House of Sensual Romance ™

This is a place of comfort for everyone. I hope you enjoy my stories, and those of my friends. Let me know what you liked about them and what you didn't. You can also visit my website lavernethompson.com for more excerpts of my work. And all work on my blog is copyright protected.

Thursday, April 23, 2015

Featured Author Shyla Colt


I want to thank LaVerne for having me over today. This book is a big deal for me, and  I love giving the inside story about it. They say you have to continue to challenge yourself in your career. Believe me when I say, Spun was a challenge. When I first started writing back when I was about fifteen, I knew I wanted to write Paranormal Young Adult Romance. When I sat down to seriously write almost 15 years later, what came out was anything but suitable for young adult. Despite my muse’s pension for liking things on the naughty side, I held out hope of one day returning to my first love. Then an incredible thing happened, New Adult.

Spun is my very first step into that world. Nevada is a young woman who grew up in the M.C. (motorcycle club) culture. With a self-centered mother, and an absentee father, she’s had no one but herself to depend on. Then she winds up in a situation that requires protection from a brother, and in steps Wizard. I loved Wizard, he was strong alpha male, who knew how and when to bend. Sensitivity might not have come easily to him, but he was willing to learn to keep the relationship developing with Nevada moving forward.
You’ll find a lot of twists, turns, and high emotion in this novel length contemporary romance.


Blurb
Born to a King of Chaos patch holder with a case of wanderlust and a self-centered mother, twenty-one-year-old Nevada Weber is used to taking care of herself. She's spent her life skating by on her wits and pure determination. When she lands in a situation, she can’t haggle her way out of, she’s forced to rely on another brother for help. 

Club enforcer Gage “Wizard” Carmody has done his job too well over the years. Icy and numb on the inside, he walks around in a prison of his making. When the bright green-eyed girl he helped raise winds up unclaimed and in need of protection he steps in seeking redemption. 
In a life where destruction lurks around the corner, they discover something with the potential to bring healing and happiness. But when you live in Chaos nothing goes as planned.


Buy Links
This title is available on Kindle Unlimited

Author Bio
Shyla Colt grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, but has lived a variety of different places thanks to her wanderlust, interesting careers, and marriage to a United States Marine. She's always loved books and wrote her very first novel at the age of fifteen. She keeps a copy of her first submission letter on her desk for inspiration.

After a lifetime of traveling, she settled down and knew her time had come to write. Diving into her new career like she does everything else, with enthusiasm, research and a lot of prayers, she had her first book published in June of 2011. As a full-time writer, stay at home mother, and wife, there's never a dull moment in her household.

She weaves her tales in spare moments and the evenings with a cup of coffee or tea at her side and the characters in her head for company. A self-professed rebel with a pen. Her goal is to diversify romance as she continues to genre hop, and offer up strong female characters.


You can interact with Shyla Colt online via her website
www.shylacolt.com on,
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorshyla.colt and
Twitter: @shylacolt


Monday, April 20, 2015

Children of the Waves by LaVerne Thompson





Before I even start this, I have to give a shout out to one of the best cover designers in the business and the people who made these beautiful covers possible. I gave Fiona Jayde the concept for my creatures, found the models, Jimmy Thomas shot by Bruce Heinsius, Shannon Robinson shot by Rob Bampton, and Adam Fletcher shot by FuriousFotog aka Golden Czermak. Then look what Fiona came up with. She FRIGGING ROCKS! So do the models and photographers! Creating a feast for the eyes combination. Okay on to post. lol

Most authors are asked how do you come up with your ideas? I think the better question is, what gives you inspiration? Most ideas have been done, but these in turn inspire you to push a little more. Stray outside of the lines and change the colors of the palette. Hell, change the style of brush. That’s what I did with this series.

I’ve always been fascinated by the concept of mermaids. Seriously, most people with little girls know the story of The Little Mermaid, Ariel. But, stories of mermaids with tails in the sea yet able to walk on land with two legs, predates even that beloved movie. Thus, was my inspiration for Children of the Waves, the idea of people of the sea, but changing the lore to not just those who can walk on land but also in the water. In other words, my sea people don’t have tails, fins, gills, etc. I thought, why should they? Now this concept too has been done, don’t ask me by whom, I can’t remember off the top of my head, but it has.

Anyway, I needed to bring something a little different to my sea people. For one thing I don't refer to them as mermen/mermaids. I call them Sea Children or Children of the Waves. Mine are the sons and daughters of Poseidon, Greek, since he’s in charge of all things in the deep blue seas (as opposed to Neptune, Roman). But I still needed something to make my story stand out. So I created cousins, if you will in my own mind, between mermaid lore with The Wizard of Oz. lol yep. My story won’t have one witch but two. Sisters. The good witch and the bad witch. The Sea Witch and her sister The White Witch. I liked the idea of the white witch being the bad one. *grins* And of course there is always a quest, bad guys, and evil creatures. And in my books a few fight scenes. lol Oh and a little sex. *winks*

From that point I kept the Greek aspects of the story, but tossed in the concept of Hades to the mix. Why not? I added a few more specifics I won’t mention here. You have to read the books. *grins* But to spice things up even more. Well, you know how mermaids/mermen can seem kinda young? I began writing the first book when my kids were about 13 and 14, yes puberty (they're in college now). So I made that part of the story, the angst of being an eternal teen. They were driving me nuts at that time, wanting to be older faster. And me holding them back.

My Sea Children only age until they are thirteen or fourteen, remain in that physical state for years, sometimes over a hundred years. Yikes! The horror. Can you imagine? Yep, I could. I did. My creatures stay that way until they meet their fated brides or mates. At which point, when they touch, even if only by hand, a chemical reaction happens between them. Only then does the aging process kick in again and they begin to age. Thus, they’re referred to as Children because they seem to be forever young. The kicker is they might not always know who triggered the aging process or even exactly when it started. And believe me they want to know. Why? I will leave you on this note. Only their bride or mate can trigger an orgasm. *wicked grin*

Oh and yes. There is a book 4 Sea Child. hehehehehe there is a snippet at the end of Sea Witch.


SEA WITCH- Children of the Waves #3
COMING 06/01/2015

What the hell do you mean I can't claim you?

Aaron is a Child of the Waves and he's searched for his bride for over a hundred years. Always seeking never finding. Then when he finally does, he’s got a choice: claim her and risk the destruction of his people, or let her go and risk the destruction of his soul.

Sienna has always known who her mate was, in fact, she took great pains to never cross his path. Until one day, she could avoid him no longer. As the witch of the sea, she had to warn him of the horror their world would face if she were to become his bride.

They each had a duty to perform, even at the sacrifice of the other. Sienna must pass through the dark depths to enter the very gates of Hades and Aaron must let her go.





                                           SEA BRIDE- Children of the Waves #1


For 200 some years Xavior, a child of the waves, has searched the seven depths for his bride only to find her on land. How could a landwalker be his Queen, the one destined to stop the wars among the sea tribes? But one touch and he knew he'd defy Poseidon himself to make her his.

Cori Daniels hated the water; she'd been on board the luxury ocean liner for 2 days and hadn't left her cabin. But when she finally ventured on deck she met a man who looked like a sea god and tempted her like no other. But he tempted her to follow him into the sea. 

How could she tell him she feared the water? 






SEA STORM- Children of the Waves #2

Bring on the lightning. 

For so long Des’ life was a lie. She had to hide who she really was from the world. Her survival and that of her family depended on her continuing those lies. But it was never harder than when she had to lie to the man she loved.

She was lying to him. Zek knew the woman in his house, in his arms was the bride he’d searched for all of his existence. But as a son of Poseidon nothing and no one would stop him from claiming that which was his. 




Sunday, April 05, 2015

Featured Author Jamallah Bergman

THE LADY OF GLADSTONE MANOR
by Jamallah Bergman


Jackson Belle, the son of a prominent family of landscapers and architects whose work has been the “Showcase of the South”, goes to take what he thinks is a routine job for his father who is soon in bed after a fall. He soon finds himself going to Gladstone Manor, a home well known in town as a house that once would host grand balls and parties for the town. But is nothing more than a shell of its former glorious self. Soon Jackson finds himself diving deep within the mystery of Gladstone Manor and its owner Brooke Langley.
Brooke Langley’s life at Gladstone Manor at one time was wonderful and she enjoyed the many memories she had as a child, watching the many people coming to the parties and balls that her parents would give. But a tragic accident leaves Brooke in seclusion, afraid of what the world outside of the Manor would think of her now. It isn’t until Jackson Belle comes into her life and shows her that someone does care that slowly starts to come out to the world and soon finds true love as well.



AVAILABLE
AMAZON
KOBO


EXCERPT
Let me ask you this, do you remember Mr. Langley’s daughter?”
You mean, Brooke,” Jackson’s mother interjected as she came in with a tray holding Howard’s lunch.
Brooke, that’s her name, right?”
Oh yes, I remember Brooke, she was such a sweet child. Always smiling and making everybody around her laugh. Such a beautiful child with so much life in her until that evil woman of a stepmother messed her up. I remember Walter was so heartbroken by what happened. He knew they didn’t get along because they were like oil and water, they just didn’t mix well. She hated Brooke because she was the apple of Walter’s eye and a constant reminder of her late mother. She got more of his attention and her stepmother hated her with a passion because of that. When she had the accident, her father had her going to all kinds of doctors and surgeons, even sent her to Europe to see a specialist who dealt with people in her situation. After Walter died, she stayed in Europe for the longest time. Some people thought that she had passed away but then one day, word got out that groceries and other things were being delivered to the Manor.” She stared at the photo of Brooke by the fountain.
That entire day while at his father’s, they both worked on the plans for the garden. He would go from his father’s work area to his father’s bedroom to see what he thought of the plans so far.
Sweetheart, you have a phone call. I think it’s from the Manor,” Nancy said, popping her head in the room while Jackson drew on the blueprint.
Picking up the phone, Jackson said, “Hello.”
Hello, Mr. Belle, this is Brooke Langley calling,” a soft, mellow voice said on the other end.
Hello, Ms. Langley, it’s nice to finally hear from you. How are you?”
Fine, thank you, I talked with Nora and I just wanted to see what your point of view on the condition of the garden.”
Well, I will tell you that it needs plenty of work but it’s a job that I look forward to starting. I am always up for a challenge. I told Nora I wanted you to make a list of things you might want to see in your garden. Have you started yet?”
Yes, I have. I was trying to go by memory, but there’s plenty I want to add. I have to say I’m pretty excited that this is being done. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen the garden the way it was before.”
Her voice entranced Jackson. “I can come get the list from you if you want. That way, I can show you what I have so far.” Jackson replied, hoping she would agree to meet in person.
At first, he heard nothing and thought that maybe she hung up the phone. “Hello? Are you there, Ms. Langley?”
Yes, I’m still here. I don’t think it would be a good idea to meet just yet. I can have Nora give you the list when you get here, if that’s all right?”
That would be just fine, Ms. Langley. But I do hope to get the chance to actually see you one of these days, face to face.”
Take care, Mr. Belle.” She hung up.
The conversation left Jackson with a sense of accomplishment in what he’d done so far. Also, he felt curious, wondering who the woman behind the voice was.

LINKS
TWITTER: @silentbutloud1