Gabriella Hewitt – Out of the Shadows Blog Tour

I am off to the Authors After Dark Conference today and want to thank my good friend and fellow author Gabriella Hewitt for helping me out by dropping by today to discuss her latest novel! But before Gabriella spills all about her latest release, please remember that on August 11 at 9 pm I’ll be having a live video event with Rachel Kramer Bussel. We’ll be chatting about OBSESSED: EROTIC ROMANCE FOR WOMEN which is Rachel’s latest release. You can click here or use this link – http://t.wbx.me/f8qgs – to come and watch and ask questions, plus there will be some fun prizes!

Without further ado, here’s Gabriella!

The fun part of writing OUT OF THE SHADOWS based on Aztec mythology was getting to do the research. Some of the things I found out had me smiling and heralding the Aztec culture. Other things had me cringing and shaking my head.

In a way, we are not so different than the Aztec people of the past. And in another way, we are completely different.

Here is a quick comparison list of how we are alike & different:

ALIKE: Aztecs liked to eat meat and tons of it. (Throw some steak on the BBQ any day)

DIFFERENT: Aztecs ate deer, rabbits, and dogs. (Sorry but chewing on Bambi, Thumper and Fido doesn’t sound tasty to today’s modern girl.)

ALIKE: Corn tortillas on the Go! The tortilla shells were a staple of food and young women made them as a right of passage. Warriors ate them fresh or carried them on long journeys because they kept well. (Ancient Taco Bell)

DIFFERENT: Aztecs worshipped corn. Yup, they even had a corn god named Cinteotl. According to About.com contributor, Austin Cline “During the festival of Hueytozoztli, “great watch,” Cinteotl was honored in order to encourage the growth of corn. First a procession of virgins would march to the Temple of Chicomecoatl, and then an impersonator would be sacrificed.” (Nice. Wonder how that would go over with the Dept. of Agriculture today?)

ALIKE: Chocolate! Chocolate! Chocolate! The Aztecs loved it as much as we do today. They ate it, drank it and used it as an aphrodisiac. (We’ve perfected it and made chocolate pens to write naughty messages on our lover’s body and then lick it off!!)

DIFFERENT: Chocolate was considered decadent and only for the rich. Today anyone can enjoy the delicious delicacy without fear of retribution from the gods. (If you’re really feeling rich, Hershey’s Amusement Park offers a chocolate infused mud bath. Now that sounds divine.)

In many ways we are alike and different. Definitely one thing is for certain, whether it is modern times or ancient times, Aztec Warriors are considered hot and sexy.

EXCERPT

A wolf’s howl pierced the desert silence, causing the animals to stir restlessly in their stalls. Wolves had been reintroduced into Arizona, but she had yet to see or hear one so close to her ranch. Was it an omen?

Carolina paused in her chores to stare out the open barn door into the gathering darkness.
For a moment, she let herself get caught up in the long, solitary note. It felt like a kindred spirit. She knew loneliness intimately. Only her loneliness did not come from the vast miles of the sun-parched Sonoran desert that surrounded her, but out of the necessity to protect her goddess, her land’s secret. As one of the few amongst her people to become a guardian, her choices were limited.

The one occasion she’d invested herself in another, he’d betrayed her. She’d foolishly placed her hope and trust in Billy and she’d paid a horrendous price. Her desire to find someone to share the workload, her joy and sadness, and the burden of her secret—just as her parents had done—had blinded her to the trap she’d walked into. By the time she understood what was happening, it was too late. Her parents were dead.

Her heart weighed heavy in her chest as if it had happened recently and not five years ago. The memory of her parents lingered too close to the surface today. This had been their land, their dream, and now it was hers to fight for. She’d vowed never to fail them again. Above her own needs came the higher purpose of protecting her goddess at all costs.

Her mare, Mariposa, snorted and reared up, pulling Carolina from her thoughts. The animals had been growing edgier with each passing minute. They sensed the evil that blew in with the warm desert breeze. She berated herself for not paying more attention to them.
Goose bumps prickled her skin. Her tattoo, a gift from the goddess, began a slow burn on her shoulder, a sure sign that evil was approaching. She felt the heat radiating through the fabric of her denim shirt. The last time she’d experienced the odd sensation, her world had fallen apart.

Cautiously, she turned her head, seeking the source.

Her breath came out in a gasp.

Less than ten feet away sat a magnificent gray wolf, watching her. Waiting.

OUT OF THE SHADOWS releases August 16th. You can pre-order it now at Samhain Publishing

About the author:

Gabriella Hewitt is the pen name of creative writing talents Sasha Tomaszycki and Patrizia M.J. Hayashi. Together they weave tales of romantic suspense and dangerously sensual paranormals. Check out the website www.GabriellaHewitt.com to find out about upcoming releases and events on their blog.

Discover Diane Escalera’s Dangerous Desire & Giveaway

Over ten years ago, Kensington Publishing launched the short-lived, but innovative, Encanto Latino romance line. The women who came together to write for that line formed the Encantadoras sisterhood. A sisterhood that has continued for many of us through the trials and tribulations of the publishing world.

That’s why it’s so exciting and joyful for me today to have with me Diane Escalera, one of my writing sisters. Diane is going to share with us her new release, DANGEROUS DESIRE, from Lyrical Press.

Please welcome Diane today! To help celebrate the release, I am offering up a $10 gift card and a copy of THE LOST to one lucky reader who leaves a comment by July 21, midnight PST (I want to give my California friends the time to post!)

About Diane Escalera

Born and raised in the Bronx, NY, I relocated to South Florida, a sultry paradise I instantly fell in love with. Unlike most authors, I didn’t know I was destined to write. In fact, I worked in banking for many years, but deep down knew that it wasn’t my dream job.

At the young age of thirty-five, my sister died of an illness. I realized the same thing could happen to me. There are no guarantees. I couldn’t waste another moment doing something I didn’t love.

Writing was one of my greatest joys when I was growing up. While still working at the bank, I decided to enroll in an intensive course where I learned everything I could about the craft. It didn’t take long before I left the bank to pursue a writing career.

Still living in South Florida, I’m married, have two children and a super cute Dachshund I can’t get enough of. I feel truly blessed to be able to share my stories. I only wish I could have shared them with my sister.

Dangerous Desire will be available on July 18th at Lyrical Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders, and Digital Bookstores everywhere. The Print Edition comes out in October.

Please visit www.DianeEscalera.com to learn more about my sexy tales. I love to interact with readers! “Like” my fan page at www.Facebook.com/DianeEscaleraOfficial. Follow me on www.Twitter.com/DianeEscalera.

DANGEROUS DESIRE Excerpt

In full view, Cruz stripped off his sweaty black tee and Sienna nearly had a heart attack. Jesus Christ. The men at her gym would’ve despised him.

Her eyes slowly drank him in. Good God. He had the sexiest bod she’d ever seen. Taut and tan, his muscles were chiseled in a way that gave his dimensions beautiful symmetry. Tori would’ve been impressed. She’d always preached about the importance of muscle balance. Some men took it to the extreme. Not Cruz. He sported a tapered waist with shredded abs, V-shaped torso, and arms that made her drool because, if she had to pick a favorite body part, arms were it.

He used the dirty shirt to dry sweat off his gorgeous frame. Her eyes followed his movements, stopping at the bulldog tattoo etched on his sculpted pec, with the word Marines below. He’d been in the service, a kickass Marine. How hot!

He busted her checking him out.

She yanked her eyes away. Jeez. Her face probably looked as red as it felt.

Holding up a fresh shirt, he shook it out a few times. The sound of fabric caught her attention. Her gaze slid that way again. Okay. Sound had nothing to do with it. She just had to look one more time. He pulled the shirt over his head. Terrific. Now he wore a white muscle shirt tailor-made for his ripped physique. The thing should’ve been outlawed.

Wearing a sly smirk, he combed his fingers through his short, spiky hair. Running down the inside of his arm below his rock-hard biceps, he had another tattoo, this one with five small Chinese symbols. What a unique spot for a tattoo, and unbelievably sexy, like everything else about him.

Even his name sounded hot.

He climbed into the driver’s seat and snapped his door shut. He didn’t look at her, but then, he didn’t have to. She knew he knew what kind of effect that little display had on her. Oh yeah. He had it written all over that smug face. He might be a soaking-wet dream she didn’t mind entertaining on a nightly basis, but she didn’t have to be so obvious.

Sienna grabbed her seatbelt and tried to latch it.

“Damn,” Cruz mumbled, as he watched her struggle with the belt. He turned on the ignition and flipped the air conditioning to the highest setting.

She looked at his face instead of his sinewy arm. It took willpower, because those arms really did it for her. “Is there a trick?” The mechanism wouldn’t click into place.

“I keep forgetting to get that thing checked,” he said. “Don’t usually carry passengers except for Roman.” He looked back at his dog and grinned. Roman sat on the bench seat patiently waiting to go bye-bye.

“It doesn’t work at all?” She preferred to wear a seatbelt, and not just because of the law. South Florida had some loony drivers.

“It just takes a little maneuvering,” he replied. “Let me give it a try.” He turned all that magnificence toward her and reached across her chest.

Holy crap, he was totally in her face, his delicious body stretched across her lap. She held her breath and pressed her back into the seat, felt his weight, smelled his soap and baby shampoo. Her every cell fell under his spell. She tried to find her voice. “Any luck?” she squeaked out.

They were eye-to-eye, his mouth so close that if she puckered her lips, that would be it. His gaze traveled downward. He tilted his head like he wanted to kiss her. Uh-oh. She hadn’t made out in years. She probably sucked at it by now. A magnetic intensity pulled her to him, and she had a feeling she’d relearn pretty quickly. Her body buzzed with sexual urgency. Not once in her life had she felt this consumed, this desperate to feel a man’s lips on hers.

Whew, is it hot in here or what? I hope you enjoyed Diane’s visit. Feel free to leave questions and comments for Diane and the giveaway.

Also, if you feel like chatting, I’ll be at the Writerspace chat room tonight at 9 pm EST. Stop by for some fun and prizes!

Guilty Pleasures Monday – Naughty Santa and a Visit Down Under

Imagine it’s the day after Christmas in the Carrera-Bradford household (Yes, Liliana is too modern to just drop her family name). After days of visits to their Irish and Mexican families and celebrations packed with food, Jesse has to work off a few of those pounds. Since he’s still in Santa mode, why not a little red to keep the holiday cheer going and share his gifts with Liliana?

Jesse Bradford as Naughty Santa

Now I don’t know about you, but this Naughty Santa can come visit any day and not just on Guilty Pleasures Monday!

But it’s a double day of fun here since I’m also taking a trip down under to visit my friend and fellow author Jenny Schwartz at her wonderful blog. Take the trip with me and find out what inspired AZTEC GOLD, my vampire E-novella from Carina Press which will be available online on January 3 and also available as an audio book (more on that as soon as I know the release date).

You can click here to visit Jenny’s blog!