New Release: Flesh and Shadows

Flesh-fruit—priceless delicacy, forbidden fruit…

Rand has a secret. Bitten by one of the deadly shadow-snakes, he’s changed and will go to any length to see that he remains in charge of his planet—and the flesh-fruit harvest—including using his alien abilities to convince Agent Niamh Sullivan to lie to her superiors. His plan is simple, but what he doesn’t realize is that his venom is an aphrodisiac. With it, Rand has become irresistible.

Now Niamh must deny their overwhelming mutual attraction. But as their need for each other spirals out of control, the danger becomes apparent. Rand will take her humanity, take who and what she is. Niamh has to make the choice. Turn him in. Or succumb to his potent, forbidden temptation.

Here’s a link to an excerpt

And the buy link  is at Ellora’s Cave here and at Jasmine Jade here.

Flesh and Shadows is the first novella I sold to Ellora’s Cave.  I *squeed* all over my other half when he was trying to set up the Wii for the hobbits, lol  He had no clue why I was so excited *grin*

And the story?  Well Rand is just yum, a man driven by honour…and the beast within him.

You can find my other Ellora’s Cave titles here.

Reward time :)

I got a chunk written on War Flesh and Space Fluff and I’m over half way on editing Satin Spar.  It’s a lot more than I thought I’d get done when I started the week, lol

So I get my reward

And yep, I think it is…

Writing is s-l-o-w

It has been for a while and it’s bugging me.  So I think it’s time for some reward icons again.

I have SpaceFluff (I promise, it will have a real title when I send it off as a submission to Samhain’s Space Opera anthology)  and Warflesh to finish.

I also have edits for Ruthless Beauty and Satin Spar to complete.

I want to attack SpaceFluff and the edits this week.  If I work hard on all, I get to play with Photoshop/Pixelmator on Saturday night.  Deal, subconscious writing brain?

Excerpt Monday: Flesh and Shadows – SF Erotic Romance – R

A little snippet from my latest Ellora’s Cave release   Enjoy!

Copyright © KIM KNOX, 2009

Buy link: here

“Are you listening to me?” Rand closed the short distance between them.

He stood over her and his scent threaded into her blood. Clean male skin with something under it, a potent heat that brought with it images of the hot, damp jungles, heavy air and predatory power.

“No,” she said, glaring up at him. Light cut across his features and the sinuous line of his black scales glistened. It had to be the venom tearing through her body that kept her heart pounding and her mouth dry. “Mainly I’m stuck on how you poisoned me.”

A smile tugged at this mouth. “We can easily change that. Forget to mention my…corruption,” his lips parted and she could only stare at his teeth as his canines grew and sharpened, “and I’d be more than happy to share the antivenin with you.”

“I know what the statistics are on the success of your cure.”

“From a pure shadow-snake,” he said, his tongue tip touching his sharpened fangs before they slid back into his upper jaw. “The antivenin you’ll receive is synthesized from my venom.”

Niamh pulled in a breath, but no air seemed to expand her lungs. He was too close and his poison had her brain spinning, because she wanted to lick the sharpened edge of his teeth. She crushed her eyes against her insane need and clung to her sense of duty.

“I can’t allow you to remain in charge.”

Rand ran a calloused fingertip over her chin and she shivered. His dark eyes bore into her. Adrenalin surged through her system and she fought for calm. The more she panicked, the faster the venom coursed around her body. Niamh bit her lip and willed her blood to slow.

“I admire your strength,” he murmured, the slow stroke of his finger over her jaw almost mesmeric. Niamh focused on his touch, using it to make her heart ease its fast pace. “I do.” His gaze fixed on her mouth and her pulse spiked. She held down a curse. Why was she reacting to him? “Do you know how shadow-snakes mate?”

Niamh’s breath hitched in her chest. Her thoughts shot back to her illicit dream, to Rand’s mouth hot and moist against her abdomen. “I’ve no interest in it.”

He leaned in, his breath warming her flushed cheek. “It’s all about the bite.”

His words had her skin prickling. She swallowed and tried not to feel the cool brush of his hair against her skin. Rand’s lips moved so close to her ear she ached to tilt her head to his touch.

“The male sinks his teeth into the soft throat of the female,” he murmured, his words falling against her skin as his lips eased over her throat, still not quite touching. “With a single bite, he penetrates and brings her to ecstasy.”

“Over so soon?”

She felt his smile in the change of air against her skin. “That’s the snake. Not me.”

Niamh blew out a slow breath. His intoxicating scent wove through her senses, disorientating her further. She couldn’t think, only feel the heat of his body pressing over hers, each breath prickling her skin and his lips so close to touching that everything in her ached. “What are you doing to me?”

She crushed her eyes. Stupid to admit that she was completely unnerved. She was a field service agent, the face of the central government in the quadrant. Now one man, with simply a dash of an alien reptile, had her thrown.

Rand’s soft laughter pulled at her and his finger traced down her throat to the open neck of her blouse. He skirted above the swell of her breast. Niamh’s pelvis tightened, wanting to deny the ache, the way Rand’s calloused fingers excited her skin. “Unlike the snake that bit me, I like to play.”

Links to other Excerpt Monday authors to are here.

And I’m openly pinching Jeannie Lin’s excellent warning: I have not checked all of these sites so please heed the ratings provided and be aware that the excerpts may contain content not typical of this blog.

So, to kick it off, your hosts:

Mel Berthier, Urban Fantasy (PG 13)

and

Bria Quinlan, Rom Com (PG)

Joining us this week:

Christina DeLorenzo, YA (PG 13)

Bryn Donovan, Paranormal (PG)

MG Braden, Contemporary Romance (PG 13)

Babette James, Fantasy Romance (PG 13)

Cynthia Justlin, Contemporary Romance (PG 13)

Kaige, Historical Romance (PG 13)

Adelle Laundan, Contemporary Romance (PG 13)

Jeannie Lin, Historical Romance (PG 13)

RF Long, Paranormal (PG 13)

Crista McHugh, Paranormal (PG 13)

Dara Sorensen, Paranormal (PG)

Evie Byrne, Historical Romance (R)

Grace Draven, Fantasy Romance (R)

Cate Hart, YA- Paranormal (R)

Aithne Jarretta, Paranormal (R)

Inez Kelley, Contemporary Romantic Comedy (R)

Aislinn Kerry, Paranormal (R)

Cherrie Lynn, Erotic- Contemporary Romance (R)

Alina Morgan, Urban Fantasy (R)

Stephanie Adkins, Erotic- Supsense (NC 17)

Ella Drake, Sci-Fi Romance (NC 17)

Annie Nicholas, Sci-Fi Romance (NC 17)

Kirsten Saell, Erotic – Fantasy (NC 17)

I still hate decorating

Though our landing is looking much better after being stripped of acres of woodchip wallpaper and having numerous coats of paint applied to walls and five doors.

The Ent attacked the banisters and newel posts, scraping off yucky black paint to reveal the oak beneath.

It’s now less rental, more home…and we’ve only been here almost seven years, lol Tomorrow is painting the hobbits’ door TARDIS blue, then I’m having a rest from decorating for a while.

Now I’m off to bed. Waaay too tired, lol

Cover love: Dark Host

I have another Anne Cain cover to brag about   How fab is this?? *squee*

Feline Mosaic, Charis Sur, thought her mission aboard the INS Pagidion would be quick and easy. All she has to do is watch her target and keep him alive until Betelgeuse goes nova.

Simple. Until one of the passengers drops dead in front of her.

Suddenly everything is not simple. Her life depends on a successful mission and she has to protect her target from whatever killed this man. That throws her into the path of Jason Narak, the one man she never wanted to see again. The man who burned her six months before. Yet, even as her past with Jason hurls her mission, her life into disarray, Charis finds that…something…is waiting for them aboard the INS Pagidion.

It calls itself darkness. And it needs a host.

Free Read: Skin Magic

Yesterday ran away with me and I never got a chance to post this, lol  Ellora’s Cave are releasing a weekly free read and this week it’s me *grin*

Warning: Seriously for over 18s only… You have been told

As a new emperor ascends the throne, the city of the Rhodoi is about to run with blood. Larissa has to escape. Her only way out is to accept a bargain made with Xander, a beautiful stranger who practices mysterious spirit magic. She knows the deal could cost her a piece of her soul, but the magician’s spirits want something else. Something she never expected. They want her body, her untouched flesh…for Xander’s own pleasure.

You can download it free from here: Skin Magic by Kim Knox

And read an except here

Wolverine…compressed

I snagged this from Colleen Lindsey’s blog, mainly because it just made me cry with laughter.

I remember a short film that did much the same thing.  That made me laugh too.

Sale! Ruthless Beauty

I think I had the fastest acceptance for a story ever on Saturday.  I set it at 8pm and got a reply back by 8am  *grin*  Suz works fast!! lol

So Ellora’s Cave will publish Ruthless Beauty, which is a dark mix of fae and forced seduction.  I’ll tackle the blurb soon, but there’s a link to a little sneak peek in the last post…

Sneaky peek at Ruthless Beauty

It’s here at Phenomena Authors. Btw, it’s naughty…

Time to pimp…Twice the Pleasure

Other bloggers have been kind enough to pimp me, so it’s about time I returned the favour

Blurb:

In high school, Caitlyn once got the chance to make out with her crush Drew Hartley in the gym storeroom…until they were interrupted by Drew’s friend, Steve.

Now at their ten-year reunion, Caitlyn finds herself sharing another passionate encounter with Drew—with Steve arriving on-scene once again. But this time he’s not going to stop them. He’s there to join in….

TWICE THE PLEASURE is available from eHarlequin, Fictionwise, Books on Board and Amazon Kindle

Some more cover love and links

Skin Magic a naughty free read available 11 May

Flesh and Shadows available 26 May. Do love a man with a big basket…*snerk*

Cover for Demonic Attraction…

…it’s a little cheeky *grin*  It’s also an Ellora’s Cave Exotika title, so it’s very naughty

Blurb:

Anya Sigurdson is counting down the days.

She works on an array orbiting a distant star completely alone and the isolation is seriously cramping her need for sex.  She’s promised herself a wild time on a pleasure planet, but until her remaining thirteen days are up, then her own fingers will have to do…or so she thinks.

Damianos has other plans.  Coming from a race of pure energy, Damianos, seeks pleasure in flesh and has an unusual talent.  They can fracture into as many lovers as Anya needs.  She is a joy, a rare find, and they intend to enjoy her, love her every chance they can.  But to keep her they need something else, an anchor, another body for them to fix in her dimension.

And a prime candidate is on his way.

Call for Submissions: Samhain Publishing Space Opera anthology

Can I get a *squeee* for this anthology call.  I think this is July’s writing sorted for me *grin*

Get your outer space on! Intergalactic wars, space battles, alien cultures, and love (and lust) across the cosmos.

I’m very pleased to announce an open call for submissions for a new, yet-to-be titled spring 2010 space opera anthology. I’m looking for fast-paced, action-adventure space opera romances. Don’t know what space opera is? Think Star Wars, Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica or my personal favorite, Firefly/Serenity. For more information on space opera, you can check out the entry on wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Opera

I’m open to M/F, M/M, or multiples thereof, and any sexual heat level. The only rule is the story should be set mainly or entirely in space and the romance must end happily ever after or happy for now.

The anthology will include novellas from 25,000 to 30,000 words in length and will be released individually as ebooks in April 2010.

Submissions are open to all authors, published with Samhain or aspiring to be published with Samhain. All submissions must be new material—previously published submissions will not be considered. Additionally, manuscripts previously submitted, whether individually or for past anthologies, will not be considered either. Please be aware that manuscripts submitted to this anthology cannot be resubmitted at a later date unless by invitation from an editor.

To submit a manuscript for consideration, please include:

The full manuscript (of 25,000 to 30,000 words) with a comprehensive 2-5 page synopsis. Please include a letter of introduction/query letter. Full manuscripts are required for this as it’s a special project.

As well, when you send your manuscript, please be sure to use the naming convention SpaceOpera_Title_MS and SpaceOpera_Title_Synopsis. This will ensure that your submission doesn’t get missed in the many submissions we receive, and makes it easy for me to find in my ebook reader.

Submissions are open until August 10, 2009 and final decision will be made by August 31, 2009. Please send your submission to editor@samhainpublishing.com and include Space Opera Anthology in the subject line.

Questions can be addressed to Sasha Knight sasha@samhainpublishing.com

Pure Bond free read

As part of Samhain’s free reads, I wrote a little sf romance story called Pure Bond

You can read it here if you click on the Samhain logo below:

Enjoy

Belated Happy Earth Day

Small contributions today of a thick cardigan and no heating (bloody hell, it’s cold, lol) and as it was sunny – for a short time – I could dry washing outside, yay.  Not much…now I may actually switch my putie off and go plot on paper *grin*

#Amazonfail

Erotic romance and GLTBQ authors have been stripped of their sales rank and can no longer be found in searches at Amazon.com.  They’re ’saving us’ from adult content, apparently

So it’s time to get Web 2.0 on them… *grin*

Amazon Rank

After release day

I noticed a big increase in blog hits yesterday, so anyone new who’s found me hi!

My contract for the free Ellora’s Cave story Skin Magic aka Xander is in the post, so hopefully I’ll be able to share more about that soon.

Yesterday, I had a tension headache – probably release day nerves, it was my first EC book after all. (That’s still a little *squeee* moment. I’ve wanted to write for them for ages, hehe) I had to find a way to distract myself.

Ellora’s Cave doesn’t have Samhain’s Top Ten thing, which is a blessing in a way as I’ve lost a whole day before refreshing that thing, lmao Instead, I posted about my new release and then read Past Lies.

I’ve never really gone back and read something that’s now published (Past Lies came out in April 2007 – wow) and it was interesting to see how my writing has changed in that time. The story is almost unrelenting fire and tension between the two main characters, lol, so no wonder contemporaries are so hard for me to write *grin* I did have a teary moment too, which was nice.

Today, I have to look at Ruthless Beauty and my free Samhain read. At the minute that’s Pure Bond

Consort releases today!

November Eve. The Hunt Ball. And to prove her right to rule, Tate must capture a mate. It should’ve been simple. Snag a vampire barely turned and have him kneel and swear devotion to her. But Fate has other plans…and one of them involves the powerful son of the ruling Queen.

Jager, a vampire she’s hungered after for years, allows himself to become her prey. But with his promise of sinful, wicked pleasure comes a catch. Jager only wants her as his slave. Nothing more.

Tate has no plans to bow down to him…until Jager shares a shocking truth with her. Suddenly Fate is playing hardball.

There’s a naughty excerpt here and you can buy it here

Menage Week

It’s Menage Week at Selena Illyria’s blog.

There’s a post up by me today and a little insight into how Unity came to be.  Pop over if you have the chance