A Four Year Conundrum…

For four interminable years, I’ve been unable to put pen to paper for anything other than boring IT technicalities. Finally, last month, I woke up at four in the morning with the idea for – not just one series – but two. Go figure. It’s always been go big or go home for me. So, now my writer’s brain is on overload and I’m frantically going from one tale to another.

Luckily for me – or perhaps it’s just how I’m wired – one series is historical and one very much contemporary – as in COVID-19 contemporary – so it’s muy facil to switch back and forth.

A whole ton has happened in four years.

First, my publisher – Hartwood Publishing – the CEO, Georgia Woods, my longtime mentor and, indeed, the person I credit for my writing career – decided to close down for financial reasons in the first quarter of this dreadful year.

Because Georgia is who she is – a remarkable, ethical, and honorable woman – all the rights to my books were returned to me in a timely, professional manner (kudos to Georgia and Lisa). I’m aiming to self publish my books in 2021 beginning with the Hades Squad series, but I intend to first finish the series by writing Jinn, Volac, and Nikar’s tales.

That means expect to see the return of the Hades Squad either second or third quarter 2021. Even though Georgia’s now retired, I’m hoping to persuade her to do the covers for the final three books and redo the design of the first five novels…love those covers.

I’ve also decided to publish all my historical stories under another pen name to simplify everything…anyone have suggestions? I’ve a couple of pseudonyms in mind, but haven’t settled on anything as yet.

While I’ve never been an avid blogger – is that still a thing in this Tik Tok age?- I intend to keep anyone who’s still interested in my tales posted on how things are progressing right here on this home/blog page. So stay tuned for irregular excerpts, news, and the odd, facetious musings.

I’m back and I sincerely hope it’s all for the good…

Manhandled Just $.99 at Amazon & Sinner’s FREE!

Now’s the time to pick up Sinner FREE at Amazon for a limited time only! And Manhandled is just $.99!!! Simply click on the covers below and remember Sinner’s FREE!

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Excerpt from Manhandled:

Rolan Anthony Paxton’s dawn fantasy had him in a state of rapture.Manhandled-Jianne_Carlo-200x320

“Rolan, sweetie?”

Stifling an automatic wince, he lifted one eyelid and looked at the blonde servicing him. Cindy-something, great boobs and a god-awful, high-pitched, nails-on-the-blackboard voice. He should have picked the other one.

“Hmmh?”

The yacht’s engines hummed to life, and the boat vibrated and rocked. An open porthole let Mediterranean brine into the room, along with an unexpected morning chill. Monte Carlo’s perpetual traffic buzzed in the background.

At least she hadn’t stopped using those wonderful hands, but that happy thought evaporated with the dig of a nail.

“Ouch,” he winced and glanced down. “Watch the nails, babe.”

“Oops, sorry.” She cupped a hand over her mouth to suppress a nervous giggle.

A barrage of firm knocks hit the cabin door, and he cut to the sound, mood souring and lips curling.

Figured—it took him longer and longer these days, and the slightest mishap turned him off. Age, it had to be, since he was thirty-one and tired of the same old, same old.

Money, fame, success—he had it all and nothing counted anymore.

He knew he should be grateful. How many athletes made it to the championship, not once, not twice, but three times?

Startled out of his brooding by a repeat of rapping on the burnished mahogany door, he shot a look at the blonde and ordered, “Cover up.”

In a louder tone, he called, “Come in.”

Without looking up, he snagged the cover sheet and began drawing it over his calves. He stopped when an audibly gasped “Oh, no” penetrated the silence.

His head snapped up, and a stunned paralysis claimed his limbs.

He’d never forgotten those eyes, the color of liquid caramel, that wild hair, every shade of a fiery sunset, and a bottom lip so plump, so inviting that one night he hadn’t been able to resist nibbling on it for hours.

Sarita Khan, the nose-in-a-book classmate he’d been forced to serve four Saturdays of detention with during his last year in high school. The girl whose virginity he’d taken on prom night after breaking up with the captain of the cheerleading team. Those sweet elfin features haunted his dreams intermittently over the last twelve years. Adrenalin surged in his veins, and his heartbeat accelerated.

Sarita, his Sarita.

That bronze-dusted complexion paled beneath his scrutiny and she swayed. The breakfast tray balanced on her forearms listed back and forth. She swallowed, slapped a palm onto the table cemented to the left, and squeezed her eyes shut.

“Are you okay?” He hopped out of the bed, oblivious to his nudity, and stalked forward. “Here, let me take that.”

For a few seconds she gripped the tray tighter, but she didn’t lift her lids. Then her hold slackened.

He tugged the tray away and set it on the table. Eyes Krazy Glued to her delicate, heart-shaped face, raking a quick assessment of the changes over the last twelve years, he forgot Cindy, the boat, the injuries plaguing his career—everything save Sarita and sweet memories. The compulsion to trace the soft curve of her cheek, cup her face, and suck that lower lip was defeated only by a nervous giggle in the background. Rolan stifled an internal groan, and he fisted his hands.

Excerpt from Sinner:

The first kitchen cabinet she opened yielded ten packs of candles. By the time Lincoln Sinner-Jianne_Carlo-200x320returned, Destiny had finished her list, and a dozen flickering candles imbued a soft golden glow to the main cabin.

Surveying the room, she sighed.

Wasn’t this every woman’s fantasy?

Stuck in a warm cabin in the mountains with a hunk who looked like he knew more about sex than Antonio Banderas. So he thought she was easy. It wasn’t as if they’d ever meet again in real life. And he didn’t seem to have any problem with her being ten pounds overweight. Okay, okay, maybe fifteen. But who would know? In four months she turned twenty-seven, and she’d never had torrid sex, never had a hot affair.

The wind howled and lifted the top of a snowdrift into the air when Lincoln, carrying a bundle of logs, kicked the door open. An icy finger sailed on the gust, trailing a chill around Destiny’s neck. She wished she’d packed a scarf, and tugged the blanket over one ear.

Lincoln used his boot to slam the door shut.

“Why didn’t you start a fire?”

“With what?” She’d held a dozen lit matches to one log, and the wood didn’t even catch a spark.

He looked to the ceiling.

“The normal tools—paper, logs.”

“Bite me,” Destiny snapped. All dreams of a romantic snowed-in couple of days went poof. What a bully.

He stacked the logs on the other side of the fireplace and, in less time than it took her to inhale, or so it seemed, had a blazing fire crackling and spewing sparks. The scent of pine infused the air.

“I will.” He stood and unzipped his parka. “You like it rough, I take it?”

Lincoln shrugged out of his jacket, stowed the garment on the three-hook wooden coat stand to the right of the door, turned to face her, and smiled.

She shivered. The man had a bone-melting, devil-may-care grin.

“What?” He couldn’t mean….

“You like to be bitten?” A forefinger stroked the cleft of his chin.

“None of your business. What are you? Into kink?”

“Depends on the kink. I’m not into pain, but I’m not averse to a love bite here and there. Or a few spanks.”

Spanks? She was in over her head. Cripes, she’d always wondered about that. Pervasive guilt from Sunday school lessons and spending three hours in a porn superstore made her blurt, “Look, let’s get a few points cleared up. Those toys and DVDs weren’t for me. I don’t do that kind of stuff.” She paused, trying to erase the image from her pupils of her over his knees.

“And here I was hoping that deep throat was your specialty.” He started unbuttoning his shirt. “Do we have food?”

***

Hope this jumpstarts your Magic Monday!

Cheers,

Jianne

 

It’s National Puppy Day!

Really? There is such a day? Wowza! I’m all for it. I looove dogs, but I fall in love with puppies. Any kind of puppy digs a hole in my heart with that first little blink, then a tiny lick, and then when I get a whiff of puppy breath — I’m done for. What better way to start Monday than with pics and videos of puppies?

It’s a magnificent Monday!

Demon Releases Today!

demon_jianne_carloEvery author’s asked to name their favorite story or hero—it’s the one question every author hates, because it’s akin to asking who’s your favorite child.

Sigh.

Demon and Jacinta and the setting of their story is very dear to me. I was born in Guyana, and one of my most memorable trips is the one my mom made us all take after my father died. My dad so wanted us to know the beauty of the land. The country, Guyana, is beautiful and dangerous, and also the place that ultimately killed him.

If I had a favorite book, this would be it.

Have a terrific Thor’s Day!

Demon & Satan Available for Pre-Order on Amazon!

Big High Five. Both Demon and Satan, the fourth and fifth book in the Hades Squad series, are now available for pre-order on Amazon.

Click on either cover to go to Amazon:

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Here’s a little teaser excerpt from Demon:
In this scene Demon and Jacinta are on a taxi boat on The Orinoco River.

***

Demon sat on a bench at the farthest end and held her close.

Jacinta counted the number of times the boat rocked. Twenty-three. He had said a couple dozen men.

An acrid aroma hit her nostrils before a motor roared to life.

“Okay.” His mouth grazed her ear. “No one can see your face. You can look around if you want to, but only over my shoulder.”

A boon she hadn’t expected. The sun lit the rippling river silver, but right below the bow, the waters held a brown-red tinge. She couldn’t see the far bank but glimpsed a thin black line when they neared the middle of the Orinoco. Birds gathered above an area to the left and swooped down to the surface in great, graceful arcs. Conflicting aromas mingled around a sharp bend, the pungent stink of fresh-cut bait when a fishing boat trolled past, the dank odors of oil, smoke, and gasoline, and when a stiff breeze reversed direction, the musty fragrance of males sweating.

The constant drumming of the engine drowned the men’s voices.

“Is Hugo your business colleague?”

He drew back and then nudged her jaw. “He’s a man I’m forced to do business with. He is not to be trusted. You’re never to be alone with him. Understand?”

Sim. Yes, I understand. And Pedro, the one who will slice your balls? He is not to be trusted either?” Jacinta flinched at the flash of anger sparking from his eyes, now a deep brown.

“You’ll never see him. I’ll make sure of that.” He fiddled with a spike of her hair. “It’ll grow back. Unless you’d planned to cut it short when you say your vows?”

“I decided not to say them a while ago. After I first got to the school.”

“Tell me more about the school.” He shifted and helped her to straddle him. “Put your arms around my neck. I’m going to kiss you in a few minutes.”

For a second, she couldn’t breathe. She had never been kissed, but then she’d never done the other and that had definitely not been pleasant.

However, he had saved her from the direst ordeal, and she definitely liked being in his arms. And she could never repay him for his rescue.

The day girls at school had spoken of kissing. Waxed lyrical about how wonderful it felt and had gone all dreamy-eyed and giggled in a way that had embarrassed her to no end.

“We kiss to prove to Hugo that I am your woman?”

“Hugo and his sidekick, Brio, as well as the other men.”

A kiss couldn’t hurt.

“Is Brio on board?”

“No. He’s joining us in a couple of days. Now. The school. How many pupils?” He tweaked her nose when she didn’t reply right away.

“Forty-three. I was older than most of the girls. There were twenty-five boarders and the eighteen day girls. The day girls were all from Boa Vista. At first, we weren’t allowed to mix, but when the new principal came, that changed. And we were even allowed to go into the nearest towns. There were so many new and exciting things that I had never even heard of.”

“Like what?” His breath smelled fruity.

“Music. We sang hymns and chanted in the convent, but had only a rusted organ that no longer worked. I couldn’t get enough of music. All the rhythms. And all the instruments.”

“What else?”

“Ice cream. Popcorn. Apples. So many delicious tastes. After the first visit to town, I knew I would not take my vows. So I decided to do what the boarders did. Learn a trade.”

He captured her chin, moved his thumb along the seam of her mouth, and whispered, “Lick your lips.”

She was lost the second his mouth brushed hers. What a feeling he evoked. Ice and fire at the same time. Heaven. Bliss. All the stuff the day girls had told her was true. Pure enchantment, kissing. His lips proved soft and supple, firm and insistent, and made her head spin.

“Open for me,” he ordered.

***

Hope you enjoyed!

Cheers,