Cupid’s Arrow Cover !

January 22, 2014 by 9 Comments

cupids_arrowOMG – received the cover for Cupid’s Arrow yesterday and wow! Take a look at this. Isn’t it gorgeous, lush, and sexy? I’m so thrilled. The cover is the work of the incredibly talented Georgia Woods, the driving force behind Taliesin Publishing. Not only is Georgia head of one of the most exciting debut publishers on the market – she’s also a writer, artist, and businesswoman. Not fair, huh? All that rolled into one.

Anyhoo – I now have a release date for Cupid’s Arrow – February 6, 2014. Here’s the blurb and a tiny excerpt:

Blurb:

Eli’s got the world by the short and curlies. Top salesperson for the hippest graphic technology company on the planet, starlets pursue him, directors court him, the rich and powerful befriend him. Then his boss hires the animation talent of the century, a pint-sized nymph, Stephanie Grant, and he’s flabbergasted by his reaction to her. He can’t get her out of his mind. She’s all he thinks about twenty-four-seven.

Excerpt:

“Oh, man, did I screw up.” Eli grabbed her hand when Stephanie tried to jog around him and open the door. She wriggled and squirmed when he closed his arms around her, and he tucked his face into the crook of her shoulder and neck. “I’m a complete asshole. You have every right to hate me.”

“I don’t hate you,” she whispered. “I wanted to, but I couldn’t.”

I owe you one, big kahuna.

“I wish. I wish there was some way I could take that night back. I fuc—screwed up, Stephanie. Big time. You should hate me. And I just kept on mucking it up. The roses. The I’m- a-jerk serenade. I was out of my fricking mind, Stephanie. I’d just blown my only chance with the only woman who makes me feel alive.” Eli sniffed her hair, realized what he was doing, and drew back, afraid of what he’d see.

She met his gaze and a smile trembled at the corners of her lips. “Makes you feel alive?”

“Yeah.” The word cost him an entire lifetime.

“I do that?”

“Only you.” There. It was out. Declaration made.

“They call you the man with a thousand women.” She toyed with the linen square tucked into his jacket’s pocket.

“One. Only one. Only you.” His throat scratched from inside and Eli didn’t recognize his own voice.

She peeped up at him and his stomach nosedived to the earth’s fiery core.

“Okay.” Her brief smile caused his gut to wrench.

“Okay?” Up until that moment Eli didn’t realize he believed in God, because for the first time in his life, he prayed, no begged, the on his knees pleading for mercy kind of supplication of devout pilgrims, implored the universe to give him any morsel of forgiveness she could offer.

“What’s done is done. Let’s start over.”

His knees buckled and he had to lock them out to remain standing. “You’re giving me a second chance?”

Hope you enjoyed! Happy Hump Day!

Cheers,

Jianne

 

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December and January Birthdays!

January 20, 2014 by 2 Comments

confetti 3People who were born in December and January have a rotten time of it. For some reason, relatives and friends feel it’s okay to do a twofer – one present for both occasions. AND to top it off, they generally forget to even send good wishes on the day because  of the out-of-sight out-of-mind mentality. You know, they gave the present before Christmas and can wash their hands of any further responsibility.

My wayward son and my husband are late December and January respectively, and I’ve been a firm defender of two SEPARATE celebrations. Woe betide anyone who dared gang up on the two events, the wrath of Jianne was unleashed. The poor wayward one was as sick as the proverbial dog on his special day, but we were in Trinidad, and surrounded by family for the first time in seven years. He said that was an incredible present enough for him.

As for the dh, he’s celebrating a zero birthday – the kind that ends in zero. Funny, those used to be fun and we looked forward to them. Now, we cringe. However, we decided the event must be marked with good food and wine, therefore I am in the midst of a flurry of activity. My presence online and elsewhere will be haphazard for the next 10 days. I’ll try to stay current with comments on the blog and FB, but that’s about it.

I expect to be pleasantly buzzed once the visitors start arriving mid-week. The house will be full and the overflow housed at the inn down the road. We’ll be playing with the dh’s new toy, The Big Green Egg, and cooking for the hordes every night. So, from me to you – Have a great week!

Cheers,

Jianne

 
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Starting 2014 with a Bang!

January 2, 2014 by 1 Comment

That_Pearly_Drop-Jianne_Carlo-500x800What a great way to start 2014—check out these terrific reviews for That Pearly Drop:

logo - nowl top pickFrom Night Owl Reviews by Hitherandthee:

Woohoo! What a fun and outrageous book! I just finished reading That Pearly Drop by Jianne Carlo, and I loved every second of this novel. The story progressed so fast and rolled so seamlessly together that it was easy to jump from one scene to another, and from one century to another. The characters are delightful and so sinfully enchanting, they will most assuredly leave a reader with some exceedingly steamy nights. This book certainly has plenty of spice. One caveat I will say, this book is not for the young readers. But for a more mature reader seeking lots of adventure, scorching hot romance, and more than enough devilishly hot men to tempt a lady? This is the book for them.

It’s Halloween Night 2013. Emma Perez is in Wales, searching out her family history. What she doesn’t expect the lightning storm that comes up, strikes her, and sends her back to 1763! When she wakes up, very disoriented, she finds herself in what seems to be an abandoned inn, with no one but a dead body. She searches the body, finding a letter of recommendation for a Diana Manley, and a ticket to Wye Castle. Having no other choice, she assumes the murdered girl’s identity and takes the ticket and heads to Wye Castle to become a governess. Upon her arrival there, she finds the master of the castle, Ian Wye, in a rather compromising position. Emma just can’t forget the sight of her now boss and his endowments when aroused. But Ian has found out something about Emma. She is his mate, and she’s in trouble. As two worlds and two centuries collide, can Ian save Emma and his niece, the adorable Fiona? Will Emma decide to stay in the past or return to her own time? Come along on a grand adventure and see for yourself. It’s an adventure not to be missed.

From Guilty Pleasures:

logo - guilty pleasures 4 stars

When this book was first presented to me I had to snicker at the title. I asked myself “is it really about that “pearly drop”?” I truly enjoyed this novel and found it to be a fun read.

The dynamic between Ian and Emma is beautiful. He is willing to give his heart and Emma’s uncertainty brings out a vulnerability that is not often shown in such a strong male character. He proves his point well when showing Emma what her hesitance does to him (you might want to throw the book against the wall for a moment) but when push comes to shove, he will risk everything to show her they are fated, and that Emma’s past is not at all what she thinks it is. She is slowly realizing that her entire future may indeed lie in the past, and she and Ian were destined to be with one another even if across time.

You can read the full reviews here:

http://www.nightowlreviews.com/v5/Reviews/Hitherandthee-reviews-That-Pearly-Drop-by-Jianne-Carlo

http://networkedblogs.com/RWfB3

I’ll end with my late dad’s favorite toast for the breaking of a new year:

May the best of 2013 be the worst of 2014 for Everyone!

Cheers,

Jianne

 

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Squee! Branded by Étaín hits the Kindle & ARe Best Seller Lists!

December 9, 2013 by 1 Comment

Branded_by_Etain-Jianne_Carlo-banner468x60Well, it didn’t last long, but Branded by Étaín made it onto the Kindle Top 100 list!

That_Pearly_Drop-Jianne_Carlo-banner-468x60

And That Pearly Drop is #40 on the ARe Best Seller list (and it released in October – yay!).

I’ve never paid attention to these lists – too depressing if you never make them and too addictive to chart a new release’s dramatic climb and drop. For Branded though a fan emailed me the book’s rise and fall every couple of hours or so. Yuck. I hope never to know again. Honestly, I’d prefer to be blissfully unaware – it’s too easy to stumble into that I’ve-no-talent-and-should-quit crevasse.

So, today I’m grateful for the news, but plan to stop this maddening, obsessive, endless loop of checking book and author stats constantly.

Branded_by_Etain-Jianne_Carlo-200x320I leave you with another titillating preview of Branded by Étaín:

“When begins The Choosing?”

“I know not if I will wait for it. I am loath to gamble on her choosing me.” Brand fingered the stubble on his chin.

Once every five summers on the last night of the festival of Lúnasa, the women of Caul Cairlinne could choose their mate. The church blessed the unions, which lasted a year and a day. After that time, the couples could decide to remain married or separate.

“’Twould be better if she picked you.”

“Aye, but what if she does not?” Brand’s gaze never wavered from the line of marriageable women weaving their way through the hall.

He held his breath when Étaín came into view. Her glorious golden curls hung in glistening tendrils clear to her knees. She had a habit of flaring her nostrils and firming her chin when all eyes were upon her. He knew in his gut she hated being the center of attention.

’Twas her obvious vulnerability that stirred him.

’Twas her startling beauty that had him hard and aching in a heartbeat.

He had studied her these past months searching for flaws, for the arrogance and conceit that always accompanied females of royal birth, and found naught. She spoke to beggar and princes alike with the same gentle inquiry, gifted all with a sparkling smile that twisted his belly into coils, and appeared unaware of the rough sailors and traders who stared at her with blatant, greedy lust.

A slight draft molded the fine linen of the leine she wore around her firm breasts. She blinked and unerringly swung her head and met his stare. A smile fluttered around her rosy lips.

Those haunting eyes the color of rich molasses spoke to him.

He fisted his hands, the urge to reach for her nigh overwhelming.

Mine.

She halted for a moment as if hearing his silent declaration, and the sheer joy lighting her features dazzled him. All the blood in his body pooled in his groin. Desire speared him.

Taking a deep breath, Brand inclined his head and smiled.

Her teeth gleamed snowy white under the flickering candles when she beamed at him. Giving a little shake of her head, she dipped into her basket and threw petals and green-needled twigs high into the air. A couple of skips and a hop later, she arrived at the dais, the last female to line up below the table, and made a graceful curtsey.

King Mac Eiccnigh mac Dalagh had taken his place on the dais and stood smiling benignly at the women standing before him, his gaze lingering on Étaín. The pride on his face could not be denied, nor the love.

Brand inspected the others present at the high table. He had made it his business to know who was who in Caul Cairlinne.

Étaín’s two younger sisters stood on either side of the king. Irvin, a distant relative, stood at the left end of table speaking with a couple of his warriors. To the right of King Mac Eiccnigh mac Dalagh, three of the men who stood as Caul Cairlinne’s elderly council watched the assembly while sipping from brass goblets. Five women who had seen at least two score summers stood whispering and grinning at the line of young women before the high table.

Two men on either side of the dais put long curved trumpets to their lips and blew. A series of triumphant, melodic blasts echoed around the great hall.

“Hear ye, hear ye,” one of the elders on the dais yelled.

“The ear of corn has been planted, the bull slaughtered,” another declared.

“’Tis time for The Choosing,” the last shouted.

“Princess Étaín, do you choose or not?” King Mac Eiccnigh mac Dalagh asked, his sole focus on his daughter.

The hall fell silent. Every pair of eyes in the packed chamber trained on the petite Princess.

Hope you enjoyed!

Cheers,

Jianne

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Branded by Étaín, The Beasts of Bärvik Book One Releases!

December 5, 2013 by 7 Comments

Branded_by_Etain-Jianne_Carlo-banner468x60Release day for a new book is both exhilarating and downright terrifying for me. My poor gray matter’s a-buzz with stinging questions and worry.

Will readers like it? OMG – are the reviewers going to trash it? Except for the copy my mom always buys, will anyone fork out the $ to purchase it?

Today’s no different from any of my other release days. My stomach’s rioting and all I can gulp down is way too much coffee.

At any rate, Branded by Étaín is now available from the regular suspects, but here are the three main links, the book blurb, cover, and another excerpt:

Branded_by_Etain-Jianne_Carlo-200x320Blurb:

Can a princess tame a beast?

Princess Étaín of Caul Carlinne remains unsullied by her violent past. When she chooses Brand of Bärvik as her mate, has she brought havoc and destruction to her people?

Excerpt – Branded by Étaín, The Beasts of Bärvik Book One:

Étaín interrupted Margie’s third iteration of what to expect when Brand consummated their marriage. She had not a shred of worry that the act would be anything but wondrous. “Be done with it, Margie. My head fair throbs with thoughts of peckers, stones, pearls, and quims. I trust in Brand. Did he not say he would cherish me when Da asked? I am a truthsayer. He spoke truly.”

“He is a very large man.” Margie picked up a tortoise shell horsehair brush and stroked Étaín’s springy curls.

“So is your Darren.”

“I am twice your height and weight. ’Tis easier for a woman like me to accommodate a large pecker. You must not overexcite him, otherwise he will be rough with you.”

“How could I overexcite him?” The mere sight of him made her woman parts moisten. Did the same happen with men?

“Do not caress his willy and touch not his balls.”

“Willy? Balls?” ’Twas a new language to be learned for this bedsport.

“Pecker, stones. Men have scores of names for their parts. Some e’en name them. Darren says his brother, Padraig, calls his prick ‘Olympus.’”

Étaín’s heart skipped a few beats when the sound of stomping feet reached her ears. “Did you hear that?”

“Aye. They approach. Quick, under the sheets. I will leave after the last man departs.” Margie drew the linen covers to right under Étaín’s chin and gave her a quick hug.

The doors slammed open, and the men of Caul Cairlinne, carrying a naked Brand above their heads, tramped into the room roaring the limerick Prick Her Well. The words ricocheted around the chamber:

Prick her well,

And her belly will swell,

Fill her with your seed,

And ease your need,

Make her see stars,

And sons be your rewards

The singing faded into the background when the men dumped Brand onto the other side of the bed.

I hope you enjoyed, and, if you did – Tweet it, FB it for me!

Cheers,

Jianne

 

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