Afton Locke

Baltimore Book Festival

2011-09-17T13:29:00.002-04:00

The Baltimore Book Festival is next weekend in Baltimore, MD - September 23 - 25, 2011.

I'll be appearing Saturday evening for a reading and diversity in romance panel.

Not to mention there will be 200+ authors (including some EC authors), live music, food, beer/wine, etc.

www.baltimorebookfestival.com

schedule:
http://www.baltimorebookfestival.com/schedule/all-events

I've been swamped with starting a new job and working on a big historical manuscript. Will be back soon!

Afton Locke
www.aftonlocke.com

Seven Minutes of Seduction

2011-03-11T08:07:00.002-05:00

Dark closet + sexy boss + 7 minutes = too HOT to stop!

Releases March 16th!
Ever had a fantasy about the boss?

Despite Eliza Worth’s attraction to her boss, Zach Taunton, she’s so fed up with his unreasonable demands she’s decided to look for another job. Her matchmaking friend Margo, determined to give Eliza some sexual healing for her work stress, invites her to a singles mixer, where Eliza reluctantly agrees to play a game of Seven Minutes in Heaven.

In a dark closet, Eliza is quickly brought to the edge and beyond by a sexy mystery man. Her initial intrigue quickly turns to horror when she discovers her masterful, anonymous lover is none other than her slave-driving boss himself—and Zach seems to want her for a lot longer than seven minutes.

But first he’ll have to relinquish some control and negotiate his way into her heart.

Watch the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_K4oZAFAj8

ISBN# 978-14199-32977
http://www.jasminejade.com/p-9201-seven-minutes-of-seduction.aspx

Afton Locke
www.aftonlocke.com

Feeling drained? Get Sexual Energy in Print!

2010-09-02T06:51:00.002-04:00

It's September and time to go back to school, work, or wherever it is you go to buckle down and do some serious hard work.

Burned out? Don't have the energy? Lost your zip? I know how you feel. The EDJ (evil day job) has really drained my batteries this year, but when a gorgeous guy walked into the office, my zest returned. Life, energy, and passion again dance through me like electricity.

Even if you're short on hot guys, never fear. My erotic menage Sexual Energy is now out in print! Grab a copy and go to the beach before summer ends.

http://www.jasminejade.com/p-8728-sexual-energy.aspx

Afton Locke

www.aftonlocke.com

Peak Energy - Free Read!

2010-03-28T11:06:00.002-04:00

Peak Energy, a free read with Ellora's Cave, Jasmine Jade releases tomorrow, 29 March 2010!

eBook ISBN #: 999-01000-00800
Download Link: http://www.jasminejade.com/ps-8230-50-peak-energy.aspx?skinid=11

This is the sequel to Sexual Energy.
http://www.aftonlocke.com/ALBooks.html

Blurb:

Astrophysicist Dr. Jay Walters needs to find enough energy to launch and control a spaceship for Planet Chromefield’s new space program. When sexy Lorna, the object of his fantasies, seduces him one day at lunch, he discovers what may be the greatest source of sexual energy between her shapely legs. His hunch is proven correct when he tests her energy during a private experiment, but when he instructs her to get as horny as she possibly can, she needs a little help from the doctor.

Excerpt (Rated X):
An Excerpt From: PEAK ENERGY
Copyright © AFTON LOCKE, 2010
All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave Publishing, Inc.

When a sweet, pink cloud drifted toward him, Jay Walters forgot all about the tension knotting his shoulders from the long nights of work. He was studying and quantifying the sexual energy that ran the planet—trying to find enough energy to launch and control a spaceship.

“Lorna must be here,” Logan commented.

Jay’s cock didn’t need to be told. It already sensed the presence of the sexy brunette, who delivered lunch daily to Gal-X’s top space team. Most women struggled to hide the pink energy light that emanated from between their legs but not Lorna. He put his glasses back on to help see through the haze.

Her high heels tapped across the glossy, tile floor of the research office.

He was so stiff. He pushed his spreadsheets away. There was no way he could work with this woman around.

“Good afternoon, gentlemen,” Lorna said in her silky, alto voice as she set the carton of food on his desk. Just hearing it made hot fluid leak from the tip of his penis.

“Something smells good,” Logan said. The big, light-haired “alien” from Geo, an Earth colony like Chromefield, helped her take the food out of the carton.

Something definitely smelled good, Jay thought but it wasn’t the food. Lorna always wore a sweet, fruity lotion that made her shapely legs shiny smooth and emanated a scent that screamed “fuck me”.

It's FREE!

Afton Locke
www.aftonlocke.com

new free read contract!

2010-01-06T17:20:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year!

I'm happy to kick the new year off with a fresh book contract. This one is Peak Energy, a free read with Ellora's Cave that ties in with Sexual Energy, my futuristic menage. The sparks flew between seconday characters Jay and Lorna. Now they're finally going to give in to their attraction...

Afton Locke
www.aftonlocke.com

At Her Service - Cerise Deland's latest cherry

2009-12-28T07:00:00.000-05:00

Today erotic romance author Cerise Deland joins us to share her latest cherry, a steamy medieval romance. I love the cover -- hot, bare man and rough, stone castle. What more could a history-loving reader want? This is definitely one to check out.

Need a succulent taste of my newest cherry? AT HER SERVICE is a medieval from www.total-e-bound.com !

This new romantica poses the question: What would you do if your life depended on producing an heir to keep your land and your wealth? Would you take to your bed the one man you have always desired—and would you do it at the behest of your dying husband?
A taste of Countess Elise Dumond’s temptation in AT HER SERVICE:

With a sigh, Elise’s husband rolled to his side, cupped her head, turned her face and kissed the tip of her nose. Then with a licentious look no dying man should muster, he ran his hand from her earlobe to her throat, one breast, her waist and down to her hairy little bush. “Let me feel your juices flow, my pet.”

She relaxed her thighs and allowed his fingers to move in and out of her slit. And she could not resist rocking her hips to his rhythm as she detected Simon moved towards her side of the bed.

“Inside her here,” he said to Simon as he thrust two fingers far up into her wet core and made her arch, “is a fiery furnace Elise made most nights I came to her. I was always grateful, even if I had to pump her and myself to get inside her. But I was still thankful to be so complimented by a lovely woman half my age.” He removed his fingers, inserted one in his mouth, licked it delicately and turned his face up to Simon. “She is a succulent beauty.” He smacked his lips. “She always did taste like sugar, de la Poer. I want to see you eat her. She always loved my mouth on her though I must admit that way, I could never make her pulse. I want to see you kiss her cunt until she quakes.”

Elise swallowed at a wave of excitement that Simon might lick her cunny, suck her pulsing nether lips and let her taste herself on his mouth.

“Do you hear me, de la Poer?” her husband insisted.

“Aye, Atherton,” Simon ground out.

“I want her to be so well bedded she never craves another.”

Oh, Christ. Elise’s eyes closed. Another reason to recall Simon until I die.

(copyright 2009, Cerise DeLand)

Come to my blog for more: http://cerisedeland.blogspot.com

Cerise DeLand~tasted all my cherries?

Candelabra by Afton Locke releases today!

2009-12-23T11:22:00.003-05:00

Feeling COLD this winter?

Heat up with a fire elemental fairy and some HOT WAX.

Candelabra by Afton Locke - paranormal/light BDSM erotic romance quickie
Publisher: Ellora's Cave Publishing
eBook ISBN #: 978-14199-26525

Buy Link:

http://www.jasminejade.com/p-8038-candelabra.aspx?skinid=11

Watch the video trailer!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mF1Jmpx38sM

Tandy travels to Scotland’s Loch Enya castle to attend a BDSM convention she hopes will overcome her control-freak tendencies. When Bryne pulls her into his room of fire, she fears she’s stepped into the lair of a crazy man. But as he mesmerizes her and sears her with his hot passions, she consents to a BDSM session of hot wax play that turns out to be the most intense journey of her life. Entrusting her body and mind to him might heal her, but the elemental fire fairy has an agenda of his own that threatens to consume them both in flames.

Adult excerpt:

“Are you ready, Tandy?” Bryne asked.

“Yes, Milord” she replied in a small, hesitant voice unlike her own. “I think so.”

“I will test you first to make sure you can handle the wax the entire time I fuck you.”

The first drop of wax, a molten raindrop, landed on her lower back. Her breath hissed as her skin adjusted to the heat. After he smeared the hot puddle with his finger, a long pause followed.
The smell of hot wax filled the room. She felt so helpless with the hood on. She needed to see the tipped candle and falling wax. Every muscle in her body tensed with expectation of the next hot drop since she had no idea where it would hit next.

Another drop fell several inches to the right of the first. Since it was hotter, he must have held the candle closer. Without vision, her skin became her primary sensory organ and it was completely at Bryne’s mercy.

“You handled the test drops very well,” he told her. “Are you ready to proceed?”

Let’s get this show on the road. “Yes, Milord. It feels good and I want more.” Wax me. Wax me and fuck me already.

This time, several drops fell in succession from her back to her ass cheeks, making her gasp. The multiple drops were hotter than just one. While her skin smarted, she breathed through it. It almost hurt but not quite. Heat built in her abdomen, swelling her pussy even more than before. A rivulet of fresh, hot cream inched down her thigh.

“Your skin is so beautiful and pink,” he said, fondling the curve of her ass.

Her hips jerked when a large, hot drop landed just above the crease between her cheeks. She wanted more. She wanted to feel that hot wax drip down the groove all the way to her pussy to mingle with the hot juices there. Tiny spasms of pleasure kept her hips continually dancing as more hot wax dripped on her ass.

“You like that, don’t you?” he asked.

The sound of a condom packet being torn open tightened her pussy. Just when she expected another drop, the wet, heated head of Bryne’s cock nudged against her cunt.

www.aftonlocke.com

Sexual Energy releases 11/20/09

2009-11-16T20:08:00.003-05:00

Sexual Energy, my futuristic m/m/f menage releases this Friday at Ellora's Cave!
I'm also having a chat that evening 11/20/09 7 - 9 pm EST on http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ellorascavechat/

Welcome to Planet Chromefield!

MALE energy is BLUE

FEMALE energy is PINK

There are only 2 ways to discharge it:

1) Exercise

2) Orgasm

Which would you rather do?

Blurb:

Planet Chromefield has always run on sexual energy, but due to a troubling affliction, all the men have lost their erections and all the women are insanely horny.

When virile astronaut Logan crash lands on the planet, he must agree to perform an impossible test to get home again—a test which puts him in the bed of sexy Alysa, who wants more independence and creative sex, despite the planet’s chauvinistic mores, and her fiancé Dean—whose secret desire could cost him everything.

Dazzled by his lust for them both, Logan only agrees to give them his body, but the resulting three-way bond surpasses each of their sexual fantasies and thaws his solitary heart, which just might contain the key to saving the planet…if only they can convince him to stay.

Adult Excerpt (contains m/m sex):
An Excerpt From: SEXUAL ENERGY
Copyright © AFTON LOCKE, 2009
All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave Publishing, Inc.

“Well, I want you to do it now,” she said, tempting him by sliding her finger around her slick folds. “We need to recreate everything.”

Her pussy did resemble a delectable candy treat but he just couldn’t do it. He’d gone against Chromefield’s mores enough already by rubbing syrup on a man’s cock. If anyone every saw that, his career would be history. Thank goodness they always turned the surveillance cameras off before having sex.

“I’m sorry, I can’t,” he finally said. “What else did you two do?

“I sucked syrup off Logan’s cock,” she said.

Dean hated how disappointed she sounded from his refusal to lick her. It flattered him she’d wanted him to do it, even though Logan already had. Maybe the other man really couldn’t satisfy her completely. There was hope for their marriage yet.

“Now that I’d like to see,” Dean said. “Suck his cock, sweetheart.”

She bent over to reach it. As the head of Logan’s penis slid into her mouth, Dean felt it all the way down to his balls. He imagined each flick of her tongue on him instead.

“Back your ass over here,” Dean told her, “so I can rub your cunt while you do that.”

He worked his finger into her pussy from behind, watching her beautiful ass squirm in pleasure while Dean fucked her mouth. Logan’s cock made a loud, wet popping sound as she took it out of her mouth.

“I’m going to come soon,” she said, breathless.

“Me too,” Logan said, even more breathless. “Dean, I want you to finish it.”

“I’m not going to suck your cock either,” Dean said, even though he was dying to. Applying syrup with his hand was one thing. Oral sex was quite another.

“Use your hand then,” Logan suggested.

Dean used one hand to rub Alysa’s cunt and the other, with syrup, to stroke Logan’s shaft, which was harder and hotter than it had been before.

Both Alysa and Logan came at the same time. Dean almost felt as if he were coming himself as he watched Logan shoot cum on her beautiful face and open mouth while her pussy clamped around his hand. She extended her tongue, catching almost every drop.

“You look so beautiful that way,” Dean whispered, “with Logan’s semen all over you. Come here.”

Cum and syrup clung to her bottom lip, which was dark and slightly swollen from being pounded by Logan’s vigorous thrusting. He pulled her close for a kiss, tasting sweet syrup and salty ejaculate. Something powerful took over him then as he kissed her lips and her face—a wild, starving man, licking and sucking the enticing flavors. The more cum and syrup he swallowed, the more he wanted.

He surrendered. Yes, he wanted men. Particularly this man and woman. He wanted to be fucked by both of them, over and over again. He could no longer deny it. But wanting and being able to have were two different things. This couldn’t be.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Afton Locke

http://www.aftonlocke.com/

http://sixsexysirens.blogspot.com (Thursdays)

Sexual Energy - 11/20/09 at EC - futuristic m/m/f menage

Cicada - available at EC - paranormal/BDSM ghost erotic romance

Candelabra - coming soon at EC - paranormal/BDSM fire elemental quickie

How Dreams Are Like Books

2009-04-09T07:37:00.001-04:00

When I woke up from a very strange dream this morning I realized dreams are a lot like books. There was a protagonist. Me. (But there was no hero, love, or sex, so it must be a women’s fiction book and not a romance.) I was trying to drive as many miles as I could to make headway on a very long trip (goal). But it was getting late and dark. I also had to stop and get dinner but couldn’t find anything to eat (obstacle).

My first stop was a convenience store where the proprietess tried to tempt me with a sandwich made from their “special” bread. To me it just looked moldy, so I passed (refusal to take the easy way out). As I drove around the labyrinth of a parking lot, I ended up on a dirt road while it got darker and I got hopelessly lost (raising the stakes). Like a stubborn heroine, I forged ahead in pursuit of my goal.

Then I ended up in a town and, using intuition, turned left (scene and sequel - I realized being lost really sucked so I decided to buy a good GPS very soon). I parked at some big building and went inside, which was full of people. There was some sit-down buffet in there that wouldn’t be served for hours and looked pretty paltry anyway -- lots of lettuce and gelatin stuff. I finally left but since I made no note of where I parked, I also lost my vehicle (raising the stakes even more).

Like all good writers, I was really torturing my heroine, making her consider if she still wanted to pursue this stupid goal. (But at least I had the decency to give her comfortable shoes.)Unfortunately, I woke up before it was resolved. But like all good books, it left me with questions. Where the heck was I going that was so all-fired important? Why was I alone? Why did I leave so late? Why didn’t I think ahead and research where I was going or at least pack a sandwich using fresh non-moldy bread?

Maybe I have dreams like books because I’m a writer. (Or maybe I just eat too much chocolate before I go to bed.) But I did have a dream once that inspired a whole novel. The muse works in mysterious ways. Until next month…

Afton Locke
Unlock your darkest fantasies and brightest dreams…
www.aftonlocke.com
http://sixsexysirens.blogspot.com (check out my Thursday Ask Afton column for relationship advice)
*where I am blogging today about long-distance relationships*
http://goddessesofstorytelling.blogspot.com (9th of every month)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thelovechronicle/ (newsletter)
Cicada - available from Ellora’s Cave - paranormal/BDSM erotic romance

so many genres, so little time

2009-03-24T21:37:00.003-04:00

First off, I'm having a chat Thursday, March 26th, from 2 - 5 p.m. EST on Love Romances Cafe http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LoveRomancesCafe/.

Second, I got a great review (5 tombstones) from Bitten by Books

http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=3178

I absolutely loved it and cannot wait to look for more by Ms. Locke. Marian has been hurt by a man that does not deserve to breathe. He has pretty much verbally abused her by saying she did not satisfy him and was not sexy enough. In comes Jon who knows how to make a woman smile and shows her that she is indeed sexy. The pages sizzle during these loves scenes. They are intense but it works well with the story line and does not seem like just sex. All I know is that I wish my house was haunted.

Since this, my first book, is paranormal, I planned to write nothing but paranormal from now on. Plans change. You see, I have a hard time sticking to one of anything in life. One pair of shoes, one favorite color, one man (just kidding)!

As soon as Cicada was published, I got an idea for a futuristic menage, of all things. (Energy is under contract!) While I was researching space for that book, I got another idea for a futuristic and am currently polishing that manuscript up.

But now I have a reviewer who is eagerly awaiting my next paranormal. Guess I'd better get busy writing the one I have planned. After that, I want to try Fantasy, Older Woman/Younger Man, and I have one idea so weird I don't know what genre it is!

I don't think I'll ever be able to stick to one genre. Variety is the spice of my life. But luckily I love those genres so much I plan to write several of each. That should keep everyone happy, including me.

Afton Locke
Unlock your darkest fantasies and brightest dreams…
www.aftonlocke.com
http://sixsexysirens.blogspot.com (check out my Thursday Ask Afton column for relationship advice)
Cicada - available from EC - paranormal/BDSM erotic romance

I'm on Romance Examiner

2009-03-13T06:00:00.000-04:00

Today I was interviewed by Fran Lee for Utah’s Romance Examiner column! Learn all my dark secrets here, heh! heh!:
http://www.examiner.com/x-5288-Salt-Lake-City-Romance-Novels-Examiner~y2009m3d12-Welcome-Romance-Lovers--Author-Afton-Locke-is-joining-us-today

Afton Locke
Unlock your darkest fantasies and brightest dreams…
www.aftonlocke.com
http://sixsexysirens.blogspot.com (check out my Thursday Ask Afton column for relationship advice)
Cicada - available from EC - paranormal/BDSM erotic romance

Daylight Savings Time

2009-03-12T05:00:00.001-04:00

Is anyone else having problems with Daylight Savings Time this week? I liked it better when they did it in April and October. Green grass, dandelions, and robins go hand in hand with long evenings and spring fever energy.

But it's only March. It's hot one day and cold the next. I get up in the morning and stumble around in the dark feeling like something the cat coughed up because it's so early and the days aren't long enough to give me lots of energy yet.

I feel like a refugee between 2 seasons who have deserted me. It's not winter anymore with long, hot baths and snuggling in bed with a book. But there's no green grass to run barefoot out there yet either.

But then, I'm always at the computer anyway, so it doesn't matter. I'll probably wake up one day and ask, oh, did the seasons change?

Afton Locke
www.aftonlocke.com

Bond - is something missing?

2009-02-26T08:17:00.003-05:00

My husband is a big fan of James Bond movies, so I figured it was about time I watched one. I'm writing a lot of sci/fi stuff so I decided to give Moonraker a try. While I was impressed with the fast pace and acrobatics during a freefall in the sky, I just couldn't get into the movie.

So I asked myself why. I'm not a huge fan of "guy" movies in general, but I've gotten into some of them. I've probably seen most of the Steven Segal movies, for instance.

I figured out what was missing in the Bond movie was emotion. Even in the wildest, most smash-em-up guy movie, there has to be emotion. The viewer has to identify with the protagonist and care about what happens to him.

I didn't care about Bond so even the most elaborate stunts left me yawning. I didn't care about him because he never showed any emotion. Sure, there's a lot at stake, but you'd never know it. He's almost like a robot, going through the motions. Just another day at the office.

I was working on my latest novel involving sex in space and I found myself yawning too (not good!). I was putting my characters through all sorts of microgravity-based sexual gymnastics. Then I realized it. There wasn't enough emotion there. When I started putting the feelings in, all of a sudden I get really interested and involved.

So thanks, James. You taught me a good lesson!

Afton Locke
www.aftonlocke.com

reviews

2009-02-22T08:37:00.002-05:00

The moment has arrived that all writers anticipate with both joy and dread -- the reviews. Knowing someone else has read your baby and analyzed it is a very vulnerable feeling. Good reviews send you into nirvana. Bad ones make you want to crawl under a rock and never come out.

I wrote a book many years ago that was very controversial and intense. Reviewers either loved it or hated it. It was so intense one reviewer refused to finish reading it. Not good. Another tore it to shreds with criticism. That hurt for a really long time. But most had good things to say.

Today I'm pleased to say reviews of my first book, Cicada, are pretty good. Not perfect. Not every sentence was perfect, but that's okay. I learn from the criticism. I'm thrilled that reviewers had so many good things to say and overall enjoyed reading my book. I hope the next book is even better. Someday I want 5 stars.

Just Erotic Romance Reviews - appeared in January's magazine - 4 stars:

Cicada is a very enjoyable ghost story with an imaginative kinky ghost who thinks that the way to a woman's heart lies in creatively entertaining her in the bedroom and has no problem showing her his dominant side. ... I definitely enjoyed all of the sex scenes in this book which included spanking, light bondage, and oral play. Cicada is a well-written story that will appeal to fans of paranormal romances.

Night Owl Romance - 3 stars:
http://www.nightowlromance.com/nightowlromance/reviews/Review.asp?
ReviewId=3230

Cicada was an interesting and entertaining read. ... Afton Locke writes rich details and descriptions that add to the story. ... Cicada was a story which will hold your attention.

Afton Locke
www.aftonlocke.com

climbing the walls? hang upside down

2009-02-14T10:17:00.004-05:00

The days are getting longer but it's still winter. That cozy hibernation feeling of late fall/early winter has given way to restlessness and climbing the walls. (If I had sticky shoes, I'd probably even try it.)

So I grabbed the hubby and headed off to ride a flight simulator. Since I'm writing sci/fi, I need to take to the skies, so to speak, for inspiration. The rides were short and there was a big red panic button on the roof of the compartment thingy we sat in. So while you couldn't get me to ride a terrifying looking amusement park ride that there was no escape from, this looked like a safe enough bet.

The first ride was just okay. Piece of cake. The thing just jiggled and moved around a little. The next was an interactive fighter plane with bombing. We got some training. I flew. My husband did the bombing. Or, rather, he would have if I'd actually been able to get something in target.

The trainer guy showed me how to align the plane to the target. He never told us you had to turn the plane upside down to do it. (Or maybe I was doing something wrong?) That had to be it. How in the world do pilots hit anything, much less see where they're going, upside down?

Common sense says I should've forgotten the bombing stuff and just had fun flying the plane. One 360 would've been more than enough. Instead, we did several. Hanging upside down must have short-circuited my brain because common sense was beyond me. Luckily, I was wearing a sturdy, full-coverage bra. Finally desperate, I hung there frantically reaching for the panic button on the ceiling, which was now the floor.

What an experience! If I'd known how wild it would be, I never would've attempted it, but I'm glad I did because when I got home, I wasn't climbing the walls anymore. (Being right side up was just fine with me.)

Now I want to get a pilot's license. Wanna fly with me? Heh heh.

So what's the wildest thing you've ever done to beat boredom?

Afton Locke
www.aftonlocke.com

post-partum book blues

2009-02-05T08:52:00.003-05:00

Does anyone ever feel blue after finishing the writing of a book?

I do. At first, there's that feeling of exultation and accomplishment. It's done! That long-awaited moment that I yearn for all through polishing and revisions when I often mutter: I'll be so glad when this *!#@ book is done!.

But when it's over I realize:
-It's time to say goodbye to the vibrant characters who have lived inside my head for a while.
-It's time to do all the odious chores I've been putting off with the excuse of "have to finish the book and drop everythinge else."
-It's time to (gasp) start a completely new book and face that formidable blank page.

I just don't feel right when I'm not writing. There's nothing like the exhilirating thrill of riding the unexpected twists and turns of the first draft.

Since I don't have children, except the 4-legged, furry kind, I guess my books are my children. I create them, nurture them, and make them the best they can be until it's time to send them out into the world. (And hope I'll earn enough off of them to finance my old age. Ha!)

Anyone else feel like this or am I just weird?

Afton Locke
www.aftonlocke.com

How to survive Mercury retrograde

2009-01-18T12:19:00.003-05:00

If you follow astrology -- and even if you don’t -- we’re in a period of Mercury retrograde. This means the planet Mercury appears to be moving “backwards.” It usually happens about three times a year. This one runs 01/11/09 - 01/31/09.

Mercury rules communication and commerce. These retros are often associated with mechanical and electronic failures, travel snafus, and miscommunications (like accidentally sending a confidential email to the wrong person or having the computer eat the email so it never arrives at all.)

Mine got off to a roaring start this time. The washing machine died and my vehicle started making strange noises. (I can only hope the bookmarks I sent to Australia for an upcoming reader/writer conference are actually on their way there instead of someplace else like, say, Timbuktu.)

What to do? Check these DOs and DON’Ts so you can sail right through retro without having a stress meltdown and even take advantage of its benefits.

DON’T
-Buy any electronic or expensive item unless you’re replacing a broken one. You’ll probably end up returning it because it’s a lemon or some other reason.
-Sign any important contracts. There might be trouble or information that changes everything later.
-Fire off correspondence in the heat of the moment.
-Assume everything will “work out.”

Be aware that the “bookend dates”, beginning and ending of retro, are when Merc is at its craziest, so especially don’t do the DON’Ts on those days. In fact, if you want to be really technical about it, wait until Mercury makes up its degrees (gets back to where it was in the sky when it turned retrograde). If you’re really into this, buy yourself a handy-dandy ephemeris to see what all the planets are doing.

DO
-Check and double check the details, especially if you’re traveling.
-Schedule extra time to deal with unexpected messes.
-Communicate clearly to avoid misinterpretations.
-Computer backups and preventive maintenance for everything else.

-Anything starting with RE:
-REread
-REvise
-REfine
-REthink
-REview
-REsearch

-REvive an unfinished manuscript

Writers, this means you. It just so happens I’m polishing up a rough draft. Perfect timing! A bonus of retrograde is it’s a great time to catch up with an old friend, REflect on your goals, or just RElax. Do you have big plans? Use retro to plan your strategy and gather information. It’ll pay off later.

I hope by the time this retro is done my manuscript will be too and all the better for the RE- work I put into it.

Afton Locke
www.aftonlocke.com

LUST -- path to love or one of the 7 deadly sins?

2009-01-09T09:42:00.001-05:00

The History Channel has started the new year off with a lot of gloom and doom. Blogs are hopping with discussions of the Armageddon series, which says life as we know it will end in 2012. The other series it ran was 7 Deadly Sins week. At times, I’ve lusted, envied others, been stingy, pigged out, procrastinated, lost my temper, and even been proud. Does this mean I’m doomed? (According to the prophecies, I have less than 4 years to figure it out.) Since I write erotic romance, I need to explore Sin #1 -- Lust.

Physical attraction is a natural human instinct. So are most of the other sins. We all eat and get angry occasionally. These things are hard-wired into us to help us survive. Lust obviously ensures procreation. So maybe it’s just the excess that’s bad. (Such as, anger is okay if it motivates us to right a wrong but not if we kill somebody.) If lust causes a married person to cheat and ruin their children’s lives through divorce, that’s bad. So does obsessing over sex to the exclusion of everything else.

Yet lust makes us feel alive, healthy, and happy. It also helps us connect and form deep relationships. In fact, scientists say it’s hard to draw the line between lust (caused by testosterone in both sexes) and bonding (caused by dopamine) because they usually occur together. This means there’s no such thing as “casual sex.”

Some ancient cultures celebrated lust but the recent past has been full of suppression. I’ve never understood while some people think it’s perfectly okay to watch gruesome, hateful violence (complete with splattered blood) on T.V. -- and even let young kids watch it -- yet cringe in horror at a little exposed skin.

I say as long as it’s in moderation and between two consenting adults (or three), lust is good. In fact, initial attraction is about a lot more than physical lust. A whole person is much more arousing than a picture of an isolated body part. Why? Because a person’s physical appearance already signals a ton of information about their background, personality, and values. We all have a “type” that pushes our hot buttons while others -- even people considered extremely attractive by others -- leave us cold.

For me, cowboys or other rugged men, preferably with facial hair, push my buttons whereas a neatly-groomed CEO doesn’t. This is probably because I like down-to-earth men who work and play hard and aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty. Also, the West symbolizes freedom, open spaces, solitude, and the outdoors -- all stuff I love. You get the idea. (When I went to Wyoming a few years ago, I had a serious attack of lust when I saw all those gorgeous cowboys. If I go again, I’ll need a drool bib for sure.)

Lust is pretty sophisticated after all, don’t you think? So do you think lust is evil?

Afton Locke
www.aftonlocke.com

latest Druid book from Jean Hart Stewart

2009-01-02T19:52:00.002-05:00

I love anything Celtic and magic, so Jean Hart Stewart’s books definitely caught my attention. Her latest book, Druid in Flight, will be released January 22. It's the eighth in the series, Garland of Druids, available at Cerridwen Press. From reading the blurb and excerpt below, you can see it promises to be a very intense and spell-binding read.

Although this is probably the last druid book for the series, she has started a new series about mages. (You'll probably have to look that word up as nobody seems to know what it means. But as a hint, Merlin was a mage.) Book one in the series, Damien's Destiny, is accepted but not edited yet. She just finished book two, as yet unnamed... she’s considering the title Something Delicious. Any comments on that title will be appreciated.

Oh, and did I mention Druid Triumphant is a nominee for best all round book of 2008 from Love Romances Café? All the more reason to put this series in your TBR pile.

Visit her web site, http://www.jeanhartstewart.com/, to see excerpts and reviews of all books in the series. Book one and two of the Druid series, Druid Desires, can be bought at Amazon.

Other Druid books include:

Druid's Daughter
My Darling Druid
Song of a Druid Princess
Kiss of a Druid Bard
Druid Redeemed
Druid Triumphant
Druid Disdained

Druid in Flight - Blurb:

Triona is forced to go into hiding, along with her younger brother. She’s going to need more than her Druid powers to save them both if the villain finds them. Especially when her lecherous brother-in-law wants to find and ravish her, and then kill her. Can Aidan, the man she grows to love, finally admit to himself his love is too strong to ignore? He has his own problems which convince him he’s not worthy to pursue her. Will he come to her rescue and help her overcome the evil stalking her? And then will they find the happiness they both think impossible? Triona knows being a Druid is a big advantage, but will it be enough?

Excerpt:

Run. Run now.

The words pounding in her head were unmistakable.

She must run. She had to flee this house of pain and danger, and soon. She laid aside her book and sat as quietly as she could force herself. If Conor weren’t asleep she’d be tempted to leave immediately. Fear of Fergus ate at her mind and her body, and being his sister-in-law offered no protection. None at all. The menace loomed so dark as to be almost tangible to her Druid sensitivities.

She’d heard of the dark scent of fear. She could not only smell it, she could feel the dread trying to invade her and immobilize her.

She’d warned Ellen against marrying Fergus the very day the two met. He’d stopped them with some specious excuse as they walked together in Hyde Park. His aura, a muddy brown streaked with grey, betrayed his viciousness to her. She had no doubt of his evil character although Ellen refused to listen to her sister’s warnings. They married almost immediately, and he’d taken her to Scotland. He discouraged any visits until three weeks ago when Ellen’s illness made him relent and invite Catriona and Conor to help take care of her.

Conor at almost thirteen had held up manfully through the funeral services. He’d cried a little this evening and Triona stayed with him until he fell asleep.

She’d responded to people at the service today automatically.

No, she couldn’t stay long. She’d only come to help Ellen.

Yes, Ellen had been a beautiful girl.

Yes, it was a terrible shame.

Thank you so much for coming.

She picked up the book again, but images of Ellen, emaciated, bruised over her entire body and weakened from her last miscarriage, were hard to suppress. Fergus proved even worse than she’d suspected. The first week of their stay he’d entered her sister’s room every night, dismissing Triona with a flick of the hand. Even in her room Triona couldn’t blot out the sound of her sister’s moans as Fergus exerted his conjugal rights on Ellen’s emaciated body. Thank the goddess he’d left her alone the last two weeks. Evidently even monsters no longer desired dying women.

Merciful Merlin but she could hardly wait to leave. Perhaps she’d go to her room and start packing.

She started to rise. The door flung open, and Fergus stood blocking her exit. He slammed the door shut behind him.

“Going someplace, little sister? Or dare I hope you were waiting for my company?”

She swallowed her revulsion and answered.

“I intend to go to bed, Fergus. Right now.”

“Not alone, I hope, little sister? Not when I’m anxious to join you. Ellen was always a pitiful wife for a virile man like me. I’ve been unsatisfied for some time. I think we both need a loving bedmate. Only to console ourselves, of course.”

This time she couldn’t repress her shudder as she cast him a glance of complete disgust.

“Let me pass,” she said quietly.

He put out his arms to further block the doorway. His lewd sneer gave her little hope he’d move.
“I think not. I’ve wanted you since the day you were bridesmaid to your sister. Your shining hair and those huge pansy eyes. Now I’ll have you, Catriona. I let the housekeeper have the night off, and we’re delightfully alone. You can do nothing but hope you please me. I might even keep you here in Dublin for a while, if you satisfy me enough.”

She tried to think what to do. Her Druid mind could easily shrink the erection already pushing at his trousers, but she didn’t want him to become violent. She must concentrate on Conor.

He might as well be reading her mind.

“Don’t make me force you, Catriona. If you reject me with any success I’ll turn to Conor. You can’t always guard him. Boys don’t usually interest me, but Conor’s a handsome child and I intend to be satisfied tonight, one way or another.”

As she stared at him in horror, the door crashed open again and Conor stood there, his face white and his eyes wild and flashing. She had little doubt her young brother had heard everything. Whether he understood it all she didn’t know, but she thought so. Conor brandished a poker.
-------------

Check back for more authors and books.

Afton Locke
www.aftonlocke.com

weirdest chat

2008-12-31T16:02:00.003-05:00

Chatting is a useful tool for promoting books so I've had to learn the ropes. (Not to mention tear my hair out over technical glitches, but that's another story for another day...)

My very first chat occurred several years ago. I don't remember what the subject of the chat group was, if it even had one. Before long, I was communicating with some guy. Turned out he was interested in history too and we got onto the subject of the Old South and Gone With the Wind type stuff. That put me in nirvana since he obviously liked romance and literature too. I was ready to crawl through cyberspace to find this man-of-my destiny and dreams.

At which point he informed me his biggest fantasy was to dress up like a southern belle.

At which point I said "gotta go now, bye!" and dropped the connection faster than a hot potato. (A kilt I could go for but not a hoop dress with lacy petticoats.)

So do you remember your first chat? Or the weirdest one you ever had?

Afton Locke
www.aftonlocke.com

I made my own video trailer and you can too

2008-12-20T10:04:00.006-05:00

When my erotic romance novel got accepted, I started making my promotion list and organized it from most important/likely I would accomplish down to the least. Making a video trailer was way toward the bottom since I figured I'd have to spend a lot of money paying some professional company to do it and I'm trying to be frugal with the ol' promo budget.

That changed when I read somewhere that Windows Media Maker could produce an adequate movie. Sure, it would be nice to hire actors and put them in a fancy set, but that costs money. (Unless your friends look good and can act.)

You can do a very nice movie with just still pictures. And if you want to stick some digital video clips in there, you can. My digital camera takes short digital video segments. You can use pictures you've taken yourself or go to royalty-free photo sites to buy inexpensive images. (I don't recommend grabbing pictures off other web sites and using them without permission.) There are also royalty-free music sites.

Windows Media Maker isn't hard to learn. Just read the Help files and play around with it. There are a lot of neat video and transition effects. Like Flash, it uses a timeline to show each frame. If you have audio/music, there's a separate layer for that.

Keep it short like around 1 minute and keep your text brief. Use enticing phrases to hook the reader. Don't try to get the whole plot in there.

I think it makes it more interesting to have some pictures of heroes and heroines, individually and/or embracing. But just because it's erotic romance doesn't mean it has to look like an x-rated movie. Often less is more.

Use colors, fonts, pictures, and music to match the tone and mood of your book.

Show your book cover so readers will recognize it later.
Show your web site URL. This will be easier for readers to remember and pull up later than detailed information like buy links, ISBN's, etc.

When it comes time to compile your movie, you may be shocked at the file size and might have to make it less complex. The file Windows Media Maker generates is *.wmv and plays with Windows Media Player.

Go to youtube and search on "erotic romance" to see a lot of great examples.

Promote your new video on various sites. Some just want a link. Others want the EMBED code. Just go to your entry on youtube and click the appropriate link to grab the code for your video.

Finally, check mine out at this link or see below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UR45UcF5XhM

Afton Locke
Unlock your darkest fantasies…
www.aftonlocke.com
Cicada - available from EC - paranormal/BDSM erotic romance

best kiss

2008-12-17T17:28:00.002-05:00

I'm on a classic literature kick so I spent 2008 interspersing Jane Austen novels with my other reaing. I got the BBC boxed set of DVDs to go with it because I'm visual.

Northanger Abbey ended up being the last one I watched even though it's the first one Austen wrote. This one had very haunting, evocative music. I wish there was a music CD of the soundtrack available, but I can't find any.

The movie features a spooky, castle-like abbey with very Gothic overtones. I just love Gothic. As a teenager, I devoured Victoria Holt novels.

The other Austen movies in the set had no kiss at the end or at least not any I remembered. As an erotic romance author, I felt sort of cheated after all that emotional buildup and wordplay without at least something physical.

This movie did not disappoint. The end showed the heroine against a backdrop of misty castle. The handsome hero appears out of the mist on horseback, dismounts, and kisses her. First, he grabs her face with his gloved hand. I must have replayed that scene countless times. (Am also thinking gloves can be quite erotic.)

So what makes a kiss on the screen a really good kiss? Emotion and buildup play a part as well as how yummy the hero is. But the real key, I think, is the extent we can put ourself in the heroine's shoes and feel that kiss ourselves and the emotions that go with it. She's not being kissed. WE are. Otherwise, we just watch the kiss and think, so what? Or, even worse, how gross to see them slobber all over each other like that.

So what's the best kiss you ever watched or read about? Or (gasp) participated in?

Afton Locke
www.aftonlocke.com

On the road again and again...

2008-12-15T18:16:00.003-05:00

Share your driving-in-snow horror story but first read about mine:

Every winter I get the overwhelming urge to hibernate. Give me a book to read and some yarn to knit and I’m totally happy. (Come spring, I’m climbing the walls and desperately in need of a trip. Yeah, I’m more seasonal than a fashion catalog.) The idea of attending a social event in the middle of winter is less than thrilling, especially in the evening. It’s cold. It’s dark. Enough said.

The holiday party for my writing chapter rolled around, so I pushed myself to go. The weather report didn’t call for any bad weather, so I had no excuse not to.

I drove 40 minutes to be confronted with downtown parallel parking in a quaint, historic town. After driving out of the main thick of things, I managed to find a spot I could manage to pry my truck into. Next hurdle: the hostess’ house was above a store. Once a harried clerk led me through a maze of hallways and stairways, I finally arrived.

As soon as I did, I was glad I’d come. It was perfect. Beautiful historic home decorated with holiday cheer. All sorts of good food laid out. (Someone even put warning signs on the food with nuts in it, saving my allergic body much digestive misery.) Conversation was great. Several of my friends were there and I even made a new one.

There was just one teensy-weensy problem. It started snowing. Hard. No biggie, I thought. If it was supposed to be bad, the weather report would’ve said so. Besides, I had 4-wheel drive and had driven successfully before in snow. (One of those times was a fancy holiday party where I drove home in an elegant, backless evening dress with big furry snow boots on my feet and white knuckles on the steering wheel.) Thank goodness I wore something much more comfortable this time.

After a couple of hours it was still snowing, so I headed home around 5pm and faced the worst snow drive of my life. The snow froze to the road in a sheet of ice. No fluffy stuff blowing around. No Styrofoam-like stuff to plow through either. Not even slush. ICE.

The road I was on was closed from an accident. After waiting half an hour, I turned around and went the opposite direction I needed to go. At the next exit, I took a gas and potty break (2 excellent decisions) and got back in the right direction.

The interstate was so slick my 4WD didn’t do diddly squat. The car beside me lost control and the back end came flying toward me. Luckily, I was able to duck into the next lane. After that, I passed a motel exit and seriously considered it. No, I wanted to go home so I could get up bright and early the next day to write. If I don’t write in the morning, I don’t write at all.

Besides, horror of horrors, I had no reading material with me. I would’ve been bored silly. (In hindsight, I should’ve stopped so I could’ve been bored silly on a nice comfortable bed instead of strapped into the driver’s seat inhaling everybody’s carbon monoxide.)

When I got to the interchange for the exit I needed to get home, it was closed too. After at least half an hour of watching people slide, hearing them cuss, and getting nearly run over by fire engines, I took the road that looked open. Plan B: forget going home and stay with family members instead.

Barely two miles into it, THAT road closed. And I sat and sat for hours. I called everybody to let them know where I was and hoped I wouldn’t get the urge to pee too badly. Watching various male drivers run to the side of the road didn’t help. I have a bad back and sitting upright for hours without moving usually means I pay for it later. I couldn’t take a nap because every hour or so we had to put it into Drive and move a whole foot forward.

I finally arrived at Plan B house after 10:30pm for a grand total of 5 hours on the road. I saw one snow plow the whole night. Where were they???

From now on, if I plan to go to a party and see so much as one flake of snow -- I’m not going!

So share your driving-in-snow horror story!

Afton Locke
Unlock your darkest fantasies…
www.aftonlocke.com
http://aftonlocke.blogspot.com
Cicada - Ellora's Cave - ISBN #9781419919411
http://www.jasminejade.com/p-6603-cicada.aspx?skinid=11

finding balance

2008-11-26T18:27:00.003-05:00

When you're an aspiring writer your main goal is to get published. You slave over a manuscript, polish, it up, and send it out. I spent many years this way.

Then one day you get published and you're thrilled beyond belief. But I've discovered what they say is true. The work has only just begun... Not just going through edits but launching a web site and doing promotion, promotion, promotion. Oh, and try to fit in writing a brand new book in the midst of all that. Plus your other responsibilities. You know, real life stuff. Like jobs and family.

I'm not complaining! This is my calling. If I had the energy, I'd immerse myself in it 24 hours a day. As technology increases, there are more and more opportunities to promote. They feel as infinite as the universe. I can't do everything or I'd never get it all done. I have to pick and choose.

And I have to write that next book before my characters go bonkers with impatience. After all, with no more books I'd have nothing to promote, would I? Today I attacked dust bunnies because they were bigger than the dog and getting really scary. I also wrote a chapter. Promotion? Zip. Must hit that again tomorrow.

So I'll have to decide whether to do separate promotion and writing "days" or devote a certain number or hours to each. I have to decide how big I'm going to let the dust bunnies get before I blast them. In other words, I've got to find balance...

Afton Locke
Unlock your darkest fantasies…
www.aftonlocke.com
http://aftonlocke.blogspot.com
Cicada - available now at Ellora's Cave - ISBN #9781419919411
http://www.jasminejade.com/p-6603-cicada.aspx?skinid=11

menage - what are the chances?

2008-11-22T08:35:00.003-05:00

Now that my first book is out I'm starting on another, and it's going to be a menage! Which got me wondering, why is the idea of a menage a trois so popular? Novels are driven by conflict, and the menage relationship introduces a whole built-in set of conflicts such as jealousy. More people in the relationship means more interesting conflict, not to mention hot passion x 3.

Menage can take many different forms. The 3 people can meet for the first time or one person can be added to an existing relationship of 2. The existing relationship could be m/m or m/f. There are so many possibilities, it's like rolling the dice...

...Which brings me to Madison Blake's latest release, Playing for Real, which was released the same day as my book. This story features a woman with two sexy male friends in a relationship which just might have room for her too.

Title: Playing For Real
Author: Madison Blake

Publisher: Ellora's Cave Publishing
Buy Link: http://www.jasmine-jade.com/p-5054-playing-for-real.aspx
Url: http://madison.thelovechronicle.com/

Blurb:

Shelli can never have foreseen how one revised board game is going to change her life forever.

It all begins when she prepares to attend her company’s annual dinner and dance party with her best friends, Adrian and Ethan, but she gets more than she bargains for when lust hits her right between the eyes the moment she catches them in flagrante delicto. She is so shocked she denies the attraction and thinks herself a voyeur, then is totally thrown out of her depth when she is tormented by fantasies of threesomes. But how can she risk their long-time friendship for sex?

Adrian and Ethan are happy as a couple, but they want Shelli too. After several failed seduction maneuvers, they decide to give it one last try by seducing her with an erotic board game especially designed to set them all afire.

Reader advisory: This book contains scenes with same-gender sex.

Following are 2 excerpts. The second one is adult/explicit.

Excerpt 1:

After asking for directions from hotel staff, they stood at the entrance of the Pearl Ballroom, the biggest ballroom in the hotel. It was bedecked with multicolored strings of crêpe paper hanging from the ceiling with a flashing disco ball right in the center and a huge glittering banner announcing the company’s name and event at the opposite end of the room. The entire room was noisy with conversation and laughter, and the lights reflected off sparkling jewels and sequins on the women’s gowns.

Adrian was stunned at the crush of bodies inside the room—there didn’t seem to be enough space left to breathe. The logistics committee didn’t seem to have done their job very well. Having gone to more than his share of company events, he realized that Shelli’s company must have invited their suppliers and valued customers as well as their staff, and the numbers had gone out of control. He was just wondering, if maybe, they should go home and watch National Geographic instead, when several people right in front of them shrieked with laughter and pointed above their heads. “Kiss, kiss, kiss!”

He looked straight up and, lo and behold. Mistletoe. Bunches of it decorating the whole doorframe, an unexpected trap for the unwary. He stared at them, nonplussed and wondered why there should be mistletoe. Someone’s idea of a bad joke, or an innovative ice breaker to get everyone in the party mood.

“Oh,” Shelli glanced first at her colleagues, then up at the mistletoe, dismayed, then spread her hands helplessly, “but they’re my—”

The distress on her face registered in his mind simultaneously with one other thing. If she admitted they were only friends, then all was lost. He and Ethan might as well have not come. He spun her toward him before she could complete her sentence. “Give in gracefully, Shell,” he said, laughing, playacting for the benefit of their audience. “It’s tradition.” He slid his hands from her shoulders up to cup her head and brought her inexorably closer. Her head, her entire body strained away from him and her eyes communicated mute panic. “You stupid fool,” he hissed near her mouth, willing her to relax, to trust him. “Don’t give the game away, not when we’ve come this far. And it’s just a kiss. We might have to play it up to make it look real…”

His lips brushed hers, once, twice. He had meant for it to end there but her lips were so soft, so sweet, so intoxicating, he just had to taste them again. He was drawn in and unable to pull himself away. He forgot that they had an audience. He forgot that he’d suggested for them to work at making the kiss look real, because it was suddenly all too real…

He pressed his mouth more fully against hers and nibbled and licked and begged for a taste of the rich flavors he was sure she was keeping from him in her mouth.

He wanted in.

Excerpt 2 (Adult):

“She’s been at it since three this afternoon,” Adrian pointed out. “It’s no surprise if she reaches the finish line first.”

“I know, still…” Their eyes met in the mirror and there must have been something in his eyes because Adrian turned around and they were face to face.

Helplessly, Ethan took the necessary step to bring them within an inch of each other. His breath caught at the intensity in his lover’s eyes, now that he was looking into them directly. His head reached across the space between them.

“It’ll be over before you know it,” Adrian murmured, just before their lips merged. They tasted each other’s mouth with soft, licking kisses, before Ethan parted his lips and drew first Adrian’s upper, then lower, lip into his mouth and sucked on them. He forgot everything and buried his hands in Adrian’s hair to press him closer, moaning with need and desire, and in response, Adrian angled his head and they shared an open-mouthed kiss, tongues playing and chasing in the caverns of their mouths.

“Hmmm…” Gripped in his lust and never breaking their kiss, Ethan pulled Adrian’s shirt free of his pants, threw it over his lover’s head, then buried his fingers in his lover’s luxurious chest hair. Moments later, his lips replaced his fingers and his nose snaked a sizzling path down Adrian’s chest, ending when his tongue darted in and out over Adrian’s turgid nipple. Adrian groaned and gripped Ethan’s shoulders tightly when he sucked on the nipple and the sounds that Adrian released affected his groin directly, making his cock ache with furious longing. The hand gliding down his back did nothing to assuage the painful ache.

There was no one like Adrian. Ethan felt the same dizzying wonder as he had many times before, that this magnificent, breathtaking man loved him, lived with him and was willing to grow old with him—as both lover and friend. The amazing thing was that he’d known Adrian for years but never in his life had he imagined that their friendship would grow deeper by their becoming lovers. They’d shared a lot with each other when they were merely friends—hopes and dreams, joys, sorrows, ambitions—but as lovers, they’d opened up their entire souls and nothing was secret from the other.

Ethan unfastened Adrian’s trousers and lifted his head. “I want you, now, here, right this minute.” The trousers fell unheeded to the floor as Ethan cupped his hand over Adrian’s straining erection. “God, Adrian, I can’t wait anymore. I want to suck your cock, to ride you hard and fast—” His chest was so tight he couldn’t continue and he let his fingers do the talking. His hand wrapped around Adrian’s rigid cock and pumped with firm, deliberate strokes. Up, down. Up, down. Feeling Adrian growing longer and harder made him salivate. He wanted to take Adrian’s thick cock into his mouth, to feel his mouth engulfed by Adrian’s hot, pulsing rod.

Adrian’s green eyes were molten with desire as he stepped out of his trousers and maneuvered them toward the bed. Ethan never relinquished his hold on Adrian’s cock, he continued pumping and stroking as they shuffled toward the bed. Finally, Adrian was lying spread-eagled in the center of the mattress and he invited huskily, “Come, lover.”

Ethan took a moment to shrug out of his clothes, as they constricted his movements. He knelt in between Adrian’s legs and lowered his head to rub his lover’s stiff cock on his cheek, enjoying the heated, silky sensation of Adrian’s cock against his skin and heightening the sense of anticipation and sexual tension that hovered between them.

“Agh…Ethan, you tease,” Adrian roared. “Suck my cock, damn it.”

Ever met an incubus?

2008-11-20T07:54:00.005-05:00

The question of the day is -- have you ever met an incubus?

Neither have I. A year ago I wouldn't have even known what an incubus was. But due to my diligent study of fairy mythology, I not only know what they are, I'd love to meet one! A gorgeous man to visit me in my dreams and fill me with passion. Of course, there's that pesky risk of being drained, but life without risk is just plain boring.

I may never meet one, but I can read about them in Elyssa Edwards' new book. The beautiful cover alone entices me to step into that fascinating world.

This is the final book of the Jewels of Ursus trilogy that began with Mating Stone and Lovers' Stone. It was released yesterday by Ellora's Cave (like my book!)

http://www.jasminejade.com/p-5046-soul-stone.aspx

Elyssa is also running a contest to give away a beautiful pendant with earrings. Visit her blog to get the details:

http://www.jacquelineroth.blogspot.com/

Blurb:

He is physical perfection. He is sex personified. He is an incubus. All his life Tarris has followed the rules that would keep him from transforming into the dark soulless predator who fed on the sexual energies of women, draining them to madness or to death. But now that he can no longer feed in a safe and controlled way, he faces a choice: hunt or starve. Callista is quiet and reserved. Her restrained exterior hides an astonishing passion and vivid imagination that has captured him. Who knew that a creature that had no soul could love a woman so deeply? Tarris must now find a way to control the change he feels coming and defeat the hunter who pursues him, obsessed with possessing Callista and destroying the incubus.

Excerpt:

Rule 1. Never feed alone.
Rule 2. Never touch unless you are invited to by the female.
Rule 3. Never penetrate a woman in the place reserved for her mate.
Rule 4. Never allow the act to bring you to orgasm.
Rule 5. Never, never must you hunt.

The rules had been created to keep him contained. To keep Tarris fed and happy while stopping him from crossing the line that could make him want more than he could be allowed to have.

Sitting in his chair he watched the flames flicker. He slipped his hand into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out the small oblong stone. It looked like an opal but over one third of its surface was black and dull. He rubbed at it seeking the strange sense of comfort it had always brought him. Tonight it didn’t work. Despite the fire, a chill passed through him. The rules. How he hated the rules. How he needed the rules. He’d only broken one and only once. He’d allowed sweet Sarah to pleasure him in a dream the three had shared before their mating. It had been a mistake. Now he knew what he was missing. And he wanted more.

Worse, he could no longer feed off his lovers. Both Weres were mated. No one had realized at the time that it would stop their ability to share their pleasure with him. But it had. He could enter their dreams but in their dreams the men would push him away. He’d learned this the moment Mark mated with Sarah. The animal within him refused to allow him near his mate. In the waking world Mark had been devastated. In the land of dreams he could not stop himself from turning on Tarris like an enemy. Tarris had not approached Luke. The younger twin had always been the more sexually assertive, the more likely to react to his instincts. He was certain Luke’s reaction would be even stronger than Mark’s.

Tarris closed his eyes. He tried to remember a time when he was satisfied with the lot he’d been given, satisfied with the role of puppeteer, satisfied to orchestrate the pleasures of others and to drink in their joy and satisfaction. It seemed so long ago.

He’d not actively decided to break the rules. He’d let them terminate him before he’d turn into one of the dark ones. He may not have a soul but one thing living in the Ursine house had given him had been honor. He knew the clean and lighter side of living. He’d not become a monster.

Afton Locke
Unlock your darkest fantasies…
www.aftonlocke.com
http://aftonlocke.blogspot.com
Cicada - available now - Ellora's Cave (http://www.jasminejade.com/p-6603-cicada.aspx)

Cicada now available plus alpha ghost interview

2008-11-19T10:19:00.002-05:00

Cicada is now available!

Genre: paranormal erotic romance with ghost hero and light bondage ISBN #: 978-14199-19411 Available Now at Ellora’s Cave! -- http://www.jasminejade.com/p-6603-cicada.aspx

Jon, the hero in my upcoming release (tomorrow!) of Cicada, has been interviewed on Alyssa Brooks Slip Between the Sheets site. Find out what an alpha male ghost really thinks...

http://www.alyssabrooks.com/slipbetweenthesheetswith_AftonLocke.html

Her recent release, Taking Tara, also has a trusty piece of rope on the cover and features a heroine who gets to live out her fantasies with a man discovering the alpha side of himself. Sounds like a very tempting read.

Cicada Blurb:

Marian, a science teacher on summer vacation, moves into Jon’s house. He’s been dead for a hundred years but he vows to break the curse on himself and win her heart. He seduces her, entices her and is determined to show her who’s boss with some sexy rope tricks—but he intends to earn her love at the same time.
Excerpt:

An Excerpt From: CICADA (Adult)
Copyright © AFTON LOCKE, 2008
All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave Publishing, Inc.

"What the—" She couldn't see anyone but he was still there. She felt him pressed against her backside and he was harder than ever.

"I'm still here," he said, as if she couldn't figure that out.

Marian's eyes darted around the room as she clutched the pillows. "Then why can't I see you?"

"I'm invisible." He said it as casually as if he'd said he was wearing a blue shirt.

"Invisible," she repeated. "Give me a break. I'm a science teacher. People aren't invisible. That only happens in the movies."

He was still lying on her back and when he shifted she felt coarse cotton fabric against the skin of her legs. He seemed to be wearing pants but they must be invisible too. She also felt the outline of his cock grind against her pussy which was still sensitive from his earlier touching.

"Does that feel real to you?" he asked, close to her ear.

All of her blood seemed to shoot downstream and for one crazy moment she wondered what all that delicious hardness would feel like inside her. Even better than his finger, she imagined. She had to clear her throat just to be able to talk.

"Yes." The word came out as a half sigh and Marian cleared her throat again. "Do you mind explaining to me why you're invisible? I mean, you're seriously freaking me out here. I can see everything in this room except you."

"Of course," he replied as he began to play with her long hair and lazily stroke her back. "Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Jonathan Blake. You may call me Jon."

"I'm Mar—"

"I know who you are, Mary," he said curtly. "It's about time you came back."

She frowned. "My name is Marian, not Mary and as interesting as this meeting has been, I really need to ask you to leave now. You see, I rented this house for the summer."

He grabbed all of her hair, lifted her head off the pillow with it and nipped her earlobe with his teeth. "This is my house," he corrected.

She pulled her hair out of his hand. His weight eased, so she shifted onto her side and propped herself on her elbow.

"So you're the owner of this house?" she asked. "Good. You just saved me a trip to Seaside Realty to bang some heads together. You have a lot of nerve scamming people out of their rent money, making this place seem haunted. I paid for a private house and a peaceful summer. Instead, I hear all kinds of weird noises, have my clothes stolen and get attacked in my own bed."

"My bed," he corrected.

"Whatever. I'm going to report you to the Better Business Bureau."

Now that her chest was somewhat exposed to him, he was exploring the crocheted lace of her bodice. She pushed his hand away several times but it was hard to hit an invisible, moving target. He chuckled as he traced a finger over the swell of each breast. Her nipples betrayed her by jumping to attention and begging for his touch.

"I don't think they'd pursue a complaint about a man who's been dead for a hundred years."

Afton Locke
Unlock your darkest fantasies…
www.aftonlocke.com
http://aftonlocke.blogspot.com

ghostly encounters

2008-10-25T10:26:00.002-04:00

With Halloween right around the corner and the upcoming release of my erotic, ghostly romance, Cicada, I thought it would be a good time to write about ghostly encounters.

It's one thing to read about ghosts but quite another to come face to face with a real, live (er...dead) spook. I recently attended a lecture about ghost hunting. It was fascinating to learn all about the techniques and equipment and even hear some recorded clips. For example, when a ghost hunter first enters a supposedly haunted site, he/she checks the area for electromagnetic frequencies. Then he/she asks the ghost a direct question like "why are you here?" or "what do you want?"

So have you ever had a ghostly encounter? Share your experiences.

Yes, I have had a few unexplained encounters, but the one that shook me up happened last summer. I was hiking in the same woods where I've been a zillion times. It was a beautiful summer day.

As we approached a crossroads in the trail, my dog stopped and alerted. No big deal. She does that all the time, so my husband and I stopped to let her sniff and explore. Everything grew silent. Then this really horrible feeling came over me, wrapping itself around me like a shroud. I've never experienced anything like it before or since. The hairs literally went up on the back of my neck. It was like a scene from a horror movie when everything is shown in reverse video.

Everything looked normal, though, until I saw some sort of pale-blue lighted orb about 1-2 feet above the ground at the crossroads. Then it went out like a light being turned off. I didn't investigate. Wimp that I am, I turned tail and ran out of the woods, dragging everyone with me. For days I couldn't even look at woods without feeling scared out of my wits.

Maybe it was a lightning ball. I just know it was SOMETHING.

Afton Locke
Unlock your darkest fantasies…
www.aftonlocke.com
http://aftonlocke.blogspot.com
Cicada -- coming 19 November 2008 from Ellora's Cave

Got Ghosts?

2008-10-15T17:22:00.004-04:00

Welcome to my blog, my first blog ever! Stay tuned for fun and conversation.

Got Ghosts? Do you want one? I'm happy to announce the upcoming publication of my erotic romance, Cicada, by Ellora's Cave www.ellorascave.com. The eBook will be released on 19 November 2008.

--Blurb:
Hang on to your panties, Marian, because the seaside cottage you rented is not going to be as quiet as you thought. And if you planned to get away from men, forget it. You're about to be haunted by a very virile male ghost who thinks everything in the house is his, including you!

Like the cicadas, Jon emerges from his grave every seventeen years to pursue whichever woman is living in his cottage, but having sex for the third time always sends him back to dormancy again. When Marian, a science teacher on summer vacation, moves in he vows to break the curse once and for all.

All he has to do is win her heart. Easier said than done when the object of his desire has just been cheated on by her ex-fiancé and the last thing she wants is another man. Somehow he has to show her who's boss and earn her love at the same time.

Visit my web site for an excerpt.

Afton Locke
www.aftonlocke.com