Thursday 17 January 2013

Those first, sensuous moments - Guest blog and CONTEST by Tina Donahue

Please join me in a warm welcome to my guest, bestselling Author, Tina Donahue. She's stopping by in her blog tour with her fabulous new release, Losing Control.

Be sure to check out her post, and don't forget to leave a comment to be entered into the contest!

Take it away, Tina :-)

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Those first, sensuous moments

Don’t you adore initial encounters between lovers in a romance? My god, the air is so sexually charged you can’t read sitting still. You have to pace. You can feel your heart pounding as their eyes meet and they share their first words. This is especially true if they shouldn’t be attracted to each other.

Don’t do this, she thinks, all while drifting closer to him.

Because the heart wants what it wants.

When I had the idea for Losing Control, Book Two in my Appointment with Pleasure series, I knew that Catherine and Tim would face many conflicts because of her past, a secret she initially keeps from Tim. I also knew that they’d be willing to take risks. That they’d open their hearts to each other.

Their story begins at a holiday party in a DC mansion. Without Tim knowing it, Catherine’s been watching him. She knows who he is. To him, she’s a stranger, though not for long.




Here’s the blurb and an excerpt to give you a taste of their story.


BLURB:

When it comes to passion, there are no rules…

She wasn’t supposed to hunger for him. Tim Bellamy was off-limits to Catherine, a high-priced call girl with an uneasy past. Indulging in his raw desire shouldn’t have happened, especially at a District party attended by the nation’s elite. Tim doesn’t know she works for the agency. If he did…  That’s not something Catherine wants to confess. Drowning in his strength and heat, aching to see him again, she keeps her secret.

From old wealth, Tim has never met anyone quite like Catherine. Exotic, elegant, earthy, she’s the best of all worlds. Their evenings are sensual delights where voyeurism, bondage and a growing bond satisfy carnal needs and stir something deep within…until he stumbles upon the truth.

Shaken by her lies, Tim needs to prove the depth of Catherine’s lust and yearning once and for all. For him, their erotic adventure has only begun…

EXCERPT:
She really should leave. “Catherine,” she murmured, telling him her name.

Tim’s smile said he approved. However, he also arched one eyebrow, a darker blond than his hair, the gesture indicating he wanted her last name too.

Catherine suspected he wouldn’t settle for anything less. He was a man used to being in charge, one she wanted to take down, to weaken with her kisses and caress. She longed to drive her fingers through his hair, mussing it, then coax his cock inside her cunt, driving him over the edge, making him defenseless within her embrace, proving her power over him.

“Oliver,” she added.

He grinned like a man who’d just won a prize, rather than having heard a partial truth.

Years ago, she’d legally changed her given name to one that was more elegant and preferred. With her agency fees and new identity, she’d enrolled in Georgetown, graduating with honors exactly as she’d told him. She’d gain her Masters next and get a real life, a home, using it to care for the one person who’d offered her love and safety during her bleak childhood when she’d had no one else.

None of her clients knew that, of course. Nor were they privy to her surname and educational accomplishments. No matter how many times they booked her, she was still merely Catherine to them.

A precaution she should have maintained with Tim. Already she’d told him too much, especially his preference in liquor, which she’d read in his dossier. How could she have been so dumb? Somehow, the words had just spilled out of her mouth without her realizing it.

Tim finished a sip of his drink. He was close enough for her to smell scotch on his breath, along with his fragrance, masculine and woodsy. His file claimed he always wore Clive Christian’s No. 1, priced at over eight hundred dollars for less than two ounces.
 
As far as Catherine was concerned, it was money well spent. She suppressed a shiver of delight.

He leaned into her, his mouth near her ear and murmured, “What discipline are you studying?”
Catherine turned her face to his, pleased he was interested enough to ask, delighted he was so near. A few more inches and their lips would touch. His shadow of a beard suggested he hadn’t had time to shave before coming here or hadn’t cared enough about the event to do so. She was damned grateful for that. His bristly cheeks would be a wonderful contrast to his soft, warm lips.

“Sociology.” She paused to breathe, surprised she kept forgetting to do so. “Social inequality to be exact.”

Bleeding heart territory, she knew, and work that would never make her rich. Not that Catherine cared. However, she did wonder what Tim thought.

He continued to regard her with what appeared to be fascination, as though he couldn’t get enough of her. Unless she was simply hoping for that.

“What?” she asked.

“Good for you,” he murmured, running his hand up her arm.

Her legs went watery at his appraisal and touch.


AUTHOR BIO:

Tina Donahue is an award-winning, bestselling novelist in erotic, paranormal, contemporary and historical romance for Samhain Publishing, Ellora’s Cave, and Kensington. Booklist, Publisher’s Weekly, Romantic Times and numerous online sites have praised her work. Three of her erotic romances (Adored, Lush Velvet Nights, and Deep, Dark, Delicious) were named finalists in the 2011 EPIC competition. The French review site, Blue Moon reviews, chose her erotic romance Sensual Stranger as their Book of the Year 2010 (erotic category). The Golden Nib Award at Miz Love Loves Books was created specifically for Lush Velvet Nights, and two of her titles (The Yearning and Deep, Dark, Delicious) received an Award of Merit in the RWA Holt Medallion competition (2011 and 2012). Take Me Away and Adored both won second place in the NEC RWA contest (different years). Tina is featured in the 2012 Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market. She was the editor of an award–winning Midwestern newspaper and worked in Story Direction for a Hollywood production company.

Website/blog: www.tinadonahue.com


To celebrate the release of Losing Control, I’m offering a contest.
I’ll choose THREE winners (at random) from those who comment on the various sites during the tour. The more you comment, the greater your chances of winning one of my backlist ebooks from this list:

1.            Adored – RWA award-winning; EPIC 2011 Finalist; 4 Stars RT
2.            Deep, Dark, Delicious – EPIC 2011 Finalist; Holt Medallion Award of Merit
3.            Lush Velvet Nights – EPIC 2011 Finalist; Golden Nib Award
4.            In His Arms – SIX 5 Star Reviews; 4 Stars RT
5.            Sensual Stranger – 2010 Book of the Year (erotic); 4 Stars RT
6.            The Yearning – Top Ten Bestseller
7.            Take Me Away - #1 Pick, Miz Love Loves Books
8.            Unending Desire – Best Book Rating LASR
9.            SiNN – Nominated for Book of the Week LASR
10.          Sinfully Wicked – Magnificent – Romancing the Book

26 comments:

  1. Fantastic excerpt. Your story certainly sounds intriguing!

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    1. Thanks, Arya - it was great fun to write. Very hot, but also very romantic. :)

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  2. your books are great,
    vera28546 at yahoo (dot) com

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  3. Lovely excerpt. I do love it when the characters start falling in love and at the back of your mind you're thinking "Oh, no. What's he going to think when he finds out about her?"

    Congrats, Tina.

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    1. Thanks, Kiru! I like those tales with little white lies too. Keeps you on the edge of your seat. You keep hoping - 'still love her (or him), please!'

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  4. Love the blurb and the excerpt!!!

    smurfettev AT gmail DOT com

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    1. Thanks, Sheri! Appreciate you dropping by. :)

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  5. Sounds Like a very satisfying read.
    I wonder if there really is an agency like she is in.
    Z

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    1. Hi, Z! In Washington, DC there probably is with all those men in power. Thanks for dropping by! :)

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  6. I read this blog at work on my phone but the darn thing would not let me comment. I love the premise of this story - high price call girl. Sounds a real treat!

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    1. Thanks, Michaela! It's part of my Appointment with Pleasure series. I've had great fun writing it. :)

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  7. Love the excerpt Tina, Thanks for bringing Tina on Doris. This looks like a fantastic book :O) Carin
    mawmom at gmail dot com

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    1. Thanks, Carin - so glad you enjoyed the excerpt! :)

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  8. Love the excerpt and interveiw.
    lauratroxelatyahoodotcom

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    1. Thanks, Laura - appreciate you coming by! :)

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  9. I can't wait to read this one! I love your stories. :) Thanks for the giveaway!
    -Amber
    goodblinknpark@yahoo.com

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    1. Thanks, Amber - I so glad you like my work! :)

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  10. Love this excerpt...such a wonderful set of opposites and definitely so worth falling in love!
    ivegotmail8889(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  11. Thanks, pc - I really love Catherine and Tim - to me, they're just made for each other. :)

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  12. Wow Tina,

    This book is sizzeling. You never cease to amaze me. I think you have another winner on your hands. Congrats, on the new realease. You ROCK Lady Jane.

    Teresa K.
    tcwgrlup41(at)yahoo dot com

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    1. Thanks so much for your wonderful comments, Teresa! Always wonderful to see you. :)

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  13. I've now chosen my winner (at random) (also, instead of there being just three winners total for the tour, I'm choosing one at each site - yay!!

    The winner at this stop is VampedChik - congrats!! I'll be contacting you shortly about your prize. :)

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    1. Yey, Congrats to the winner! Thanks again for stopping by on your tour, Tina :-)

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