I’ve always loved to do crafty things and my favorite, because I’m not that great an artist but I’m a whizz with a pair of scissors, some paint and a pot of glue is decoupage. which basically means ‘adult cutting sticking and licking’
So here’s how I made this box for an upcoming baby shower.

1. Here’s the box in its flat pack state straight from IKEA. I got Mr KP to put it together for me and then I sanded it down to make it all smooth and easy to paint.

2. Here’s the wallpaper border I’m going to be using and the cherry red acrylic paint that will go on as the base coat of the box.

3. The red paint goes onto the wood. I usually do about 3 coats.

4. I use 2 different brushes, one for the edges and one for the bigger sides. I use the same brushes to glue and to paint for continuity of brush strokes. I also use a piece of damp natural sponge to add a top coat to break up the base. It makes it easier to add the cut out images.

5. Here’s what the surface looks like when I’ve added the sponge paint effect.

6. Now I’m going to cut out as many bits as I can from the wallpaper border and play with them on the surfaces of the box and the drawers until I get an effect that I like.

More tomorrow!!

I’m so thrilled to be here with the fabulous Kate Pearce, an author I admire and adore! Today I’m here to celebrate a very exciting event-the release of Book Three in my Midnight Playground series. Why so exciting, you may ask? Well, my vampires always excite me-and yes, I *do* mean it like that! There’s nothing sexier than the seductive mystery of the vampire, which is why I love writing this series so much. And one of my favorite vampires, Ever, makes a big appearance in this book. *girlish sigh*

But this book is not entirely my darling Ever’s story (his comes in Book Four, EVERSONG). This book is the story of Calam, who made an appearance in Book Two, BLOODSONG. There was something about this strong Scotsman that captured my heart-and my desire!-even though his part in BLOODSONG was brief. And the perfect counterpart for him seemed to be the cool, contained Ilana, the friend of my heroine Nissa in Book One, THE SEEKING KISS. This story has a little twist that makes it a bit different from the other books in this series, but telling would be giving away too much! But I will tell you that a pair of hot vampires make their debut in THE TURNING KISS. Konstantine and Luka are from the Moscow Midnight Playground vampire sex club, newly arrived in London. This dark and sensual pair tempt Calam and Ilana, and are the catalysts that bring them together. Here’s a little peek:

They have nothing to lose…except the one gift they never expected to find.

Midnight Playground, Book 3
Ilana escaped a life of sex slavery, using her extraordinary beauty to survive among the few remaining wealthy humans in London. But she has higher aspirations. For two years she has haunted the BDSM dungeons of the Midnight Playground, hungering for The Turning Kiss—that deep drink that will make her one of them. An immortal vampire.

Turned out onto the streets of Edinburgh as a child, Calam’s tortured path led him to a job at the club, where he also engages in exotic and dangerous sex play with its clientele. Craving, like Ilana, the eternal escape of the Turning Kiss.

Ilana is undeniably drawn to the beautiful Scotsman, but she has no time to waste; the club takes no one over thirty. When a sinfully compelling vampire pair brings them together for an unusual foursome, she and Calam are shocked to discover it isn’t the vampires they crave, it’s the tenderness and emotion they feel for each other.

After years of seeking to feel something, anything, other than the pain of the past, the ultimate gift is within Ilana’s reach. Yet the cost—leaving her heart behind with a mortal—could be more than she can bear.

CONTEST!
A blog day is so much more fun when there’s a chance to win some goodies, so today I’ll give one reader a copy of Book One in this series, THE SEEKING KISS! This is what you have to do to enter: Visit my website to find the names of any two of my heroes from any of my books other than THE TURNING KISS (since the info is already here-can’t make it too easy-lol!). The names can be from one book, since I write a lot of ménage and more, or it can be heroes from two different books-take your time and browse around to find your favorites. Then comment here to be entered to win. To earn an extra entry, come on over to my Smutketeers Yahoo group and join, then let me know in your comment. I’ll choose a winner tomorrow night and announce it here.

If you haven’t checked out my group blog, The Smutketeers, you should drop by! I blog there with my fellow smutty authors R.G. Alexander, Crystal Jordan, Karen Erickson and Lilli Feisty-and between the blog and the Yahoo group, it’s about as much good, clean fun as you can have with your clothes on! Here’s the link to the Yahoo group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Smutketeers and here’s the link to the blog: http://www.smutketeers.com/. Ooh-I almost forgot my website: www.EdenBradley.com. And for those of you who didn’t know, I also write as Eve Berlin-very romantic and erotic BDSM books for Berkley Heat. You can find my Eve books at www.EveBerlin.com.

Okay-enough website links! Thanks so much to my dear Kate for having me today. I hope to see everyone soon, online or in person at any of my upcoming events, including the exciting RT Booklovers Convention coming up in April in Los Angeles!

Eden : )

Isn’t this awesome? And they really caught a flavor of both Verity and Rhys.

Here’s the blurb: This book will now come out on September 4th.
After hearing that Vampires have returned to the court of Henry VIII, Rhys Williams must form an unwanted alliance with Verity Llewellyn, a lady-in-waiting to the new queen. His childhood companion has grown into a clever and beautiful woman, but she is completely untried as a Vampire hunter.

The revelation that the queen is pregnant only makes the situation all the more dangerous. Who is systematically draining her blood and how, without being noticed? As Rhys and Verity work together to untangle the mystery, the battle to save the queen and the heir to the throne heats up—as does the uncontrollable passion between them.

Look at this gorgeous cover!

Voirey Linger brings us more fallen angels and delicious male angst-what more could you want?

There are some things an angel shouldn’t do…

Renatus is a legalist and knows the rules better than most. But knowing the Law doesn’t stop him from imagining the press of a hard, male body against his, or remembering one forbidden kiss that left him hungry for more. He leaves Heaven to mingle with mankind, hoping that satisfying curiosity will quell desire. He finds Adam, a college professor who has given up on love.

Adam once dreamed of finding the perfect man and settling down. His dreams and trust were shattered when he found out the truth about his ex. Meeting Renatus seduces Adam into taking another chance on love. But Ren is keeping secrets, and the only promise he will make is that he will leave.

Now the Most High has commanded Renatus to retrieve the Law of Men and Angels, and a vengeful demon is circling, waiting for her opportunity to strike. Staying is impossible, leaving unbearable, and Ren wants to succumb to temptation, forsaking eternity for a life on Earth with this man.

Here’s a great link for information about this series and the author.
Enjoy

I know, I’m terrible aren’t I? I’m all over the Facebook and the Tweeting and I forget to update my blog. That’s the forward motion of technology for you. My kids keep telling me no one uses email anymore either, but I haven’t got into the texting-yet. I suspect I’m too chatty for text-speak.

News:

Kiss of the Rose won first place in the paranormal category of the JABBIC (judge a book by its cover) contest run by Houston RWA. See the full results here.

Simply Insatiable won a Cata Network Reviewers Choice Award for 2010.

I will be attending the Romantic Times Convention in LA this April and I’ll be signing books at the giant book fair on the Saturday. This event is open to the public, so please come and say hi to me! More details when we get closer.

I’ll also be at the Romance Writers of America annual convention in New York in early July. There is also a book signing event at that which benefits literacy charities and I’ll be signing books at that too.

I will have some new covers to show you soon for Mark of the Rose, the third of the Tudor Vampire series and for my contemporary erotic romance Raw Desire.

Take care everyone!

Stephanie Dray told me that this book about Cleopatra’s daughter has taken eight years of her life to write and come to publication. I’m absolutely sure that it is worth it and I can’t wait to read it!

Based on the true life story of Cleopatra’s daughter.

With her parents dead, the daughter of Cleopatra and Mark Antony is left at the mercy of her Roman captors. Heir to one empire and prisoner of another, it falls to Princess Selene to save her brothers and reclaim what is rightfully hers…

In the aftermath of Alexandria’s tragic fall, Princess Selene is taken from Egypt, the only home she’s ever known. Along with her two surviving brothers, she’s put on display as a war trophy in Rome. Selene’s captors mock her royalty and drag her through the streets in chains, but on the brink of death, the children are spared as a favor to the emperor’s sister, who takes them to live as hostages in the so-called lamentable embassy of royal orphans…

Now trapped in a Roman court of intrigue that reviles her heritage and suspects her faith, Selene can’t hide the hieroglyphics that carve themselves into her flesh. Nor can she stop the emperor from using her for his own political ends. But faced with a new and ruthless Caesar who is obsessed with having a Cleopatra of his very own, Selene is determined honor her mother’s lost legacy. The magic of Egypt and Isis remain within her. But can she succeed where her mother failed? And what will it cost her in a political game where the only rule is win or die?

Berkley Trade January 2011 (Trade Paperback, 430 pages)
# ISBN-10: 0425238555
# ISBN-13: 978-0425238554

Buy Lily of the Nile:

• Amazon
• Barnes & Noble
• Constellation Books
• Borders
• Indiebound
• Powell’s

Learn more at STEPHANIEDRAY.COM!

copyright@coca-colacompany.com

Just wanted to wish everyone a happy holidays and a joyous new year!
I’ll have plenty of books out next year, so watch out for another contest here at the end of January to win a copy of Simply Forbidden.

Romantic Times gave it 4 1/2 stars and chose it as a Top Pick!
Pearce’s House of Pleasure series continues with this intense, thought-provoking Regency-era novel that will cause you to ponder the events that shape people’s lives. The complex, troubled characters struggle with issues of abandonment, betrayal, trust and family relationships as they come to terms with their sexual proclivities. You get a great historical novel, a touching romance and blistering sex — with a little kink.
Joyce Morgan.

Kate x

What’s so sexy about a baby belly?

Good morning, Fans of Kate. I’m Emily Ryan-Davis and I’m fan too. I’m little fangirl-squealy to be able to say “I’m blogging at Kate Pearce’s site today”. I’m also fangirl-sad that my Saturday night trip to Barnes & Noble did not yield a copy of LORDS OF PASSION. Sold out, said the clerk. I had to place an order and now I’m not-so-patiently waiting.

While I’m waiting, I’m doing some other things. I recently participated in a Night Owl Reviews chat with several other authors who have stories out with Ellora’s Cave’s “Merry Kinkmas” series of holiday novellas. “Merry Kinkmas” seems to have all the bases covered, from phone sex fascinations and go-go boot obsessions to fur addictions and, in my novella, pregnancy fetishes.

During the course of the chat, the hostess asked me what’s so sexy about pregnancy that I was able to build a whole story around motherhood. The question gave me pause. Doesn’t everybody think “creating” is totally hot?

From a woman’s perspective, I think the power inherent in creating life is just so fascinating. Power in a woman’s hands always has the potential to be sexy but is often surrendered to a man. While I’ll be the last to complain about a man on top, I do appreciate strength that can’t be taken or gifted. Only a woman can create a child. She might have help but at the end of the day and at the end of the nine months, she is the one who has created life. No man can take that power away – woman owns it.

From a man’s perspective, what could possibly be more of a turn-on than visual proof of his mark? I’ve been asked why the hero of ALL HE WANTS has a pregnancy fetish, of all things, and I keep coming back to the primal need to prove possession. In ALL HE WANTS, Keith sees a mark of passage in Telly’s changing body. Keith isn’t the father but he desperately wants to be, not only because he wants to see a lifetime of longing fulfilled but also because he can’t stand the idea someone else left his mark on the woman who should have been his. Claiming Telly means claiming all of her. Because her pregnancy sparks that primal need to possess, he’s especially drawn to her physical changes.

Other men with pregnancy fetishes might have different drives. Maybe they’re totally turned on by larger breasts or the necessity for varied positions. I spent some time lurking on a pregnancy fetish forum and didn’t find many forthright examinations of the reason behind the attraction. Reasons included the pride boost of impending fatherhood, the extra sensitivities of a pregnant woman’s body, and a particular interest in “baby belly”. Keith has all the physical interest compounded by previously unrequited love and determination to finally have the woman he’s always wanted.

I’d like to give away a PDF of ALL HE WANTS, which released 11/30 at Ellora’s Cave. If you comment between now and 12/20 and let me know what you find sexy about motherhood and pregnancy, I’ll throw your name in the Santa Hat for a kinky holiday read.

And even if you don’t comment, I hope you have a great holiday season!

And if you want to see an interview with a real Marine who helped Emily out with some questions go here.

Carolina Pearl

A family legend could lead to a treasure more precious than pearls…or get them killed.

Between babysitting her very pregnant sister-in-law and fending off her mother’s nagging about her marital status, Blair Moreau is going insane. Her only hold on sanity is her daily walk for a guilty peek at her crush, the sexy neighbor who’s fixing up the old Cotesworth place.

Conn Lucas, the bastard son of Culford’s leading family, got way out of town a long time ago. When the only relative who didn’t despise him leaves him her 250-year-old house, Conn plans to refurbish it, flip it, and get back to Connecticut as soon as possible. Until a local beauty with a rare talent for DIY gives him a hand with some stubborn siding.

When he makes her mad enough to swing a two-by-four at his head, he realizes Blair is better than perfect. Especially when his efforts to keep her from killing him explode into an erotic rush of adrenaline that unleashes desires they’ve both kept hidden.

Breaking through Conn’s tough shell isn’t as difficult Blair’s next hurdle—telling him she’s a werewolf. First, though, they’ve got to deal with meddling ghosts and a bad ol’ boy cousin who isn’t above taking what he wants at nail-gun point…

This book contains a smokin’ hot werewolf chick with serious DIY know-how and a man who thinks that’s sexy; illegal use of nail guns; things to do in a claw-foot tub; pirate references; piddling Dobermans and meddling ghosts. Which is better than meddling Dobermans and piddling ghosts.

Read an excerpt!

Buy Now!

I’m very pleased to tell you that Kensington Aphrodisia have contracted three more Simply books from me! So look forward to a fun-filled Regency Rake 2012 starting with Christian Delornay!