Craving Cowboys

Thanks for stopping by on the SCP Wester Romance Blog Hop. I'm giving away a copy of my cougar/cowboy romance Saddle up and a $10 GC to SCP to a lucky commenter.

So what do you love about cowboys? I blame Tim Riggins from Friday Night Lights. Before anyone jumps all over me about him being a not being a "cowboy", let me explain. The character does come from Texas which is totally cowboy territory. When I pictured a cowboy for my story, swaggering in his tight jeans and cowboy boot, calling you "ma'am" in a way that makes you shiver and not like your someone's mom, and riding a horse without a shirt on, I picture him. 

Because let's face it, he's beautiful and who wouldn't want to picture him. In my story, Saddle Up, Devin Grant the main character is based on him and he's wonderful. He makes Tasha Lane, an uptight woman from the East fall hard before she ever knew what hit her. Isn't that delicious???

So what do you like about cowboys????

Saddle Up excerpt:

“Hello.” Tasha fumbled around in the dark to answer the phone, spilling a glass of water all over the floor in her haste.

“Hello. Am I speaking to Natasha Lane?”

“Do you know what time it is? Who is this?”

“I’m sorry for the lateness, ma’am. My name is Devin Grant. I own the Double Barrel Ranch. Your brother, Dave, has been working for me this past month.”

“Oh. My. God. What happened? Is David alright?” Tasha felt like her heart was going to explode out of her chest.

“He will be. His horse threw him earlier today when it was spooked by a rattler. He broke his leg in three places and had to have surgery. He is resting right now.”

She felt like she was paralyzed.  She was hearing the words that Devin was saying, but it felt like he was talking to someone else. She was numb. David had been hurt. He was the rock in the family. If something needed to be fixed, you called David.  If you were in trouble, you called David. He was always there for his family. Except for one month every summer, he flew to Colorado and worked on a ranch.  He loved it.  It was so different than working in a bank.  Last month, he decided to quit his job and move to the ranch permanently. The rest of the family didn’t understand, but Tasha did. 

“How can you leave me alone with Mom and Paul?” Tasha had joked with him while choking back the tears. She would miss him so much.

“You’re just worried about how you will have to start hiring someone when things break around here. You’re not going to miss me, you’re going to miss my tool belt.”

“You know, you’re right. Just hand me those yellow pages out there. With the rate that things break in this house, I’m going to have to find someone and put them on speed dial.” 

She stared at her brother as her heart was breaking. “You will be careful, won’t you? It’s a hard life you’re choosing to live.”

“Careful is my middle name. Now come and give your little brother a hug.” He enveloped her in a huge bear hug.

“You know that this is going to make me happier than I’ve ever been before, right?”

Tasha nodded, not trusting her voice. The next day he was on a plane for the ranch.

“Natasha. Natasha. Are you still there?

The voice on the phone broke her out of her revelry

“Yes, yes.  I’m still here,” she whispered in a small voice.

“I’ve arranged a plane ticket to be available for you at the USAir terminal. Do you think that you could be ready and at the airport in two hours?”

“What? What are you saying?”

“I figured that you’d want to come here and see how he is for yourself. So I bought you a plane ticket. It’s waiting for you. The only thing is that it’s in two hours. It was the only flight available. You’re really going to have to pack quickly if you want to make it.”

“I don’t know what to say. It is extremely generous of you.”

“Ma’am, you’re brother is my friend. I know that the two of you are close. He’s always talking about you. Sometimes I feel we’ve already met from the stories that he tells. He’s going to want to see you when he wakes up.”

“I can’t thank you enough. I’ll make the flight. You’re going to have to give me the hospital information. I’ll go there the minute I land.”

“I’ll be at the airport waiting to bring you to the hospital myself.”

“Ok. So I’ll see you in a few hours. Oh, and by the way, Mr. Grant, if you call me ma’am one more time, I might have to kick your ass despite your generosity.”

“Not a problem, sweetness. I’ll tussle with you anytime you want. See you at the airport.”

Tasha stared at the phone for a few minutes after he disconnected. What did he mean by that? Could he have been flirting with her over the phone? Nah! Just her mind playing tricks on her. 

Two hours later, she was sitting in first class and on her way to Colorado to make sure that her brother was all right and to meet the intriguing Mr. Grant. 

On my soapbox

Hi all,
My first school year back in the classroom in coming to an end. It's crazy. It's beautiful. It brings out the bat shit crazy people!!! I'm not writing about writing here today. I'm making an observation about what I've seen this year, particularly yesterday afternoon.

I've had a very high maintenance parent/student combo in my class. I put parent first because the boy isn't really high maintenance when she isn't around. The first few days of school, he clung to her hand crying. She would do nothing except watch as I pried his off of her and led him into school by the hand while he cried. I couldn't understand this but I accepted in and dealt with it. After two weeks, I decided enough was enough. Instead of peeling him away from his mother, I stood at the front of the line with the rest of the students and asked him kindly but firmly to join his classmates because we were all going into the school now. The mother didn't like this and proceeded to complain to the principal that I wasn't a mothering type and wasn't addressing her son's needs. In my eyes, after two weeks, I was treating her child like everyone else in the class and creating expectations for him to follow just as twenty-five other children. She got over it and had a pretty good relationship over the rest of the year. I went even so far as to go in early to tutor her son for free, taking valuable writing time away from my characters.

Then we come to yesterday and the Honor Ceremony. It is to celebrate students who really excelled in the fourth quarter with their school work and behaviors. Out of twenty-six students, only seven fit the criteria of being honored. So the entire class went to cheer on the classmates on stage. The rest of them sat with me and cheered them on. I had no one ask why they weren't up there. There was no crying. No one was upset. At the end of the day, this mother approaches me and the following is the result.

Her, "I just want to get all of the facts before I go in and complain. Was there an assembly today?"
Me, "Yes."
Her, "Did all of the children attend?"
Me, "Yes."
Her, "Did only a few children get awards and not all of them."
Me, "Yes."
Her, "Well, that's not right. I'm going in and complaining to the principal."
Me, "If that's how you feel, you are totally within your right. Go ahead."

Well, she went in and must have been turned away quickly. When she walked back out and by me, she continued to talk to me.

Her, "I asked "D" how he felt by not receiving an award today and he said badly. So I'm going to make him his own award because I think he's an awesome kid."

Now no one is saying that "D" isn't an awesome kid. He just didn't fit the school's criteria was receiving an award.

I remember back in college, we were taught not to have games in the classroom that would produce a winner. I worked on campus in a classroom and the mentor teacher did. When I asked her about this, her explanation has stayed with me for years. She explained that in life there are winners in games and not winners. It's important to learn how to win but also learn how to behave when you don't win. You can't get everything you want out of life. There are disappointments around every corner. We are doing children a disservice by not teaching them that also.

Stepping off the soapbox now. What are your thoughts?

Peace out,
MRD

Secret Cravings Publishing Paranormal Blog Hop- Chances are...

If you say yes to the following questions, chances are you are a lover of paranormal romance?

Do you think that vampires are misunderstood and are really great guys? If yes, chances are you are a lover of paranormal romance.

Do you ever look at a wild animal and think that deep inside there is a hot shapeshifting guy just waiting for you to see his true potential? If yes, chances are you are a lover of paranormal romance.

Do you think a guy growling at you is one of the sexiest sounds you've ever heard? If yes, chances are you are a lover of paranormal romance.

Do you think that Professor Snape and Lilly Potter could have had a romance during their time at Hogwarts but the author just thought it too controversial to put in the books? If yes, chances are you are a lover of paranormal romance.

Do you secretly enjoy watching Vampire Diaries, Beautiful Creatures, and on occasion watched the first Twilight movie more than once? If yes, chances are you are a lover of paranormal romance.

Do you know deep in your heart, it is possible to have a relationship with a man who lived in the 18th century and is haunting his keep in Scotland for centuries until someone comes along and unlocks the curse he's under? If yes, chances are you are a lover of paranormal romance.

So I'd like to thank Jeff Foxworthy for ripping off, his "Redneck" skit for my blog. It's true, I can say yes to all of my questions. I'm a lover of paranormal romance!!! If you already couldn't tell. I like my romance hot and my chills thrilling.

I'm giving away a copy of my first paranormal romance, Bound in Evil to a lucky commenter. All you have to do is tell me what do you love, love, love about paranormal romance. Please remember to leave your e-mail address, so I can send you the book when the hop is over. I'm including my hot excerpt below to give you a little taste of what you can find between the pages.

Don't forget to click on the icon on the sidebar of the blog to take you back to SCP's blog main page, so you can find other deliciously thrill-worthy books to chill you to the bone and heat you up at the same time.

Excerpt

Meg held her breath as he took her hand and led her on to the dance floor, pulling her against his body, and started swaying to the music. As she stood there swaying with him, she felt the hard erection in his pants brushing against her stomach. She pressed her body closer enjoying how his body tensed and trembled against her. He tightened his arms around her so the heat of his body burned her through her clothes. A groan rumbled in his chest under her ear and she snuggled deeper into his tight embrace. The smell of his cologne mixed with his own unique scent filled and intoxicated her senses.
“You’re making it very hard for me to keep my intentions honorable,” he whispered huskily.
Meg leaned back bringing her lower body snugger against his and stared at him hoping the desire he ignited in her body showed in her eyes as it did his. “At least one of us is trying to remain honorable. You must be much stronger than I am because right now my body is screaming for less than honorable things to be done to it.”
She didn’t think it possible but his gaze flared hotter. The desire in his eyes caused her to gasp at the intensity. She felt her body immediately respond.
He grabbed her hand and pulled her from the dance floor. “Come with me.”
Meg stumbled along behind him as he brought her farther and farther away from the light of the square and deeper and deeper into the darkness of the hot, sultry night.
By the light of the full moon, he led her to a huge weeping willow tree silhouetted against the darkness, its beautiful branches bowing low to the ground creating a perfect natural curtain. Meg watched as he pushed the branches aside creating a doorway to an inner private sanctuary just for them.
“Do you trust me?”
Meg took a deep breath. Her whole being wanted to shout, “I trust you with my body, heart, and soul.” Even in a haze of desire, she didn’t think now was the time to confess never-ending devotion. There was something about this man that completely made her forget about her wary nature. She loved how she felt when around him and didn’t want to scare him off.
She firmly entwined her fingers with his and squeezed his hand, unsure if he could see the expression on her face in the darkness. “Yes, I trust you.”
He pulled her into the darkness and dropped the curtain of branches, blocking out all light from the moon. Meg stood there in the darkness, her breathing shallow and heard pounding in her chest. He stood close to her because she could feel the heat of his body and hear his own shallow breathing in the darkness. Since she couldn’t see, Meg closed her eyes and listened to her surrounding with all of her senses. She didn’t know if the darkness or his closeness made her senses feel sharper and clearer. Her body felt electrified.
His hand stroked down her exposed neck and arm causing her to gasp at the trail of sensations and heat his stroke left behind. Meg felt the small tendrils of her hair next to her ear sway from his breath. Her whole body tensed in anticipation of what he would do next. The whispered caress of his soft lips on the lobe of her ear caused her body to tremble.
“Tell me,” he whispered against her ear. “Watching me this afternoon, did it turn you on?”
Meg’s breasts swelled and constricted in the bodice of her dress. She nodded her head in the darkness, not trusting her own voice. His steely arm stole around her waist and roughly dragged her back against his hard body.
“The words, Meg. I need to hear the words. Were you turned on today?” The forcefulness of his words turned her on even more. She arched back and rubbed herself against the hardness nestled against her back.
“Yes,” she moaned. “It turned me on. I thought about it all day.”
His lips played with her earlobe as his hands slid up and cupped her heavy breasts. He tested their weight in his hands before pinching her painfully erect nipples through the fabric of her dress. Meg let out a small shriek as the sensations shot directly down to her pussy causing it to spasm and released a flood of desire between her legs.
The pressure on her nipples increased and a moan slipped past her lips. The darkness and the fact she couldn’t see him amplified all of the feelings within her body. She could no longer think a rational thought except how she wanted his hands on her skin, anywhere, everywhere.
Meg couldn’t control her body anymore. Like a cat, she sensuously rubbed the back of her body against his hard form. It thrilled her to hear his breath catch in his throat. It felt good to know she wasn’t the only one close to losing control.
“Do you want to know a secret?” His lips traced the line of her jaw. Meg tilted her head to give him better access.
“Yes.”
“I knew you were there watching me and it turned me on more. Did you go home and play with yourself and think about me?”
“No, I took a cold shower,” Meg moaned as his hand brushed the V between her legs through her dress and slowly started to inch the hem up her body.
From the darkness behind her, she heard him chuckle. It’s sensual nature filled with desire and dark promises. Unspoken promises which made the walls of her pussy clench in anticipation. She continued to rub against him trying to provide herself with any type of relief. All she truly accomplished was to feed the flame of their desire.
“My poor, poor, baby. Did it work?” She felt her dress being tugged up inch by tantalizing inch higher and higher.
“No, it did nothing. I think it made me want you more.”

Featured author blog

Hi all,
Remember me? Maybe or maybe not, I have been terrible about blogging lately because life has gotten in the way. I am really going to make a vow to at least blog two times a week.

Here is an update at what's happening in "Marie-land":

1. As you know,  the hubs and I are in the middle of adopting a baby. I can't say middle anymore, I should say more towards the end. So much at the end, that if you heard a massive "thud" last Thursday, it was our jaws as we were offered a baby out of the blue!!! To say that we were shocked was an understatement. Although we felt for the little guy, he wasn't "our baby" and good thing because they found his dad and he wants to try and be parent. I will him all the luck in the world but this taught I that things could change at a moments notice. So it kicked our butts in gear and we started on massive home improvements. I'm bruised and battered but things are moving here. If we could just get the weather to cooperate. The dumpster is finally in the backyard and we had one weekend of intense cleaning of the basement but ever since the rain has descended upon us. So, hopefully when the rain stops this weekend, it will be go, go, go again!

2. School is winding down with that the paperwork is ramping up. I can't believe my first year back in the classroom will be over in 5 school days. It's crazy how fast this year has gone by!!! Of course, we've have been dealing with the dreaded lice in my class for the past month and anyone who knows me and knows how much hair I have, knows this is a constant fear in my life. So being me, I decided to research and I found that if you mixed tea tree oil in your shampoo, it's supposed to repel the lice. So I have been doing it. WELL, it seems that this noxious mixture is not supposed to get anywhere near your eyes. Now I have extremely puffy, peeling, and cracking eyelids. It's so bad that I can't wear my contact lenses. My choice now is to stop the oil treatment and save my eyelids or risk bringing home some little friends. Grrr.....

3. The writing has been going slowly but Bound in Deceit the second novel in the Bound Trilogy will be submitted by the end of the month and released the beginning of August. Yay!!!! I'm also the featured author today on Romancing the Books. If you're reading this, please come over after 6am eastern time and give me some love.

Here's the link...
http://romancing-the-book.com/2013/06/aad-spotlight-contest-marie-rose-dufour.html

That's all for now- peace out,
MRD

The winner is...

 According to Random.org, the winner of the copy of Irish Rising, my contemporary novella set in Ireland is Kenzie Michaels! Congrats Kenzie, I hope you enjoy the book.

MRD

Cuddle Up with a Contemporary Romance Blog Hop

As a reader, I like nothing better than to cuddle up with a good book. My favorite place to read is the bathtub. Even though my bathroom is the size of a postage stamp, it is my sanctuary. When the door closes at night, there is an invisible "do not disturb" sign on the door. I am not to be bothered! It's a place where I relax, compose new stories, and read good books! There was a time for medical reasons I couldn't take a bath for two weeks. Do you know I actually couldn't write during those times? Crazy!!!

Do you have a special reading place? Just comment below to win an e-copy of my hot contemporary novella Irish Rising.

Famous romance writer, Kim Green went to Ireland with her two cousins to research the setting of her new book and have some quality girl bonding fun. She’s in the business of writing about love. She didn’t expect it find her on the street in a sleep Irish town with a sexy, “I want to drown in your chocolate eyes” pub owner.

Duncan Murphy never believed in the old family legend. The idea a trapped mermaid granted his family the ability to recognize their one true love was absurd to him until he spots a sexy American across the street from his pub. Something deep within him recognized her as his other half

They’re drawn together in an explosive first encounter. Life is blissful until a misunderstanding threatens to tear them apart. Is their fragile newfound romance something legends are made of or the misguided belief in an ancient fantasy?

Irish Rising Excerpt


Kim walked and walked taking in all the local scenery. The sculpted hedgerows infused with red and white flowers. The shopkeepers sweeping the sidewalks in front of their stores, they were always quick with a greeting and even quicker with a smile. As she walked, she talked into her mini-recorder trying to capture as many details as possible. When she got back to her room later, she would transcribe her notes to be used later in her manuscript. Every once in a while she would stop to take some pictures since Kim found it helpful to surround herself with images that help her describe things in her stories.

Her walking slowed to a complete stop when she noticed a house for sale. As she peered through the gate in the hedges, she saw a wonderful stone house that was so typical in Ireland. Some people would say that the house needed a lot of work, but Kim only saw the possibilities. A cobblestone walkway led from the iron gate over an expansive front lawn, ending at an enormous wooden front door. Attached to each window were empty flowerboxes she could imagine them overflowing with a riot of colors. Kim checked the gate to try and get a closer look but it was locked. Too bad, she wanted to explore more of the grounds for her research. Maybe she’ll call the realtor and set up a viewing while she was still in the country.

"You’re not lost now, are you, luv?” A gravely voice startled her out of her revelry.

She turned around to see whom the voice belonged to when across the road she saw the hottest man she had seen in her entire life. He was lazily leaning in the doorway of the pub across the street. He had a white apron tied around his waist that tapered down from wide shoulders. In his hands he was drying a glass while he stared at her from a distance. His brown hair curled over the collar of his black shirt that was pulled taunt over the muscles of his chest. Peaking out from underneath one of the sleeves was a Celtic band tattoo. Kim whistled to herself. She was a sucker for a man with band tattoos. She wondered if he had any more hidden by his clothes.

Kim flashed him her sexiest smile. “No, not lost. Just dreaming.”

He slowly unfurled himself from the doorway and walked across the street toward her. He had the walk of a man totally comfortable in his own skin. A loose-legged swagger that made Kim’s insides do a nervous tap dance. Up close, he was much taller than he appeared from across the street. Kim needed to tilt her head back to look into his dreamy chocolate brown eyes. She was short, her license said that she was five-three, but she was probably closer to five-two in her stocking feet. He towered over her by at least a foot.

“Dreaming, huh?” He lifted her chin to stare deeply into her eyes. “Yes, I can see it. You have the eyes of a dreamer. You wouldn’t happen to be a dream fairy who has come along to invade all of my dreams, would you?”

Between his intense gaze and the hand gently touching her chin, he mesmerized her. “No, just a dreamer. I’m not here to invade anyone’s dreams.”

Something flared hotly in his eyes before he moved away from her. “Well now, that remains to be seen.”

The distance between them broke the spell and brought Kim back to her senses. She thrust out her hand to introduce herself. “Hi, I’m Kim.”

He took her hand within his large one, but didn’t shake it. He simply held her hand within his own, renewing the connection that flared between them when they touched before. His gaze heated as he scanned her face and returned to her eyes. The heat and intensity caused Kim to gasp out loud. No man ever looked at her like this before. Not thinking it possible, his gaze burned brighter after hearing her gasp.

Join the other SCP authors on the Hop for a chance to win more wonderful prizes!!!

http://secretcravingspublishing.blogspot.com/

Caliente Blog Hop winner

Hi all, This morning it was time for me to pick the winner in the Caliente Blog Hop. The winner is Susanmp. She gets her choice between an electronic copy or a signed hard copy of Bound in Evil! I hope she enjoys it!!! I will be emailing her

Welcome to the Caliente Blog Hop- Hot, hot, hot...

What do you find hot? LOL! It's a very interesting and excuse the pun, a loaded question. "Hotness" is usually in the eye of the beholder. What I find hot might be a turn off someone else and vise versa. It really is "person specific". So since I write erotic romance, I think about what is sexy and men a lot. Especially, what I find sexy about men. I haven't written this in a story yet but lately there is something that some men do that I find extremely attractive. I find that when professional men who wear ties, at the end of their long work days, unbutton the top button of their dress shirts, undo their ties, and roll up their sleeves a few cuffs incredibly sexy. Now this is very specific, the tie needs to be still on them and dangling down their chests. This brings to mind all sorts of naughty and hot scenarios to this author's dirty little mind. When a man does this, it makes me think that they can be incredibly professional but have a wild streak in them. Uptight, yet they know how to relax. The dangling tie makes me dream of stories where the tie is used in the bedroom, or the boardroom for that matter in all interesting ways. These men definitely get a second look from me on the street.

What do you find hot, hot, hot in men? Inquiring minds want to know and you never know when you might find it in a book by a new or favorite author of yours. This blog hop runs for seven days, I will be picking my own personal winner on the May 13th blog. All you have to do is answer my question of what do you find hot in men? What makes a man get a second look from you?

My winner will receive either a signed paperback copy or ebook version of my new paranormal erotic romance, Bound in Evil.

Excerpt

Meg held her breath as he took her hand and led her on to the dance floor, pulling her against his body, and started swaying to the music. As she stood there swaying with him, she felt the hard erection in his pants brushing against her stomach. She pressed her body closer enjoying how his body tensed and trembled against her. He tightened his arms around her so the heat of his body burned her through her clothes. A groan rumbled in his chest under her ear and she snuggled deeper into his tight embrace. The smell of his cologne mixed with his own unique scent filled and intoxicated her senses.

“You’re making it very hard for me to keep my intentions honorable,” he whispered huskily.

Meg leaned back bringing her lower body snugger against his and stared at him hoping the desire he ignited in her body showed in her eyes as it did his. “At least one of us is trying to remain honorable. You must be much stronger than I am because right now my body is screaming for less than honorable things to be done to it.”

She didn’t think it possible but his gaze flared hotter. The desire in his eyes caused her to gasp at the intensity. She felt her body immediately respond.

He grabbed her hand and pulled her from the dance floor. “Come with me.”

Meg stumbled along behind him as he brought her farther and farther away from the light of the square and deeper and deeper into the darkness of the hot, sultry night.

By the light of the full moon, he led her to a huge weeping willow tree silhouetted against the darkness, its beautiful branches bowing low to the ground creating a perfect natural curtain. Meg watched as he pushed the branches aside creating a doorway to an inner private sanctuary just for them.

“Do you trust me?”

Meg took a deep breath. Her whole being wanted to shout, “I trust you with my body, heart, and soul.” Even in a haze of desire, she didn’t think now was the time to confess never-ending devotion. There was something about this man that completely made her forget about her wary nature. She loved how she felt when around him and didn’t want to scare him off.

She firmly entwined her fingers with his and squeezed his hand, unsure if he could see the expression on her face in the darkness. “Yes, I trust you.”

He pulled her into the darkness and dropped the curtain of branches, blocking out all light from the moon. Meg stood there in the darkness, her breathing shallow and heard pounding in her chest. He stood close to her because she could feel the heat of his body and hear his own shallow breathing in the darkness. Since she couldn’t see, Meg closed her eyes and listened to her surrounding with all of her senses. She didn’t know if the darkness or his closeness made her senses feel sharper and clearer. Her body felt electrified.

His hand stroked down her exposed neck and arm causing her to gasp at the trail of sensations and heat his stroke left behind. Meg felt the small tendrils of her hair next to her ear sway from his breath. Her whole body tensed in anticipation of what he would do next. The whispered caress of his soft lips on the lobe of her ear caused her body to tremble.

“Tell me,” he whispered against her ear. “Watching me this afternoon, did it turn you on?”

Meg’s breasts swelled and constricted in the bodice of her dress. She nodded her head in the darkness, not trusting her own voice. His steely arm stole around her waist and roughly dragged her back against his hard body.

“The words, Meg. I need to hear the words. Were you turned on today?” The forcefulness of his words turned her on even more. She arched back and rubbed herself against the hardness nestled against her back.

“Yes,” she moaned. “It turned me on. I thought about it all day.”

His lips played with her earlobe as his hands slid up and cupped her heavy breasts. He tested their weight in his hands before pinching her painfully erect nipples through the fabric of her dress. Meg let out a small shriek as the sensations shot directly down to her pussy causing it to spasm and released a flood of desire between her legs.

The pressure on her nipples increased and a moan slipped past her lips. The darkness and the fact she couldn’t see him amplified all of the feelings within her body. She could no longer think a rational thought except how she wanted his hands on her skin, anywhere, everywhere.

Meg couldn’t control her body anymore. Like a cat, she sensuously rubbed the back of her body against his hard form. It thrilled her to hear his breath catch in his throat. It felt good to know she wasn’t the only one close to losing control.

“Do you want to know a secret?” His lips traced the line of her jaw. Meg tilted her head to give him better access.
            “Yes.”

“I knew you were there watching me and it turned me on more. Did you go home and play with yourself and think about me?”

“No, I took a cold shower,” Meg moaned as his hand brushed the V between her legs through her dress and slowly started to inch the hem up her body.

From the darkness behind her, she heard him chuckle. It’s sensual nature filled with desire and dark promises. Unspoken promises which made the walls of her pussy clench in anticipation. She continued to rub against him trying to provide herself with any type of relief. All she truly accomplished was to feed the flame of their desire.

“My poor, poor, baby. Did it work?” She felt her dress being tugged up inch by tantalizing inch higher and higher.

“No, it did nothing. I think it made me want you more.”

Don't forget about the grand prizes for this blog hop, they are awesome.

Be sure to use the rafflecopter below to enter...
a Rafflecopter giveaway



This a hop, remember to visit all of the other amazing authors and win, win, win... Thanks for visiting me!!

Beastly Blog Hop winner

Hi all,
The winner of the Beastly Blog Hop is Catherine Lee! She gets a copy of Bound in Evil and a Marie Rose Dufour keychain. I will contact her for her snail mail address. Woo-hoo!!

Welcome to The Beastly Birthday Blog Hop

http://kerriannecoombes.wordpress.com/2013/04/24/the-beastly-birthday-blog-hop/

Welcome to The Beastly Birthday Blog Hop! It is the first anniversary of Kerrianne Coombes' wonderful Demon Tales Series! These are not the fairy tales you've grown up with. If you like kick ass heroines, demons, and hot romance, these are the books for you!

As a writer, it's always thrilling when an anniversary of a book being published comes around. You remember all of the time and effort you put into the book despite now being in the midst of writing another one. You also forget all of the struggles it took to get the book finished, long nights of writer's block. The dreaded opening of emails from your editor with one eye closed in case there is some comment that threatens to reduce you to a puddle on the floor of disappointment where only a large tub of Ben and Jerry's Strawberry Cheesecake ice cream can cure. When your anniversary comes around, all you think about is the thrill of the first time you saw your new cover, the excitement of the first sale, and the constant checking of the rankings of the new book.

To add to the wonderful prizes Kerrianne is giving away on her blog, I'm going to add a copy of my own new release Bound in Evil and a nifty cover key chain with the cover of one of my books.

For hundreds of years, evil is trapped beneath the ground. It never sleeps. It only waits to return.

A man turns his back against his magical family a long ago and the prophecy predicting a powerful witch with green eyes will release the imprisoned evil into the world. Nathaniel Caswell is determined to avoid the prophecy and the sexy new woman in town who could be his salvation or his downfall.

Meg Costa didn’t realize when she left her urban guidance counselor job for one on the sleepy coast of Massachusetts that she would catch the attention of the sexy green eyed sheriff and be thrown in the middle of a battle between good and evil.

Destiny throws these two together and along with the rest of the magical community, they need to figure out a way to save themselves and the world from being plunged into darkness forever.

Leave a comment wishing Kerrianne well on her anniversary, also don't forget to leave your email to win my fabulous prizes.

Peace out,
MRD

I write... what?

     The good came with the bad when the miraculous, and I do mean miraculous, popularity of the erotic romance Fifty Shades of Gray burst onto every bestseller list the world had to offer. Those of us who write in the genre had the glimmer of hope that with the uber-success this trilogy, we could now join our mainstream romance writer peers for our time in the sun. One of “our own” made it onto many bestseller lists!

Women, from young to old, embraced the novel. They talked about it in public and passed it along to all of their friends to read. It was a literary grass roots movement. It gave all of us who write the genre the hope that our novels too would be embrace by the public. More than that, it gave some women the vehicle to embrace and affirm they too can be confident in their own sexuality.

Then the other shoe dropped, someone in advertising (sorry but probably a man) or publicity coined the phrase, “Mommy porn” to describe the erotic romance genre. This one moniker not only is insulting to the genre but I feel to the entire population of women. It’s really not a term meant to support women at all but actually to lower them.

Immediately, when I hear the word porn, this is what runs through my mind. Bow-chicka-bow-wow! The incredibly cheesy music always associated with these types of films. It’s the punch line of many, many jokes. Porn is also something that polite society chooses to hide. When I worked at Major Video in college, there was “the back room” where men would try to enter when they thought no one was looking. They didn’t want people seeing them enter and they certainly didn’t want the twenty-year old college co-ed checking out their selections. Hence, the reason why there was also a male counterpart working the computers to spare the male customers any embarrassment. Porn has nothing to do with romance. It’s all about the sex, random hook-ups, an extremely simple “storyline” but ultimately it’s about sex.

When someone attached the term “mommy porn” to a genre, it certainly sends a message and not a good one at that! Writing erotic romance has nothing in common with pornography. The characters in my book, and all of my peers, develop a deep relationship with each other before they ever think about taking it to the next level. Real women need romance and a connection with their partner before they can have a successful relationship between the sheets. The only difference between erotic romance and its mainstream counterpart is in the details. Our details are more explicit, that’s all.

So my name is Dufour, Marie Rose Dufour, and I proudly write erotic romance. Stories for women who love romance and are not afraid to embrace it, not porn and certainly not “mommy porn”; no friends, just romance, wickedly hot romance, where it’s so good to be a bit bad.

Writing spot post

Hi all,
The writing spot post has finally been put up in a totally different location but flexible is my middle name. If you'd like to see a picture of my office where I do most of my work. Check it out and show me some love.

Where do you do your writing/reading?

http://secretcravingspublishing.blogspot.com/

Peace out,
MRD

Lucky in Love Blog Hop winner

According to Random.org, which I love by the way, the winner of the blog hop and a copy of one of my books is Susanmp!! Congrats!!!! I will be e-mailing her in a mater of minutes.

Peace out,
MRD

Lucky in Love Blog Hop

http://carrieannbloghops.blogspot.com/

This is the time of year where we celebrate being lucky. St. Patrick's Day is all about how lucky we feel in our lives. Of course, being a romance writer, my idea of being lucky is being in love? Are you lucky in love? Ever have been? From my own experiences, I consider myself lucky in love. When I was sixteen years old and working as a waitress at Friendly's Ice Cream, in walked this gorgeous guy with long flowing back hair and deep brown eyes. His smile, immediately turned my stomach all warm and buttery and sent my heart thumping. I thought to myself, "Damn, that's the man I'm going to marry." He was a boy at the time and it took him a bit to become a man but basically nine years later, my statement came true and we were married. Over the years, it hasn't all been ice cream and chocolate sauce but his smile still has the ability to make my stomach and heart flip. He is the biggest supporter of my writing career. Although at times, he can't BELIEVE what I write really comes from me. I can tell when he stumbles across a love scene I've written. I hear myself being called a "dirty girl" from various parts of the house and hear him chuckling to himself. It gives me a thrill that I can still shock him and amuse him after so many years of marriage. Sigh..so yes, I do feel lucky.

On this blog, you have the opportunity to choose one of my books for the prize. But this blog hop has some really great grand prizes and here they are:

Now what are those prizes?


1st Grand Prize: A $100 Amazon or B&N Gift Card
2nd Grand Prize: A Swag Pack that contains paperbacks, ebooks, 50+ bookmarks, cover flats, magnets, pens, coffee cozies, and more!

I might just join the hop as a reader myself. Hey, authors need prizes and love too! LOL!

Please comment about what do you feel lucky about this time of year and don't forget to include your email address.

Fates Mates Blurb

We know that we are no longer alone in the universe. Descendants of Earthly ancestors have returned to find the other halves of themselves, their destined mates.

Dragon, a scarred Serralian warrior drawn to the planet of his ancestors, never believed the Goddess had a mate for him but no matter what he believes, he’s unable to resist the pull of the planet deep within in soul.

Liz, a curvy teacher who escaped an abusive marriage three years earlier is afraid to take another chance on love. Tired of being a
bystander in her own love life, she participates in an ancient ritual to identify Serralian mates. Taking that chance changes her life forever. Can these two people overcome their pasts to become each other’s true Fated Mates?

Irish Rising Blurb

Famous romance writer, Kim Green went to Ireland with her two cousins to research the setting of her new book and have some quality girl bonding fun. She’s in the business of writing about love. She didn’t expect it find her on the street in a sleep Irish town with a sexy, “I want to drown in your chocolate eyes” pub owner.

Duncan Murphy never believed in the old family legend. The idea a trapped mermaid granted his family the ability to recognize their one true love was absurd to him until he spots a sexy American across the street from his pub. Something deep within him recognized her as his other half

They’re drawn together in an explosive first encounter. Life is blissful until a misunderstanding threatens to tear them apart. Is their fragile newfound romance something legends are made of or the misguided belief in an ancient fantasy?

Saddle Up Blurb

Tasha Lane never realized how boring her life had become until one phone call in the middle of the night totally changed it. Can this forty-two year old accountant put aside a nine-year age gap and perpetual “foot in mouth” disorder to find love and happiness with an ex-rodeo star turned rancher?

Three years ago, Devin Grant traded the rodeo circuit for a cattle ranch. If someone told him, he would fall in love with a woman he’d never physically met, he’d think they were kicked too many times in the head by a bull. When her brother is thrown from his horse, it was finally time to meet the sexy woman of his dreams and convince her, he was worth taking a chance on.

Can he convince her before she goes back to her boring life? Will she be able to overcome their age difference and her own insecurities?

Bound in Evil Blurb

For hundreds of years, evil is trapped beneath the ground. It never sleeps. It only waits to return.

A man turns his back against his magical family a long ago and the prophecy predicting a powerful witch with green eyes will release the imprisoned evil into the world. Nathaniel Caswell is determined to avoid the prophecy and the sexy new woman in town who could be his salvation or his downfall.

Meg Costa didn’t realize when she left her urban guidance counselor job for one on the sleepy coast of Massachusetts that she would catch the attention of the sexy green eyed sheriff and be thrown in the middle of a battle between good and evil.

Destiny throws these two together and along with the rest of the magical community, they need to figure out a way to save themselves and the world from being plunged into darkness forever.


http://store.secretcravingspublishing.com/index.php?main_page=products_all&filter_author=15&zenid=04e42048bbbe101fb3823c64c5fefae1

We have a winner...

The blog hop this weekend was a huge success, as they normally are! I joined my SCP fellow authors as a reader and participated myself. I discovered so many recipes to add to my to be made lists. I love recipes and love to cook. When we used to have a bigger place, I would put on the most lavish and extravagant dinner parties. I love using china, and crystal to set a spectacular table. The funny thing is, I also love to cook! It relaxes me and I'm not too bad at it either. These days with the little house we have there have been no dinner parties or family over for the holidays because there is just not enough room. Hopefully someday that may change but for now Mr. Marie reaps the benefits of my love of cooking.

So the winner is Elf2060! Congrats on winning the $10 GC to Amazon and a copy of Bound in Evil. I will be emailing you in a few minutes to which form you'd like the card and novel.

I hope you all have a happy Monday. I have a personal day today to take the hubby to a back specialist.  Hoping to find something that will curb the chronic pain he's in, don't like seeing my Big Bear like this. Depending on the time we get out, I'd like to see OZ but with his back feeling the way it does, I'm not going to hold my breath. Maybe I'll just keep on adding words to Bound in Deceit!

Peace out,
MRD

Just Desserts

http://secretcravingspublishing.blogspot.com/

Good Morning  and welcome to the Secret Cravings Publishing "Just Desserts Blog Hop". What goes better with romance than something sweet and decadent. On this hop, not only can you win wonderful prizes, great books, read about new authors, but you can get some really wonderful recipes!

My recipe is always a hit whenever I make it! It is rich and decadent, just how I think true love should be. One taste and you just about swoon like the first taste of a lover's kiss.

My recipe today is Chocolate Raspberry Kahlua Cheesecake. Enjoy! Comment about why good dessert is like love to win a $10 GC to Amazon and a copy of my new novel Bound in Evil!

Ingredients
Chocolate crust:
1 1/2 C. chocolate graham, crackers, crumbled*
1/4 C. butter, melted
2 Tbs. sugar
Cheesecake:
1 8-oz. pkg. semi-sweet chocolate baking squares, divided
1 C. whipping cream
1/4 C. and 2 Tbs. Kahlua, divided
3 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 C. sugar
1/3 C. cocoa
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbs. powdered sugar
Directions
Chocolate crust preparations: Mix crumbled chocolate graham crackers, melted butter and sugar. Press onto bottom and part way up sides of springform pan. Freeze for 5 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Cheesecake preparations: In microwave-safe bowl, place 3/4 cup chocolate chunks. Microwave on high for 1 minute or until chunks are melted; stir. Add 1/4 cup whipping cream and 1/4 cup Kahlua; stir until blended. In mixer bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. Add cocoa; beat until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each. Stir in vanilla and reserved chocolate mixture. Pour over prepared chocolate crust.

Bake 10 minutes at 400 degrees, then decrease to 275 degrees and bake for 50 minutes. Remove from oven to cool.

In microwave-safe bowl, place remaining chocolate chunks. Microwave on high for 1 minute or until chunks are melted; stir. Stir in 1/4 cup whipping cream and 2 tablespoons Kahlua; blend well. Spread on top of cake.

Refrigerate for 6 hours. At serving time, beat remaining whipping cream and powdered sugar until stiff; garnish cake with small rosettes of whipped cream. You can also decorate with chocolate curls or chocolate espresso beans, or raspberries like I do, if desired. Refrigerate leftover cake.

YUMMY!!!

http://store.secretcravingspublishing.com/index.php?main_page=book_info&products_id=496&zenid=caa8848354cccf33ff55803a8ab23249

Book Blurb

For hundreds of years, evil is trapped beneath the ground. It never sleeps. It only waits to return.

A man turns his back against his magical family a long ago and the prophecy predicting a powerful witch with green eyes will release the imprisoned evil into the world. Nathaniel Caswell is determined to avoid the prophecy and the sexy new woman in town who could be his salvation or his downfall.

Meg Costa didn’t realize when she left her urban guidance counselor job for one on the sleepy coast of Massachusetts that she would catch the attention of the sexy green eyed sheriff and be thrown in the middle of a battle between good and evil.

Destiny throws these two together and along with the rest of the magical community, they need to figure out a way to save themselves and the world from being plunged into darkness forever.

Book Excerpt:

Meg held her breath as he took her hand and led her on to the dance floor, pulling her against his body, and started swaying to the music. As she stood there swaying with him, she felt the hard erection in his pants brushing against her stomach. She pressed her body closer enjoying how his body tensed and trembled against her. He tightened his arms around her so the heat of his body burned her through her clothes. A groan rumbled in his chest under her ear and she snuggled deeper into his tight embrace. The smell of his cologne mixed with his own unique scent filled and intoxicated her senses.

“You’re making it very hard for me to keep my intentions honorable,” he whispered huskily.

Meg leaned back bringing her lower body snugger against his and stared at him hoping the desire he ignited in her body showed in her eyes as it did his. “At least one of us is trying to remain honorable. You must be much stronger than I am because right now my body is screaming for less than honorable things to be done to it.”

She didn’t think it possible but his gaze flared hotter. The desire in his eyes caused her to gasp at the intensity. She felt her body immediately respond.

He grabbed her hand and pulled her from the dance floor. “Come with me.”

Meg stumbled along behind him as he brought her farther and farther away from the light of the square and deeper and deeper into the darkness of the hot, sultry night.

By the light of the full moon, he led her to a huge weeping willow tree silhouetted against the darkness, its beautiful branches bowing low to the ground creating a perfect natural curtain. Meg watched as he pushed the branches aside creating a doorway to an inner private sanctuary just for them.

“Do you trust me?”

Meg took a deep breath. Her whole being wanted to shout, “I trust you with my body, heart, and soul.” Even in a haze of desire, she didn’t think now was the time to confess never-ending devotion. There was something about this man that completely made her forget about her wary nature. She loved how she felt when around him and didn’t want to scare him off.

She firmly entwined her fingers with his and squeezed his hand, unsure if he could see the expression on her face in the darkness. “Yes, I trust you.”

He pulled her into the darkness and dropped the curtain of branches, blocking out all light from the moon. Meg stood there in the darkness, her breathing shallow and heard pounding in her chest. He stood close to her because she could feel the heat of his body and hear his own shallow breathing in the darkness. Since she couldn’t see, Meg closed her eyes and listened to her surrounding with all of her senses. She didn’t know if the darkness or his closeness made her senses feel sharper and clearer. Her body felt electrified.

His hand stroked down her exposed neck and arm causing her to gasp at the trail of sensations and heat his stroke left behind. Meg felt the small tendrils of her hair next to her ear sway from his breath. Her whole body tensed in anticipation of what he would do next. The whispered caress of his soft lips on the lobe of her ear caused her body to tremble.

“Tell me,” he whispered against her ear. “Watching me this afternoon, did it turn you on?”

Meg’s breasts swelled and constricted in the bodice of her dress. She nodded her head in the darkness, not trusting her own voice. His steely arm stole around her waist and roughly dragged her back against his hard body.

“The words, Meg. I need to hear the words. Were you turned on today?” The forcefulness of his words turned her on even more. She arched back and rubbed herself against the hardness nestled against her back.

“Yes,” she moaned. “It turned me on. I thought about it all day.”

His lips played with her earlobe as his hands slid up and cupped her heavy breasts. He tested their weight in his hands before pinching her painfully erect nipples through the fabric of her dress. Meg let out a small shriek as the sensations shot directly down to her pussy causing it to spasm and released a flood of desire between her legs.

The pressure on her nipples increased and a moan slipped past her lips. The darkness and the fact she couldn’t see him amplified all of the feelings within her body. She could no longer think a rational thought except how she wanted his hands on her skin, anywhere, everywhere.

Meg couldn’t control her body anymore. Like a cat, she sensuously rubbed the back of her body against his hard form. It thrilled her to hear his breath catch in his throat. It felt good to know she wasn’t the only one close to losing control.

“Do you want to know a secret?” His lips traced the line of her jaw. Meg tilted her head to give him better access.
            “Yes.”

“I knew you were there watching me and it turned me on more. Did you go home and play with yourself and think about me?”

“No, I took a cold shower,” Meg moaned as his hand brushed the V between her legs through her dress and slowly started to inch the hem up her body.

From the darkness behind her, she heard him chuckle. It’s sensual nature filled with desire and dark promises. Unspoken promises which made the walls of her pussy clench in anticipation. She continued to rub against him trying to provide herself with any type of relief. All she truly accomplished was to feed the flame of their desire.

“My poor, poor, baby. Did it work?” She felt her dress being tugged up inch by tantalizing inch higher and higher.

“No, it did nothing. I think it made me want you more.”

Remember after commenting to win my prizes, click the link at the top of the page to go back to SCP blog hop main page, so you can continue winning and "eating" your way through the  hop this weekend. I will announce the winner on Monday!!

Peace out,
MRD

Is it worth it?

Sorry about the big snafu on Monday with the new blog. My publisher is trying out have a publicist work with groups of us to increase our sales. The last I heard from her was that the blog was "giving her fits". No update on when my post will be posted.

So in a related topic, my mailbox has been flooded lately with offers for promotional services. Buy an ad space and increase the sales of your book, the advertisements claim. The prices are reasonable but the question is, does it actually work? In my own limited experience, I haven't had a lot of luck with paid promo space. My new book, Bound in Evil, actually had a quarter page ad space in the February issue of RT magazine. Did it increase sales? Absolutely not, and it's RT!!! Here I sit torn, because the optimistic part of me thinks maybe this opportunity will be the one to catapult my books into super sales. The other part of me says, if an ad in RT couldn't do it, what will?

Do you think paid advertisement works? Let me know your feelings.

Peace out,
MRD

Check out my writing space

Hi all,
My brand new publicist has created a new blog for some of us named East Coast Romance Writers. So to kid off the debut of the new blog, each of us is putting up pictures of our writing space. So follow the link and check out my office where I try to write. A lot of times, I'm usually on a tv tray in my living room but I decided to put up my "official" writing space.

On another writing/promo note, I've decided to try and get my website up and running again. I abandoned it for a while but I'm trying to get myself back in the game. Unfortunately, I know nothing about creating a web page and while, I have everything official back in order, the site is still not up because I don't have the foggiest idea of what to do. The first attempt I had wasn't working for me. The only great thing was the banner that Linda Kage created for me. So it's still a work in progress.

Come visit me on the new promo blog and check out my space.

http://eastcoastromancewriters.blogspot.com

Peace out,
MRD

On the road to

As most people know, my husband and I are in the process of adopting a baby. For years, we'd gone through fertility treatments and the process was rough. Really rough! After many of years of this, we decided to give my body a break, not to mention the psychological toll these treatments take on your mind, and spirit, and pursue adoption. Well, if I thought in vitro was grueling, adoption is worse. I truly believe if people who are having natural children went through half of this shit there would be a lot less children in the world.

1. The questions- These people want to know everything and I do mean everything! They grill you on every aspects of your personal life from birth. Have a parent pass away? They want to push and probe you about the whole experience? How did you feel? Why didn't you go to therapy? When we met, supposedly for the last time Thursday, someone had already read the report and had questions. They wanted to know the years my dad and the husband's parents passed away in the report. Why? Can't really tell you? Does that make a difference on what type of parents we would be? Don't think so!

2. The "person" wanted my pen name in the report and what types of books I write. Again, what does this have to do with anything? Don't know?

3. The home inspection- Do you know what temperature your water is set at? Well, they need to know this. When I asked why, this was what I was told. "It's a scalding issue. If the baby turned on the faucet with the hot water, we want to make sure the baby doesn't get burned." If a baby dragged a chair over to the kitchen faucet, turned in on, pushed the knob to the left to activate the hot water, all under the nose of me and my husband in a house the size of shoebox, we don't deserve a child. She didn't get to go downstairs because she herself is 9 months pregnant and we don't have a railing going to the stairs. Oh BTW, we need a railing in case the baby needs to go in the basement. Why would a baby need to go into a basement? So the other day, I inspected the hot water heater, knowing it's on the hottest setting because let's face it. If your hot water isn't hot enough to steam up your bathroom, it's not hot enough for me. I tried an experiment. I turned the water down from "6" to "4". I couldn't even take a bath last night. The water never got above lukewarm.!! Experiment a total failure.

4. Wallpaper. Do you have wallpaper in your house? Because they don't like it. What if the baby starts to peel the wallpaper and put it in their mouth? That's got to go!!!!

5. Guns? My husband is a target shooter and a very good one at that. It's one of his hobbies. You don't even want to know the hoops for this little bit of information. When my husband volunteered this information, I almost swallowed my tongue but he was right, when we were fingerprinted and a BCI check performed on us, it would have come out. Oh, did I forget to mention, we had to have a criminal check?  Yes, you have to pass a criminal check to have a baby! Eighteen years ago, my husband was pulled over for speeding and refused a breathalyzer test. He now has to write a paragraph explaining what happened. I'll tell you what happened. We had a beautiful cherry red Camaro, he was young and thought he could race down a town street! The car went back to the car lot the next day! But really??!!

6. Have any animals? Make sure all of their shots are current!

So basically, my plans for writing over vacation went out the door! But I have a whole list of things to do!

Peace out,
MRD