Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Cupid by Lucy Felthouse What Is A Reindeer #Shifter To Do When His Mate Is Near? #MF #Erotic #Contemporary #Romance



Out Now! Cupid by Lucy Felthouse 

Blurb:

As a postman by day, and one of Santa’s reindeer on a single very special night, Cassius Cupid eats, sleeps, and breathes deliveries. He doesn’t mind, but sometimes wishes that someone would send him something more exciting than bills and junk mail.

One cold January morning, Cassius gets his wish. A young woman arrives with a parcel. Turns out it’s for his housemate – but Cassius doesn’t care. All he’s interested in is Carina – the beautiful female courier.

Has Cupid finally met his match?

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Excerpt:

Cassius Cupid woke with a start, and then sat bolt upright in his bed. Shit, I’m going to be late! was his first thought.

Milliseconds later his brain switched on, and he remembered. He was on holiday. Flopping back onto the warm mattress and pillows with a contented sigh, he smiled. No work for fourteen whole days—it was going to be utter bliss. He stretched, relishing the feeling it created in his sleep-softened muscles. Ahhh…this is the life.

He knew he wouldn’t go back to sleep—hell, it was eight o’clock, which was practically the middle of the day for someone in his profession—so Cassius fell to thinking about how he was going to spend his day, not to mention the several others in front of him. God knew he deserved to relax and have some fun. He’d just emerged from the busiest part of his year, and he was more than ready to do some chilling out.

He enjoyed his job as a postman—he really did—but the Christmas period was a total killer. He idly wondered how many cards and presents he’d delivered over the past few weeks. It didn’t bear thinking about. Once you factored in the festive period itself, the weird few days between Christmas and New Year, and then the flurry of mail that got sent when everyone went back to work properly at the beginning of January, he’d racked up some serious deliveries. And that was before you even thought about his other job—which was for just one day a year, but was arguably more important than the other 364 put together.

Cassius—or Cupid, as he was known to his boss and colleagues in his second, but most important job—was not only a regular postman for the Royal Mail, but also a reindeer. For a single day of the year, Cassius had the supernatural power to transform into one of Santa’s faithful steeds and help pull that famous magical sleigh, delivering presents to excited children the world over.

Therefore, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that Cassius really did eat, sleep and breathe deliveries, but not for the next fourteen days. All he planned to do was watch some TV, read some books, maybe go out hiking, meet some friends… basically anything that wasn’t delivering something to someone. Hey, he might even receive something through the post himself—preferably not the usual crap; bills and junk mail. He didn’t hold out much hope.

He lounged in bed for another ten minutes before realising he was lying there just for the sake of it. Being on holiday didn’t have to equal staying in bed all day—and certainly not for someone as active as him. He reached over to his bedside table, grabbed his glasses and put them on. Throwing off his thick duvet, he walked to his bedroom window and peeked out through the curtains, immediately glad of the effective central heating he and his housemate had forked out to have installed the previous year.

The outside world was covered in a thick layer of snow, and Cassius was mightily glad that he wasn’t out delivering letters and parcels. The stuff was treacherous enough without having to carry a heavy bag up and down driveways, paths, and pavements — most of which either hadn’t been cleared, or had been cleared badly, leaving incredibly slippery patches of ground for an unsuspecting postie to come across. God knows he’d gone down enough times, but, much to his relief, nobody had ever seen him do it. He’d always been relatively unharmed—excerpt for his pride, of course—and had been able to scramble back to his feet and carry on.

The eerie silence outside was broken by the rumble of an engine, and Cassius turned his head to look up the street—he lived in a cul-de-sac, so he knew that’s where the vehicle would come from—and watched as a delivery van made its way slowly and carefully down the road. He hoped the driver was sensible enough to try and steer over the thickest parts of the snow—the more people went over and over the same patches, packing it down, the more the road surface resembled an ice rink. And since the cul-de-sac was on a slight hill, it was easy enough to get stuck. He’d seen it so many times—even going outside one time last winter to suggest the driver go down to the bottom of the road, turn around and try reversing up the hill—an almost foolproof plan for vans with rear-wheel drive. He’d gotten a big thumbs-up for that suggestion as the driver finally got to the junction where the road became flat, and went on his merry way.

As the van drew closer to his house, he saw that the driver was a woman. That would explain her cautious driving—he’d never admit it to one of his drinking buddies, but women were far superior when it came to driving in adverse weather conditions. He even thought he’d seen some survey containing statistics that proved it.

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Buy links: 



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Author Bio:

Lucy Felthouse is a very busy woman! She writes erotica and erotic romance in a variety of subgenres and pairings, and has over 140 publications to her name, with many more in the pipeline.

These include several editions of Best Bondage Erotica, Best Women's Erotica 2013 and Best Erotic Romance 2014. Another string to her bow is editing, and she has edited and co-edited a number of anthologies, and also edits for a small publishing house. 

She owns Erotica For All, is book editor for Cliterati, and is one eighth of The Brit Babes. 

Find out more at http://www.lucyfelthouse.co.uk. Join her on Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to her newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/gMQb9


Thursday, December 11, 2014

A Slightly Sweet Italian Christmas Bread That Will Surely Turn Any Frown Upside Down.

I am a self confessed carb-a-holic.  Just ask my doctor or my trusty blood glucose meter! (Thank goodness I'm not a diabetic yet but I often skate around the borders of it so I have to be careful.) 

At any rate, just because I can't eat any piece of bread that's not nailed down, that doesn't mean you and your family have to go without.  

I recently came across a rather tasty recipe for the holiday season whether you make merry like myself or are of the Grinch nature like some of my favorite vampires.  


Italian Christmas Bread with Raisins and Candied Fruits is a tasty treat your entire family is sure to enjoy!  

A slightly sweet Christmas bread.  It is similar to a brioche but a lot lighter.

Ingredients

FOR THE SPONGE:

4 tablespoons, 1 teaspoon, 3 pinches Whole Fat Milk
2 Tablespoons Dry Instant Yeast
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1-⅞ ounces, weight All-purpose Flour

FOR THE BREAD:

7 ounces, weight All-purpose Flour
1-½ ounces, weight Sugar
3-⅝ ounces, weight Dry Raisins
4 tablespoons, 2-⅞ pinches Whole Fat Milk
1-⅞ ounces, weight Candied Fruits
2 whole Small Eggs, Divided Use
1-⅝ ounces, weight Unsalted Butter

Preparation

Let’s start off with the sponge. Put the milk into a saucepan over low heat. Heat up the milk to lukewarm, then add yeast and sugar, stir it, remove from heat and let it stand on your counter for about 10 minutes or until it becomes all freaky and bubbling.

Next up, put it into a mixing bowl and add 50 grams of flour. Give it a stir, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it stand in a warm place for about 30 minutes.

In the bowl of your electric mixer add 200 grams of flour and 40 grams of sugar. Add the sponge and set aside.

Then take the raisins and put them into a bowl covered in warm water Soak them for about 10 minutes. Then drain the water and squeeze out all the liquid from the raisins. Add them to the bowl with the sponge mixture. Also add the milk and the candied fruits. Add one egg.

Grab 45 grams of unsalted butter, melt it in your microwave (this will take 30-60 seconds roughly) and pour it into the bowl with the sponge mixture.

Now turn on your mixer to medium/low and knead the dough for a good 10 minutes or until it gets nice, smooth and soft. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in a warm place for about 2 hours or until it doubles in size.

Grab the dough and divide it into 3 pieces. Roll out each one into a long rope (about 2 cm thick and 50 cm long). Press one end of the 3 ropes together and then braid them together. Press the other end together when you are done braiding. Then link together the 2 ends to get a wreath shape. 

Place it into a plastic bag (make sure the bag does not touch the bread) or cover with plastic wrap and let it stand in a warm place for about 40 minutes. Then place it onto a Silpat or parchment paper lined baking sheet. Preheat oven to 180 C (375 F).

Next up beat the remaining egg in a small bowl, brush the beaten egg over the top of the bread and bake it at 180 C (375 F) for about 25-30 minutes. Remove it from the oven and let it cool down before serving.

Thank You To My Cooking Pals at Tasty Kitchen.com  

Here's the link to the recipe on their site- http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/holidays/italian-christmas-bread-with-raisins-and-candied-fruits/

And Here's the link to the recipe's creator's website.  On it you will find step by step instructions on creating this delicious holiday bread as well as easy to follow pictures to guide you along the way.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Interview of Lily Harlem, Author of 'Candy Canes and Coal Dust'

Scribal Love Welcomes Lily Harlem

Lily Harlem is an author of contemporary erotic romance. Her newest work ‘Candy Canes and Coal Dust’ is available from Total-E-Bound.

What inspired you to write this book?

If I’m really honest I saw the call for submissions on www.erotica-readers.com.  Total-E-Bound wanted some super-hot Christmas stories so I set my imaginative cogs into action. I started by searching the recesses of my mind for a perfect location and remembered when I went to Finland on a ski trip. I hadn’t wanted to go originally but once I got there I was totally blown away by Finland’s magical beauty. The long dark days and the thick carpet of sparkling snow created such a unique atmosphere and everywhere I went it was so cozy and smelt so divine, although I have to admit I didn’t spend much time on the floodlit slopes – the sauna and bar kept calling!
Once I had the location in my mind I set about dreaming up my characters. I knew I wanted to write a ménage so it was fun to orchestrate the plot so Bridget got what she wanted for Christmas!
Do you have a specific writing style?
I write contemporary romance and often in the first person which is a little unusual for my genre. I also tend to write about places I know which means many of my stories are set in the UK since I lived here all my life. Although like ‘Candy Canes and Coal Dust’ foreign places I’ve visited often star as locations.
In terms of plots I like something fast paced, plenty of dialogue to keep the story moving and of course lots of bedroom action! One reviewer wrote earlier in the year; which perhaps gives you a clue to my style – “From the first paragraph I knew I would enjoy reading ‘Shared’ by Lily Harlem. Harlem's prose and phrasing is artfully wrought and shocker…” (Night Owl Reviews)
What is the name of your latest book?  And how did you come up with the title?
‘Candy Canes and Coal Dust’ - the title came easy for this one (it doesn’t always). I was thinking about my heroine, Bridget and how she’s such a good, obliging girl. Always trying to do the right thing by everyone and hoping for sweet little Christmas presents. Until this year, this year, dumped and depressed she heads off on a solo holiday and ends up discovering that actually she’s not a good girl at all, in fact she’s so naughty, so bad and her secret desires are so filthy she doesn’t even deserve a lump of coal for Christmas – just the coal dust at the bottom of the sack. Needless to say she has a fabulous time, being naughty is always so much more fun than being good!
What is ‘Candy Canes and Coal Dust’ about?
‘Candy Canes and Coal Dust’ is a Lust Bite short story about a highly erotic, very public dream which shows Bridget what she really wants deep down. A fantasy she has never been able to admit– unfortunately for Bridget it’s also pretty clear to everyone else on board the flight from London to Levi what she wants!
Luckily for Bridget thought the hot, Irish guy sitting next to her proves to be very obliging in fulfilling her fantasy. That sounds like I am giving the story away, I’m not!

What books have most influenced your life most?

I adore Jane Austin and the Bronte sisters. To Kill a Mockingbird and Lord of the Rings are top of my favorite list. In the genre I write I like Maya Banks, Kristina Lloyd and Lucy Monroe, from reading these three I developed a clearer understanding of writing erotica.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
Probably out of the above Kristina Lloyd. Her book ‘Asking for Trouble’ is somewhat controversial, she puts the sex right there on the table amongst danger and criminal activity. One of her other novels ‘Split’ had me up all night reading. She really is a master of her game.
What books are you reading now?
I am reading ‘Best Women’s Erotica 2010’ edited by Violet Blue. I have a spankingly naughty story in it called ‘Stable Manners’, but there are seventeen other very hot stories which have been keeping me entertained!
What are your current projects?
I’m writing a series for Ellora’s Cave called ‘Hot Ice’ all about those bad boys of ice hockey and the women who tame them, or don’t as the case maybe. The first novel, ‘Hired’ is due out very soon. ‘Hot Ice’ is proving to be enormous fun. The sexy characters are getting it together, breaking up and making up all over the place. There’s just something about hockey players that really does it for me. (Phew! I get a little hot and flushed just thinking about them.) I’ve found myself getting so immersed in these full length novels that the housework, ironing, Christmas shopping etc. has really fallen by the wayside. I just can’t seem to drag myself away from my description of these hot, sexy men with their sticks and their pucks and their… see there I go again!
Do you see writing as a career?
Yes, I write every day now. Not all day, I do have a part time job to pay for bread, butter and wine, but I usually get a few hours a day to let my imagination run riot. It’s when I’m happiest, writing, and getting those words and stories out of my head is very cathartic. I get peace and quiet from my characters once I’ve got their scenes down on paper – or on a memory stick as the case maybe. It’s like they rest up and go to sleep once I’ve given them some attention. 
If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
Mmm, no not in the book itself, but it would be nice to write a sequel and see how it pans out for all the characters and maybe introduce a few more girls into the mix – I can’t say too much or I’ll give the end away. But yes, you’ve got me thinking now. Perhaps I will write the sequel ready for next Christmas, or even Easter.
Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?
Reading. I’ve always read and read and read. One day, several years ago, I finished reading a light romance, it was sweet, there was some sex and the characters were likeable and I remember thinking – I could do that – it was like a light bulb above my head.
Anyway, I had a go and it was terrible, like really, really bad. That’s when I realized writing was going to take a little more work than I thought. Not to be deterred by hard work I enrolled on a part time creative writing course at the local university and spent the next two years doing a whole range of weird and wonderful assignments. Eventually, when I felt I’d mastered the actual art of writing I had another go. The first story I wrote was called ‘Madam President’ an American inspired tale about the first female president of the US having a clandestine affair with the British Prime Minister (don’t worry, unlike in real life my fictitious PM is gorgeous!) I spotted a competition at Love Honey and added, as they requested, one of their sex toys into the story. I submitted and crossed my fingers that Love Honey would enjoy the naughty goings on in the Oval Office – they did! I won first place in the long story section! I was so happy to have my writing recognized and realized I’d definitely found my genre – you can read the award winning story for free by following the link on my website, it’s a hoot.
So, after my win I kept on writing and my sexy short stories proved to be a hit. I got accepted by several anthologies, kept on writing and writing and then the big publishers started saying yes, Total-E-Bound, Ellora’s Cave and Xcite. The rest, as they say, is history.
Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
Apart from making the time to write I find the blurb incredibly difficult to come up with. It’s silly I know, but when I’ve had up to 80,000 word to tell a story I find squeezing the essential elements into a couple of hundred words has me banging my head against the wall. I write it all out, hit delete, re-write, hit delete, have a glass of wine, write, hit delete, eat chocolate, write, delete… you get the idea, not fun!!
Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?
Did I learn anything from writing ‘Candy Canes and Coal Dust’? Mmm, well, let’s see, I guess I’ve learnt I never want to have an erotic dream on a plane, especially since my resident hunk tells me I do talk and moan a lot in my sleep as it is!
Casting my mind back, as I was writing this first part of the story my toes were curling for poor Bridget – the whole plane can guess what she’s been dreaming about! Oh, cringe!
Do you have any advice for other writers?
Okay, here goes, maybe I’m a bit kooky but this is what I do…

When writing dialogue just go for it, let it flow out of your fingers as fast as you would speak. Don’t even think about speech marks and punctuation, or if he is scratching his head and she’s licking her lips, you can add all that in afterwards – dialogue moves the story forward and if you can get it flowing naturally then you’re onto a winner.

Don’t get bogged down with adverbs, eg. he groaned ‘loudly’, she panted ‘heavily’, it’s considered much less lazy to write ‘his groans were loud in her ear’ or ‘her heavy pants filled the small space’. There’s usually a way to describe your scene better if you circle around the adverb and it will make the story meatier.

Let a story brew in your head. Have the idea, jot it down if you need to, and then sit quietly and play out the scenes like watching a film in your imagination. It will give you a clear picture of what you want to achieve in your writing and help you with the tiny details.

If the house is quiet make the most of the peace and get busy getting those words down. You can iron and dust and cook with everyone around chattering and demanding help with homework and lifts to friends and clubs. Writing, for me at least, requires silence, so silence has become a very valuable commodity in my life.

Incubate the final product. When it’s written tuck it aside, for a few days, longer if you can, then go back to it. I can guarantee you’ll spot silly mistakes, inconsistencies or simply find better word choices to slot in. There’s nothing worse than sending a manuscript off and then on a re-read seeing stupid errors. In fact now, when something has gone I refuse to look at it again unless it’s with an editor.

Thanks so much for having me, it’s been fun hanging out.

Lily x

You are Welcome Lily!  And thanks for dropping By!

You can find Lily on the web at:

And her book 'Candy Canes and Coal Dust' you can buy at: