My faves of '15

It's a wonder I ever get any writing one considering I read 123 books this year! BUT, I am inspired by other writers, I learn from their successes and failures, and I love the escape their books give me from my own ever-clamoring characters.

As I scroll down the list of titles purchased this year, I am embarrassed to admit I have very little recall of some of them.  Probably nothing wrong with them, they simply were not memorable. I'm the same way with movies; I remember I enjoyed The Bourne Identity, but I can't tell you a damn thing about it.

Many surveys show that readers choose books based on word of mouth, so here's me mouthing off and giving you my top ten fav books of those I read in 2015 (in no particular order). So take a tip from your Auntie Jordan and fill up your Kindle with some quality reading. Enjoy! material and enjoy!

The Queen Gene by Jennifer Coburn

This book made me laugh out loud many times. A purse-dwelling, butt-dialing Chihuahua owned by a melodramatic mother, ghostly home repairs, quirky visiting artists--there's a lot going on in Jack and Lucy's life. Here's a quote from Lucy's Aunt Bernice who asked to visit a strip club and talk with some of the dancers. "I notice that some of you girls shave awf yaw pubic hayahs," she began. They nodded. "I suppose it's so the men can see yaw vaginers bettah?" They nodded again, wondering where this was going. "Do you find that it helps keep things coolah? It can get so muggy down theyah."   See on Amazon

Waiting for Paint to Dry by Lia Mack

 This debut novel blew me away. This tale of a young woman's recovery from sexual assault is sometimes bleak and painful, but overall highly entertaining, often humorous, and ultimately hopeful.  Finally breaking free of her self-imposed isolation after a decade, heroine Matty makes a life for herself filled with art and love.  See on Amazon

My Name is Hardly by Martin Crosbie

 I can't say enough good things about this book. It's not necessary to read My Temporary Life to enjoy this follow-up, but it doesn't hurt. Gerald "Hardly" McDougall is in an attic in Northern Ireland gathering intelligence for the Army with his partner. It's his last, and most dangerous, mission and will lead him down a path in search of a missing woman. I love the way Martin alternates between the past and present with skillful clarity and leaves no loose ends.  See on Amazon

Demon Within by Julie Nicholls, voiced by Scott Richard Ehredt

 Listening to the Audible version of this book was one of the few high spots during a spell of dreary weather in Northern Michigan. This fantasy romance epic was meant to be heard and Scott Richard Ehredt brings it to live with incredible expression and color. This was my first experience with an audio book and it was a complete winner!  See on Amazon

Angel to Butterfly: Golden Doll by B.B. Blaque

The Master/slave construct isn't an easy one for everyone to accept, but I believe that's probably due to ignorance of and misconceptions about the lifestyle. We're all wired differently, and vive la difference! The bottom line is--this is a love story with beautifully written D/s sex scenes. Liberty is a complex main character, suspicious and cautious of the very things she needs. See on Amazon

 

Evangeline by Elaine Barris

It takes great skill to evoke sympathy for a character guilty of numerous heinous acts of violence, but Elaine Barris pulls it off. How do you redeem a vampire like Evangeline? She's a mass murderer, taking the lives of the guilty and innocent alike. When her Maker captures her for his personal version of a trial, she's forced to recount her sins and justify her rage and bitterness. For all you  vampire lovers, this one's especially for you!  See on Amazon

Tied by Piper Malone
 After the rush of FSOG copycats hit the shelves, I was fearful this book might be one of them. No worries, Tied has a lot more going for it. Caleb and Reagan aren't the typical brooding Dom and clinging sub--they are regular people with normal problems. Piper Malone really shines at character development, and her D/s scenes are not overwhelmingly frequent. I'm hoping to see a sequel from her soon.  See on Amazon

Twelve Doors to Ecstasy by John Tucker
I can't think of a better description for this book than to call it a cornucopia of kink. If you like hot erotica, here's your one-stop shop. Tryst Sanyon's been dumped by her boyfriend for being a snoozefest in the sack. Enter a mysterious man offering her a "cure" and a cool half-million to boot. All she has to do is enter 12 doors an participate in whatever sexual activity lies within.  It's all fun and games until the mystery man's true agenda is revealed. See on Amazon

Bound by Lies by Hanna Peach
Suspenseful erotic romance at its best! Caden and Kitten, are either of them what they or who they claim to be? This novel was a Bookbub find for, and boy, was I glad I checked their email blast that day! Bound by Lies is a huge departure from Hanna Peach's Dark Angel series, but the genre is important when you can write ANYTHING this well!  See on Amazon
 

Masters at Arms/Nobody's Angel by Kallypso Masters
Three very diverse men meet while in military service and a lifelong bond is formed. Throw in their predilection for D/s, and you've got a great basis for a series. Masters at Arms introduces us to Marc, Adam, and Damian; Nobody's Angel focuses primarily on Marc and Angelina. Formerly published as two novels, Kallypso Masters is now offering them bundled and currently FREE on Amazon. I'll be working my way through this series, I have no doubt.  See on Amazon

Favorite series

Masters & Mercenaries, Lexi Blake
I've worked my way through five books of this series thus far and never been disappointed. If you're a fan of BDSM with equal doses of espionage and suspense, you'll love these novels.

The Reed Brothers, Tammy Falkner
The softer side of erotic romance, these books feature the five hot Reed brothers. It would be difficult to choose a boo boyfriend from among them. I'm not a fan of the alliterative hokey titles, but Tammy Falkner's dialogue between the brothers is fantastic. I could picture a PG13 version as a TV series.

Calendar Girl, Audrey Carlan
What a great concept--a new episode every month for a year! Mia Saunders is forced to become a high=dollar escort in order to pay off her father's gambling debt. Her services are booked by the month with romance, or at least a lot of lust, often ensuing. My favorite episode hands down was May; who wouldn't love a month in Hawaii with a hot Samoan?

Modern Wicked Fairy Tales, Selena Kitt

I LOVE fairy tales, and Selena Kitt puts a wonderful spin on them. She doesn't simply slut them up--she reinvents them in a fresh way so they're still recognizable, but original. LOVED her take on Rapunzel.

12 Blogs of Christmas--#12, Martin Crosbie

12 Blogs of Christmas--#11, Cate Pedersen

Cate Pedersen is a freelance writer, editor and social media manager. She recently published her first novel and is working on books two and three in the Sister Spirit Series. She is also a contributor in It’s Really 10 Months: Special Delivery, an anthology of birth stories (Special Xmas Sale NOW on Amazon) and an upcoming anthology: Adventures in Potty Training. Cate’s children are now almost grown, so Christmas is not quite as busy, but will always hold a magical place in her heart. Read her “12 Blogs of Christmas” post to find out why!

Website: www.copycate.ca

Facebook: Copycate Writing, Editing & Communications

My Christmas Mystery Man

There is certain magic I experience right at midnight on Christmas Eve. The entire world seems to pause and the air is different somehow. I relax completely, despite the recent whirlwind of activity over the past few days and the maelstrom which is to come Christmas morning and continue until New Year. My spine tingles with anticipation as the hour and minute hands join; I almost want to cheer, “It’s here, it’s here!” I look forward to it every year. I cannot recall ever going to bed earlier than midnight on that auspicious night— especially as a child, waiting up for sounds of bells and scraping hooves on the roof.
 

When my son and daughter were young, it was the same performance each Christmas Eve; I knew my cues perfectly and waited until I heard regular breathing through my daughter’s bedroom door. She was always last to fall asleep. Her father had been the first. I collect the presents hidden under my bed, in closets, above bookcases and wedged between storage containers. I tiptoe towards the tree with an armful of brightly papered boxes with colour-coordinated bows (and extra tape) . . . then freeze as the ball of my foot puts pressure on that part of the floor that squeaks. I imagine the cracking of wood sending shudders through the hall, and under the beds of my sleeping children, jarring them awake . . . Read more

12 Blogs of Christmas--#10, Jordan Buchanan

Happy holidays to all and a huge thank you to Martin Crosbie for inviting me to be part of the 12 Blogs of Christmas. It’s quite an honor for me, a fledgling author, to be included in such accomplished company, and I’m thrilled to have this opportunity to share a tale of my Christmas past.

 At an office holiday party a few years ago, I decided to forego the ubiquitous Santa hat and donned a fur-trimmed tiara instead. One of my co-workers dubbed me the “Queen of Christmas," but I’m merely a pretender to the throne, a princess at best. The title was always owned by my mother who reigned over our family Christmas party like a benevolent dictator. She did all the decorating, the cooking, the cleaning—everything necessary for us to eat, drink, and be merry. She provided the playground; we came to play.

Growing up, I was surrounded by my mom’s tightly knit family. Her brothers all lived within 20 minutes, her twin sister about 20 seconds. The two sisters bought adjacent lots, built houses, and lived next door to each other for 45 years. Needless to say, we cousins were as close as most siblings. My aunts and uncles took turns hosting Thanksgiving for thirty to forty people, coming together for an obscene amount of food, football on TV, gossip and games. My cousin Brian introduced us to the card game that would become our favorite for decades—“Screw Your Neighbor." (If you’ve got three quarters, I’ll teach you how to play.) He also acquainted us with “Spoons," and we enthusiastically beat each other half to death. You knew it was an outstanding party if someone ended up in the emergency room.

The family Christmas party was always at our house, although our home was a modest one--a three-bedroom ranch—but the entire crew cheerfully packed in. I have tried and failed all of my adult life to recreate the feeling--the Christmas spirit--that enveloped everyone coming through the kitchen door (only strangers used the front door) on the night of what we called “Mom’s party”. Sounds of laughter, mouth-watering aromas, glittering lights, and a feeling of love wrapped around you like a heartfelt hug. And there were plenty of those too. We’re a southern family; we hug at the drop of a hat.

Between eating and playing cards, we sang carols and hymns. My grandmother, a feisty woman you didn’t cross, demanded “How Great Thou Art” which she belted out loud and proud and set the neighborhood dogs to howling. One year, my sister, her best friend, and my cousin’s wife were sitting on the piano bench together singing “Joy to the World." As a puppy, our dog had cut her teeth by chewing on the cross-support of said bench. Heav’n and nature had just begun singing when it, along with its occupants,  came crashing to the floor amidst shrieks, closely followed by howls of laughter. The passage of time had weakened the compromised wood I-beam, and three butts were evidently over the recommended capacity.  No ER visit necessary this time, and their dignity was only temporarily injured. We dragged the debris out of the way, pulled some chairs in from the kitchen, and struck up “The Little Drummer Boy." Pa-RUMP-apum-pum.

Over the course of the evening, Uncle Pete began randomly responding to comments or questions with a cryptic--“I don’t care; my mother drives a truck.” My grandmother most certainly did NOT drive a truck; she was 90 and hadn’t driven anything for years. We had no idea what he meant by it and assumed he’d had extra “nog” in his drink. As we cleared the table and got out our quarters for cards, he asked if someone could drive his wife home so he could head over to the Moose Lodge for a bit. I recall wondering  if someone would later be called into service to chauffeur him home from the Moose. Everybody wished him Merry Christmas as he went out the door, and we returned to our game. A full 15 minutes later, he walked back in and directly over to my grandmother. “I can’t get out. Your truck has me blocked in.” No lengths were too great to set up a punchline.

Through all the joking, the occasional broken dish—or piece of furniture-my mother remained serene. None of that mattered as long as everyone had enough to eat and thought the tree was pretty. I can’t remember her ever sitting down until the we were all either screwing our neighbor or plopped down in the den reminiscing.

I was blessed with thirty years of Mom’s parties. Many of my family members, including my father, are no longer among the living; my sister’s in Tennessee, and I’m in Michigan. My mother, the Queen of Christmas, has spent the last two in a nursing home. Of course, she’s one of the few residents there that has a fully decorated tree in her room and a stash of cookies and candy to offer visitors and staff. Long live the Queen!

These days, I get a little blue when the holidays roll around; nostalgia can do that to you. Last week, my husband offered to fly me back to Virginia. I tried to explain that what I miss no longer exists. There is truth in that saying “you can’t go home again," especially when a stranger's family now lives there. I cherish the memories of Christmas at home, but I tell my husband we’re making new ones we’ll look back on someday just as fondly. Deep down though, I know if Santa put a time machine under my tree—I’d go back to the night the bench broke. Wanna come along? Bring quarters.

**COVER REVEAL** - Blood Ties by Julie Nicholls

I am thrilled t help promote this upcoming release from Julie Nicholls! Julie is not only a very talented writer, she's an amazing cover designer as well. She created my covers for 4Play, Interview with Mistress A, and the Jordan Buchanan logo you see above. 

Take it away, Julie!

Hey Peeps!

I'm proud to reveal my latest cover for the first book in a new trilogy--Blood Ties.

It's going to be available Monday, 4th January, 2016 on all platforms--Amazon, B & N, Kobo, Smashwords, iBooks. So stay tuned for the links! You can sign up to my email list, and receive details of special offers and freebies!

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Blood Ties is a paranormal/shifter/romance story.

Meet K 3 4 G E N - He's not quite human.

Sweat ran down Keagen’s muscular back as he pressed the female against the wall. A rock-hard body, with perfect proportions and stamina that would outlast a stable of thoroughbred racehorses, was nowhere near to flagging. He’d pounded the woman for the last hour, nonstop. The female on the receiving end of his attention cried herself hoarse more than twenty minutes earlier. She needed to rest, but large hands cupped her ass, supporting her weight, and only when he’d had enough would he let her down.

With the air-con turned up high the smell of fresh sweat and sex hung in the air. Keagen loved to fuck; he had some catching up to do after his sex-starved existence for the first part of his adult life. Puffing out a few quick breaths, he built up his pace. He was ready for a beer and wanted the woman out of his room.

Keagen was tall, muscular, and stronger than most men were, although he wasn’t exactly a man. His genes were human DNA with a hint of animal, courtesy of Solgen Laboratories. It wasn’t common knowledge what the company did, and their labs were all in secret locations. Only their financial backers knew where they were. Who supported them was unclear. Possibly the government, private military organizations, or even wealthy dictators; no one knew. You would not find any documentation about it. It wasn’t legal what they were doing, that’s for sure.

Keagen tracked and hunted escapees and always caught his prey, but just one eluded him, and it pissed him off. Nevertheless, he was closing in, and soon he’d return to base with his prize in tow. Given free reign to come and go as he pleased, Keagen enjoyed the freedom, and as long as he brought in the bounty, all was well. Sometimes out in the field for days or weeks at a time, he upheld contact by phone; a check-in, but he wasn’t worried. Sometimes he needed ‘Keagen’ time. Holding up at his secret hideaway, or a motel, where a steady stream of females frequented his room, he could easily fob off his supervisor. The geneticists made the mistake of giving him just a little too much intelligence. Consequently, his IQ already rivaled some of the top minds in the world, and he was smart enough to hide that fact from his testers.

Grunting and hissing through gritted teeth, Keagen screamed his orgasm as he fucked the flagging woman; those last deep thrusts into her satisfied pussy filling the room with a guttural cry. Throwing his head back, his wet hair slapped against his shoulders. The muscles in his thighs held the female firmly against the wall for a few moments until his hips finally stilled and finished jerking. Catching his breath, he rested his head against the cool plaster before releasing the sighing woman. As she tried to stand her knees buckled, but he quickly scooped her up and laid her on the bed.

Meet Gabriel - Lycan

It was quiet in the smoke-filled bar. Just the gentle humming from the waitress broke the silence. Drew’s was a rundown place where the locals piled in after work. Mostly hanging out for just a few drinks to wind down before heading home, they used it as a stopgap, preparing for more stress from either home life, or a second job. There were the regulars who propped up the bar day and night. Jack, one of the old-timers, spent all his time drooling over the young women as they tended bar. Occasional delivery trucks would hold up in the parking lot and the drivers would drop in for coffee, just to keep from falling asleep on long hauls. Smokey and dark, with subdued lighting with wood paneling covering the walls and an unvarnished wooden floor, it was a place to relax and ponder.

Gabriel was a regular and sat at the end of the bar in his usual place. From his vantage point, he could view the entire room. He didn’t have children or work to unwind from, but still enjoyed a cool beer. Without turning his head, the washroom and entrance were all visible. He could see everyone come and go with ease. Sitting quietly, he’d listen. Unless someone started the conversation first, he’d barely speak, but take in everything.

The quiet town appealed to Gabriel. Moving here just over a year ago, he settled in easily and found a place to stay. After renovating a cabin just on the edge of town, it gave him the seclusion he desired. He could take a short drive into suburbia and have everything he needed before returning to the solace he preferred. He kept to himself and avoided confrontations. Causing trouble wasn’t in his nature. However, he came over as someone who didn’t take crap, and he would let small annoyances slide until he reached a breaking point, then you didn’t want to be around to see the fall out. On a few occasions, Gabriel let people know he wasn’t someone they should fuck with, earning him respect shortly afterward. In sleepy town bars, there’s always someone dropping by to stir up the calm. Stepping in to deal with troublemakers made him the resident bouncer. There was never any exchange of cash; he didn’t need a regular job. He just did it. Drew made sure he never went thirsty and all drinks were on the house for keeping the place brawl-free, which suited Gabriel. The more beer, the better, and he didn’t like having his peace and quiet disturbed; it was a win-win situation.

Watching Lyssa brought out his more human characteristics; he’d not always had those. A year ago, he was nothing more than a caged animal. He tried not to think about the past, but occasionally something would trigger his thoughts.

Taking a mouthful of beer, he watched everyone and everything. Casually watching Jack eye up the sweet piece of ass, he grinned. He’d been close, and was still working on getting closer. Never short of female attention, Gabriel made up for lost time as soon as he broke free from his captors. There wasn’t a huge choice of pussy in Dewburn Falls, but quality, not quantity was the issue here. Lyssa would succumb to him, eventually. They couldn’t resist him, and he was astounded she’d lasted this long; he had a feeling she’d be worth the wait. Continuing his advances and hoping for a victory soon, Lyssa proved an interesting challenge.

He wasn’t sure if it was luck, or fate, that brought him here, but finding two female lycans was a surprise. Taking a drink, he smiled as his thoughts turned to Sally. He’d been in town only two weeks and gotten lucky with her.

One down…

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