• Book Release,  Christmas or Holiday,  Gay or MM

    Once Upon a Blizzard by Lisabet Sarai @LisabetSarai #RLFblog #NewRelease #SecondChanceRomance #HolidayRomance

    Once upon a Blizzard by Lisabet Sarai @LisabetSarai #RLFblog #NewRelease #SecondChanceRomance #HolidayRomanceA mistletoe kiss rekindles an old spark in Lisabet Sarai’s second chance holiday romance Once upon a Blizzard. Suzanne finds some things do indeed get better with age, but when her high school crush Gino rescues her from a blizzard, she discovers that she’s not the only love in his life

    Lisabet, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! Please tell us about Once upon a Blizzard.

    Once Upon a Blizzard by Lisabet Sarai

    Genre MMF second chance holiday romance
    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): R/NC

    No electricity. No water. Plenty of heat.

    Suzanne and Gino have a history going back to high school, but for more than a decade the workaholic CEO has been thousands of miles from her New England home town.
    A mistletoe kiss at a Christmas party rekindles the old spark and Suzanne finds some things do indeed get better with age. When Gino rescues her from a blizzard, though, she discovers that she’s not the only love in his life. Gino shares his bed and his colonial-era farm house with taciturn painter Harris Steele.
    Snowed in with two lusty men who truly seem to care, she wonders why she’s so determined to return to her lonely West Coast life. Is there really a chance for a holiday happy ending?

    Note: this book was previously published by Totally Entwined with the title Almost Home. It has been revised and re-edited for this edition.

    Why did you write this book?

    For the past two decades I’ve resided in the tropics of Southeast Asia, but before we moved here, my husband and I lived in a rural town in the Pioneer Valley of western Massachusetts. The region offers fantastic natural beauty, wonderful local food, and a culture of easy-going individualism that suited us well. However, it also requires a certain level of fortitude from its inhabitants. One spends a significant amount of time and effort dealing with the environment: battling undergrowth, pulling weeds, raking leaves, shoveling snow, cleaning gutters, installing or removing storm windows and snow tires, checking the anti-freeze in the radiator and the oil in the furnace tank, storing summer clothing while exhuming winter garb and vice versa, catching and evicting mice and squirrels, and so on. Folks in the Pioneer Valley have to be tough.

    New England winters are not as cold as some parts of the U.S., like Wisconsin or Minnesota, but they’re far less predictable. I can remember sixty degree weather on Christmas Eve in some years, temperatures below zero in others. Ice storms are a real menace; one year an ice-laded bough snapped off one of our trees and thoroughly crushed the roof of my car. Then there was the morning I skidded on a snowy road on my way to work and rammed into a tree, crumpling the front end like tin foil. Scary indeed.

    No, New England was not for the faint of heart. After the easy life here in Asia, I can’t imagine ever going back.

    Nevertheless, I have incredibly vivid memories of New England’s unique charms and I do find myself becoming nostalgic. One of the joys of being a writer that I can channel this nostalgia into my stories.

    Once Upon a Blizzard draws heavily from my own experience. The farm house occupied by Gino and Harris is based on the home of our close neighbor (although they didn’t have a hot tub in their back yard). The crispness of the winter air, the clarity of the winter sky, the distant clank of the snow plows when they finally arrive – I’ve been there.

    The strangely freeing experience of being snowed in, without electricity, heat or running water is something I remember well. It’s almost like a holiday. Time is suspended. You’re forced to let go. You’ll get dug out, eventually. You’re not that worried, because of course you’re prepared with wood for the fireplace, propane for the stove, candles and flash lights. That’s just how New Englanders are.

    My heroine in Once Upon a Blizzard grew up in the Pioneer Valley, but she has been working in Silicon Valley for a decade. In writing this story I was rediscovering, with her, the special magic of New England.

    What is your favorite genre to read?

    When I read for pleasure, I like variety. So I’m partial to many genres: science fiction, historical fiction, paranormal/urban fantasy, mysteries and of course romance and erotica.

    Who is your favorite character from fiction (not including your own)?

    I’m sure my answer to this question would vary from one day to the next. Some likely candidates include Sherlock Holmes and Jane Eyre.

    What are you working on at the moment?

    I am within one chapter of finishing The Master’s Mark, the third volume in my erotic steampunk trilogy The Toymaker’s Guild. I’ve been working on this book since the beginning of 2022. I very much hope to finish it before the New Year’s ball drops in Time Square!

    What books will we see from you in coming months?

    My plan is to release The Master’s Mark on January 31, 2023, which is my birthday – actually a very significant one. After that, I have plans for a third volume in my Elemental Passions series, which includes Hot Spell and Rough Weather. I also will be revisiting the Las Vegas setting of my Vegas Babes series, bringing together two characters from two different story worlds — by reader request!

    In addition, I’ll be reclaiming the rights and republishing a number of my romance works in 2023. RLF readers will probably be most excited by the reboot of my paranormal erotic romance The Eyes of Bast, a rather unusual shifter story.

    Once upon a Blizzard by Lisabet Sarai @LisabetSarai #RLFblog #NewRelease #SecondChanceRomance #HolidayRomance

    Where to buy Once upon a Blizzard

    Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BPMPZ7NG
    Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/once-upon-a-blizzard-lisabet-sarai/1142821106
    iBooks https://books.apple.com/us/book/x/id6445045725
    Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/once-upon-a-blizzard
    Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1263368
    Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/65004121-once-upon-a-blizzard
    Kinky Literature https://kinkyliterature.com/book/906-once-upon-a-blizzard-a-bisexual-holiday-romance/

    Lisabet Sarai Social Media

    Lisabet Sarai became addicted to words at an early age. She began reading when she was four. She wrote her first story at five years old and her first poem at seven. Since then, she has penned plays, tutorials, scholarly articles, marketing brochures, software specifications, self-help books, press releases, a five-hundred page dissertation, and lots of erotica and erotic romance – over one hundred titles, and counting, in nearly every sub-genre—paranormal, scifi, ménage, BDSM, GLBT, and more. Regardless of the genre, every one of her stories illustrates her motto: Imagination is the ultimate aphrodisiac.
    Website https://www.lisabetsarai.com
    Blog https://lisabetsarai.blogspot.com
    Twitter https://www.twitter.com/LisabetSarai
    Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/lisabetsarai/beyond-romance-blog-posts/
    Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/83387.Lisabet_Sarai
    BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/lisabet-sarai
    Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/author/lisabetsarai
    Get to know Lisabet Sarai better by signing up for her email list: https://btn.ymlp.com/xgjjhmhugmghbsp;

  • Character Sketch,  Contemporary,  Erotic

    Read the Contemporary Romance One Woman Only by Dee S Knight @DeeSKnight #RLFblog #Romance

    Read the Contemporary Romance One Woman Only by Dee S Knight @DeeSKnight #RLFblog #romance

    In Dee S. Knight’s One Woman Only, Jonah Goodman meets the high school sweetheart he left behind. Can he convince her to give him a second chance?

    Welcome Jonah Goodman from One Woman Only, a contemporary erotic romance.

    Jonah Goodman from One Woman Only

    Age: 36
    Gender: Male
    Birthplace: Lucky Strike, North Carolina
    Profession: Mechanic

    Please provide a physical description of yourself.

    I’m one of a set of identical triplets, though I think I’m probably the best looking of the bunch. 😉 We all have hazel eyes and black hair. Mine probably needs a trim and I’m sure I need a shave (the ladies seem to like a little scruff, you know?). I’m 6 feet two inches and I’m pretty muscular—have to be for my job, which is auto mechanic, often on the NASCAR circuit. I’m most often found in flannel shirts or tees, and rough jeans, though I can dress up when required—but I have to be required.

    Please tell us a little about yourself.

    My brothers and I grew up with super loving parents, though a bit unconditional. My mom is a former stripper and Dad “borrowed” a bit of money from the bank where he worked when money was tight. It takes a lot to raise three boys! But for the past 28 years or so, my mom has only taken off her clothes for Dad and Dad paid his debt to society long, long ago. For all their love and good intentions, they never married, though. So growing up in our small Bible Belt town was a little hard on me and my brothers. Daniel and Mark found their peace in books and math and I’m proud as hell of the men they grew up to be. I found my way in sports (and fighting the bullies when needed), and beneath the hood of a car. They got their PhD degrees and I got my GED, but hey, we all ended up doing what we love.

    Everyone thinks that I couldn’t care less about responsibility or commitment, but even I surprised myself when I filed for and was granted four patents for new car part innovations, and (get this!) starting setting crossword puzzles for the NASCAR programs. No one knows about any of that, though, and they don’t need to. I’m cool with their impressions of me—except for Kelly Shepherd. I wish she knew me well enough to see through the façade to the whole of who I am.

    Who is the significant other in your life?

    Kelly Shepherd. Damn, what a fine woman she grew into! Strawberry blond hair, big green eyes, and a figure that won’t quit. I fell in love with her when we were in junior high and then screwed up royally at the beginning of our senior year. When I left her high and dry—left my family and town, actually—she never forgave me. It probably ever would have worked anyway. Her family was the richest, most powerful in town and mine…wasn’t. But now, eighteen years after I made the biggest mistake of my life, we have a second chance at seeing what might have been had the stars aligned.

    How educated is this character? Is he book smart, self-taught, widely-experienced?

    Jonah never did particularly well in school, but the man is a genius when it comes to cars, engines, and motors of any kind. He’s self-taught, although he did learn form is dad when he was young, and his Uncle Zeb when he left home and moved in with his uncle in Darlington, South Carolina. He became so accomplished, NASCAR teams seek him out routinely.

    Does he scrape by, live comfortably, live extravagantly?

    Jonah has a doublewide trailer on five acres of his uncle’s property. Outside it looks like a regular old doublewide, but inside he’s tricked it out to have a chef’s kitchen, heated floors, the most modern bathroom seen anywhere, and other creature comforts. The house is kind of like Jonah himself—deceptively simple outside but much more than expectations inside.

    What special skills does your character rely on?

    He’s a pretty good BS thrower—part of his charm. He can talk the ladies into most anything, but lately he’s felt the need for a lot more then racing groupies can provide. And once he sees Kelly again, he knows what he wants. Getting her onto his team will take skills he hasn’t used in a while, though. Other than that, his compulsion to meet the challenges he finds in cars is a skill of sorts. It’s gotten him four patents and the chance to make it big.

    Is he close to family?

    He’s very close to his parents and especially close to his uncle, who is the most like Jonah in temperament and interests. Zeb owns a garage where Jonah works when he’s not on the NASCAR circuit for a season, and he has a house on a piece of Zeb’s land. The two spend a lot of time together. Jonah is not so close to his brothers, but mainly because they all live at a distance from each other. Mark and Daniel have always been the scholars and the serious brothers. Jonah feels very different.

    How do others perceive your character based upon looks? How true is this assumption?

    He is a good looking devil, and that’s the truth. When women see him, they think he’d be great in bed and a fine catch. Only the former is true because Jonah has never stayed with one woman long enough to be a “catch.” When men see him, they thing he’s a guy’s guy and would be great to have a few beers with. Both would be true.

    If someone from your character’s past showed up, who would he most want it to be, and why? OR who would he most NOT want it to be, and why?

    He would NOT want to see Kelly Shepherd. In fact, he’s managed to avoid seeing her for the past eighteen years, ever since he dropped her off after the homecoming dance their senior year. Now however, at his parents’ wedding, his past is slamming into his present, and he can’t avoid Kelly any longer.

    Can your hero keep a secret? If not, why not? If yes, why?

    Yes. For eighteen years he’s kept the secret of why he dropped out of school and left home after homecoming. No one knew—not his brothers, or parents, or even Kelly. He never said anything mostly out of embarrassment but also to protect Kelly’s reputation.

    What is your hero’s breaking point?

    When Jonah did everything possible to prove he was a good man and someone Kelly could rely on, she still wouldn’t give him her trust. That was when he reached the point where he wasn’t ready to do more.

    How emotionally expressive is your character to others?

    Everyone thinks Jonah is the brother who shows no responsibility or commitment but of the three boys, he’s the one who has stayed in touch with the others more. He’s emotionally involved with his uncle and sensitive to how his uncle feels after the death of his wife. Jonah especially shows emotion with Daniel’s new stepson, and with children in general.

    About Your Writer: Questions for your character to answer about you.

    To honor the person who chose to share your story, please answer these questions.

    Why do you think your writer chose to write about you?

    Well, I am the most interesting of the Goodman brothers. I work on cars—some of the fanciest and slickest cars around—and on NASCAR teams, with all that entails. My brothers teach school and do something with math. God only knows what, exactly. So, who would you rather write about? Dee chose the right brother!

    What do you wish your writer had not told others about you?

    That I’ve finally reached that point in life where I’m lonely and wanting… Just wanting. A guy who has the privilege to do what I do should be happy with life as it is, not longing for something more to fill a void. Nosy Dee could have kept my loneliness to herself.

    When your writer is writing about you, what do you think makes your writer the most happy? What makes your writer the most sad?

    Happiest: That I decided to go after Kelly for real and also after the biggest prize in my career. There was no holding me back.

    Saddest: That I let pride and fear hold me back from doing those two things sooner.

    Why do you think your writer loves to write?

    She’s a damn control freak and likes taking charge of her characters’ lives. It’s a power play, but a power play over make believe people in her head. How sad is that?

    What do you wish your writer would write next?

    A book on automotive history. Or maybe how NASCAR started. But I don’t have much hope for either.

    What other character from your book do you think your writer should write a book about? Care to tell us why?

    Mark. He’s my bona fide genius of a brother. No one in the family really understands what he does so if she wrote his story maybe we’d find out.

    Is there anything you’d like to say to your writer?

    Good job, Dee! Thanks for giving me my heart’s desire.

    Where to buy One Woman Only

    Publisher Nomad Authors Publishing
    Amazon KU https://mybook.to/OneWomanOnly

    Dee S Knight Social Media

    A few years ago, Dee S Knight began writing, making getting up in the morning fun. During the day, her characters killed people, fell in love, became drunk with power, or sober with responsibility. And they had sex, lots of sex. Writing was so much fun Dee decided to keep at it. That’s how she spends her days. Her nights? Well, she’s lucky that her dream man, childhood sweetheart, and long-time hubby are all the same guy, and nights are their secret. For romance ranging from sweet to historical, contemporary to paranormal and more join Dee on Nomad Authors.
    Website https://nomadauthors.com
    Blog http://nomadauthors.com/blog
    Twitter http://twitter.com/DeeSKnight
    Facebook https://www.facebook.com/DeeSKnight2018
    Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/265222.Dee_S_Knight
    Amazon http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B079BGZNDN
    Newsletter https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/h8t2y6
    LinkedIn http://linkedin.com/in/dee-s-knight-0500749

     

  • Character Interviews,  Know the Heroine,  Paranormal

    Know Rowena from The Holiday Mermaid by Alice Renaud @alicerauthor #RLFblog #ParanormalRomance #PNR

    Know Rowena from The Holiday Mermaid by Alice Renaud @alicerauthor #RLFblog #ParanormalRomance #PNRRowena broke Adam’s heart when she left him without a word in Alice Renaud’s paranormal romance The Holiday Mermaid. Now it’s almost Christmas, and she’s back… but she has webbed hands and feet, and a tail! Can Adam and Rowena put their past behind them and build a future together?

    Alice, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! We’re excited to find out more about your heroine, but first, tell us about The Holiday Mermaid.

    The Holiday Mermaid by Alice Renaud

    Genre paranormal romance
    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): R

    Adam fell for surfer girl Rowena the second he saw her. But just as their summer fling was becoming serious, she left him without any explanation. Now, with Christmas just a few days away, she’s back… and Adam discovers that she’s a shape-shifting mermaid, from a Clan that hates humans. Can he love her as she is? Can she brave her family to be with Adam for good, not just for Christmas?

    Know Rowena from The Holiday Mermaid

    Here are some fun questions to help us know your heroine.

    It’s late, she’s bored. What does she do?

    She goes for a swim. There’s always some fish to chase or a dolphin to chat to.

    What kind of food would she impulse buy if hungry?

    Fresh seafood. Oysters, shrimp, mussels… raw or cooked she loves them all.

    Describe the kind of clothes she prefers to wear.

    As little as possible. Clothes are a hindrance when you’re a shape shifting mermaid, they make the transformation more difficult.

    Does she know how to fix things?

    Yes, as long as it’s something related to a boat or the sea. She can repair a fishing net in minutes, but don’t ask her to change a plug or fix a car engine. She’s never driven in her life, and she spent most of her life underwater until she met Adam.

    She tried to do something and it went badly. Tell us about it.

    She was always attracted to the human world. One summer, she took advantage of the fact that her uncle and cousins were away to visit a human village on the coast. She met a young local man, Adam, and was immediately drawn to him. She thought she could have a summer fling, and then go back to her life as a dutiful mermaid of the Regor Clan. But she fell in love. She left Adam without a word or a note, because she couldn’t tell him the truth… but couldn’t bear to lie to him.

    How does she act around children she doesn’t know?

    She loves children. She is warm and playful with them. She finds it easier to relate to human children than to adults. She would love to have children of her own one day.

    What is she like first thing in the morning?

    Bright and sparky and ready to go, to catch the morning tide!

    How does she act around people who don’t know what she is?

    She is always on her guard, for fear of betraying her secret. Shape-shifting mermaids and mermen are supposed to keep their true nature hidden from humans.

    Will she let a worker handle things or do it herself?

    She’d have to let a worker handle things if it was something she didn’t have a clue about – like human inventions such as cars or electricity. But she prefers to do things herself when she can. She was brought up to work hard and be self-sufficient, as her parents died young and she was brought up mostly by her stern and traditional uncle, Rhys, leader of the Regor Clan.

    Earrings/piercings/tattoos or unadorned skin?

    Mermaids in the Regor Clan don’t wear jewelry or tattoos until they get married.

    Personal vehicle or public transport?

    In the human world, public transport. But she likes her surfboard best of all.

    Recycle or toss?

    Recycle. Mermen and mermaids love the sea and the coast and do everything in their power to keep them clean.

    Thanks for helping us get to know your heroine!

    Where to buy The Holiday Mermaid

    Publisher https://blackvelvetseductions.com
    Amazon https://amzn.to/3DYdQNE

    Alice Renaud Social Media

    Alice lives in London, UK, with her husband and son. By day she’s a compliance manager for a pharmaceutical company. By night she writes fantasy romance about shape-shifting mermen, water monsters, and time-traveling witches. Her Sea of Love fantasy romance series is inspired by the landscapes and legends of Brittany and Wales. Both the series and the third book, Mermaids Marry in Green, won their categories in the Paranormal Romance Guild Reviewer’s Choice Award 2020. Alice has also contributed short stories for the BVS anthologies “Mystic Desire,” “Desire Me Again,” “Cowboy Desire,” “Rainbow Desire,” and “Dark Desire”. Alice loves reading and writing stories, and sharing them with anyone who’s interested!

    Website https://nomadauthors.com/alicerenaud/alicebooks.html
    Twitter https://twitter.com/alicerauthor
    Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AliceRenaudAuthorRomance/
    Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18670218.Alice_Renaud
    BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/alice-renaud
    Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Alice-Renaud/e/B07L52P17B
    Get to know Alice Renaud better by signing up for her email newsletter. Be first to get freebies! Deals! And latest news! Hot and steamy! Soft and tender! Romance you will love! Become an Insider, sign up to our newsletter. https://blackvelvetseductions.com/?page_id=2472

     

  • Military

    Read Hidden Identity by Evelyn Jeannie Hall @JeannieHallAuth #Military #Romance #RLFblog

    Read Hidden Identity by Evelyn Jeannie Hall @JeannieHallAuth #Military #Romance #RLFblogShe’s my job, my security detail. So why does our fake relationship feel so real?

    Evelyn Jeannie Hall, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! Please tell us about Hidden Identity

    Hidden Identity by Evelyn Jeannie Hall

    Genre military asset

    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): R

    Tate

    I’ve done the whole protecting of assets gig before. This specific asset, Zoey (AKA Leigh Ann Prentiss), is the former lover of one of the most insidious drug lords in history. Despite that lover being dead, her choice to testify about the internal workings of his cartel remains dangerous.

    As a U.S. Marshal, I know the FBI has done its best to track down any members who might have survived, but that’s never an exact science. Ensuring Zoey and her four sons’ safety is up to my team and me, and since on paper, I’ll be seen as her spouse, most of that responsibility is mine.

    Too bad I didn’t factor falling for her into the equation.

    Zoey

    When I initially entered the WITSEC program, I knew starting a new life wouldn’t be easy. It’s difficult to raise my boys in a location so different from what they’ve always known, even if it is the only option for us to stay together.

    One thing I never could’ve predicted are my feelings for our handler, Tate Rylan. Unlike most men I’ve known, he’s considerate, kind, and respectful. Yet deciding whether to fight my attraction or give in to it is challenging.

    Whatever path I choose, I know any relationship we might have can’t possibly last.

    Will Zoey and Tate determine that loving each other is worth the risk, even temporarily? Or will these feelings become a distraction that could prove fatal for all involved?

    Where to buy Hidden Identity

    Amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B69CQ9RW
    Apple https://books.apple.com/us/book/hidden-identity/id6444913094
    Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hidden-identity-evelyn-jeannie-hall/1142797512?ean=2940167008168
    Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/hidden-identity-12
    Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1186915

    Evelyn Jeannie Hall Social Media

    Evelyn Jeannie Hall specializes in cinnamon roll heroes. Whether self-made billionaires, members of law enforcement or more, if you’re into men who are tough yet endearing, then you’ve come to the right place. They’re all scrumptiously hot, sincerely protective, seriously sweet, yet willing and able to turn up the heat to the steamiest of levels.
    Website https://linktr.ee/EvelynJeannieHallAuthor
    Twitter https://twitter.com/JeannieHallAuth
    Facebook https://Facebook.com/evelynjeanniehallauthor
    Facebook Author steamy story group https://facebook.com/groups/158998342999629/
    Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/EvelynJeannieHallAuthor
    Instagram https://www.Instagram.com/EvelynJeanniehallauthor
    Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21626993.Evelyn_Jeannie_Hall
    BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/evelyn-jeannie-hall
    Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Evelyn-Jeannie-Hall/e/B0939MWP5D
    Get to know Evelyn Jeannie Hall better by signing up for an email newsletter https://sendfox.com/EvelynJeannieHallAuthor

  • Bucket List,  Gay or MM

    Bucket list of Lionel Hawkes, from The Devil’s Saturnalia by Alexa Piper @ProwlingPiper #RLFblog #MMRomance

    Bucket list of Lionel Hawkes, from The Devil's Saturnalia by Alexa Piper @ProwlingPiper #RLFblog #MMRomanceIn wintry Scotland, everyone’s favorite necromancer and police consultant, Lionel, finds a case to solve, except the investigation doesn’t go as planned. Meanwhile, Lucifer, the Devil, has plans to enjoy the holiday season with his necromantic boyfriend in Alexa Piper’s latest installment of the Hellbound series.

    Let’s meet Lionel from The Devil’s Saturnalia. Welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! Please tell us about The Devil’s Saturnalia.

    The Devil’s Saturnalia by Alexa Piper

    Genre MM Romance, MM urban fantasy romance
    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): R

    While in Scotland for Lionel’s magic training with Hades, a murder case compels the Devil and his necromancer to stick around a little longer. Lionel, who still cannot control his demigod magic properly, doesn’t mind a murder investigation, because that is something a necromantic police consultant like himself knows how to handle.

    Except, the investigation doesn’t go at all as Lionel thought it would. And when he decides he wants to open up to Lucifer, finally, that doesn’t go exactly as Lionel had feared either, but some surprises are good surprises, especially when Saturnalia is just around the corner.

    Lucifer is delighted. He has his boyfriend, who finally opens up, and his boyfriend is all his, at least through the holidays. That much attention is exactly what Lucifer loves, and the holiday season would be entirely perfect — if it weren’t for an old enemy who is out for vengeance.

    When someone dies, we say they “kicked the bucket.” Therefore, a list of things that a person wants to accomplish, places to go, situations to experience, and so on have become known as a “Bucket List.”

    Age: twenty-five.

    Gender: male

    Birthplace: Millsbury Central, at least that what it says on my birth certificate.

    Profession: necromantic police consultant

    Ethnicity: I have Greek heritage. Minoan, actually.

    Species (for scifi/fantasy characters): I do have immortal in my parentage, so let’s say half-human.

    Please provide a physical description of yourself.

    Uhm, I’m pretty average. Light brown eyes, reddish-brown hair. I like wearing black, and not just because I’m a necromancer. The color suits me.

    Please tell us a little about yourself.

    As I said, I’m a necromancer, which means I’m a rare type of magic user. I work as a police consultant. I have a boyfriend, who happens to be the Devil. It was his idea that I talk to you today. Interviews aren’t really my thing, you know.

    Who is the significant other in your life?

    Lucifer, the Devil.

    If you haven’t made a bucket list before, perhaps now would be a good time. Who knows? It might inspire another book. While you’re at it, how about telling us about some of your other favorite things? Here are the questions.

    What is your birth order?

    I… I’m not sure. I don’t think I have any siblings. I grew up in an orphanage, you know.

    Tell us about your favorite toy as a child.

    I remember there was an old doll I liked for a long time. I gave it away when this new kid came in. She was crying and crying, and so I gave her the doll. I guess it helped, because she never let it out of her sight and took it with her when she was adopted.

    Describe your favorite food and how it’s prepared.

    I really like whatever Metatron gets up to in the kitchen, but her strawberry tarts are to-die-for. I have no idea how she makes them, and I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s magic involved.

    Tell us about your best friend.

    I guess… I get along well with Christine Rice. She’s my supervisor at the police station, but I do consider her a friend.

    What are two places you would like to visit before you die, and why?

    I never thought about that. In terms of magical history, there are lots of interesting places in Europe that I’d like to see, but I don’t exactly have a list. But maybe I’d start with Prague. The Chymical Street there is supposed to be one of the first, and I’d like to see it. From what I know, some of the stores there have been run continuously for several hundred years.

    Where is a place you would never like to return, and why?

    I could name a few crime scenes. One was a basement, and I was there for a while. Not really very long. I’d be fine going back, you know, I just don’t want to.

    Who is someone you would like to meet, and why?

    I don’t follow celebrities, but with the Devil being my boyfriend, there are a few gods I’d like to meet. I’ve been hearing a lot of funny stories about Loki and his misadventures, so maybe him.

    Who is someone you would like to avoid, and why?

    I don’t like talking to the department shrink, Dr. Lesker, but he keeps finding me somehow, and I think my boyfriend and Dr. Lesker are plotting to make me go to therapy.

    If you could time travel to any date, what would it be, and what would you do there?

    Hmm. I know that one! I’m not sure how long ago that would have been, but I would just want to see that burning river in the underworld from which my Lucifer was born. I think that would be so cool. Oh, or better yet, I’d time travel to wherever I could sit down with Bram Stoker, and I’d ask him to sign a copy of Dracula for Lucy.

    Meet Alexa Piper

    Why did you choose this character for the interview today?

    In case you hadn’t noticed, around here, it’s the Devil who decides things. Lucy told Lionel it was his time to get interviewed.

    When writing the book, what did you discover about this character that surprised you?

    I didn’t know a lot about Lionel at first. Basically, his entire backstory, his parentage, all of that was a surprise.

    Why should readers who haven’t picked up one of your books before give this one a try?

    It turns into a really sweet love story, even if it doesn’t look like that from the start. Oh, and it’s pretty steamy.

    Is there anything you’d like to say to your readers?

    Lucy and Nelly will return!

    Where to buy The Devil’s Saturnalia

    Publisher https://www.changelingpress.com/the-devil-s-saturnalia-hellbound-6-b-3439
    Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BLP91LWK
    Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-devils-saturnalia-alexa-piper/1142632757
    iBooks https://books.apple.com/us/book/id6444258367
    Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-devil-s-saturnalia

    Alexa Piper Social Media

    Alexa Piper writes steamy romance that ranges from light to dark, from straight to queer. She’s also a coffee addict. Alexa loves writing stories that make her readers laugh and fall in love with the characters in them.
    Website: https://alexapiper.com/
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/ProwlingPiper
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/255026848996374
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piperthewriter/
    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@alexapiperwriter
    Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14017396.Alexa_Piper
    BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/alexa-piper
    Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Alexa-Piper/e/B010EFQIRY
    Get to know Alexa Piper better by signing up for an email newsletter: https://alexapiper.us4.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=ff9c4810ddb3c68da564c6a92&id=3585441fba

     

  • Character Interviews,  Christmas or Holiday

    Get the inside scoop on Carol Hawkins from A Reluctant Santa by Adriana Kraft @AdrianaKraft #RLFblog #Romance #MatureHeroine

    Get the inside scoop on Carol Hawkins from A Reluctant Santa by Adriana Kraft @AdrianaKraft #RLFblog #Romance #MatureHeroineAdriana Kraft’s new erotic romance release, A Reluctant Santa, features a pair of very practical fifty-year-olds who look like they might never get it together. But when they finally do, look out! You won’t want to miss their story.

    Adriana, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! Please tell us about A Reluctant Santa.

    A Reluctant Santa by Adriana Kraft

    Genre: Erotic Romance

    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): Three Flames/R

    Is it ever too late to find happiness?

    They’re in their fifties. Grief-stricken (her) and battle scarred (him) from their previous loves, they don’t want to risk more heartbreak, ever. They’ll have to take it slow, talk it through, test the waters carefully. Can they make it happen at this speed, get it done in a short story, and reap the benefits of sizzling sex at their age? Why not?

    Insider Information about Carol Hawkins

    Welcome! We’d like to know more about you. Please add info you’re comfortable sharing.

    Nickname: I’ve never had one

    Age: fifty

    Gender: female

    Birthplace: St. Paul, Minnesota

    Profession: retail store manager

    Please provide a physical description of yourself.

    I’m average height, about five foot four, and I work very hard to stay in shape. At fifty, I want to look forward to a future of staying active, if at all possible. I don’t especially think of myself as pretty, but I do feel good about how I look. Blue eyes. My hair used to be a soft brown, but now it’s mostly a silvery gray, not quite shoulder length. I do keep a fashionable cut – I work in the fashion industry.

    What are your pronouns?

    She/her. I know that lots of people my age are upset about all the options that seem to be available now, but I think people should feel free to be who they know themselves to be. Good for them.

    What is your middle name?

    I’ve never had one.

    How well does your name fit your personality?

    Interesting question. What’s funny is, even though I’m not very religious, I do have a big thing for Christmas – decorations, Santa, and especially caroling, so maybe the name “Carol” fits more than I knew. I’m part of a choral quintet, five women, and we carol at hospitals and nursing homes during the Christmas season. Oh, and when I was little, I always wanted to be one of Santa’s elves.

    Do you believe in love at first sight?

    No. It could happen, I suppose, but it hasn’t happened to me. I had a pretty wild time in my early college years, but ended up pregnant my second year, even though both he and I thought we’d taken all the necessary precautions. I liked him a lot, and we decided we’d rather marry and raise the baby than any other alternative. I truly did come to love him, but it wasn’t the kind of moment they write about in romance novels. Which I don’t read much of. I have to add I really miss him, a lot – he died six years ago, unexpectedly, of a heart attack. I guess I’ll add that our wild times in bed didn’t ever stop, in twenty-five years of marriage. He’ll be a hard act to follow. Oops, no pun intended!

    What is your MBTI type?

    I once had to take that test for a work group exercise – I think we were team building or something. Turns out I’m an ESTJ. I like to be with people, it feeds me. I’m very practical. I absolutely make decisions based on what I can observe and what I think/reason about it, and yes, once I decide something, I like to stick with it. Sometimes I find it hard to change gears if I get different information or somehow learn I’ve been wrong. I do try to be gracious when that happens, but it’s a challenge.

    What is your astrological sign?

    It’s funny you should ask that – I just told you how practical I am. I don’t believe in that stuff. But I do happen to know what my sign is. As a mid-January baby, I’m a Capricorn. My best friend, Sue, gave me a surprise birthday party last winter when I turned fifty, and she had something about Capricorn at the party. Apparently I’m a perfect example: think before I act, look at the practical sides of everything, very sensible. So maybe there’s something to it!

    Favorites:

    Smell: lilac. It’s both springtime and home for me. We had a huge hedge of them where I grew up.
    Color: Gold. Not that I wear it much, I don’t think it especially flatters me, but to have gold things feels luxurious, so I use it a lot in my décor.
    Taste: I’m not sure I have a favorite. I mostly avoid desserts, so I suppose chocolate or caramel would be special treats.
    Sound: choral singing, voices singing in harmony.
    Texture: silk

    Can you:

    Swim? Yes
    Use chopsticks? Why? My knife, fork, and spoon are quite sufficient. Practical, I might add.
    Roller skate? Yes
    Ski? Yes, cross country, do so lots every winter. A nearby golf course sets up trails.
    Fly a plane? No, and no desire to.
    Ride a horse? Have done so. Not at the top of my list.

    If you could choose a theme song to play when you entered a scene, which one of the following would fit best:

    Uplifting and breezy

    That’s not always my mood, but it’s what I aim for. Maybe that’s part of why I love the Christmas season so much. That music always lifts my mood.

    Which would your author choose for you? My author knows me pretty well, I think she’d agree. Guess I have to say “they’d” agree, since my author is a husband/wife team.

    What color best describes you?

    A soft blue – not a baby blue, and not a somber blue, either. Hmm, I had to go look up names of blue shades, and it turns out it’s called Carolina Blue. My author’s college rival…

    Who is the one person who can convince you to do something you know you shouldn’t?

    Sue really is my best friend. She’s always pushing me to branch out, try new things, make sure I don’t turn into a stick in the mud. So if I ever did something I know I shouldn’t, she’d be the guilty party. But I’m so practical I suspect it’s unlikely.

    Get the inside scoop on Carol Hawkins from A Reluctant Santa by Adriana Kraft @AdrianaKraft #RLFblog #Romance #MatureHeroine

    Where to buy A Reluctant Santa

    Publisher https://www.extasybooks.com/coming-soon/A-Reluctant-Santa
    Universal Buy Link https://books2read.com/u/3RzZzD
    Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BLSB5DKS/

    Adriana Kraft Social Media

    Adriana Kraft is the pen name for a married pair of retired professors writing erotic romance together. We like to think we’ve broken the mold for staid, fusty academics, and we hope lots of former profs are enjoying life as much as we are.
    Having lived in many states across the Midwest, we now make our home in southern Arizona, where we enjoy hiking, golf, and travel, especially to the many Arizona Native American historical sites.
    Together we have published more than fifty romance novels and novellas to outstanding reviews. Whether readers open our romantic suspense or our erotic romance, they can expect characters they care about, hot sex scenes, and a compelling story.
    Website https://adrianakraft.com
    Blog https://adrianakraft.com/blog
    Twitter https://twitter.com/AdrianaKraft
    Facebook https://www.facebook.com/adriana.kraft.5
    Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kraftadriana/
    Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1578571.Adriana_Kraft
    BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/adriana-kraft
    Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/author/adrianakraft
    Get to know Adriana Kraft better by signing up for an email newsletter: Readers receive a free download of Adriana Kraft’s erotic romance novella Cherry Tune-Up for signing up. https://storyoriginapp.com/giveaways/176747f2-3215-11ea-88c9-df32d0107552