Well, for anyone, like me, who’d been counting the days…it’s here!! TEMPT ME WITH DARKNESS is finally available and I’m thrilled. I hope you’ll give the series a try. Please drop me a line if you do and let me know what you think. I’d love your opinions and predictions on future books.

I wanted to share a few things with you that you may not have seen yet. Recently, I conducted a little interview with Marrok of Cadbury, the hero of TEMPT ME WITH DARKNESS. If you haven’t had a chance to meet him yet…this will tell you what he’s all about: Alpha with a capital A!

Here you go…

SB: Comfy? Cozy? Ready to talk?

MC: You again? Can you not leave me in peace, you infernal woman?

SB: I know you’re not interested in being the life of the party.

MC: Or even attending it.

SB: [rolls eyes] Spare me a few moments to discuss some of the major changes in your life. Recently, become involved with a group of wizards.

MC: Not by choice. I had been living these fifteen hundred years in my solitude, wanting naught but a peaceful end. That rapscallion, Bram Rion, knocked upon my door, shared visions of coming danger and evil with me, then dragged me into his magical muck.

SB: C’mon. You haven’t entirely disliked the experience. You spent so many years as King Arthur’s captain and champion. You can’t tell me that a return to the practice and battle fields was unwelcome.

MC: [shrug] I enjoy invigorating exercise as much as the next man. The political intrigue of magickind, however, they can keep. Annoying and demanding, the lot of them.

SB: You’re just being grouchy. Be honest… After a while, you came to like some of your fellow Doomsday Brethren, Bram included.

MC: Bram does have the cool head of a tactician and the mantle of a leader. He has earned his respect.

SB: You even asked his opinion a time or two. What about the others? I know there’s a fair amount of dissention in the ranks and personal issues to overcome, but certainly some others have earned your trust.

MC: Most are good and dedicated warriors in their own way. Ice and Lucan, in particular. [frowns] I certainly hope Lucan recovers… Duke is pampered but surprising even me. Caden refuses to stay, and Shock is not a warrior I trust. Things will not be easy for Bram, should he wish to keep this bunch together to defeat an evil like Mathias.

SB: Yes, Mathias is a really bad dude. He makes my skin crawl.

MC: If that is your modern, American way of saying he is evil incarnate, then aye.

SB: He’s been very eager to get his hands on this new woman you’ve become involved with.

MC: While there is a breath left in my body, Mathias will never, ever touch Olivia. I keep and protect what is mine.

SB: Heavy words for a loner…

MC: She is both my mate and the one who can end my immortal curse. Her heart is a tender one. I, who have lived alone and by my sword, have never known her like. She is…special.

SB: What do you mean?

MC: She’s both taught and helped me…even when I gave her no reason—and she often did so against my will, saucy wench. [smile] Without her, I would know naught of dancing, have no computer to use, would never have seen modern London by air had she not coerced me onto the London Eye. Pretty wench accused me of being claustrophobic. Who likes small, confined spaces?

SB: Doesn’t bother me, but… I hear she’s helped you with another problem.

MC: [scowls] ‘Twas naught little about that problem. Aye, she is the first woman whom I’ve bedded and found satisfaction with in centuries. ‘Tis certain that I’m keeping her by my side as long as possible.

SB: Any chance what you have with her is permanent?

MC: Nay, soon I will find a way to break my curse. Then I shall find peace in death. For now, she needs me. But Olivia is a woman who will learn to believe in her strength and live well without me.

SB: [arched brow] And maybe even find another man?

MC: [growls] We are done here.

SB: Anything else you’d like to say?

MC: Piss off.

Well, touchy subject aside, Marrok is one interesting man, and the woman who tames him is both gentle and assertive enough to keep him guessing—and not realizing that his heart is tied up in knots. If you want to know how it’s going to end, check out TEMPT ME WITH DARKNESS.

I’ve also got a NEW quote to share that thrilled me to pieces!

“Tempt Me With Darkness is a hot, exciting romance filled with intriguing characters and a great storyline. I can’t wait for more in this imaginative, sizzling new series!” ~ New York Times Bestselling author Lara Adrian

I’m also going to be chatting tonight at Romance Junkies at 9pm, Eastern. Please come join me. I’d love to see friendly faces!

I hope you’ll join in with me on this new series! Happy reading!

Happy end of July, everyone! I hope everyone had a great 4th (if you’re in the States) and aren’t sweltering too badly this summer. Okay, maybe you shouldn’t answer that. I know I’m roasting!

But I’m also impatient because, according to the countdown widget on my website, there’s a scant 33 days until the release of TEMPT ME WITH DARKNESS. Lots of exciting stuff happening lately… On Monday, I found out I was reviewed by Publisher’s Weekly, a publishing trade magazine. They said, “This orgasmic paranormal…will keep Black’s fans panting for the next installment.” Yippee!

I’ve also recently created a book video for this release. Okay, I didn’t do it personally. God knows I can barely manage this blog software. Click below to view. I think the designer did a great job!

I’m also running a contest for an advance reading copy of TEMPT ME WITH DARKNESS. Grab the widget (the pretty rectangular box with the cover image that says widget menu at the top) on the paranormal page of my website and place it on your website/MySpace/Facebook/other social networking or reader fan site and I’ll enter your name in the drawing at the end of the month. OR be a new subscriber to my fun, free monthly newsletter or refer a new subscriber. You can see all the details on my contest page.

I’ll see you next month with (hopefully) more news, reviews and contests. In the meantime, stay cool!

Um…no. Not even close. It’s the 4th Wednesday of the month. Today is my day. I have a month to think of something witty, pithy and charming to opine about, right? I wonder if I had a century if it would matter. Sometimes topics won’t come to me, and today is one of those days. I’m going to bet that no one cares about my review of the new Get Smart movie. (It was surprisingly good, in case you actually do care.) I’m also going to guess that no one wants to hear a rant from me about the fact it’s already 100 degrees in my neck of the woods, which is going to make for a really hot summer. There’s a lot of that going around the U.S., so I’m sure you’d only ask me if I want some cheese with that whine. I doubt anyone wants to hear about the new PC game I’ve been playing…sometimes when I should be writing. I’m going to make my deadline–I think–so this is just a little recreational stop on the long drive to The End. Before I typed this, I started a blog about what makes a good romance novel hero. But I found myself writing why I seem to like dark, tormented guys who have a hard time sharing themselves (yet oddly, I disliked Graham from the Bachelorette 4 for that very reason). I don’t write guys who are walking Hallmark cards and want to show you their sensitive side. Some readers love that, and I wish I could connect. But I digress… What was the point? Oh, yeah. There really wasn’t one. Damn it.

I know! I’ll apologize profusely for having lame brain today, promise that I’ll try to do better next month and leave you with something I know you WILL want.

Think he needs help? Happy hump day, everyone!

Hello, everyone! My first blog here, and I’m thrilled. I think it’s a perfect occasion.

• My recent addition to the After Midnight Authors
• The 10th anniversary of my first sale
• The release of my first eBook with Ellora’s Cave
• The celebration of my sales to Berkley of 2 more erotic romances!

Now that I’m here, I’ve got all kinds of things to say. First, I’m having a huge contest on my blog until Saturday. Lots of prizes! Second, I wanted to share a bit about my EC book, Dangerous Boys and Their Toy.

It should be a terrible sin to have this much fun writing a book. Cameron and Brenna were wonderful, rich characters to work with. But bad boy bounty hunter Thorn… Let’s just say that when I got my manuscript back from the copyeditor, she said this: “The most important element of this story is character growth–especially Thorn’s. Sweet Baby Jesus, what a wonderful man. When I wasn’t having thoughts a grandma shouldn’t be having about him, I just wanted to hug him–repeatedly.” As I wrote the man, I really wasn’t sure if he needed that hug or a swift ass kicking–or both. He kept me laughing and kept me on my toes. So I wanted to give you a scene that gives you a glimpse of the caveman’s personality. (psst! Don’t worry. He grows.)

In case you missed the blurb:

 To view the book video, click here:

Trading orgasms for information isn’t their usual way of doing business, but when a missing criminal-turned-star-witness and fifty grand are on the line, bounty hunter R. A. Thorn and Detective Cameron Martinez are prepared to put their bodies to the task and give gorgeous Brenna Sheridan everything she needs.

An exchange they never anticipated becomes an experience none can forget—or walk away from. Sexual hunger sizzles the threesome, but the stakes and danger rise as a mafia bad-ass stalks Brenna.

Soon, their “deal” is no longer about information—or sex. Emotions bind Brenna, Cam and Thorn together more tightly than they ever imagined as the men protect—and serve—the beloved woman neither can live without.

Excerpt
copyright Shelley Bradley LLC
If you are under 18 please navigate elsewhere

“Who are you?” she demanded.

He ignored her. “You know, you’re just the sort of girl Curtis likes to bring here to fuck. Is that why you’re here?”

Curtis didn’t live here? No wonder this cottage lacked all personal items or any sort of homey clutter. “No.”

“I think I’ll test, just to be sure you’re telling the truth.”

The intruder reached for her again. She had no idea what he intended to do, but if it was anything like what she’d endured earlier that day, she didn’t want to find out. “No! Please…don’t hurt me.”

The biker paused. “So you know what Curtis is into?”

“Based on the conversation I had earlier today with the detective, I guessed. I-I don’t know from experience.”

An odd smile crossed his face. “The detective told you Curtis is a sadist?”

“No, he grabbed me and squeezed my…”

Brenna had a bad feeling if she explained the interaction between she and the hot detective that this intruder would want to test her reaction for himself. God, she didn’t want to repeat that pain.

“He demonstrated,” she corrected.

“Did he? He squeezed your…what?”

“That’s not relevant. Aren’t you here about Curtis?”

“We’ll get back to him in a moment. The detective interests me too. He’s usually a good little Boy Scout. Tell me how he inflicted pain on you.”

She shook her head. “I’m not telling you so that you can do it for yourself.”

“I don’t like causing pain. I’m not a sick fuck, like Curtis.”

“Really?” Sarcasm sprayed out like a garden hose full blast. “You only like to break into a woman’s bedroom, tie her up in her sleep, then fondle and scare the hell out of her.”

“Oh, I haven’t even started to fondle you yet.”

“Don’t touch me!” The words sounded much braver than she felt.

He went on as if she hadn’t even spoken. “I’m wondering…” The intruder eased his hand back to her breast, where he cupped it with a blazing palm. Then he set that thumb back over her nipple to graze and roll it back and forth. “Did he squeeze this one?”

Yes. And even now, she could feel the stranger’s touch acutely through the remnants of the detective’s pain. She was more sensitive than usual. Way more.

“Stop it!”

“It doesn’t feel good?” he asked innocently as he thumbed the hard nub. “Did Detective Martinez squeeze this nipple?”

It felt too good. No way she was going to answer him, not when he’d take that as an invitation.

Suddenly, the bed dipped with his weight as he sat beside her. “I’ve been watching this place for a few days now. Give me some information about Curtis, and I’ll give you the orgasm you couldn’t give yourself by the pool.”

Her jaw dropped as she drew back in horror. “You saw that?”

“Live and in living color. I know exactly what you’re missing. Tell me what I want to know, and I’ll give it to you.”

“You can’t,” she blurted.

No one could. Something inside her just froze up every time she tried to come. By herself, she felt silly, the exercise pointless. With a man, she couldn’t be in the moment. She simply focused on the inevitable “goodbye” before it even happened. The relaxing and enjoying they always suggested just never materialized.

For a few years in high school and college, she’d slept with any guy rumored to be well hung or good in bed. Nothing. This intruder, a potent mixture of danger and edgy sex appeal, who hadn’t even told her his name, was even more temporary than most. He could be a cross between Valentino and a porn star and it wouldn’t matter. No way could he get her to come when every other man had failed.

“Try me,” he drawled.

Thanks for letting me share. Happy Hump day, everyone!