Monday News Roundup

We have a few covers and reviews today!




Christina reviewed Fortune's Return at Romance Junkies

Jamie Craig always seems to write heroes that I can’t resist and Teo is no exception. I instantly fell in love with him. He is a strong alpha male who isn’t afraid to let his gentler side show. The secondary characters are also very well drawn. Teo’s son Antonio is a lot of fun and Ryan’s interactions with him are very endearing. These two cowboys and their relationship feel very real to me. FORTUNE’S RETURN is definitely a keeper!

Teresa gave Commencement four angels at FAR

Ms. Craig has created a story about two very strong men who are willing to put everything on the line to reach for what they want most in life, a love to last a lifetime. Almost every student at one time or another has feelings for a teacher, but never get to live out their dreams. Levi is a man with strong beliefs in what is right and wrong. Andrew loves this about him even though those ideas made them wait to explore their feelings for one another for four years. Andrew appears to be a cocky young man, but underneath he knows what he wants and isn’t afraid to wait for it. Together they create a love that is poignant and very erotic. Thanks go to Ms. Craig for a fun read.

Commencement also got 3 stars from Rainbow Reviews.

Craig gives us a realistic portrait of two men who have held back for four years, so no wonder they go a little wild when the breaks come off. The sex is hot and those who like plenty of it will be well satisfied.

I was particularly grateful to see that the author has given these two more in common than just physical attraction. It makes me think they stand a good chance of making it long-term. I’m a sucker for happy-ever-after endings.

Valerie gave My Masked Mistress 3.5 hearts at Love Romances & More

This is a very hot story that will certainly leave lovers of the BDSM lifestyle panting for more. Jamie Craig graphically portrays the ways of a Dominatrix with her sub. Now, I don’t mind a bit of BDSM in my erotic stories. Some spanking, tying up and such, but when it comes to outright pain, which the characters enjoy, then for me this is going just a tad too far. But, having said that, I appreciate that there are many people who do live this lifestyle and will definately enjoy this story. The characters are charming, alive and believable, the plot is a page turner and the relationship between Dante and Noelle is hot! More than just the enjoyment of their BDSM sessions blooms between them and finally, Noelle has to come clean about why she approached him in the first place.

Sabella reviewed A Hidden Beauty for Joyfully Reviewed

A Hidden Beauty is a timeless romance that skillfully weaves the love of poetry through its pages until it becomes almost a language of its own between the characters. Jamie Craig wrote a spectacular and lyrical tale of love between two men who must battle their socially-ingrained repellence to the feelings they incite in each other. Micah is a young, naïve, and exuberant young man who has pursued his love of poetry against his family’s objections. When he unexpectedly finds a kindred soul in Jefferson, he is overjoyed, even if a little confused by his reaction to the man. Jefferson is a mature man who has been burned in the past for pursuing his desires, but he nonetheless is swept away by Micah’s charm. A Hidden Beauty is not a story for the casual, laidback reader. Its prose is very complex and deep, requiring the reader’s undivided attention to fully capture the characters' flavors and emotions. Also, there is a substantial build-up to the culmination of the relationship between Micah and Jefferson, which I felt was resolved rather quickly and simply, given the length of the book. A Hidden Beauty is not a light or short read, but it is well worth the time and attention for those readers who enjoy the emotional courtship aspect of romance!

Unclose Me got a 2nd, 5-Cupid review at Cupid's Library.

This is definitely a realistic story. The characters could be any one of a thousand couples facing these problems. The way in which Elliot tries to resolve the issues is typical male and the way Jude faces them is typical female, thusly in the beginning there is no resolution just further pain. In the end, this book is full of truths and communication between Jude and Elliot which every successful relationship needs and, well, a lot of very hot, sweaty sex. This is an excellent contemporary, erotic read that has a great message in it yet demonstrates it in a believable and unforgettable way with smoking' hot sex scenes.

Look at all the pretty covers!

July is going to be a very busy month for us, with 8 releases between the two of us. Amber Quill announced song paxes last winter, which we jumped on, both separately and together. Now, we've already shown the cover of Querida, but we have 5 of the song pax covers ready to share, as well as the cover for my August release, Walk Among Us.

First are our Jamie Craig titles...

The Hoolabaloo Musical Festival is one of the summer's biggest rock concerts, but Macaulay Jensen isn't there for the much-needed exposure. He's there to see a girl--rock and roll superstar Wendy DeMartino. Beautiful, wild, and wildly successful, Wendy is out of his league. So he is shocked when she agrees to an after-concert date.

Wendy has always been attracted to Macaulay, and she's thrilled when he asks her out on a date. But the reality of their lives is too pressing to ignore, and the most she hopes for is one perfect day…

* * *
Bobby Kendrick has idolized reclusive author, Dr. Parley Taylor, since he was a teenager. The only problem is, Dr. Taylor has disappeared. He finally finds Dr. Taylor in a tiny basement apartment in Kansas City, and the first thing Bobby learns about his idol is that Parley Taylor doesn’t want to talk to anybody. Especially his fans. But Bobby wants to show Taylor that the world is waiting for him, and he is not going to give up on his Nowhere Man.

* * *Then come the Pepper Espinoza titles...

Malachi Hawkins left his home to move west as soon as he was old enough. Running from a family secret that he can never escape, he takes a job on the ranch of an old family friend, Lee Rose. The first night he’s there, he meets Christian, Lee’s foster daughter, a young woman of mixed Comanche blood. They call her a savage and treat her like the family slave, but Mal doesn’t see a savage. He sees a woman of unbelievable strength and a kindred spirit. But his secret is bound to catch up with him, and when it does, it could destroy both of them forever.

* * *
After a horrible car accident, Guillermo “Guy” Rivera doesn’t even remember who he is. Suffering from amnesia, bound to a wheelchair with a broken arm and a broken leg, he relies on his in-home caregiver, Dane Mathis, to help him with everything from bathing to eating. Guy wants Dane to be more than just a caregiver, but Dane keeps his distance.

Six months after their relationship ends, Dane Mathis dropped everything to help Guy put his life back together. It is difficult to treat Guy like a stranger, but he knows he must not give in to his deep desires. He won’t risk Guy’s anger by revealing the true nature of their relationship. Or the reality of their past together.

Even so, Dane can’t help but hope that this is the second chance they have both longed for.

* * *Then there are the Vivien Dean titles...

Detective Brady Lindstrom deals in death, and not just because he’s a homicide cop with the slaughter of a century to solve. Ten years ago, vampires murdered his lover. Ever since, he’s looked over his shoulder, ready for vampires to strike again. Or maybe just the one he loved.

Exhausted and angry about the needless deaths he has to investigate, Brady worries that the killers he’s looking for aren’t even human. Those fears are compounded by an unexpected visitor, the battered and nearly broken Cole Singer, the lover he’d long ago given up for dead. When Cole offers to trade information on the killers in exchange for sanctuary, Brady realizes he doesn’t have a choice. He just can’t turn his back on the face of the only man he’s ever loved. Even if he’s a vampire…

* * *

As an artist in New York City, Calvin Shumacher finally has the life he’s always wanted. In fact, only one thing can get him to come back to Illinois—his father’s funeral. All he wants is to bury his dad and hightail it back to New York, but a sniper at the graveyard puts those plans on indefinite hold.

So does Matthew Soto. The gorgeous gunman who speaks of monsters wearing human faces. And predicts there won’t be a body for police to find.

Calvin doesn’t know what to think when Matthew claims he didn’t do anything wrong. All he knows is that this man’s haunted eyes seem to pierce right into his soul.

But as each of Matthew’s assertions comes true, Calvin slowly realizes this killer could be the only thing standing between him and an unspeakable evil…

News roundup

Some bits and pieces to share this week...

First of all, Pepper and I have new contracts with Samhain! We wrote a trilogy of novellas - she wrote one on her own, I wrote one on my own, and then we wrote one together - that Samhain has accepted for publication. Together, they're called A Calling of Souls, and they are all gay erotic romances with one of the leads with a tie to the priesthood. Pepper's is called If All the Sand Were Pearl, a fantasy erotic romance about a young man who was going to enter into service to their Goddess, only to be married off to an older man. Our collaborative story is No Fear in Love, a contemporary erotic romance about an Anglican priest whose longtime best friend comes back to town with specific plans in mind. My story is called Walk Among Us, and is a paranormal erotic romance about an ex-priest who sees demons. So a wide variety of stuff! These will be released individually in August and September, and then collected into a paperback anthology for release in 2009.

We've also got some reviews this week...

Sabella from Joyfully Reviewed reviews Mosaic Moon

...a wonderful book that skillfully weaves in magic, vampires, love and intrigue while plunging us back into the hectic lives of Gideon and Jesse. In this new adventure Gideon and Jesse continue to explore the boundaries of their relationship while continuing to play their games in the bedroom with the added spice of including Emma in their lives. The dynamics of Gideon and Jesse are interesting and fun to read about as we get to know them better and realize that the bondage games that they play reflect some of their needs but do not necessarily encompass the entirety of what they feel and need from one another. Emma, on the other hand, as an empath is a great window into the feelings of both men and serves to balance their relationship while adding the softer touch that Jesse craves. When Gideon, Jesse and Emma come together they will set fire to your screen and have you sweating in no time.

Indy from Joyfully Reviewed reviews Trinity Broken

...readers who enjoy emotionally heavy storylines and are patient enough to understand the trials and tribulations that need to be conquered first will be pleased with Trinity Broken.

And finally, I had my very first story come out with Ellora's Cave on Friday! It's a short het erotic romance, as part of their Emerald line, called As It Should Be...

For fifty years, Nora Ensley has mourned the premature death of her husband. Now, on the day of what would have been their fifty-fifth wedding anniversary, she receives a surprise gift from her best friend. When Nora falls asleep wearing the emerald pendant, she isn't all that surprised to slip into the most realistic dreams of her life. The day Marshall died.

Nora takes charge and changes circumstances, forcing him to stay home so the fatal crash never happens. But dreams can't last forever. Eventually, she is going to wake up...

For more information and an excerpt, visit Ellora's Cave.