I wrote my most recent novel NO BRAINER.  I’ve always been fascinated with zombies, although I’m generally too scared to actually watch a movie or read a book about them.  I do spend a lot of time thinking about them though – like what would I do if there really was a zombie apocalypse.  Maybe its because I live on a rock in the middle of the ocean and there’s no good answer to that question!  I also really love vampires (the good Angel vampires, and the bad Eric Northman type).  I wondered if I could make a zombie sexy . . . and what would happen if someone sent to kill a zombie fell in love with him instead (classic Buffy the Vampire Slayer but with the zombie twist).

I don't think the zombie in Warm Bodies gets to be sexy until he transforms from a zombie to a human (due, apparently, to the power of love -- or is it obsession?).  But Ethan Waters, the hero in NO BRAINER is sexy.  The reason he is sexy though is not that different from Warm Bodies.  After all, there really is nothing sexy in good ol’ classic Romero-style zombie lore.  I had to mold the traditional zombie mythology to fit within the basic romance theme.  My husband said I did to zombies what Stephanie Meyer did to vampires.  He didn’t mean it as a compliment (although I love the Twilight series – he can’t get past the sparkle). 

I made the hero of NO BRAINER sexy by creating a new kind of zombie.  The brain-munching, decomposing zombies still exist in my story, but there are other kids of zombies too.  Zombies who have evolved into a more sophisticated, human-like existence.  With a healthy diet of fresh brains and using Vitality Lotion (a concoction rubbed on the skin to keep it life like), they are more human.

NO BRAINER is available here from Silver Publishing and here from Amazon.com.


December Promo Scavenger Hunt With Free Holiday Story Book Give Away and Site Wide Discount Code Scramble

Happy holidays! Silver Publishing wants to give our fans more than 60 chances to win either a free Holiday Story from our 25 Days of Christmas Releases or for a lucky random five 20% off codes! And if you are really dedicated there is a Word Scramble included that will provide a discount for titles purchased during the last week of December!

To make it even more exciting, the authors participating may offer new and interesting content or contests of their own to help distract from the frantic pace of the holidays.

So, how does it work?

In a nutshell: Find all the snowflakes every day, email us at promotions@spsilverpublishing.com with the author name/date for each snowflake you find, check our blog daily to see if you won and then use the pertinent snowflakes to spell out an additional discount code to use at the end of the month.

Not in a nutshell: Participants go to the following blogs every day in December and find the hidden snowflakes. There will be at least two, sometimes three snowflakes to be found among the list of facebook/blogs/websites below for our authors. The snowflake will look like a variation of this:

 Find them all for the maximum amount of chances to win.

Once you find the snowflake, note the letter, number or character as well as the numerical indicator (if present) on the snowflake for the scramble. The numbered snowflakes will line up to spell out your discount code.

Email us at promotions@silverpublishing.com with the name of the blog/website where the snowflakes were hidden on that date.

Important email format: Please put only the name of one author and the date in your subject line - for maximum chances to win, each snowflake/author found should be its own email for an increased daily chance to win.

If your email subject line includes the correct answer you will be entered into a random drawing to win the Christmas Release for the day you found the snowflake. There will be at least 2 winners per day; five days there will be 3 winners.

Winners will be notified in our new BLOG here: http://bit.ly/Wi7uyq = (bookmark this link so that you can check back each day.) If you are the winner for that day, email us with your email address and format desired to promotions@silverpublishing.com so that we can get your prize to you quickly.

Helpful hints: Some authors will have more than one snowflake during the event. But authors will only post one snowflake per day so search them all every day. Don’t leave any out for maximum chances to win.

Once you have found all the snowflakes, line up the letters, characters and numbers based on the numerical indicator (when present) to spell out our Holiday message and receive a discount code that will be active from Dec 25 – 31st.

Not every participating author has a Holiday release but you’ll want to collect the snowflake on their site for another chance to win the story being released that day. And…they might have one of the five valuable discount snowflakes we’ve hidden with your chance to win that day.

If the authors are running additional contests, take advantage for additional ways to win throughout the month.

Here is your list and GOOD LUCK!

Rebecca Leigh - author of The Angel's Fall

Link: http://bit.ly/ZP8wBK

N Phillips - author of The Christmas Mix Up

Link: http://on.fb.me/108x33S

Grace Roselyn - author of The Treasure of Christmas

Link: http://bit.ly/QlEWCG

Ellen Heights - author of Three Men and a Christmas Goddess

Link: http://bit.ly/XokyDJ

Mathilde Watson:

Link: http://bit.ly/U73dvb

Andi Anderson

Link: http://bit.ly/QQzKGO

Lillian Frances - author of When Love Flue In

Link: http://bit.ly/T8EYNw

Azura Ice - author of Wrapped Around Your Handlebars

Link: http://bit.ly/TQx5tz

Ashlynn Monroe - author of A Most Unexpected Gift

Link: http://bit.ly/UMrwRz

SJD Peterson

Link: http://bit.ly/TKh8mv

EM Lynley

Link: http://bit.ly/QlFDMi

Gregg A. Endless

Link: http://bit.ly/SUVXPH

Elinor Gray

Link: http://bit.ly/Xmt06v

Emma Paul

Link: http://bit.ly/105QUBM

Caitlin Ricci

Link: http://bit.ly/T8FWt6

Vona Logan

Link: http://bit.ly/U737nB

M.A. Stacie

Link: http://bit.ly/S25gA1

Dawn H. Hawkes

Link: http://bit.ly/SUWfpG

Meredith Russell

Link: http://bit.ly/QPvCae

R.J. Scott

Link: http://bit.ly/UMshK8

Lisa Worrall

Link: http://bit.ly/RKzzKe

Trillium

Link: http://bit.ly/Uyvhnv

Jessica E. Subject

Link: http://bit.ly/XQIgaW

RC Bonitz

Link: http://bit.ly/T3dRjD

Lexi Ander

Link: http://bit.ly/TQylNf

Sarah Bella

Link: http://bit.ly/Q2OBwD

William Cooper

Link: http://bit.ly/Q1QWb8

D. McEntire

Link: http://bit.ly/U0T8Ow

T. C. Archer

Link: http://bit.ly/ZPeanw

Tarah Scott

Link: http://bit.ly/S5NQ3S

The Mischief Corner

Link: http://bit.ly/WjBZnv

Lily Harlem

Link: http://bit.ly/T8sdSe

Maria MoonStar

Link: http://bit.ly/U0QJDC

S.A. Garcia

Link: http://bit.ly/Q1RgXj

Marie Ashley

Link: http://bit.ly/QlHvVl

Eve Tesoro

Link: http://bit.ly/RKyiCQ

Silver Blog

Link: http://bit.ly/Wi7uyq

Scarlet Blackwell - author of Homeless at Christmas

Link: http://bit.ly/105J6z4

NJ Neilsen - author of A Moon-Runner Christmas

Link: http://bit.ly/T8ETth

TN Tarrant - author of A Not So Straight Christmas

Link: http://on.fb.me/U72w5h

Karly Maddison - author of A Puppy for Christmas

Link: http://bit.ly/T8rHDE

Toni Griffin - author of A Very Holland Christmas

Link: http://bit.ly/QPwBXG

Cheyenne Meadows - author of Christmas with Mesa

Link: http://bit.ly/ZPfDKx

Heidi Lynn Anderson - author of Christmas Longing

Link: http://bit.ly/U0Rnkq

LM Brown - author of Someone Like You

Link: http://bit.ly/UMtXnb

Vicktor Alexander - author of Chocolate Vanilla Swirl

Link: http://bit.ly/RKyO3J

Jannie Lund - author of Clear as Glass

Link: http://bit.ly/SCpA7T

Piper Whitney - author of Fractured Heart

Link: http://bit.ly/T4jzlg

Nicole Dennis - author of 7 Days of Christmas

Link: http://bit.ly/SW7Rc6

Kim Fielding - author of Joys R Us

Link: http://bit.ly/105Kz8z

Silvia Violet - author of Needing a Little Christmas

Link: http://bit.ly/XmrQIb

Elyzabeth M. VaLey - author of Punishing Santa

Link: http://bit.ly/T8ECGK

Freddy MacKay - author of Snowed

Link: http://bit.ly/UMqEfI

Annabelle Jacobs - author of Snowflakes and Strangers

Link: http://bit.ly/S23OxE/

Pelaam - author of Christmas Magic

Link: http://on.fb.me/Wjy5Lw