Laura DeLuca's First Sex Scene In A Celtic Tapestry

I was so excited to be invited to join the other fabulous writers in A Celtic Tapestry, but I was also terrified. If you aren’t familiar with my writing, until this short story, I exclusively wrote young adult fiction. That means, I had never written a sex scene. I almost declined the offer because I was so afraid I wouldn’t be able to write a convincing sex scene. I mean, I’ve been writing on and off for twenty years, but never once did I venture into this category. The funny thing was, just before I got the email about this anthology, I had been walking about Walmart with my kids and I suddenly had this vision of the Goddess Brigid giving this black haired writer some interesting inspiration. I was like, whoa, where did that come from? Then I came home to this email from Moon Rose Publishing, and I knew where it came from. It came from Brigid. She was already inspiring me. So I emailed them back and asked if Imbolc was taken. It wasn’t and this was how Brigid’s Flame was born.

The idea was still just a seed and I found myself faced with a dilemma. This story is about my patron Goddess, so it had to be more than just a raunchy sex scene. Yes, I wanted it to be steamy, but it also had to be tasteful. I was excited when I figured out a way to make this a possibility. Next came actually writing out the story. I find it funny that I was giggling like a teenager more while penning this short tale than I ever did while writing my young adult fiction. Yet, when I read back through it, I realized I had done a pretty good job and kept it respectful to the Goddess. There’s even a twist at the end that I didn’t see coming myself until I was writing out the summary. I am really proud of taking this step into the world of adult writing. I don’t know if I’ll ever write a full length romance, but I know now that I can if I want to, and that is a pretty good feeling.

About the book:

Moon Rose Publishing has just released their newest book, A CELTIC TAPESTRY! An anthology between eight authors, each one has taken their own twist on one of the Celtic festivals of the year. From sunny spring to chilly winter, everyone’s favourite season is given a fresh and enticing take in this wonderful collection. To celebrate, Moon Rose Publishing is also hosting a fabulous giveaway as part of the release!

Blurb
The wheel of the year turns, bringing the joy of spring, the warmth of summer, the richness of autumn, and the merriment of winter. But eight Celtic festivals link these seasons together, bringing with them romance, lust, danger, and even magic. From a city under threat from night-time creatures at Ostara, to a selkie caught by the light of the Lughnasadh moon, to a writer caught in the flames of a fiery goddess at Imbolc.

Eight authors have come together to give their own twist on these festivals, weaving each story with a blend of myth, magic, and contemporary telling…to create A Celtic Tapestry.

Author Bio

Laura “Luna” DeLuca lives at the beautiful Jersey shore with her husband and four children. She loves writing in the young adult genre because it keeps her young at heart. In addition to writing fiction, Laura is also the sole author of a popular review blog called New Age Mama. She is an active member of her local pagan community, and has been studying Wicca for close to eight years. Her current works include Destiny, Destiny Unveiled, Phantom, Morrigan, Player, and Demon.

Author Links:

Blog: http://authorlauradeluca.blogspot.co.uk/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLauraDeLuca

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/authorldeluca/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4670048.Laura_DeLuca

MRP Website Author Page: http://www.moonrosepublishing.com/#!laura-de-luca/c1zc2

Book buy links:

MRP Website link: http://www.moonrosepublishing.com/#!a-celtic-tapestry/cayu

Amazon link:  

Kobo link: 

Google Play link: 

And now for the giveaway! Well, what IS the free stuff? Moon Rose Publishing, as part of the A CELTIC TAPESTRY tour, is giving away a ton of good stuff. You could win a print copy of A CELTIC TAPESTRY, a sticker pack, bookmarks, a beautiful necklace and jewelled bookmark from Tara S Wood, or an e-book of the anthology!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Link: https://www.facebook.com/ACelticTapestry/app_228910107186452

Kick Ass by Maggie Shayne, Angela Knight, Jacey Ford, MaryJanice Davidson

An anthology of four stories ranging from conrom to paranormal, all featuring kick ass heroines. How could I resist?

In The Bride Wore A .44, we are introduced to a woman about to get married. She's suffered severe head trauma and doesn't remember much of anything before her current life, in which she just believes everything her mother tells her. She even wears the clothes her mother buys her. But when it all falls into place, she discovers she's an agent about to marry the bad guy. What will she do? Full of fighting, shoot outs, sweet revelations, I really enjoyed this one. Def my kind of heroine. Implausible? Totally, but this is the kind of book one sits down and reads for fun.

The second story by Mary Janice Davidson is about an albino vampire hunter, her geeky and accidental sidekick, a vampire stand up comedian, and an assassination job. It's just plain wonderfully funny. I'm not into vampires, but this, I loved. My fave vampire story ever! From the names the heroine called everyone to the funny sayings to the all black chess pieces, it's just a riot. No real romance. The romance was weak, but I didn't care. This was my favorite.

If I was rating those two stories, it would be a five. The last two...to be completely fair, the third story is science fiction and I skipped it. I'm just really not into people changing species and stuff. Reviews on Goodreads and such claim that's the one of them all though, so don't let this deter you.

The fourth story threw too much at me at once. Three brothers, a super model/CIA agent I didn't like, and a male CIA agent. It lost my interest quick. I had to read the brothers' passage twice to figure out who was who and what was going on.

Three bikes for this overall. I got this on paperback swap.

Strong is Sexy Heroines of the Week: Carly, George, Mika, Mrs. Spurlock-Watts

This week is a little different. This week is not only about fictional heroines, but two very real strong and sexy women. The real-life heroines I'd like to honor today are Shyla Colt and her mother, Mrs. Spurlock-Watts. Ms. Colt doesn't like to talk about herself, so I'm going to do it for her. This is an author who has gone above and beyond the call of duty. She not only writes to touch and reach others, but in her everyday life, she's a mother, a marine wife, an editor, an office manager, and she has also been granted a very special award called the Molly Pitcher award for the hard work she's done with military families. And this woman is once again giving something of herself to help Veterans. Please welcome real-life strong and sexy Shyla Colt as she talks about the strong woman in her life and those in her latest book.


Book: No Man Left Behind
Heroines: Carly, George, Mika
Author: Shyla Colt

To be a woman is to be strong.  This is what my mother taught me in words and in actions. A woman, if she chooses to have a family will be the heartbeat, the glue, the driving force that steers the bus. That's no small task. She must be strong, capable, poised and ready to do what's right even when it's not easy. Because most of the time, it won't be. She told me I could be whatever I wanted to be and I believed her. Independence was a given. I would go to college or trade school, know how to cook, clean, budget a checkbook, handle my own finances, and fix what was broken.

My mother is one of the strongest women I know. She had me at fourteen, went on to co-own a business, and later work for the government. I watched her remain strong when my father's diabetes took its toll, and he went on to have surgery ,after surgery, ending in an amputation of his leg. He was a proud man and this sudden helplessness ( in his eyes) was a hard pill to swallow. Rehabilitation and readjustment was no walk in the park. But looking at my mother, you never would’ve known it. She handled his new needs, and later his death, with a grace, dignity, and a core of steel I hoped to one day have.

My mom, Suzette, can cook a meal that would make you think she went to culinary school and then turn around and change a broken doorknob. She was the fix-it person in my house, thank you very much. In my opinion, it's that kind of open-mindedness and instilled life skills that breeds strong women who can handle themselves and put a man in his place if need be. I say this because I see a new generation that thinks disrespect is the norm.  As a woman this appalls and angers me, but as a mother, it goes to a whole other level. I will be forever grateful for the woman my mom helped me become.

It's this attitude of a woman being strength that I try to instill in each of my characters in some way. My latest book, No Man Left Behind, in particular. Our men and women in the military face a lot of challenges and aftereffects from the wars they fight to keep us safe. This anthology gives us an up closer and personal view of some of those issues and feature women strong enough to stand by their side.

George, Carly and Mika are three very different women, but each is strong in her own way.  When Carly's longtime friend and secret crush, Trevor comes back home for a visit the romance she's only wished for begins. Things are perfect until she starts to notice things aren't quite right. Trained to see signs of distress in her job as a social worker, she knows Trevor needs help. It's a risk bringing this to his attention, but it's one she's willing to take. Because when you really care for someone, you want what's best for them. I admire her honesty and positivity in the face of losing what you want most.

George is a strong-willed woman who knows what she wants and refuses to settle. It's that attitude and ability to ignore society's demands that makes her strong. When Alex Denning catches her eye, she sees past the damage done to his face in an IED explosion as well as that done to his heart by his ex fiancée. She turns the tables, pursuing him with her understanding of military life and God-given charisma. Her sassy spunk and self-confidence are qualities I think most of us wish we had more of some days. :Winks:

Last but not least, we come to Mika. When her husband receives a life-altering injury that changes his personality and memory drastically, she digs deep to find the strength of character necessary to be there for him as he heals. Her selflessness coupled with her ability to be honest and frank while continuing to stand her own ground sets her apart and shows how powerful true love could really be.

I hope you will join me on the journey of these strong women and the men who risk everything to keep others safe. Fifty percent of each purchase will go to the Wounded Warrior project. My husband is a Marine and we put our heads together to come up with a way to give back to those who are too often forgotten. We hope to bring awareness back to them and the families who serve in their own way alongside them.

Blurb:

Even after our brave men and women leave the battlefield, the scars can linger physically and sometimes mentally. Here are three tales of courage, strength, perseverance, and love that deal with both.

After a long sting in Afghanistan, Cpl. Trevor Martin finds himself home for leave and contemplating reenlistment or civilian life. Weary and tired of the grim sights he's witnessed, he turns to his old friend Carly for comfort. When Trevor shows signs of PTSD, Carly urges him to get help, hoping that Repairing His Soul won't cost them their rapidly forming romance.

After a near death experience with an IED in the Middle East, Staff Sgt Alexander Denning is grateful to be alive but scarred inside and out after his fiancée's bitter rejection of his choice to continue serving. Georgette "George" Harper is attending Jane Wayne day for her sister when she's smitten with the McMap instructor Staff Sgt. Denning. Can she convince him what they have is worth the risk? Wooing Her Sergeant may be harder than she thinks.

When Mika gets a phone call that her husband Kasey's been hurt abroad, it's her worse nightmare. Prayers and the grace of God deliver him through, but the battle isn't over yet. The journey back to happiness and health will be painful, full of setbacks and damaged feelings, but Mika refuses to give up on the man she knows is her one true love. A true Marine's wife is Always Faithful, no matter the cost to herself.

Buy here

Are you an author with a strong heroine in your book? Want to see her featured? Find out how here.

Holiday Kisses

Holiday Kisses

Beachwalk Press  FREE Holiday Anthology

 Holiday Kisses includes 11 short stories all with a holiday twist.

Lose yourself in the romance, holiday cheer, and unexpected surprises!

Positively Holly by Pepper Anthony

When Holly and Evan run into each other at the Toy Palace the week before Christmas, the last thing on their minds is rekindling their failed love affair. After all, Holly is one of those wide-eyed optimists, and Evan is a man who deals in practicalities. Things would never work out between them. But two cups of coffee, a pair of shopping bags, and a touch of sexy Christmas magic just might help them find their common ground.

Hometown Miracles by Patricia Bates

The holidays hold little interest for Leanne Wilson, a single mother who receives devastating news mere days before heading home. Once she arrives, she runs into the one man who holds her heart. But she can’t reach out to him now...after all, this may be her very last Christmas. Jay Locke has loved Leanne for years. When she left town, he forced himself to move on, but now she’s back with a darling little girl and a Christmas wish he just can’t say no to.

Believe in Me by Aimée Duffy

Leona Sharp and Ryan Lee have been friends forever, it seems. Although there’s an attraction between them, they’ve never acted on it. On New Year’s Eve, Leona finally allows herself to give into the temptation, but she vows that it will only be for one night and as soon as the clock strikes midnight they will put it in the past and go on as if it never happened. Ryan, however, has other plans…

His Holiday Lifesaver by Hazel Gower

Brad isn’t looking forward to Christmas dinner with his family as they are always trying to set him up with women. This year he has a plan involving Hailey, a female tourist he rescued at the beach, posing as his girlfriend for the next couple of weeks. The only problem with the plan is he didn’t expect to fall in love with her.

Drawn To You by Tara Mills

If a picture’s worth a thousand words, what does that make a series of sketches? Drawn to the same beach over and over again to secretly sketch this quiet, contemplative man, Rachel is about to find out.

Reunion by Ashlynn Monroe

Years ago, Shayla left her small hometown to pursue her dream. When she did, her family turned their back on her. Leaving also meant she had to forget about the boy she loved. When her mother dies, Shayla realizes that while some things change, other things are doomed to remain the same. She returns home, but doesn’t feel very welcome until the boy who haunts her memories steps into her present. Luc is no longer the farm boy she’d fallen for—he’s grown up, and quite nicely too. Can Shayla rekindle what she lost with the man she never stopped loving?

Winter Break by Kaylie Newell

Harper Smith is a horrible skier. She can’t stand it almost as much as she can’t stand her irritatingly sexy ex-boyfriend, who also happens to be a member of the ski patrol. So when she finds herself in a life-or-death situation on a cold, dark mountain, she has mixed feelings when Justin Noble shows up to rescue her. Part of her would rather freeze to death than accept his help. The other part can’t help but warm up at the sight of his messy, sun-bleached hair and cocky grin. Without her consent, Harper’s heart tips dangerously close to falling for him again. But will this time be any different?

Mistletoe & Holly by Tamaria Soana

Zoey is going through the normal Christmas Eve ritual with her three-year-old twins. The only difference is that her husband Preston isn’t there to share it with them. He’s been deployed overseas and won’t be home for the holidays. After Zoey tucks the kids in for the night, she places the gifts under the tree, snuggles on the sofa to watch It's a Wonderful Life, and falls asleep. She’s startled awake by a loud noise. Is she dreaming, or is her Christmas wish standing under the mistletoe?

Katrina's Christmas by Sidda Lee Tate

Christmas has always been just another day to Katrina Bryant. She works hard and expects her employees to do the same. When her sexy assistant, Grant Ward, quits on Christmas Eve she becomes worried she will never see him again, and she wonders why that bothers her so much. To her surprise, he arrives at her home hours later and whisks her away for a Christmas she will never forget.

Merry Christmas, Mrs. Todd by Elise Whyles

Recently widowed, Mary Todd isn’t looking forward to spending Christmas alone. She’s determined to keep a low profile during the madness—that is, until she meets her sexy neighbor, Walter. He seems intent on helping her get into the holiday spirit, and she just might let him.

The Gift Beneath the Tree by Lacey Wolfe

Tara won’t be spending Christmas with her family this year, but she’s not entirely alone. Her roommate, Brad, who’s currently single, is also at home with her. Tara goes to bed Christmas Eve with hopes Santa might bring her what she most desires. After hearing a loud crash, she goes to investigate, and underneath the tree, she finds the present she’s been dying to unwrap.

My Mother's Story

Many years ago, my mother hand breast cancer. I will never forget seeing the words on my VCO phone and the fear that struck my heart. I remember telling myself to stay calm, to merely sound supportive, not panicked. That's what my mother needed, to know I would be okay. Because that's a mother's first concern: her child.

My mother survived and when the trauma and radiation was over and years went by, she told me her main worry was what I would do, how I would react, who would take care of me if she didn't make it. Even though we were miles apart, she supported me in so many ways.

And she told me how the relay operator said, "I'm so sorry" before relaying the message to my Voice Carry Over.

This touched me all over again and when I heard about anthologies seeking donations of stories about surviving cancer, I wrote Telling Tatiana. In a way, it's my mother's story. I changed names, but kept the basic story, the sister, the fish tank, the fear and thoughts she had. I also eliminated the VCO phone though as it required more explanation than I was willing to put in a short story, and this isn't about my hearing impairment, but my mother.

Anyway, I'm pleased to say the story in an anthology put together by Dawn Colclasure. You can download a copy here. Profits are being donated to an organization that helps children of cancer patients.

And here is an excerpt from my story:

“Ella, come on back here.” Dr. Smith’s voice was gentle as he waved me through the door. I looked back to my sister who slowly stood from the chair, wincing as the skin on her legs unglued itself from the plastic. All three of us filed down a long hallway with pictures of mountains and calming rivers and creeks adorning the walls. I was surprised when he led us not to an exam room, but an office with a cluttered desk and two chairs facing it. A fish tank full of exotic fish stood where most doctors would have a shelf of books.  

            Shit. This can’t be good. I borrowed some of my sister’s vocabulary as I sat down in one of the chairs. Bethany sat next to me and mumbled something about wearing shorts to doctor’s offices. I gripped the sides of my own chair and offered Dr. Smith a weak smile.

            “Ella,” he adjusted his tie nervously, “Dr. Cole called today regarding the spot on your mammogram.” I felt Bethany’s hand over my own. I felt a tightening in my chest and had a sudden shortness of breath. I’m going to die of a heart attack only to find out the spot was nothing. Sorry, Tatiana.

            I nodded at the doctor to continue, struggling to appear calm. My hands were not shaking here either. He cleared his throat and his blue eyes met my own. “It’s cancer.”

            The world went black. I couldn’t breathe. Bethany gasped. I heard an “oh no!” but I’m unsure if it came from me or from her. How do I tell Tatiana?


Thank you for your time. Is there someone in your life who has survived? Give them a hug today. Seriously.

Valentine Delights: Kiss Me Anthology from Still Moments Publishing

This is an anthology of three short stories just in time for Valentine's Day.

First up, is The 14 Days of Valentines by Maggie Devine.

A woman lawyer suddenly gets a secret admirer who sends her expensive gifts everyday starting Feb 1 till Valentine's Day when she's supposed to don her new dress, earrings, and bracelet and meet her potential suitor for a fancy dinner. Who is the man? Is her boss, John, who has been trying to convince her for some time that they would be good together? Or is it HIS boss whose she's had HER eyes on, but is otherwise taken? Or is it that man upstairs who just wants to bed her?


Liked: I honestly didn't know who it was till it was revealed. Common sense kept telling me it was the guy she wanted it to be, BUT there were enough doubts in the story to keep me on my toes. I started questioning the happily ever after and who it may be with.


Didn't like: The abrupt ending. And no, it has nothing to do with it being a shortie. I love shorties. I just didn't feel the connection required btw these two, who have never dated before, but are suddenly planning to have sex and live together. Relationships don't build to that level without some dating.


Second up, Love's Fortune by Nicole Zoltack.
Woman loses job, is walking the street, when she's offered another job...at the circus! That's pretty cool! So she takes the job as a fortune teller, meets a shape shifting lion, and kinda learns some stuff from her new job: such as, she needs to practice what she preaches.


Liked: The way she makes a widowed woman feel better about moving on.. the way she tells a man that the only reason he hasn't found love is because he's shut himself off, basically. He's preventing himself from finding love. In the process, the heroine realizes she's doing the same thing. Real sweet moral there.


Didn't like: Fail to see how the shape shifting really moved anything along. Or them wanting her to be a witch. The shape shifting, except for him saving her life, didn't mean anything.


Third, The Designer's Bride by W. Lynn Chantale.
Story contains both sensual content and suspense. The sensual is hot, sexy sex between the heroine and the man she loves and wants to marry. The suspense plays into the story when her father keeps barging into her life demanding she marry a man she hates, said man in tow with him everywhere. He's a real jerk. I didn't like him at all.


Liked: The sex. Also loved Jordan, the hero, and how he makes everything just perfect from the ring to the dress to the plans. I thought that was just awesome. Except for the dad, this story was like a fantasy come true. It also had me reeling for a minute there toward the end as I seriously worried things were ruined. Also, Chantale injects the perfect amount of description into her story, not too much, not too little.


Didn't like: I would have liked things to end better btw the heroine and her dad. I got kind of sad by the way things panned out there. I would hate for my dad and I to be on the outs like that. This was my favorite story, however due to the sensual elements and just OMG hero.


Conclusion: Four stars for this anthology. :) I receive this from an author who wanted my honest opinion.


Buy here: http://www.stillmomentspublishing.com/p/ebook-store.html