Saturday, November 29, 2014

Step Into Tomorrow for My Sexy Saturday

Welcome to Twenty-six Keys and my little corner of today's My Sexy Saturday. Check out the list at the bottom of this post for all the My Sexy Saturday blogs. 

For MSS #70 it's seven sexy paragraphs from the time-travel romance, Step Into Tomorrow. 

+ + + +
She watched as he poured a generous four fingers of bourbon into a glass. Good. Maybe he’d fall over in a stupor, and she could call the cops. They could drag him out of her house.

“This won’t do me in, Sophia. Not by a long way.” He cocked his head quizzically. “Or is that not by a long shot? I don’t remember.”

“It’s a long shot.” She snorted as derisively as she knew how to, and she did know how. All she had to do was channel her mother and grandmother. “Where are you from that you can’t remember that?”

He gave her another little bow. “I’m from the future.”

Sophia sprang off the couch. It was time to teach him who she was. She was over her shock. If Eddie could become assertive, so could she. Rhys was leaving now.

“Don’t fucking mock me, buster! Get out of my home!”

“I’m not mocking you. I wouldn’t do that. Fucking you, however, is an intriguing idea.”
+ + + +

Step Into Tomorrow is available at Amber Heat, an imprint of Amber Quill Press.

About Step Into Tomorrow:


Rhys St. Clair is the best of a select group of highly trained time specialists. When events in the layers of time run amok, it’s his job to step through the Matrix and fix the problem. A mistake in his calculations sends him back to the year 1996 and nets him more than he ever bargained for – Sophia Townsend.

Sophia Townsend needs a life makeover. When a confused stranger shows up inside her home, with no idea of where he is, or even what year it is, it doesn’t take Sophia long to figure out the man in her living room is the most interesting guy she’s ever met, and the sexiest, too.

When Rhys whisks her away, Sophia isn’t sure if she’s been kidnapped, or if the handsome stranger is taking her on the greatest adventure of her life. When the truth catches up to them, Rhys has only one thing left to offer her – but only if she’s brave enough to step into tomorrow with him.

Rayne Forrest
http://www.rayneforrest.com


Saturday, September 13, 2014

Skipping Heaven for My Sexy Saturday #MSS59

Welcome to my blog and today's My Sexy Saturday post from Skipping Heaven.

What if you were a ghost and you didn't know it yet? Would there be someone to guide you?
Would you skip heaven if you found your love along the way?

EXCERPT

What would he do if she went to the barn? What would he think of her? She must have lost her mind to be entertaining thoughts of sharing a bed with a stranger. Justine leaned against the doorframe, a small sob escaping her.

Her loneliness plucked at her, as did her uncertainty. If Daniel was not the one for her, why had he been sent here?

She straightened and squared her shoulders as she walked inside, her bare feet making no sound to disturb the softly chirping cricket that resided with her.

His horse was almost healed. Daniel would be leaving, maybe as soon as the morning. She couldn’t let him go, not without knowing him. She brushed out her hair and cast about for her old, worn slippers.

The sound of boot heels on the steps brought her up short. A soft tapping sounded on the door.

Daniel had come to her.

She opened the door.


SKIPPING HEAVEN is now available at Amazon


More about Skipping Heaven:



What if you were a ghost and didn’t know it?

Daniel Woods is passing through the timeless and mysterious Appalachian Mountains on his way to Kentucky and his inheritance. A misstep tumbles him and his horse down the side of a mountain. Battered and bruised, they come upon a small homestead and help in the form of the lovely Justine Noakes. Daniel finds himself inexplicably attracted to Justine - and determined not to embarrass himself by acting on impulse.

Justine recognizes the blue-eyed trouble that just led his horse into her settled world is something she never bargained for. Irresistibly drawn to him, Justine has a problem. She needs to come up with a way to get Daniel to stay in her mountain aerie. The only way that can happen is if Daniel accepts his new reality.

What Justine knows, and Daniel must discover, is that sometimes heaven is found in unexpected places.

= = = 
Be sure to visit all the My Sexy Saturday blogs for more great romance!





Sunday, September 7, 2014

Skipping Heaven by Rayne Forrest

Looking back, it's been a long strange road to today. Never when I began writing eleven years ago did I envision a time I'd self-publish a book. But the world spins and publishing houses go bankrupt, disappear with a trace, or they are sold. Have your hard work (books) caught in several, shall we say "events," and suddenly self-publishing options are more viable.

I'm happy to announce that after being out of print for several years, SKIPPING HEAVEN is once more available.

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*


What if you were a ghost and didn’t know it?

Daniel Woods is passing through the timeless and mysterious Appalachian Mountains on his way to Kentucky and his inheritance. A misstep tumbles him and his horse down the side of a mountain. Battered and bruised, they come upon a small homestead and help in the form of the lovely Justine Noakes. Daniel finds himself inexplicably attracted to Justine - and determined not to embarrass himself by acting on impulse.

Justine recognizes the blue-eyed trouble that just led his horse into her settled world is something she never bargained for. Irresistibly drawn to him, Justine has a problem. She needs to come up with a way to get Daniel to stay in her mountain aerie. The only way that can happen is if Daniel accepts his new reality.

What Justine knows, and Daniel must discover, is that sometimes heaven is found in unexpected places.


EXCERPT


They reached the barn and she darted to the corral, slipping between the rails and clapping her hands. Lady trotted to her then followed her into the barn. The mare was steady and he had quickly had her harnessed to the little buckboard. Daniel placed his foot on the wagon step, preparing to swing up onto the seat when Justine placed her hand on his arm. He froze, looking down at her.

“Thank you again for doing this,” she said quietly, smiling.

Impulse seized him. He put his boot back on the ground and pulled her into his arms. He caught a quick glance at her eyes before her eyelids closed and she rose on her toes to meet him halfway.

He was not trespassing.

He meant the kiss to be gentle. He meant the kiss to be soft and tender.

He meant the kiss to be something to lure her closer to him and suddenly it didn’t need to be. Suddenly she was as eager for the kiss as he was.

Suddenly she was the one in control of everything but the kiss.

Daniel grabbed what little wits he had left and slanted his mouth across hers. Her trembling lips opened under his as her arms came up around his neck. He moved his lips on hers then swept his tongue over her lower lip, a slow, lazy stroke that made her hold him tighter. A small moan escaped her and it was all the encouragement he needed.

He backed her into Lady’s stall, pulling her down to the clean straw. She clung to him without protest. He rolled her beneath him, never taking his lips from hers, feasting on her as she feasted on him.

She moaned again when he flexed his hips to hers, digging her fingers into his shoulders. He flicked his tongue to hers and she responded in kind. The heat in his groin spread, coiling in his belly. His cock swelled, filling with unbridled anticipation.

He cupped her breast, feeling the hard peak of her nipple through the thin cotton of her shift and bodice. She arched up to him, pulling her mouth from his and sucking in a great lungful of air. He sobered immediately.

God, he couldn’t take her here in the straw, on the ground, in a livestock barn. She deserved clean sheets and a soft bed, a man fresh from his bath, not a restless night spent sweating in the grip of barely recalled dreams.

He rose up and blinked her into focus. She met his gaze without pretense.


“I don’t want you to stop.”

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

Skipping Heaven is available at Amazon.com .

Rayne
http://www.rayneforrest.com

Saturday, July 5, 2014

My Sexy Saturday - Across Time

Welcome to my corner of the My Sexy Saturday Blog Hop! I'd like to thank the organizer, Lynn Crain, for hosting the hop. I generally follow along even if I don't submit a blog post. And considering the situation with my backlist, I won't be joining in every week. It gets a bit boring to have the same book on the blog hop time after time after time and I like lively better. 

Across Time - not the first book I wrote but the first book that was published and available out in the world. It's been a long journey to here but a good one. Here's seven sexy paragraphs from Across Time.

=======


It didn’t take long for the call from the Avery McKenna to come. Rose had followed protocol to notify other orbiting ships of a shuttle launch and that a ship’s captain was onboard. Devin grinned wolfishly as Corri’s voice filled the shuttle.

“What do you think you’re doing, Tremaine?”

“Well, hello, Corrine. Fancy meeting you way out here.”

“Listen, you son of a bitch. You land that shuttle on Adhara VII and I will personally take you into custody.”

He didn’t think he’d mind that too very much, especially if she used handcuffs.

“Your momma needs to go get her money back from that fancy finishing school she sent you to. Tsk, tsk. Such language.”

“You are not funny. Park that shuttle anywhere but back on that piece of garbage you fly and I’ll have to arrest you.”

ACROSS TIME
available at Amber Quill, All Romance eBooks, and Amazon.


Corri Dunn’s mission to distant Adhara VII begins on a downhill slide. Not only have her superiors withheld vital information, but Devin Tremaine knows what it is. Corri must face Devin, and what happened between them five years ago, or lose her command. Confronting the truth means facing the fact she still loves Devin. She wants him back in her life, and her bed, but she has to complete her assignment first.

Devin Tremaine made one big mistake in his life – he lost Corri Dunn when she needed his understanding and he couldn’t give it. Now they’re both at Adhara VII, caught in a web of deceit – and renewed passion. Corri’s been sent into a trap and he’s the only one who can save her.

The secrets of Adhara VII unlock their past, present and a future fast unraveling. To survive, Corri and Devin must make a leap of faith – across time. 

Rayne
http://www.rayneforrest.com
http://twitter.com/rayneforrest




Tuesday, July 1, 2014

History repeats itself - again

Here I go again on my own...

No, it's not David Coverdale belting out a hit song. Once again the universe has spoken and I've no choice but to listen. The owners of Whiskey Creek Press have decided to sell the company. 

It was a good run, albeit a complacent one. Time was things were different. Then came the Triskelion bankruptcy debacle. Then came the Aspen Mountain Press implosion. This time, though, it's different. Sort of. 

Whiskey Creek gave authors the option of agreeing to the terms of the purchaser and I opted out for the simple reason I'd never heard of the purchaser. So now all but one of my Whiskey Creek titles will be going out of print. One Summer will still be available but I don't have a clue as to the new link. Frankly, it's not with my full blessing they kept this title. I have the distinct impression that had I not agreed to let Start keep One Summer, I wouldn't have had a chance in hell of getting the other books back.  And I'm still not about to sign the form. (7/6/14 -As it is, Start instructed Whiskey Creek to return rights to ten "works" to me and I haven't gotten the reversion letter yet. I may not if I don't sign the form.) 

I suddenly have a MUCH better understanding of why an author would self-publish. 

Fortunately, Across Time and Step Into Tomorrow are with Amber Quill Press. It may sound strange but the very first ebook I ever purchased I bought at Amber Quill. I was delighted to be able to place a few stories with them. 

I'm back to wondering what's the right move. Maybe there isn't one. And maybe, like before, a door will open and shine a light out into the void and point me in the right direction. 

Rayne

Friday, May 30, 2014

Across Time is now in paperback



Across Time is now available in paperback and digital download at Amazon. This was a long time coming and it's a waiting process every author goes through at some point in their career. When you know you have a story that's really good (the old Two Lips Reviews did give it a Recommended Read) all you can do is persevere until you find the right publisher.

Now in its third edition, Across Time is better than ever with added scenes. It was a joy to revisit the story and see how much I've grown as a writer since it was originally written. I have a few more old manuscripts on the hard drive and I think it's time to dust them off and get them back out into the world, too. 

I hope you'll enjoy Across Time. Find it at here at Amazon

About the book:


Corri Dunn’s mission to distant Adhara VII begins on a downhill slide. Not only have her superiors withheld vital information, but Devin Tremaine knows what it is. Corri must face Devin, and what happened between them five years ago, or lose her command. Confronting the truth means facing the fact she still loves Devin. She wants him back in her life, and her bed, but she has to complete her assignment first.

Devin Tremaine made one big mistake in his life – he lost Corri Dunn when she needed his understanding and he couldn’t give it. Now they’re both at Adhara VII, caught in a web of deceit – and renewed passion. Corri’s been sent into a trap and he’s the only one who can save her.

The secrets of Adhara VII unlock their past, present and a future fast unraveling. To survive, Corri and Devin must make a leap of faith – across time. 


An excerpt:


Oh hell! He was walking toward her. Corri was aware of her crewmembers behind her in the meadow. It couldn’t be helped. If she walked over the rim and out of sight her security people would come running. She had to stand her ground.
He wasn’t even breathing hard when he stopped about six feet away. He took off his sunglasses to look her up and down.
Her heart pounded in her chest but she kept her tone cool. “Do I pass inspection?”
“You always did, Dunn. Congratulations on getting the Avery McKenna.”
“Thank you.” She’d had the ship three years. “What are you doing here, Tremaine? And don’t try and weasel out of telling me the truth.”
“We all take orders. Mine said come here. Didn’t yours?”
“We can stand here and verbally spar all day and get nowhere. But I’d rather have some answers. Wouldn’t you?”
“Keep your friends close and your enemies closer, eh, Dunn?”
“Is that what you are? My enemy?”
“It’s not what I want to be. It’s what you made me.” His gaze warred with hers.
“That’s not true,” she denied, moving away from him. She wasn’t ready for this conversation. In truth, maybe she had made him the enemy.
“Look, Dunn, let’s wave the white flag.”
Corri fought the urge to fidget under the calculating look Devin gave her. In that instant she knew with a certainty she didn’t question that he knew more about why they were here at Adhara VII than she did.
“I can’t, Tremaine. It’s as simple as that. I have a job to do here.”
“Do you, now? Part of the job ramming your ship’s titanium nose up my fuel vents?”
She flashed him her best smile. “Afraid to tap the braking thrusters, were you?”
“What did you hope to accomplish? A star UFPA captain dropping into orbit and the first thing she does is break the regs. I’m disappointed.”
“So deal with it. Your people made the proper adjustment.”
“My people should not have been required to do so.”
“I’ll instruct my flight crew to be more precise in their measurements.”
Devin paused and looked her up and down again. She clamped her teeth firmly together and struggled to remain silent under his perusal.
“Well, Dunn. You know where to find me should you reconsider that white flag.” He turned to leave, then stopped and looked back at her. “Nice job getting here in four days. New engines?”
Corri looked at him and saw the boyish interest in more speed, more power and having his toys be bigger and better than the other kids.
“Oh yeah, Tremaine,” she replied smoothly. “They’re amazing. Too bad you’ll never get a look at them.”
He flashed that ear-to-ear grin of his, transforming his face. It made her flush warm with memories of him, of them together. She pushed them away, knowing she couldn’t go back.
“Maybe before we pull out of here, you’ll change your mind,” he said softly, a touch of Irish lilt in his voice.
“No. I won’t.” She turned and headed down the hillside to her landing site and refused to look back.


ACROSS TIME
erotic science fiction romance

Rayne

Sunday, April 27, 2014

Across Time by Rayne Forrest

Across Time is now available at Amber Heat
http://www.amberquill.com/store/p/1954-Across-Time.aspx

The secrets of Adhara VII unlock their past and present, and threaten a future fast unraveling unless Corri and Devin take a leap of faith – across time.  


Corri Dunn’s mission to distant Adhara VII begins on a downhill slide. Not only have her superiors withheld vital information, but Devin Tremaine knows what it is. Corri must face Devin, and what happened between them five years ago, or lose her command. Confronting the truth means facing the fact she still loves Devin. She wants him back in her life, and her bed, but she has to complete her assignment first.

Devin Tremaine made one big mistake in his life – he lost Corri Dunn when she needed his understanding and he couldn’t give it. Now they’re both at Adhara VII, caught in a web of deceit – and renewed passion. Corri’s been sent into a trap and he’s the only one who can save her. 

EXCERPT:


Oh hell! He was walking toward her. Corri was aware of her crewmembers behind her in the meadow. It couldn’t be helped. If she walked over the rim and out of sight her security people would come running. She had to stand her ground.
He wasn’t even breathing hard when he stopped about six feet away. He took off his sunglasses to look her up and down.
Her heart pounded in her chest but she kept her tone cool. “Do I pass inspection?”
“You always did, Dunn. Congratulations on getting the Avery McKenna.”
“Thank you.” She’d had the ship three years. “What are you doing here, Tremaine? And don’t try and weasel out of telling me the truth.”
“We all take orders. Mine said come here. Didn’t yours?”
“We can stand here and verbally spar all day and get nowhere. But I’d rather have some answers. Wouldn’t you?”
“Keep your friends close and your enemies closer, eh, Dunn?”
“Is that what you are? My enemy?”
“It’s not what I want to be. It’s what you made me.” His gaze warred with hers.
“That’s not true,” she denied, moving away from him. She wasn’t ready for this conversation. In truth, maybe she had made him the enemy.
“Look, Dunn, let’s wave the white flag.”
Corri fought the urge to fidget under the calculating look Devin gave her. In that instant she knew with a certainty she didn’t question that he knew more about why they were here at Adhara VII than she did.
“I can’t, Tremaine. It’s as simple as that. I have a job to do here.”
“Do you, now? Part of the job ramming your ship’s titanium nose up my fuel vents?”
She flashed him her best smile. “Afraid to tap the braking thrusters, were you?”
“What did you hope to accomplish? A star UFPA captain dropping into orbit and the first thing she does is break the regs. I’m disappointed.”
“So deal with it. Your people made the proper adjustment.”
“My people should not have been required to do so.”
“I’ll instruct my flight crew to be more precise in their measurements.”
Devin paused and looked her up and down again. She clamped her teeth firmly together and struggled to remain silent under his perusal.
“Well, Dunn. You know where to find me should you reconsider that white flag.” He turned to leave, then stopped and looked back at her. “Nice job getting here in four days. New engines?”
Corri looked at him and saw the boyish interest in more speed, more power and having his toys be bigger and better than the other kids.
“Oh yeah, Tremaine,” she replied smoothly. “They’re amazing. Too bad you’ll never get a look at them.”
He flashed that ear-to-ear grin of his, transforming his face. It made her flush warm with memories of him, of them together. She pushed them away, knowing she couldn’t go back.
“Maybe before we pull out of here, you’ll change your mind,” he said softly, a touch of Irish lilt in his voice.
“No. I won’t.” She turned and headed down the hillside to her landing site and refused to look back.


= = = = =
Across Time
sci-fi romance from author Rayne Forrest

Sunday, April 20, 2014

New cover reveal - Across Time


Corri Dunn’s mission to distant Adhara VII begins on a downhill slide. Not only have her superiors withheld vital information, but Devin Tremaine knows what it is. Corri must face Devin, and what happened between them five years ago, or lose her command. Confronting the truth means facing the fact she still loves Devin. She wants him back in her life, and her bed, but she has to complete her assignment first.

Devin Tremaine made one big mistake in his life – he lost Corri Dunn when she needed his understanding and he couldn’t give it. Now they’re both at Adhara VII, caught in a web of deceit – and renewed passion. Corri’s been sent into a trap and he’s the only one who can save her.

The secrets of Adhara VII unlock their past, present and a future fast unraveling. To survive, Corri and Devin must make a leap of faith – across time. 



*****

I can't tell you how thrilled I am to be with Amber Quill Press and to have them publish Across Time. While I write both contemporary and sci-fi, I actually enjoy writing sci-fi a bit better. It's fun to build a world where all the rules are mine. I suppose that says something about me, but there is it. Veritas. 

Interviewers ask the question, "What inspired the story?" all the time. I think it's a prerequisite for an interview. Across Time developed from a scene in a television show where the hero was white water rafting. I thought it would be cool to have our hero and heroine stuck together on a raft. So then I had to create a planet with a river and a couple of space ships to get them to the planet. Yes, it was fun! 

The title Across Time has myriad meaning. It references love surviving across time, both the love between our main characters and the love of fellow man. Then there's that pesky temporal shift business of moving between time lines that the characters have to sort out to stop the bad guys from going back in time to wreak havoc.

I do wish the cover had our main characters Devin Tremaine and Corri Dunn on the it in some sort of sexy pose, but when I saw the picture of the city on the mound, it was too perfect to the city in the story. The coin flip went in favor of the city. You'll just have to believe me when I say the romance is in the story and Devin and Corri do like to get busy. Besides, finding pictures of couples in 24th century fashions isn't easy, even with google. 


To read an excerpt from Across Time, please visit my website at http://www.rayneforrest.com/AcrossTime.html

Rayne 
www.rayneforrest.com
www.twitter.com/rayneforrest

Sunday, April 6, 2014

Pieces of April

Sometimes I really do think I lost my mind when I decided to cram a writing career into my life. What? Like I didn’t already have enough to do? Jeez. And I’m not alone. Everyone I talk with seems to be in a similar space - a space already crammed full of things to do and people to tend see. Gainful employment has taken a more important role in life as the economy continues to waver.

But enough. It's April and sometime this month Across Time will once again be available. Across Time was the very first book I had go on sale back in 2004. It's been reworked (I write a better love scene these days) and I'm pleased with the result. And joy of joys, it will be available in paperback so I can give a copy to my mother and get her off my back. I mean it will make her happy. 

Music from the 1970’s. Is it better if you actually remember hearing the songs on AM radio? I think so. I heard a song by Three Dog Night on the radio recently and I was amazed at how well the music held up. A lot of critics wrote the band off as too lightweight, but when you hear an old song, and still remember all the words, it’s a special thing. Jeremiah was a bullfrog, but he’s the best known bullfrog in rock ‘n roll history. Gotta love that. Jeremiah got me thinking about Pieces of April. 

I've got pieces off April, I keep them in a memory bouquet.
I've got pieces of April, and it's a morning in May. 

It's a lovely, sentimental refrain, isn't it? The images it brings to mind are romantic, softly blurred. But what a wonderful thing to have special memories to carry with us. The first time Across Time was picked up by a publisher, the ebook industry was in its infancy. No one knew what to expect. Most of us thought ebook publishing was viable and it has proven to be so. Were they glory days? Not so much for me although I'm sure they were for some. I was on a steep learning curve, but it was exciting to see a book with my name on it go on sale - and a few people bought it! 

Across Time has been gathering dust on my hard drive for many years. Deciding to send it out into the world again was a difficult decision. No matter what happens, I'll have pieces of this April to carry into the future with me because the future carries us across time. 

Rayne

Saturday, February 22, 2014

One Summer - new for My Sexy Saturday

I'm very pleased that One Summer is finally available. It's taken awhile to get this one out but it was worth the wait. So for this My Sexy Saturday, here's seven sexy paragraphs from my latest release, One Summer. 

 **** 
Gooseflesh danced across Joe's back. A vision of Holly beneath him on a food-laden table, his own personal feast, flashed behind his eyes. He grinned at her. 

“I’d love some help, on one condition.” 

She cocked one delicately arched eyebrow at him and stared him down. The look said he’d better be careful in what conditions he tried to impose on her. 

“You have to take some of this home for you and your aunt. There’s no way I’ll be able to use it up before I have to toss it out.” 

“Well, I think I can agree to that.” 

“You can, can you? What else will you agree to, Holly Thomas?” 

She slowly leaned forward.

* * * *

One Summer is available at Whiskey Creek - Torrid Press. Read a longer excerpt at RayneForrest.com

Rayne
http://rayneforrest.com

Find me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/rayneforrest

Don't forget to check out all the My Sexy Saturday authors at http://mysexysaturday.blogspot.com 

Twenty-six Keys http://twentysixkeys.blogspot.com #mysexysaturday via @RayneForrest