The Love Chronicle

Issue No. 4

April 2009

We have so many exciting news in this issue!

First off, we are very happy to have Afton Locke join us in The Love Chronicle newsletter!

Here's Afton's short introduction: Hello, everyone. I’m Afton Locke, a new erotic romance author. I like to write about otherworldly fantastical things that help people escape from everyday reality. I write paranormal, fantasy, and sci/fi. My first book, Cicada, a paranormal/BDSM romance with a ghost hero, was released on 19 November 2008 by Ellora’s Cave. My next book for Ellora’s Cave, Energy, is a futuristic ménage with m/m action.

Read all about Afton's interview in the Utah Romance E xaminer!

Welcome, Afton!

Second, Madison is pleasantly surprised to learn that her quickie Perhaps Love is part of a print anthology entitled Erotic Emerald. And she is honored to be in the company of such talented authors!

Buy Link: Ellora's Cave / Jasmine Jade

ISBN 978 14199 58663

Genre: Anthology / Moderne (contemporary) / Twilight (paranormal)

Price: $16.99

Third, SEX SYMPHONY is now out! Yay!

Sex Symphony

By Madison Blake

Release Date: February 18, 2009

Cover art by Les Byerley

Buy Link: Ellora's Cave, Jasmine Jade

ISBN 978 14199 21261

Genre: Paranormal / ménage, gay

Price: $5.20

About the story:

Book 1 of Musical Aphrodisiac

A magic violin that rules them all in lust…

Chelsea is enthralled by the magnetic violinist Kyle Montgomery, and at the first pure notes that trilled into the night, she is bombarded by a lust so powerful she lost her breath. She loses control of her body, and she hungers constantly for the hardness of a man's arms around her. To confound her further, she finds herself attracted to the equally compelling brilliant composer Grant Thornton...who dislikes her.

Bound by the magic that flows from the violin, the three are inexorably drawn to one another to assuage their deepest needs. But when the notes fade away, who will be left to hold the violin and play the symphony?

Reader advisory: This book contains scenes with same-gender sex.

Read a NEW-never-before seen excerpt.

Psychic Heat

By Madison Blake

Release Date: April 17, 2009

Publisher: Ellora's Cave

Cover art by Les Byerley

ISBN 978 14199 21889

Genre: Paranormal / ménage, gay

About the story:

Telepath journeywoman Rhiane loves her job as a translator at the Federation of Intergalactic Commerce. When she starts to experience frequent blackouts, she’s terrified that her psychic powers are fading. She seeks the help of Master Healer Morgan, only to realize that he and his lover Jaden were the men with whom she had a magnificent, unforgettable one-night stand six months ago...a night she couldn't forget, but never wanted to remember...

Attraction flares anew, and this time, Morgan and Jaden are not taking the chance that she would disappear from their lives once again, no matter the cost, no matter how hard she resists. However, dread chills their spines when they discover that Rhiane’s blackouts may not simply be due to work-related stress, but that someone may have a sinister motive for deliberately tampering with her mind…

Reader advisory: This book contains scenes with same-gender sex.

In the following excerpt, Rhiane consulted with Morgan regarding her illness.

“You’re one of the translators.”

It wasn’t a question but she nodded anyway. “You know about our work?”

“A little. Why don’t you enlighten me further?”

“Intergalactic business transactions are increasing everyday, as the transport system advances and becomes more efficient. Yet, because of the hundreds and thousands of galaxies and planets in the universe, not everyone knows the languages of their potential business partners. That’s where we come in. As telepaths, we can communicate from mind to mind, sending pictures, images, thoughts, feelings, without the need for speech or writing. We serve as the medium between the two transacting parties, enabling them to negotiate their business through ‘mind pictures’. If need be, we also record the transactions in the written languages that we know, which is usually requested by those from Earth.”

“That’s very important work that you do,” he said gravely.

“It is.” Rhiane warmed up, as she always did when talking about work. “The Federation is also fast being recognized as a very reliable third party witness to intergalactic business contracts even between those who can communicate with each other. We help to accelerate the universe’s economy and everybody’s profiting from it.”

“You seem very happy and satisfied with your work. What is the problem then?”

“I…” she hesitated. Now that the time for truth had come, she wished she could have gone on talking more about her job instead.

He waited, his gaze intent and patient on hers.

“Please, this is just between us, right?” She leaned forward and turned earnest eyes on him. “It would ruin me should this get out…”

“You have my word on it. I’m bound by the medic oath, which forbids me from revealing confidential information on my patients.”

“All right.” She paused, swallowed, then said, “I’ve been having…I don’t know how to describe it…but I suppose it could be called a ‘blackout’.”

“You don’t know?”

“I don’t know how to describe it,” she started to say, becoming agitated. Panic fluttered in her heart. How could he help her if she couldn’t articulate her condition properly?

He came around the desk, sat beside her and placed one hand over hers. “All right, calm down. We’ll identify it together.”

His hand was steady and warm over hers, almost dwarfing her small hands. It looked strong and exuded confidence. It should have quieted her but the feel of it stirred up memories of those hands on her breasts…on her thighs…in her—

She snatched her hands out of his and slammed the door on her memories. She was trembling, she couldn’t help it. Just one touch and the heat came zinging back, making her very much aware of him as a man.

Damn. Her shields must have been affected by her fears and weakened.

“Why deny your memories, Rhiane?” Morgan asked in a low voice, his hand moving to grasp hers.

Oh god, he remembered!

He held on tightly as she tried to tug her hand away again but heat sliced its way through her when his thumb stroked her wrist with feathery caresses. She shuddered with longing. His gaze delved deep into her soul when he asked, “Do you remember this, Rhiane?”

An image flashed in her mind, of a man’s head bending down to kiss the woman’s lips. She was the woman and his lips on hers were warm and firm, sweet and intoxicating.

“Or this?”

She saw a man’s hand slipping between the woman’s legs. She knew the texture of those hands, those long, skillful fingers. And more hands at her back, caressing her buttocks. Her pussy clenched in reflex, as though his fingers were there on her body…

“Or this?”

She saw three naked bodies twining and twisting on the bed, the sensation of hard, male bodies enthralling on her naked skin. Tendrils of desire snaked down her spine to pool between her legs. She moaned from deep within her and the sound broke her away from the trance she had been in.

Cicada

By Afton Locke

Release Date: November 19, 2008

Buy Link: Ellora's Cave

ISBN 978 14199 1941

Genre: paranormal erotic romance with ghost hero and light bondage

Price: 5.20

About the story:

Marian, a science teacher on summer vacation, moves into Jon’s house. He’s been dead for a hundred years but he vows to break the curse on himself and win her heart. He seduces her, entices her and is determined to show her who’s boss with some sexy rope tricks—but he intends to earn her love at the same time.

Excerpt:

“What the—” She couldn’t see anyone but he was still there. She felt him pressed against her backside and he was harder than ever.

“I’m still here,” he said, as if she couldn’t figure that out.

Marian’s eyes darted around the room as she clutched the pillows. “Then why can’t I see you?”

“I’m invisible.” He said it as casually as if he’d said he was wearing a blue shirt.

“Invisible,” she repeated. “Give me a break. I’m a science teacher. People aren’t invisible. That only happens in the movies.”

He was still lying on her back and when he shifted she felt coarse cotton fabric against the skin of her legs. He seemed to be wearing pants but they must be invisible too. She also felt the outline of his cock grind against her pussy which was still sensitive from his earlier touching.

“Does that feel real to you?” he asked, close to her ear.

All of her blood seemed to shoot downstream and for one crazy moment she wondered what all that delicious hardness would feel like inside her. Even better than his finger, she imagined. She had to clear her throat just to be able to talk.

“Yes.” The word came out as a half sigh and Marian cleared her throat again. “Do you mind explaining to me why you’re invisible? I mean, you’re seriously freaking me out here. I can see everything in this room except you.”

“Of course,” he replied as he began to play with her long hair and lazily stroke her back. “Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Jonathan Blake. You may call me Jon.”

“I’m Mar—”

“I know who you are, Mary,” he said curtly. “It’s about time you came back.”

She frowned. “My name is Marian, not Mary and as interesting as this meeting has been, I really need to ask you to leave now. You see, I rented this house for the summer.”

He grabbed all of her hair, lifted her head off the pillow with it and nipped her earlobe with his teeth. “This is my house,” he corrected.

She pulled her hair out of his hand. His weight eased, so she shifted onto her side and propped herself on her elbow.

“So you’re the owner of this house?” she asked. “Good. You just saved me a trip to Seaside Realty to bang some heads together. You have a lot of nerve scamming people out of their rent money, making this place seem haunted. I paid for a private house and a peaceful summer. Instead, I hear all kinds of weird noises, have my clothes stolen and get attacked in my own bed.”

“My bed,” he corrected.

“Whatever. I’m going to report you to the Better Business Bureau.”

Now that her chest was somewhat exposed to him, he was exploring the crocheted lace of her bodice. She pushed his hand away several times but it was hard to hit an invisible, moving target. He chuckled as he traced a finger over the swell of each breast. Her nipples betrayed her by jumping to attention and begging for his touch.

“I don’t think they’d pursue a complaint about a man who’s been dead for a hundred years.”

New Contracts

Ellora's Cave has contracted Afton's book Energy, a futuristic ménage. Yay!

Thanks to an unexplainable curse, all the men on the planet Chromefield have lost their manhood, imperiling the survival of the species. When U.S. astronaut Logan McKay crash lands on the planet, he must agree to perform an impossible test to get home again. A test which puts him in the bed of Alysa Barry, one of Chromefield’s most desirable women, and Dean Harding, jealous fiancé and government official. Logan only agrees to give them his body, but the resulting three-way bond thaws his solitary heart and inside just might be the key to saving the planet…if only they can convince him to stay.

Reader advisory: This book contains scenes with same-gender sex.

Ellora's Cave has also contracted Madison's At Long Last, Love, a story that has a little bit of magic in it.

Journeying to the back of beyond to claim the inheritance left by his great-aunt, Tyler Morrison never expects to find hot, sizzling passion with a woman whose touch scorches him, who makes him ache like no one has before.

Elise longs for love, and she believes she has found it in Tyler, who delights in bringing her to the heights and soaring with her. Night after night, in the darkness where magic has the most potency, they indulge their insatiable appetites and satisfy their lusts. Yet, Elise harbors a deep secret, a secret that has the power to destroy the very thing she has ever wanted…

Available Books

Works in Progress

Madison's and Kai's and Afton's Works in Progress, with details on the progress. Like, where is it now? Is it still being written? What's the status? Has it been contracted? Once it's been contracted, it'll be taken off this list in the next newsletter.

Madison's WIP:

Passion's Fire - a woman's journey toward passion and fire

For Revision

Sex Quartet & Sex Medley (Books 2 & 3 of the Musical Aphrodisiac series)

Still Plotting

Psychic Seduction (sequel to the newly contracted Psychic Heat)

Still Plotting

The Diamond Trap (sequel to Perhaps Love in the Gem Immortal Series)

Still Writing