A Fairytale Obsession

Today’s the release date for my latest fairytale Naught Nibble from Noble Romance (say that three times fast!). Love Me Like a Reptile revisits the story of the Frog Prince with a bit of a twist of the tale. Yes, it all sprang from the Motörhead song — a most unlikely source for romance, I think, but that’s how my head works. Most people get a song stuck in their heads and get annoyed; I get a song stuck in my head and I get a story.

The tagline:

Madeley thought she’d kissed a lot of frogs in her time—but this one insists he really is a prince. How far is she willing to go to find out if it’s true?

It’s set in London, like so many of my stories; I miss being there and can’t wait to be back. I watched the show Sherlock this weekend and it made me yearn for the city of my heart even more (and it’s a terrific show!).

Yes, this is going to be a continuing series of Nibbles linked by this theme. You’ll remember Spinning Gold, my retelling of the Rapunzel story. That was the first. Next up is a new version of Cinderella

Why is it always fairytales with me? Well, drop by UnBound for our Ravenous Wednesday to hear me (or um, read me) going on about the topic at length with out lovely host Dana/Inara and usual suspects like Adele AKA Hagelrat, loyal Jack and the other Ravenous stalwarts.

Love Me Like a Reptile

Just looked over the final edits for my latest fairy tale, “Love Me Like a Reptile,” which will be out from Noble Romance later this month. I can’t wait to see what kind of cover it’s going to have! Since I don’t have that yet, here’s the original inspiration for the title

Review: Spinning Gold

Elisabeth B. over at Bitten by Books has reviewed Spinning Gold, my Noble Romance Naughty Nibble, and had some good things to say about it:

“Spinning Gold” was an amusing take on the old Rumpelstiltskin tale where a young maiden is doomed to try and spin straw into gold – only this time around, that maiden is actually a man. It was interesting to consider that though Frea was genetically male, he lived his life as a woman and was highly skilled with textiles. The root of his father’s boast were grounded in actual mastery, and yet the drunkard gave no care as to how his behavior would affect his son. The story took on a more sexual bent than the traditional story and yet it seemed almost as innocent. The twists and turns at the end were both surprising and pleasing, if somewhat convenient. I enjoyed reading this…

Read the rest over at Bitten by Books and be sure to leave a comment to let them know you were there. It’s a delight to have reviews that are as detailed as this, particularly for a short story, and that show such knowledge of the genres. Yes, I do have a thing about folk and fairy-tales and I’m glad some other folks do, too.

I’m at work on two more short fairy tale stories and I have another with Jill at Noble. Fingers crossed that she likes them all: I look forward to having a nice collection of steamy and magical tales!

Publication: “Corrections”

My latest publication is out! It’s the short story ‘Corrections’ which follows a young man with a crush on his boss — and the surprising way his boss reflects his interest. You’ll find it in the Xcite Books collection Six of the Best, which is so wonderfully titled. Many of you know my obsession with Peter Cook, but did you know that “Six of the Best” is the title of a routine he did with Dudley Moore on their brilliant show Not Only But Also [if you want to know everything about Peter Cook -- and you should -- be sure to pick up a copy of the stellar compendium How Very Interesting!: Peter Cook's Universe and All That Surrounds It]. In a similar vein, all the names for this story were drawn from an issue of The Kettering Magazine, that minutely knowledgeable publication on elderly British comedy (ach, there I go — giving away all my secrets!). Here’s a teaser:

Simon had worked for Dr. Kettering for six months and he still couldn’t quite figure her out. It wasn’t that she was cold or withdrawn; quite the opposite, in fact. She was also gorgeous, tall with curly auburn hair and striking green eyes. Every move had grace and poise, even if she was a trifle distant. Safely at home, he had fantasies of her exposing a vulnerability to him. But he couldn’t have been more surprised on that rainy Friday afternoon when she asked, “Can I share a secret with you, Simon?” because her fantasy, was also his…

Excited about Xcite

Now I can say it: just got a contract for my short story “Corrections” which will be coming out soon from Xcite Books. Now with a title like that, you might not be surprised to learn that someone gets spanked, heh heh!

Tomorrow I’ll be a guest on fellow Ravenous writer Lana Griffin’s blog, writing about sex and gender and writing. Be there! And don’t forget to drop by UnBound for the usual Ravenous Romance Wednesday! They’re always a hoot and there are plenty of drinks for everyone.

Noble Romance 12 Days of Xmas Sale!

Noble Romance Publishing is pleased to present:

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Thank you . . . and Happy Holidays!

“Park Larks” in Bunnie #3

My short story “Park Larks” — set in the secret garden in Regent’s Park — appears in the latest issue of Bunnie, the glossy erotic magazine from Red Rabbit Books. This issue is available as a FREE e-magazine. It’s got the same great stories and gorgeous photography, including a wide variety of beautiful scenes capturing the theme of The Great Outdoors For those of you who came to the Bunnie reading at Waterstone’s Nottinghill back in June, this is the story I read the first half of that night (such a tease!).

Spinning Gold!

Buy it now at Noble Romance:

An excerpt:
His dreams were filled with an ever-changing series of images, from the prince fighting off warriors in the holy lands or boars in the forest, to more tender images of the man beside him in the bed, their arms and legs entwined. So it came as a bit of a surprise to hear the voice call to him as Freawine struggled up from his dreams. “Will you sleep the day away, girl?”

Freawine rubbed his eyes and moved to throw back the covers, stilling his hand as he realized he had grown stiff from his lascivious dreams. The prince did not seem to notice his anxiety. He paced around the room with an energetic stride.

“May I go home, Your Highness?” Freawine managed to stutter at last.

“Home?” The prince stared into the coals of the fireplace. “Are you so eager to return there? Miss your family?”

“There’s only my father and me,” Freawine answered, willing his erection to calm itself so he could rise.

“Your father who risks your life by making drunken boasts?”

Freawine flushed. “Yes, Your Highness.”

“Doesn’t seem like much to miss.” He turned to regard Freawine. “What is your name?”

“Frea.”

He nodded, as if it were the right answer somehow. “Well, Frea, I have an offer for you.”

Freawine studied him. Something about the man seemed different. He looked as if he’d slept badly. His hair stuck up in different directions, his beard seemed even more unruly.

“One more night.” The prince returned his stare.

Freawine winced. His erection disappeared.

“If you can spin all the straw into gold tonight, I have a special reward for you.” He turned and looked at Freawine like a fox eyeing a chicken. “I will make you my queen.”

Spinning Gold: Cover Art!

OOooh! Look at these lovely images from Fiona Jayde for my Naughty Nibble “Spinning Gold” from Noble Romance:

Upcoming Releases

I just finished a round of edits on my story SEX CYMBALS which will be coming out as a mini from Freya’s Bower very soon; on December 7th, my medieval M/M retelling of Rumpelstiltskin, SPINNING GOLD, will come out from Noble Romance. Little titbits to tide you over while I’m working on the Chas sequel. So much to catch up on! While I was preparing my tenure file and dealing with some personal issues, I haven’t managed to do much of the fun writing. After I get a few more responsibilities out of the way (things I neglected while working on the tenure package!) I will be back to the steamy stuff with a vengeance! I feel as if I have been away from it for too long, but hopefully not everyone will have forgotten my name. And don’t forget you can also read my library story, STACKS, for free thanks to All Romance eBooks.