Two of my publishers, Devine Destinies and eXtasy Books, are having a Holiday Party with GREAT prizes–laptop, GPS, video camera and more! See the website for details.
Holiday Party at Devine Destinies and eXtasy Books!
December 5th, 2010Love on the Prowl contest!
November 14th, 2010Contest starts 11/15/10 and ends 12/27/10 at 9 PM EST.
Answer the questions below from Love on the Prowl correctly and you could win this beautiful leopard wristlet/clutch/cosmetic bag!
If more than one person answers all questions correctly, Melody will put all correct entries into a hat and draw the name.
Send your entries to author@melodylanebooks.com. Write ‘contest entry’ on the subject line.
Contest questions for Love on the Prowl
1. What is the name of the clown infatuated with Ariel?
2. Where is Nick’s favorite place to relax as he watches the Hudson River?
3. What does Ariel always have on at her apartment?
4. What did Ariel write on Nick’s chest?
5. What part of Manhattan is Ariel taken when she is kidnapped?
Good luck!
****Congrats to Sandy from North Carolina! Your leopard wristlet is on the way to your home! Happy Holidays! 
Love on the Prowl excerpt
November 14th, 2010Note–This is a paranormal romance (a wereleopard shapeshifter and a female doctor) with a few sexy love scenes. It is not an erotic romance with explicit sex like my other books.
Ariel was pleased to watch Nick and Philip’s current behavior from afar. They appeared to be treating each other respectfully, as they greeted important people in the city who wanted to make their acquaintance. Although Nick glanced at her a few more times, he didn’t come over to speak with her. It was for the best right now. They were both on duty.
She saw Emilio motion Nick and Philip over to his location in a corner with other heavyweights of the press for interviews. Ariel continued to socialize, but the more wine she drank the more she wanted Nick back for some up-close and private conversation. She looked up to where the Mayor was still cornered with his paranormals. A crowd of people were now gathered to watch.
Ariel supposed that she could go over and listen. She might learn more about Nick and the way he handled himself in a group. As she stood at the fringes, she felt a nudge to her left arm.
A medium-built man with curly brown hair was standing next to her. He was only an inch or two taller than she was. “Hello.”
“Hi.” Ariel glanced at him and smiled back.
“I can tell you’re interested in what’s going on up there,” he spoke softly.
“I am. The new administration seems to be exciting for everyone. I think it’s the anticipation of change.”
“Ah, change.” The man paused a moment. “Not everyone feels that way, you know. Not everyone thinks the change Mayor Hernandez is talking about is good for our city.”
Ariel turned to the man. His brown eyes seemed to burn into hers. “The voters have spoken.”
“But not for all the citizens, dear lady.”
As she looked back to Nick and Philip, she decided she didn’t like this man.
“So which one holds your attention the most? Which one does a pretty woman, like yourself, find the most fascinating? The vampire or the wereleopard.”
Ariel wasn’t sure what to say. Just be polite. “They’re both great. Intelligent and friendly. I’m looking forward to getting to know each of them better.” She could feel the man’s eyes looking her over and it felt uncomfortable. That’s what you get sometimes for wearing a revealing dress in public.
“So you know them already?”
“I’m their doctor.”
“Oh? So you’re on the Mayor’s staff?”
“Yes, I am.”
“And what would your name be?”
Introductions required eye contact. Ariel firmly believed in that. As she turned toward the man, he grabbed her hand and stared into her eyes. “I’m Ariel Summers.”
He placed his other hand over hers, too. It felt uncomfortable for someone she didn’t know to do that and she didn’t like it at all. Didn’t like the intensity…the intimacy of it. Ariel looked away from his face and noticed a pin on his lapel. It was a gold tent with red and yellow vertical stripes. A circus tent? She couldn’t be sure.
“And your name?” she asked, glancing back into his face.
“Please excuse me,” the man muttered, as he looked away from her. “I need to take a phone call. I hope to see you again, Dr. Summers.”
The man swiveled around and was gone within the crowd. Ariel had no idea where he went so quickly. She glanced up and down the room. He had vanished. Was he trying to get away from her so he didn’t have to give her his name? Or was his phone really ringing? She thought about what he had said for a moment. When he was talking about not all people being accepting of change, was he talking about himself? Ariel had no idea.
A set of glass doors over to her right was a welcome sight. A breath of fresh outside air after that last glass of wine sounded good. She should probably switch to water now.
Going as quickly as she could to them, she burst outside and breathed deep. The night had cooled off and the air felt good inside her lungs. She strolled over to the edge of the dark terrace and look down onto the small cement courtyard, then up at the quarter moon. The sky was clear and the air was still…and chilly. She crossed her arms tightly to her body.
“Miss me.”
She twirled around to see Nick staring down at her. Her breath caught in her throat just listening to his voice. “Yes, I did. How did you know I was here?”
“I have radar. Didn’t I tell you?” He placed her pashmina shawl around her back.
“Thank you,” she said, as she pulled it around her. “Hmm. I guess you do have radar. Did you see the moon tonight? It’s beautiful in a clear sky.”
He shook his head. “I’m ignoring the moon, which is a hard thing for someone like me to say. I didn’t want to be distracted from your face. You know, of course, any resistance to me tonight is futile.”
Her eyes widened. “How do you know I planned on resisting tonight?”
Nick sputtered out a cough.
She must have taken him by surprise. Point for her, even in her drunken state. “Are you finished with your responsibilities?”
“I am. Emilio says my duties are over for the evening.”
“Is it time for me?” She blinked her eyes at him and wondered why those words even came out of her mouth.
He raised his eyebrows. “If I can only please one person today, I definitely pick you.”
“Good.” Ariel glanced up at him.
Sometimes you shouldn’t think too much and that was something she tended to do. It could definitely get in the way of fun. But with all the wine she had drunk tonight, her motto for the rest of the evening would be: Don’t think. Just do it.
“You liked hearing that? You’re not going to yell at me?”
“No, Nick.”
“Why not?”
She looked into his eyes. They were staring intensely into hers with a hot, feral expression. “Because I’m ready to be pleased.”
Happy Halloween!
October 31st, 2010Went to a GREAT Halloween party last night! The guests had on a wide variety of Halloween attire from the scary ghouls and vampires that take their place roaming every Halloween party, to the unusual Clockwork Orange droogs and Pokey the character from the Gumby television series (how on earth did he wear a horse costume all night!)
Thanks to hosts Lisa and Ian who transformed their home into a delightfully frightful Halloween haven. Besides spooks and spirits, there was a huge amount of eerie Halloween decor and refreshments to satisfy any monster’s voracious appetite.
Yours truly went as a vampire groupie hoping for the handsome and dangerous Eric Northman to turn her. In case you don’t know, Eric is the 1000 year old vampire bar owner of Fangtasia and Sheriff of Area 5 in the HBO True Blood series. He is quite the hunk as you can see below…
But I love that Vampire Bill too…There is definitely something special about a Viking vampire and a Southern gentleman vampire. Here are the two of them together…Yum, yum!
The Banger Sisters Do London excerpt
September 15th, 2010The luxury five-star hotel wasn’t far away from Hyde Park on a quiet, tree-lined street. It definitely had an understated elegance and air of sophistication to it. Each man had his own traditional country house suite including a four-poster king bed with large, square feather pillows and a spacious sitting room. The cherry furniture, lush artwork, and thick draperies with matching embroidered valance and headboard made Holly’s head spin in delight. A door located in the middle of the sitting room separated the suites. After the foursome said their goodbyes to one another, Holly and Joe went through their door and he locked it.
Holly could feel her nerves getting to her a little. This was something she had never expected to happen. The excitement of being alone with him was building.
“I need a break. Another festival in Dublin tomorrow and we’re on holiday for a week.” Joe grabbed a laptop computer that was sitting on the couch and sat down. “So what do you do in America?”
She tried not to tremble. “You mean as a job?”
He nodded.
“I’m an accountant.”
“Hmm…really? I could have used you last month for an objective opinion. Unfortunately, it’s too late.” Joe shook his head. “You must be tired of those wet clothes by now.”
“I’m been used to them for hours.” She tried to smile. “But they feel like a second skin that needs to be peeled off.”
“No worries then. Peel them off if you like. We can ring up room service and have them laundered for you. At least when you leave in the morning they’ll be fresh.” Joe started typing on his computer.
Holly gazed around the flowery wallpapered sitting room with its cozy comfort and at the handsome man sitting on the couch. Should she just start taking off her clothes here? “I think I’ll take a shower.”
He tilted his head at her. “You must take a bath instead. This hotel is renowned for the depth and breadth of their tubs. Towel racks are heated too.”
Holly thought she had died and gone to heaven with that news. Nothing could have sounded better. She chuckled. “Then a bath it is.”
Time to take off those wet clothes. Now, after all, he did offer to have them laundered and she couldn’t wait to get into that bathtub. She unzipped her hoodie and threw it to the floor. She pulled the tight fitting t-shirt over her head, leaving a damp red bra. Joe’s eyes didn’t leave her once she slowly started unzipping her jeans to reveal matching red panties. Since she had his rapt attention, she decided not to reveal anything more. Let the excitement build a little. There was no reason to show him what he would be seeing shortly. She scooped up the clothes and put them in a pile near the main door.
“Hold on. I know there’s a fresh robe in the closet. Let me get it for you.” Joe set down his computer and went out of sight into the bedroom. He returned with a plush white robe courtesy of the hotel and handed it to Holly. “I’m glad you’re here. Sometimes it’s nice to have company when I feel like I’m going mad from the day.”
“Thank you.” She laid the robe over her arm, ready to take it into the bathroom.
“I just need to finish up a business email. I won’t be long, I promise.” He bent his head down to her face and dotted her forehead and cheeks with quick pecks, then went to her mouth.
Holly let out a breath and his lips moved down to capture it. The desire and anticipation were all there at once. His tongue slid through her lips into her mouth and she found herself unable to breathe. She tried to keep up as he explored her, sweeping every part of her mouth with his warm tongue. She felt herself melting in his embrace. A hand on her left breast began gently squeezing through her damp bra. She couldn’t help but moan. His fingers felt wonderful touching her.
“You’re making my cock hard,” he whispered into her mouth.
“What are we going to do about it?” she whispered back.
He broke away from her, and stared intently into her eyes. “Draw the bath. Give me a few minutes to finish my email business and I’ll be right there. We’ll have no interruptions.”
She nodded. “All right, I will.”
As they separated, she turned toward the bathroom and her mouth dropped open in awe with what she saw. It was a marble delight with light gray and white swirls on the walls, darker swirls on the floor. The white tub was deep and huge, enough to host a small orgy. They could both easily fit in there foot-to-foot or side-by-side. She hung up the robe then drew the bath, adding the foaming bath beads she found on the counter sitting there with the other toiletries. This hotel was obviously top quality. You could show up naked and be taken care of. The fragrance generated by the bath beads smelled of sandalwood and she breathed it in deeply. This was like a dream.
