Tag: Beth Kery

Winner– Exposed to You

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Thanks to all who dropped by to check out the excerpt from Beth Kery’s upcoming release, Exposed to You. I’ll be turning in the revisions for Love Irresistibly next week (ahem–hopefully), and ETY is going to be my treat for finishing those up. (Can’t wait!)

As always, I included in the giveaway those of you who left a comment over at Goodreads, and plugged everyone into the random number generator. So without further ado, the winner of the copy of Exposed to You is:

Lisa (comment #33)

Congratulations! Lisa, if you’re either international or in the U.S. and prefer a print copy of the book, please email me at info@juliejamesbooks.com with your snail-mail address. If U.S. and you would prefer an ebook (anywhere ebooks are gift-table), email me and let me know which ebook format you prefer.

Happy reading!

Giveaway! Exposed to You by Beth Kery

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**Please note: the giveaway is closed. Winner will be announced shortly.

I’ve mentioned before that I’m a big fan of Beth Kery’s writing–emotional, angst-y, scorching-hot contemporary romances with very sexy alpha male heroes. So I’m thrilled to share an excerpt from Beth’s upcoming release, Exposed to You, which will be available on November 6th. I have to say–I’ve been excited to read this book for ages. The hero, Everett, has a small part in another of Beth’s books, Addicted to You, and let’s just say… he intrigued me. Very much so. (Ahem–that’s code for pestering Beth repeatedly with, “When is Everett going to get his own book???”)

In addition to giving us this sneak-preview of her upcoming release, Beth is giving away a copy of the book to one lucky winner who leaves a comment below. (Note: an international winner will receive a print copy of the book; U.S. winner can chose either print OR any gift-able ebook, i.e. Kindle, Nook, iTunes or Kobo.) Giveaway will remain open until 9pm CST tomorrow, October 31.

Find out more about Beth’s books at her website.

Losing control is just the beginning…

What would you do if the sexiest man in the world was bent on bringing you unbearable pleasure again and again?  Joy Hightower wasn’t sure she could survive the experience…or live without it.

It’s not often you’re hired to paint a body tattoo—and what a body—on a total stranger at a Hollywood film set. A reserved and careful art teacher, Joy would never forget it. In a rare fit of raw desire she gave herself completely, knowing she’d never see him again, or ever repeat such a shameless, naked impulse.

 Little did she know, the man with whom she shared that lightning bolt of lust was star Everett Hughes. For Everett, women and sex came as easily as fame. But how could he hope to convince the guarded Joy that beneath the hard body and sexy façade of celebrity was a real man who wanted only one, real woman?

In the heat of an intoxicating affair, Everett endeavors to break down her barriers, gain her trust, and expose himself as the real deal. But can Joy do the same, and reveal to him the vulnerable woman who longs to be loved, wanted, and desired forever?

Excerpt from Exposed to You

She lifted the brush to his skin and began to paint. It was a little like working while a ravenous lion raced toward you in the periphery of your vision. She was acutely aware of the power in him, the incipient energy, like a giant spring that was being held down tight with effort. She worked steadily for the next half hour or so in the area of lower abdomen, creating the impossible–a flare of fire in water.

The realization hit her as she moved to the lower left quadrant of her design that she should have told him he could release the garment until she began to work in that area again. He’d kept his hands on the sides of the brief the whole time, however, exposing that strip of sensitive skin. Something about his pose excited her for some reason. It was as if he was frozen in the moment of offering himself to her…

…giving her a taste.

Her cheeks burned at the uncontrollable thought. She leaned away from him, feeling the loss of his subtle, radiant body heat on her cheeks and lips. She exchanged her paints and went back to work.

What was wrong with her? She’d never had this reaction before while she’d been working. Her skin felt flushed and prickly with awareness. There seemed to be some strange, inexplicable connection between where her paintbrush stroked his taut skin and her clit.

Why did she want to hold onto that brilliant flare of lust that the stranger’s fierce eyes and hard cock promised? Maybe because you were told today that life and a future aren’t a certainty, that both of those things were as ephemeral, as difficult to hold onto as an unexpected lightning strike of desire?

Joy didn’t want to let go. She wanted…no, she needed to hang on.

The air around them seemed to have taken on a weight. She forced her lungs to move as she exchanged brushes and reached for a paint she’d deposited at the far end of the table. When she touched him with the wet tip just below his hipbone, his taut abdomen muscle twitched. She glanced up and saw a small smile on his mouth.

“It’s colder than the other ones,” he said.

“I’m sorry. The paint was sitting right in front of the air conditioner.”

“It’s okay.”

His mouth moved, but no sound came from his throat. Some instinct inside her told her this man didn’t typically become speechless.

She felt a surge of liquid heat at her sex.

She swallowed with difficulty and resumed painting, the feeling of moving in a dream only amplifying. How long would this surreal sensation last? When would the reality of her diagnosis of cancer really set in? Her grim future seemed impossible to grasp as she sat there, flushed with arousal, painting a brilliant tattoo on a beautiful, virile male she’d never seen before that moment, and would probably never see again.

“It’s finished,” she murmured minutes later, as she placed the solvent that set the paint on the table. From the corner of her vision, she saw that he didn’t move his hands, keeping his briefs lowered. The fullness behind the seaweed design hadn’t dissipated during the past forty-five minutes.

“Joy.”

She glanced up slowly, both hesitant and anticipatory at once at the sound of his hoarse voice.

“I hope you don’t think I’m a complete jackass for saying this, but that had to be the most erotic thing I’ve experienced since Peggy Barton let me touch her breasts when I was fourteen years old.”

She just stared at him in amazement for a second before she laughed. The strangling sexual tension fractured slightly, letting her breathe. He smiled, full-out and brilliant.

Her laughter ceased.

Oh my God, she thought, stunned. Her sunburst tattoo would be considered dim next to that smile.

*****

RT Book Reviews Top Pick: “With the wealth of erotic stories popping up everywhere, Kery dethrones them all with her latest — a real eye-opener. This well-written story is original, refreshing and hot enough to generate third-degree burns.”

Order for Release November 6, 2012

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Winner–Spread the Word giveaway

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Hi everyone!  So the book signing on Saturday was a big success!  Many thanks to everyone who came. Wonderful to hang out with you guys, and of course with Beth, Colleen/Joss, and Shiloh.  The lovely Stacy over at Stacy’s Place on Earth has some pictures up on her blog from the signing, for anyone who wants to check those out.

And thanks as well to everyone who spread the word about the signing!  Much appreciated.  So without further ado, the winner of the giveaway is…

DOTTIE TAYLOR!!

Congratulations! Dottie, email me at info@juliejamesbooks.com with your snail-mail address, and also let me know which book you would like from each of us authors.

Happy reading everyone!

Spread the Word and a Chance to Win!

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So I promised you guys another giveaway… here it is:

A fabulous group of romance authors will be in Chicago on March 13! Don’t miss your chance to meet acclaimed authors:

Julie James—writes smart, sexy contemporary romances.

Beth Kery— writes steamy, emotional contemporary romances.

Shiloh Walker—writes erotic romance, paranormal romance and romantic suspense.

Joss Ware (aka Colleen Gleason)—writes a post-apocalyptic romantic adventure series and a historical vampire hunter series.

We’ll all be signing at the following date and time, so come on out and meet us!

Barnes & Noble
Webster Place
1441 West Webster Avenue
Chicago, IL 60614
773-871-3610
March 13th, 3:00-5:00 pm

And if you can’t make it in person, you still have a chance to win signed copies and a $40 gift card to Barnes & Noble!

Here’s how….

Help us spread the word about this great romance author event in Chicago, and you will be entered to win a fantastic prize!

All you have to do is help us get the word out by posting the information on Facebook, your blog or on Twitter. Here’s how it works:

  1. Post in your Facebook status something about a great author book signing in Chicago on March 13, and list our names (Julie James, Beth Kery, Shiloh Walker, and Joss Ware aka Colleen Gleason) along with this link: http://authorjuliejames.wordpress.com/2010/03/03/spread-the-word-and-a-chance-to-win/, or
  2. Post on your blog the same information, and any other razzmatazz you might want to get people excited about coming to the signing, or
  3. Tweet about it if you’re on Twitter, mentioning the date and city, and link to this event page here on the blog.
  4. To ENTER THE CONTEST: simply post the link to your notices here in the comments section. One entry for each link you post up to and including those posted before the event on March 13.

One winner will be drawn from all entries on this blog. The prize is:
A.  A signed copy of the book of your choice from EACH of the participating authors, and

B.  A $40 gift card to Barnes & Noble (also can be used at BN.com).

Winner will be drawn on Monday, March 15, 2010.

Good luck to everyone who enters!

Beth Kery is Here!

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Please note: the giveaway is now closed.  Winner will be announced shortly.

Please join me in welcoming award-winning author (and good friend) Beth Kery, who is here to talk about her upcoming book, Release.

I’m so thrilled Beth is able to drop by, and cannot wait to get my hands on Release when it arrives in bookstores February 2nd.  I’m a big fan of Beth’s writing– and in addition to being incredibly talented, she gets extra bonus points for using Chicago as the setting for many of her books.  Here’s a little more about Release:

His need for her was so absolute, he agreed to share her with another man in order to possess her.

Genny loved her husband Max, but something was missing—a sexual charge that was instead ignited by his business partner, Sean. He was ruggedly handsome, with a heart-stopping smile and a slow, sexy New Orleans drawl that made Genny weak. The more time they spent together, the stronger the attraction between them became and when her husband offered to share her with Sean for one intoxicating night, both Genny and Sean were too tempted to refuse.

That night in the company penthouse, Max and Sean showed Genny the heights of ecstasy. But it was Sean who scored her very spirit, and one-on-one, they were red hot. But as Genny learns, there’s a price to pay for such impulsive pleasure. What began as a night of forbidden desire spirals into a whirlpool of murder, sensual submission, secrets, and a scorching passion that threatens to consume everyone it touches.

An excerpt of Release can be found here.

______________

Beth has offered to give away a signed copy of Release to one lucky winner who leaves a comment below.  And here she is to tell us even more about the book:

Julie: Hi Beth!  I’m really looking forward to Release. How is it different from your previous books?

Beth:  I used flashbacks a lot in Release. The book itself takes place in the present, but the sexual tension, romance and danger all come from a pivotal event that took place three years ago. Well, pivotal events, I should say: an impulsive ménage a trois and the murder that followed. It was fun, but tricky, at times, to do the present, build up tension, and then flash back to an illuminating event from the past. It gave me whole new respect for people who use the method. It’s a little like doing a 3-D puzzle versus a flat one.

Julie: What was your biggest challenge in writing Release?

Beth:  The writing process itself was pretty smooth for this one. What was a challenge was that I got a call from my agent asking if I’d do a super quick proposal for a slot that had opened at Berkley. I came up with the concept for Release in about four days—in loose synopsis form. It’s a fairly complicated plot, so it made for some sleepless, brain-churning nights. Luckily, I have a friend from high school who is in military intelligence. He gave me invaluable insight into Sean’s background and the private intel firm that he owns.

Julie: Your hero and heroine of Release—Genny and Sean: which one would be more fun for you—Beth Kery—to hang out with?

Beth:  I’d have to go with Sean, just so I could hear his N’ Awlin’s drawl. He looks awesome in jeans (and even better out of them) and he makes great muffuletta. Seriously, the reason I like Sean so much is that he’s one of those people who had it rough as a kid. Really rough. He was practically born fighting for the right to survive. He doesn’t think he deserves the woman he loves—Genny. But he also figures he’s flawed, because he’s so stubborn that he’ll go against all the odds in order to have her. It’s a twist in a character I’ve never done before, and it endeared me to Sean. He feels undeserving, but that doesn’t stop him from staring fate in the eye, flipping her off, and taking this one beautiful thing in his life. In possessing Genny, he essentially affirms his right to happiness as a human being.

Julie: What are you most afraid of?

Beth:  Falling. I have terrible dreams about falling…down elevator shafts, out of a plane, stuff like that. As a result, I’m not so fond of heights, either.

Julie: What would you like people to remember about you as a writer?

Beth:  Deep emotion, great sex and a love story that lingers in the mind.

Julie: Give us a quick look at your next book. I know it presented some challenges for you.

Beth: The next novel I have coming out is with Samhain. It will initially be in ebook format, and then will go into trade paperback. It was a challenge for me because it’s a vampire book. I actually love the genre, but have shied away from it because it’s been done so much. I conquered my fear by putting my own special twist on it. I’m really interested in humans as energy beings…auras, things like that. So I made my Princes of the Underground both vampires of lore and energy/lifeforce suckers.

Oh. And they’re not really vampires.

Here is a bit about Velvet Cataclysm, Princes of the Underground, Book 1. It comes out May 4 from Samhain.

In his battle to resist, he found the impossible. His soul.

Christina Astor’s telepathic ability is an asset in her job as a psychiatric social worker. What’s driving her crazy, though, is her elusive, gorgeous landlord. She senses that Saint Sevliss wants her with an all-consuming hunger that’s somehow…different. Just how different becomes all too clear when his dangerous world collides with hers.

For centuries, Saint’s kind have been called vampire and werewolf. Even soulless. But their true nature remains a mystery. Bound by a magical mandate to control his bloodthirsty clone, Teslar, at all costs, Saint will do anything to keep Christina away. She infuses his gray universe with life and color, but his world—and his need—would destroy her.

When an attack reveals the true power of Christina’s gift, one thing is certain—Teslar won’t rest in his underground labyrinth until he possesses her, body and soul…

Julie: Wow– sounds really intriguing!  Please give us a paragraph or two from your writing of which you are particularly proud. Why do you like this portion?

Beth: I believe I like this little part in Release so much because it seems simple, but it highlights Sean’s uncontrived masculine charm and his pure love for Genny. Besides, there’s something about a man remembering such a small, intimate detail about a woman after all those years that encapsulates the poignancy of romance.

“Look what they had at the market, girl. That’ll cheer you up. I won’t say a word if you eat every one of ’em while you’re all snuggled up out there on the couch, either.”

Genevieve paused in the process of withdrawing some romaine lettuce. Her eyes leapt up to meet Sean’s. He wore a crooked grin as he watched her, his blue eyes lambent and warm. She hastily took the bag of gourmet bing cherry chocolates and set it on the counter, averting her gaze.

She didn’t know what to say. He knew they were her favorite treat, knew she craved them whenever she was a little blue. She’d once told him how she occasionally bought the treats and ate a whole bag of them while she read a trashy novel in bed. She recalled how he’d been fascinated by her revelation of that small intimacy.

The fact that he’d remembered—the repetition of that benign, personal secret in his husky voice—made her lose her already unsteady emotional footing. It had struck her as sweet. Precise. Intensely sexy.

So Sean-like.

* * *

Julie: Thank you for joining us, Beth!  I can’t wait to read Release.

Beth: It’s my pleasure, Julie. Best of luck with Something About You! I think it’s going to be a blockbuster.

Please note:  Beth’s giveaway will remain open until 10pm CST on Friday, February 5th.  Good luck!

And don’t forget about the Something About You contest, where you can enter to win a $100 gift card to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Borders.  Details here.