June Newsletter Now Available!

The June 2011 issue of Awakening Desires—the Newsletter of Romance Author N.J. Walters—is now available.

Be sure to check out all the latest news, my husband’s popular column—Confessions of a Romance Author’s Husband— an excerpt, and this month’s Interview with the wonderful Denysé Bridger.

As always, some lucky newsletter subscriber wins a prize. All you have to do to be eligible to win is go to the Awakening Desires Newsletter and join. While you’re there, you can check out back issues of the newsletter.

Do you love cowboys!

Do you love cowboys? I know I do. I'm talking about them over at the Wild Wicked Cowboys Blog today. Why don't you stop by.

Celebrating 50 Books--Day 31

Today I want to introduce you to Katie's Art of Seduction--the first book in the Awakening Desires series.

BLURB:

From the moment the woman's portrait in the window of a coffee shop caught Cain Benjamin's attention, he resolved to possess not only it, but her as well. Determined to find the mysterious beauty, he sets out to locate the artist. If he can find the artist, he's sure he can find the woman in the picture.

Katie Wallace's schedule at Coffee Breaks allows her to earn a living and still have time to pursue her love of painting. When her boss and friend convinces her to display one of her self-portraits in the shop window, she is apprehensive, but elated when it sells—until she meets the portrait owner.

Katie finds herself captivated by Cain, the tall, mysterious man who lurks in the shadows and is obsessed with her self-portrait. And Cain is even more intrigued by Katie, as he discovers her painting is not nearly as sensual as the woman herself.

Cain's mesmerizing and commanding personality entices Katie into the shadows with him. But Katie is equally determined to uses all her artistry to seduce him back into the light of day with her.


Buy The Book

Read an Excerpt

Memorial Day

To all my friends in the USA, I hope you're enjoying a safe and happy Memorial Day with family and friends.

Celebrating 50 Books--Day 30

Today I'm featuring Past Promises, the last book in the Jamesville series. Every book is a stand alone read, but it is much richer if you've read the other books. You'll recognize characters from earlier books.

I've had so many readers ask for more Jamesville books. All I can say right now is maybe somewhere down the road I'll pen one or two more, but nothing is definite. It would have to be a special book.

BLURB:

For Linda Fletcher, the sign in front of her new business says it all. Past Promises Antiques is her declaration of independence from her powerful and manipulative family—and a vow to herself that her future will be different.

She never considered herself the no-strings-affair type, but the chemistry between her and her newly hired handyman is too intense to ignore. Moving to Jamesville was a bold step, so what’s the harm in taking one more—into his arms?

Levi Mann’s shadowed past keeps his bags packed light and his feet on the move. But one look at Linda, and he finds himself willing to hang around—just long enough to figure out what it is that triggers their explosive passion.


Buy The Book

Read an Excerpt

Celebrating 50 Books--Day 29

By The Book is the focus of Day 29 of the celebration. I love books and whenever I travel I search out bookstores in the area. I've been too big ones and small ones, new and used, specialty and general. They're all enthralling.

BLURB:

Amanda Barrington hopes Jamesville is the right place for her rare-book business—and her new life. The moving truck barely pulls away before both are off to a rousing start. It’s not her new customer that’s caught her attention, though. It’s the customer’s brother, Jonah Sutter.

From the moment cynical, ex-military Jonah sets eyes on Amanda, he burns for her like a house afire—which is what she’s going to have if she doesn’t get her house’s electrical system overhauled. He knows he’s not a forever kind of guy, but he’s more than willing to be her fix-it man. In more ways than one.

When unexpected danger threatens, Jonah finds himself dealing with more than just the desire to get Amanda into bed.

Protecting her means moving in, which exposes them both to a new danger—losing their hearts.


Buy The Book

Read an Excerpt

Celebrating 50 Books--Day 28

Welcome to Saturday and Day 28. Today I'm showcasing A Legal Affair.

BLURB:

Alicia Flint enjoys her community, her home, and her career as a lawyer. But since her livelihood depends on her spotless reputation, it’s not easy to even date in this small town, much less take a lover.

Then a chance encounter with a stranger at a friend’s wedding tempts her to do something she’s never done before—have a red-hot, one-night stand. The guy will be gone tomorrow; no one need ever know her delicious little secret.

Gill Baron has come to Jamesville to visit friends and figure out what he wants to do with the rest of his life. As a newly retired, burnt-out cop, he’s not looking for love, but he won’t say not to a night of no-strings sex with the seductive brunette. A night that leaves him wanting more.

When she meets the investigator on her latest case, Alicia is shocked to come face-to-face with Mr. One-Night-Stand. Jamesville doesn’t need another lawyer-related scandal to gossip about, but the truth is, she needs Gill’s top-notch investigative skills.

Their attraction is too deep to keep the town clueless of their affair forever. When Jamesville finds out, Alicia wonders if her reputation—and her relationship with Gill—will weather the storm.

Buy The Book

Read an Excerpt

Celebrating 50 Books--Day 27

Welcome to Friday and Day 27! The Seduction of Shamus O'Rourke is a story of redemption, of second chances, of family and of love. Welcome to Jamesville and the story of Shamus O'Rourke...

BLURB:

After her father’s death, Cyndi Marks returns to Jamesville, determined to settle here and lay the ghosts of years ago to rest once and for all. But the past has a way of catching up—and hanging on.

When her car breaks down outside of town, a handsome stranger stops to help. He intrigues and attracts her, but then she discovers who he is.

Shamus O’Rourke enjoys his job, his family and small town living. What he’s missing is someone with whom to share it. Immediately drawn to Cyndi, he is determined to get closer to her, even as he senses her pulling away.

But not everyone in Jamesville is happy to see Cyndi. People are hiding secrets. Secrets they would kill to protect. When violence erupts in her home, Cyndi turns to the only person in town she can trust—Shamus.

In a situation where family loyalties are strained, Cyndi’s life is threatened and everyone is a suspect, will their emerging love survive?


Buy The Book

Read an Excerpt

Celebrating 50 Books--Day 26

Welcome to Day 26! Today's book is The Return of Patrick O'Rourke. It's darker and gritter and sexier than the first two books in the Jamesville series. I always knew when I wrote Discovering Dani I'd have to go back and write books for both O'Rourke brothers. I just had to give them a few years to grow up and become the amazing men they are. This is Patrick's story.







BLURB:

Gunned down in the line of duty, New York City cop Patrick O’Rourke returns to his hometown of Jamesville to recuperate from his physical and emotional wounds. His partner is dead and his career depends on his ability to recover from his serious injuries. He doesn’t plan on staying for long, so the last thing he wants is a relationship.

Shannon Brooker’s life certainly didn’t turn out the way she’d planned, and she’s returned to Jamesville to help her aunt run the local diner. She’s not looking for a man. All she wants is some peace of mind.

When her abusive ex-husband starts a campaign to terrorize her, Shannon turns to Patrick O’Rourke, the man she had a teenage crush on many years ago. She wants to hire him as a bodyguard, but their relationship quickly becomes more personal than professional.

With Shannon wanting a small-town life and Patrick wanting to return to the life he loves as a New York cop, there seems to be no way for them to build a permanent life together. As the threat against Shannon escalates, they are pushed closer together, igniting a passion that will alter their lives forever.

Buy The Book

Read an Excerpt

Celebrating 50 Books--Day 25

Today is Day 25--we're halfway there! Today's book is The Way Home. This book was written right after Discovering Dani back in 1996/97, but it didn't see the light of day for another decade.

BLURB:

“So, will you marry me?” Although not a particularly romantic proposal, Rebecca Gentry seriously considers accepting because it comes from Jake Tanner, the man who she’s secretly loved for years.

Rebecca has been alone for most of her life, but she’s made a life she’s content with. She has her own sewing business, a lovely apartment, and a few good friends. But it’s her special friendship with Jake that has always been most important to her. Now, he is proposing a marriage of convenience as he finds himself in need of a wife to help him raise his orphaned niece.

Convinced that she can teach him to share a real marriage rather than one of convenience, she agrees to his offer. But, becoming a family is not an easy journey for any of them. Both she and Jake have their own insecurities and challenges to overcome if their marriage is to have a chance to survive. But unforeseen problems test their new relationship and threaten to destroy what they’ve just begun to build.


Buy The Book

Read an Excerpt

Celebrating 50 Books--Day 24

Today's book is a very special one. Discovering Dani was the first book I ever wrote--not my first published--but the first book I ever completed. I wrote it back in 1995 and it was published a decade later after many, many, many rewrites. It's not as spicy as my other books, but it's a wonderful love story and I love it.

Welcome to Jamesville!

BLURB:

Dani O’Rourke has had the responsibility of raising her two brothers, Patrick and Shamus, since the death of their parents. As sole owner and operator of O’Rourke Cleaning Services, she is no stranger too hard work, but she is a beginner when it comes to men.

Burke is a very rich and successful businessman whose brush with death has made him question his priorities. He’s traveled to Jamesville for peace and quiet while he plans the rest of his life.

Their lives collide when Burke accuses her of breaking into his cabin to steal from him. Their attraction to each other is immediate, and after a series of misunderstandings he finds himself caught up in the lives of Dani and her brothers.

But can this gentle, giving woman get a man as hard and cynical as Burke to believe in the power of love? Or will Burke leave town without ever discovering the wonders of life with Dani?

Buy The Book

Read an Excerpt

Monday, Monday

Good morning, everyone, and welcome to Monday. I hope you all enjoyed your weekend. Those of you still enjoying the Victoria Day weekend, I hope you're having fun!

I've been pondering lately about work, specifically being an author and what that entails, which makes sense considering what I do for a living. It's a profession where much of what you do is out of your control but yet it is a profession that attracts so many people.

Why?

When you send off a submission to a publishing company you have no idea if it will be accepted and sometimes it takes months, if not a year to find out. Rejection is part of the job.

If you're lucky enough to have a manuscript acceped for publication, then you wait for edits. They arrived in your inbox, usually with little warning, and you have a set amount of time to get them done and back to your editor. There are deadlines for everything.

If you're lucky, you have some say in the cover art for your book, but that isn't always the case. (I've been very lucky in this respect and love all my covers!)

The book comes out and you have little control over if it does well or not. Sure you can advertise and promote, but you never really know if a book will go over well with readers or not. It's a crapshoot.

So, what is under an author's control?

The author decides what they are going to write. That's one of the best things about being a writer--streching yourself creatively. You get to dive into a world, into a set of characters and let your mind take flight. It's a beautiful thing.

You can write anywhere--at home, in the park, at the coffee shop, in your back garden--the list is endless.

You can write in your pajamas or your sweatpants. No one cares what you look like because you are your own boss.

You meet the most amazing people--online and in person.

If you get a book published you get to see something you created totally from your own mind released out into the world. You get to share your stories with others. And, if you are very lucky, you can make a living doing it.

It's a beautiful thing.

Have a fabulous day!

Celebrating 50 Books--Day 23

It's a beautiful sunny morning and it's Day 23. Sweet Charity is the final book in the Project Alpha trilogy.

BLURB:

Adrian is an Alpha—a genetically enhanced assassin—thought dead by the people who created him. Living outside the Gate, a high tech shield that protects the enclosed city from the contaminated and lawless land outside, he is the leader of the Resistance, living only to bring down the Gate and the people who sought to kill him.

Charity Caruthers is the daughter of one of the most powerful and brutal men in the inner city—the General. She risks everything sneaking outside the Gate to get a message to Adrian.

Passion explodes, ripping apart the foundations of both their lives. Charity begins to understand true sexual desire as Adrian teaches her the passion to be found in dark fantasies. Loyalties are tested and trust pushed to the limits as the final confrontation is at hand. Some will die. Some will live. And Adrian and Charity’s fragile relationship could be the final casualty in this war of retribution and freedom.


Buy The Book

Read an Excerpt

Celebrating 50 Books--Day 22

It's Day 22 and I'm celebrating book 2 of the Project Alpha series--Have Mercy. Logan is injured and when he wakes he finds himself tied to the bed of his beautiful healer. You'll have to read it to find out what happens next. :-)

BLURB:

Earth 2133

Logan is an Alpha—a genetically enhanced assassin—who has escaped from the lab that created him. He is now outside the Gate, a high-tech shield that protects the enclosed city from the contaminated and lawless land outside. Shot while evading security forces sent to eliminate him, Logan’s only goal is survival.

Mercy Dockins is a healer. Her world is shaken to its foundations when a stranger is brought to her near death. As she heals him, her body and soul respond to him, overwhelming her with sexual desire. With little more than a look and a touch, passion flares out of control, consuming them both.

But this stranger is dangerous to not only her well-being, but also to the safety of everyone she loves. And he has brought the security forces right to her door.

Buy The Book

Read an Excerpt

Holiday Weekend!

It's the Victoria Day Weekend here in Canada, which means it's the unofficial kick-off to summer. Lots of folks will be camping, in spite of the rain and cold temperatures. *g* Hope everyone has a safe and fun weekend!

Celebrating 50 Books--Day 21

It's Day 21 of the celebration and I'd like to feature the first book in the futuristic Project Alpha trilogy. Embracing Silence was actually nominated for a RT Reviewer's Choice Award. If you love futuristic, dark tales, than this is the book for you. :)

BLURB:

Earth 2133

Tienan is an Alpha—an assassin who has been genetically and computer enhanced. He has escaped from the lab that created him and the Ruling Council that controlled him. He is now outside the Gate—a high-tech shield that protects the enclosed city from the contaminated and lawless land outside. Tienan must constantly evade security forces sent to eliminate him, his only goal to destroy his former masters.

Silence is a tracker with the Resistance on the trail of a dangerous stranger. The hunter becomes the hunted and when Tienan kidnaps her, she thinks her life is over. But both captor and captive are enthralled with one another. Desire and need ignite each time they touch. Enemies become lovers.

Treachery and mistrust drive them apart. But nothing can diminish the sexual heat smoldering between them. With enemies all around, they must confront each other one final time. With time running out, sexual longing and trust battle with betrayal for supremacy.

Buy The Book

Read an Excerpt

Celebrating 50 Books--Day 20

It's Day 20 and I'm featuring the last Ellora's Cave anthology that I'm featured in. "Moon Magic" is my story in the Ellora's Cavemen: Jewels of the Nile IV anthology.

BLURB: Moon Magic

Under the light of the full moon, Meghan Flynn stands before an ancient stone well and wishes for a lover. The magic of the hot summer night surrounds her and she gives in to her sensual needs, pleasuring herself beneath the moonlight.

Watching from the shadows, Rory Shaunnessey is entranced. When she returns the following night, he steps forward, offering himself as her lover. But a hot summer fling can only last so long and when Rory pushes for more, Meghan must face the demons of her past if they are to have a future.

Buy The Book

Read an Excerpt

5 Blue Ribbons for Legacy Found

Romance Junkies has given Legacy Found a 5 Blue Ribbon Review!

Here's a snippet of what reviewer, Claudette, has to say:

"After the first book in this series I was hoping that Ms Walters would give James his own book. He’s been alone too long and deserves his own happily ever after. I found the romance between Shelley and James to be as emotional and gripping as the subplot regarding the werewolf hunters. I’m looking forward to my next visit to Wolf Creek. Any book from Ms. Walters is an automatic must buy because her characters are always well drawn and her romances powerful and erotic. This is a worthy addition to the series."

Check out the entire review

Celebrating 50 Books--Day 19

Good morning and welcome to Day 19! Today I'm featuring "Sunshine for a Vampire" my story in the Ellora's Cavemen: Seasons of Seduction III anthology.

Ever wonder what the Cinderella story would be like if it was told by vampires? Sunshine for a Vampire started out with the premise of a misfit vampire, one who wasn't like the others. And she has to go to a very special party...

BLURB: Sunshine for a Vampire

Sunshine DeMarco is a blonde-haired, blue-eyed vampire who just doesn't fit in with her own people. She doesn't really like the whole vampire lifestyle — the opulent surroundings and overindulgence in everything from food to drink to blood. But even she has family and social obligations.

While attending a party for a special European dignitary, she finds herself captivated by a tall, dark stranger. One sensual dance between them leads to a passionate tryst in the host's garden.

Reality intrudes and Sunshine flees, but she hasn't seen the last of her mystery lover.


Buy The Book

Read an Excerpt

Celebrating 50 Books--Day 18

Welcome to Day 18 and the Ellora's Cavemen: Dreams of the Oasis IV anthology. This story--Shadows Stir--is actually the start of my Shadow Ryder series. Jo Harris isn't afraid to kick ass and take names. She's one tough lady.

BLURB: Shadows Stir


Warriors of the Shadow Realm are facing their own demise, so the Shadow Lord sends one of his Ryders into the world to protect a woman who might hold the key to their very survival. Gideon finds more than someone to protect. He finds a woman to love.

Jo Harris is a woman on a mission to find her missing sister and she'll do whatever it takes. She encounters a mysterious stranger who becomes both protector and lover. But will their love be enough to save them both from the encroaching shadows?


Buy The Book

Read an Excerpt

Celebrating 50 Books--Day 17

Good morning and welcome to Tuesday and Day 17! For the next few days I'll be featuring my short stories. A Love Eternal is featured in the Ellora's Cavemen: Legendary Tails IV anthology. This is one of my favorite stories I've ever written. I cried buckets when I was writing and editing this one.

BLURB:

A Love Eternal By N.J. Walters

Sitting alone on a bridge late one night, Genevieve Alexander laments her safe, boring life. But when she attracts the attention of a dangerous, mysterious stranger known only as Seth, her entire world changes.

Accompanying him on his nocturnal journey through the dark streets and into the throbbing nightlife of the city, he introduces her to a world of sensual desires unlike anything she's ever experienced. But Seth has a terrifying secret. Will she be able to throw off the shackles of her past and accept the risks that come with being with this sexy, compelling man?

Buy The Book

Read an Excerpt

Celebrating 50 Books--Day 16

Embroidered Fantasies is a story of love and redemption. Some of you may recognized Rdnor Craddock and his brother from an earlier book and you might not even like him. That's all about to change...

BLURB:

Roxanne Sykes is a divorced waitress, trying to carve a life for herself after escaping an abusive marriage. Her quiet life is shattered when her ex-husband finds her. Before he can harm her, a magical tapestry whisks her away. She finds herself in a strange land, in the presence of a man straight from her erotic dreams.

Radnor Craddock’s life has been one of violence and brutality. He never expected the tapestry of Javara lore would bring a woman to him and his brother, Sednar. They only have three days to try to convince Roxanne to stay, and both use their considerable seductive skills to do so.

The erotic encounters are like nothing Roxanne has ever experienced. Yet she cannot trust her judgment. After all, she married a man who abused her. Then there are the dark hints and innuendoes of the Craddocks’ violent pasts. But when her ex-husband threatens her, Radnor and Sednar risk their lives to save her. Will she leave them? Or stay and claim these wounded warriors as her own?


Buy The Book

Read an Excerpt

Celebrating 50 Books--Day 15

The Tapestry is back in Threads of Destiny, but this time all the rules have changed.


BLURB:

Marc Garen knows and understands the laws of his world. On Javara, women are scarce and brothers must share, although only one can be her husband. But he is lonely to the depths of his soul and longs for a woman of his own. Suddenly the tapestry hurls him into a violent world…to the woman who has haunted his dreams.

Kathryn is a scientist, fighting to save two genetically enhanced super soldiers from termination when the man of her fantasies appears and magically transports them all to safety. Now three men share Kathryn’s bed, all bent on satisfying her every desire. But Marc is resolved to make her his alone. He has three days to convince her…before the tapestry returns.

Reader Advisory: This book contains super-hot scenes involving four participants—three men and one woman.


Buy The Book

Read an Excerpt

Celebrating 50 Books--Day 14

I'm two weeks into celebrating my 50 books and still going strong. *g* Welcome to Woven Dreams, a Tapestries book that is a bit different from the first two. In this book, the two younger Bakra brothers get a chance to find love, but not before they have to face a familiar enemy from the past.

BLURB:

In Javara, women are scarce and brothers must share a woman, although only one can claim her as a wife. Scarred and maimed from a battle fought almost a year ago, Jarmon Bakra is afraid chances are slim that he and his twin brother, Garrik, will find a bride.

While on a hunting trip, the brothers stumble upon a woman claiming to be a tapestry bride. Now that fate has dropped a beautiful, courageous woman in their path, they will both use all their sexual skills separately and together to convince her to stay.

But Genny has secrets of her own and they have only three days to uncover the truth.


Buy The Book

Read an Excerpt

Celebrating 50 Books--Day 13

It's Friday the 13th and Day 13 of my Celebrating 50 Books! Today I want to tell you about Bakra Bride, the second book in the Tapestries series.

BLURB:

Jane Smith has the perfect corporate job, a beautiful apartment and an understanding boyfriend. She works long hours, but enjoys her life. It all begins to unravel the moment she witnesses a murder. Now her former life has vanished and she is left to rebuild again.

Just when things seem to be taking a turn for the better, the thrift store tapestry that she'd impulsively purchased magically transports her to Javara, a world that resembles medieval Earth, and into the arms of the Bakra brothers.

Zaren Bakra is shocked to discover that the tapestry has delivered Jane to Bakra land—as the tapestry prophecy has already been fulfilled for this generation. Their world is strange to Jane, and her very presence ignites violence and death.

Now the two brothers will use all their sexual skills, separately and together, to convince Jane to stay in Javara and choose one of them for her husband. But the tapestry will reappear in just three days. Will Jane return to her own time and all that is familiar or will she become the Bakra bride?


Buy The Book

Read an Excerpt

Buy The Book

Read an Excerpt

Very Superstitious...

Happy Friday the 13th. Are you superstitious? If you are check out my guest blog today over at The Romance Studio Blog.

Celebrating 50 Books--Day 12

Today is Day 12 in the celebration and I want to introduce you to Christina's Tapestry. The Tapestries series is a time-travel/menage a trois series that is my most popular, although the Legacy series is quickly closing in on it. Welcome to the world of Javara and the tapestry...

BLURB:

Christina Beaumont impulsively buys an expensive tapestry that she sees in a shop window, having no idea how that one action will change her life. The magical tapestry not only transports her to Javara, a world that resembles medieval Earth, but also into the arms of two massive warriors who both want to claim her.

Jarek and Marc, Brothers of the House of Garen, are elated to discover the tapestry has delivered Christina to them. Women are scarce in their world, so the men of a family must compete for the right to be her husband. But before she can choose, Christina first has to experience the lovemaking of both brothers, separately and together. Jarek and Marc use all their considerable sexual skills to pleasure her in ways she's never imagined.

But the tapestry also offers another choice. Christina could return to her own world. Jarek and Marc join forces to convince Christina to stay with them even as they fight a rival family for the right to keep her as their very own.


Buy The Book

Read an Excerpt

Celebrating 50 Books--Day 11

Welcome to Day 11! Today I'm bringing you the final book in the Dalakis Passion vampire series--Endless Chase. This book has one kickass heroine, who I absolutely love. Usually it's the hero who has the dark past, but in this book, it's Katya.

BLURB:

Vengeance is at hand for Katya Markova and nothing will make her stray from her chosen path—nothing, that is, but Chase Deveraux. She’s spent the past year of her life searching for the person responsible for the bloody murders of her parents. Her quest has taken her around the world and into the dark realm of blood cults and killers, finally bringing her to Transylvania and the Dalakis family.

From the moment Katya first sets eyes on Chase, the emotional and sexual connection between them explodes. She wants him to the point of madness, risking everything she’s worked for to spend stolen moments locked in his heated embrace.

But Katya is enmeshed in a world of lies and deceptions, which now includes Chase and his family. Love, vengeance and honor are tested, and sides must be taken as the entire Dalakis family is now in jeopardy.


Buy The Book

Read an Excerpt

Celebrating 50 Books--Day 10

Welcome to Tuesday and Day 10. Today I'm continuing on with the Dalakis Passion vampire series. Yes, there are only three Dalakis brothers but I wasn't finished telling their stories...not yet. Welcome to Eternal Brothers.


This is one of my favorite covers ever!

BLURB:

The Dalakis brothers are rich, powerful men, but they have secrets — the kind that men kill to protect. Ex-cop Zane York has watched them for several years and has returned to New Orleans to resume his investigation. He has to know if his suspicions are true — are the Dalakis brothers murderous vampires?

Reporter Sophia Daring has had many tough assignments in her life, but nothing has prepared her for the late-night phone call, which leads her to the cemetery and to the body of a dead woman. The murderer drained all the blood from his victim's body and the clues point straight to the Dalakis family.

The attraction between Zane and Sophia is instantaneous and explosive. But Zane has secrets of his own and questions that need answering. Are the Dalakis family the villains or are they being framed for murder? As Zane and Sophia investigate the grisly string of deaths, they discover that the murderer may not be the family's only enemy…and a secret from the past may bring the deadliest threat yet.


BUY THE BOOK

Read an Excerpt

Celebrating 50 Books--Day 9

Good morning and welcome to Monday! Today is Day 9 of the celebration. Welcome to the world of Stefan Dalakis! I love all my charcters, but every now and then some of them are extra special. Stefan and Laurel Rose are such characters. Take a peek at Stefan's Salvation.

BLURB:

Stefan Dalakis has been wandering the countryside for months. Ever since both his brothers found their mates, loneliness has been his constant companion. He's been searching for five centuries but has been unable to find the one woman whom he can love. When his travels lead him to a small roadside bar in North Carolina, he overhears a conversation that will change his life forever.

Laurel Rose McCaffey always knew she was different. Some say she has the Sight. Others say she's a witch. Most are afraid of her, but they've left her alone. That's always been fine by her. But now strange things are happening and the peaceful life she's built for herself is being threatened. Developers want her land and a lot of the townsfolk are pressuring her to sell.

A dark stranger enters her world, a man who both fascinates and frightens her. As her world spirals out of control and the threats escalate into outright violence, Laurel Rose turns to the one man she's come to trust — a vampire!


BUY THE BOOK

Read an Excerpt

Celebrating 50 Books--Day 8

Welcome to Day 8! If you were intrigued yesterday by the Dalakis brothers, you'll love Lucian's Delight, the second book in the Dalakis Passion vampire series.

BLURB:

At twenty-eight, Delight Deveraux enjoys her family, work and independence. But all that changes when she witnesses her boss being murdered. Suddenly, she is running for her life, pursued by the murderers who now wish to silence her. She is saved by a mysterious stranger whom she met only once before in her dreams.

Dalakis men love only once in their life, so for hundreds of years, Lucian Dalakis has searched for his mate. He is shocked when she turns up unexpectedly in his dreams. Now that he knows she exists, he will stop at nothing to find her and bind her to him.

The explosive sexual chemistry between them sends Delight reeling. Not only does she have to deal with the fact that she is still being pursued by criminals, but the man she is falling in love with is a vampire!

Delight struggles with her growing attraction to Lucian, even as she tries to protect him from the scrutiny of the police detectives investigating the murder. But the threat to her still exists and when her brother is kidnapped, Lucian takes matters into his own hands.

BUY THE BOOK

Read an Excerpt

Celebrating 50 Books--Day 7

Welcome to Day 7! Today I'm bringing you Harker's Journey, my first vampire book. It's a novella about a modern day Harker who goes to Transylvania to visit a mysterious client--Cristofor Dalakis. Johanna finds more than she bargained for...

BLURB:

Johanna Harker's life changed drastically on her eighteenth birthday—she received a copy of Bram Stoker's Dracula, discovered her fascination with vampires, and experienced her first of many hot, erotic dreams featuring a tall, dark and mysterious man. For the next thirteen years, on the full moon, Johanna's dream lover appeared. Sometimes his lovemaking was playful and tender, other times passionate and raw.

When no flesh-and-blood man can compete with her dream lover, Johanna puts all her energy into her job and studying vampires. Then she is sent to the fabled Carpathian Mountains of Transylvania to meet her company's largest client, the mysterious and demanding Cristofor Dalakis.

Cristofor, the enigmatic and formidable patriarch of the Dalakis family, plans to use his every skill to seduce and possess Johanna. But Cristofor is harboring a dark family secret that will challenge all that Johanna has known and believed.


BUY THE BOOK

Read an Excerpt

Celebrating 50 Books--Day 6

Welcome to Friday and Day 6 of the countdown! Today's book is Lily Blossoms, and older woman/younger man story that will make the sheets sizzle while it warms your heart. I really love this cover and the fact that the heroine has a second job--as an erotic romance writer. Geee, I wonder where that idea came from.

BLURB:

“What do you say?” Carson, the man she’s lusted over for the past five years, is standing in her kitchen, offering himself up for research.


Lily isn’t convinced she hasn’t fallen asleep at her keyboard and is now having the most amazing dream. No one in the town of Summersville knows she writes erotic romance under a pseudonym. Everyone knows her as the quiet, conservative woman who owns and operates the local flower shop, Lily’s Blossoms. She’s rarely dated and certainly not a man eight years younger.


But Carson is resolute. He’s wanted Lily for years and when he stumbles onto her secret, he seizes the opportunity to get closer to her. Lily has a list of erotic fantasies she wants to research including sex in public, roses, whipped cream and a striptease. Carson has a few ideas of his own and he’s determined to be the man she experiences each and every item with. What she doesn’t know is that he has an agenda of his own—one that ends with them together forever.


BUY THE BOOK

Read an Excerpt

Celebrating 50 Books--Day 5

Welcome to Day 5. Today I'm bringing you Heat Wave, which is the second book in the Summersville Secret series. All three books in this series are stand-alone reads.

BLURB:

Emma Howard has been sensible her entire life, focusing all her time and energy on her career. In fact, Emma doubts that there is much passion inside her, at least until Tucker Martin moves into her apartment building.

Their immediate reaction to one another is explosive and she grabs the opportunity to explore her awakening sexuality. But after a heated encounter, Emma backs away from their growing relationship, unwilling to trust the passion flaring between them.

Tucker's wanted Emma since the first moment he laid eyes on her. When a blackout traps them in an elevator, it's not just the heat wave that makes him feel hot. Determined to convince her that they are made for each other, he's more than willing to take advantage of the circumstances that have trapped them alone together.

But Emma's fears go deeper than either of them realizes, and she will have to face her past before she can claim a future with Tucker.


BUY THE BOOK

Read an Excerpt

Celebrating 50 Books--Day 4

It's Day 4 of my Celebrating 50 Books countdown. Today I'm going back to my very first published book--Annabelle Lee, which was published by Ellora's Cave.

BLURB:

By day Annabelle Lee is a perfect small town librarian, with loose-fitting dresses and hair scrunched up in a tight bun. But at night, lying in her lonely bed, her sensuality emerges in scorching, erotic dreams about Mike Sloan.

Annabelle's not the only one with a few fantasies. Mike has been dreaming of stripping her out of her prim clothing and getting her into his bed, and when the opportunity arises, he grabs at the chance. Soon they're heating up the sheets, and each other, with steamy sexual interludes.

While Annabelle is luxuriating in their no-strings secret affair, Mike is longing for something more permanent—like exploring the exhilarating heights of passion as man and wife.


BUY THE BOOK

Read an Excerpt

Celebrating with the Smutketeers...

The ladies over at the Smutketeers are celebrating my release day and my 50th book with me. Stop by and comment and you're in the running to win a download from my backlist.

Fifty and Counting

No, I’m not talking about my age. I’m close but not quite there yet. *g* I’m talking about my books.

Honestly, I don’t know how I got here. When my first book was released by Ellora’s Cave back in late October 2004 I couldn’t even begin to imagine I’d write fifty. Yet, here it is today—Legacy Found—my fiftieth book.

I can’t even begin to tell you how proud and excited I am by the release of this book. I’ve met so many wonderful readers and writers online over the past six and a half years. I’ve had so much support from this community.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to do a job that I love. I’ve been hooked since Annabelle Lee was accepted by Ellora’s Cave in early 2004 and I haven’t stopped writing since. And, furthermore, I have no intentions of stopping anytime soon. I have so many stories left to tell.

My fiftieth book--Legacy Found--is being released by Samhain Publishing, which in many ways is fitting since they also published the very first book I ever wrote—Discovering Dani. Now, this wasn’t the first book I ever had published, but it was the first book I ever wrote. It underwent many, many rewrites and revisions before it was finally published back in March 2006.

I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Thanks for all the support. Here’s to the next fifty!

NJ

Celebrating 50 Books--Day 3--NEW RELEASE!

Today is the day! Legacy Found, my 50th book, is now available from Samhain Publishing. I can't tell you how exciting I am about the release of this book. It represents a huge milestone in my life and in my writing career. Plus, I love this story!



BLURB:

She outran her memories. She couldn’t outrun her past.

Legacy, Book 3

Shelley is a killer. Never mind that her “crime” freed her from thirty-five years of brutal captivity—the bounty hunters on her trail don’t care. For the first time in her life, she is on her own, free to put the past behind her and explore what it means to be a werewolf.

James Riley is dead tired. After a week untangling legal and financial affairs his brother’s death left behind, he’s feeling every ounce of his new responsibility as Wolf Creek pack alpha. He’s not too tired, though, to notice his sexy waitress is a werewolf—one that strangely doesn’t recognize him as one of her own kind.

After his questions rattle her composure and get her fired, Shelley figures the least James can do is drive her to the next town, but he wants more. He wants to take her home. And despite her fear, something inside her is irresistibly drawn to his commanding yet gentle presence.

James is willing to give Shelley all the time she needs to embrace her heritage, her sexuality, and eventually his love. But her past will not be denied...and her secrets demand a price paid in blood.

BUY THE BOOK

Read an Excerpt

Celebrating 50 Books--Day 2--Isaiah's Haven

Celebrating 50 Books--Day 2

Yesterday I looked back at Alexandra's Legacy, the first book in the werewolf Legacy series. Today it's book 2, Isaiah's Haven.

BLURB:

Love comes howling when—and where—you least expect it.

Legacy, Book 2

Isaiah Striker puts family first, the pack a distant second. Which is precisely the reason he’s in noisy, crowded Chicago instead of alone in his beloved woods. One look at the owner of Haven nightclub, however, and a simple favor for his brother turns into something else entirely.

Meredith Cross holds her small pack together with sheer determination. After years on the run, they hide in the glare of the city’s nightlife. Isaiah may heat her blood, but she can’t afford to risk the lives of the outcast half-breeds in her care. Once exposed, every bounty hunter and werewolf purist in smelling distance will hunt them down.

But when their sexual attraction spirals out of control, a moment’s distraction is all it takes to lead danger right to Meredith’s door. For Meredith there’s only one choice: her pack.

But Isaiah knows his mate when he sees her. And he’s not giving up without a fight.


BUY THE BOOK

Read an Excerpt

Milestones...

I'm over at Kat Holmes's Blog today talking about Milestones and my big book release tomorrow. Stop by Kat's Blog and check it out!

Celebrating 50 Books--Day 1

Celebrating 50 Books--Day 1

It's hard to believe that on May 3rd my 50th book will be published. It's been a crazy six and a half years since my first book--Annabelle Lee--was published by Ellora's Cave. My 50th book will be Legacy Found, the third book of the Legacy series.

For the next 50 days I will be flashing back to all my books. I thought I'd start with the first two books of the Legacy series as that would lead in nicely to May 3rd.

So, here is Alexandra's Legacy, available in ebook and print from Samhain Publishing!

BLURB:

The truth will set her free…or get her killed.

Alexandra Riley’s day starts out like any other in her normal, predictable world. Then a tall, dark stranger bursts into her father’s garage and shatters the illusion. In one shocking moment, she discovers why she’s been feeling hot, restless—she’s the half-breed daughter of a legendary werewolf and is a much-sought-after prize.

Joshua Striker, enforcer in charge of protecting the alphas of the Wolf Creek pack, has come to take Alex home. Nothing more, nothing less. From the first moment he sees her, she becomes the one thing he can’t afford—a distraction from his duty. A weakness he doesn’t want—but can’t resist needing.

If only keeping her safe was as simple as fending off males on the hunt for a mate. Through city streets to the mountains of North Carolina, Alex and Joshua have to evade those who don’t want their pure bloodlines tainted with human DNA, as well as bounty hunters who think the only good werewolf is a dead one.

What Joshua and Alex can’t outrun is the passion that flares between them—or the choice Alex must eventually face. Whether to claim her inner wolf, or forfeit her chance to claim Joshua as her own.


BUY THE BOOK

Read an Excerpt

Happy May Day!

Welcome to May! It's time for spring flowers and warmer temperatures. I hope you all had a wonderful day!