Sunday Snippet: Hot as Hades

Had a slower work week and got a good bit of cleaning and clearing done. I also got some solid viewing time in. I'm also somewhat stunned that August is just around the corner. This year is flying by.

I started my watch week with Ms. Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries and got two episodes finished. The first one did indeed have Percy the Putz involved in his usual shenanigans. The second one made my heart ache but I thoroughly enjoyed getting some background on Birdie. I'm loving the episode titles for the second season as much as I loved the first season's. Can't wait to finish season two up this week, which I think is probably doable.

Caught two episodes of Silent Witness. These finished out the eleventh season and I'm getting into the seasons I've definitely watched before. I'll be starting season twelve this week.

Enjoyed two arcs of Classic Who and I'm getting close to the end of the seventeenth season. Not sure how many more Four has but I'm excited to start Five's tenure soon.

Finished up UFOs: The Lost Evidence. I thoroughly enjoyed both seasons and got a few neat little plot bunnies from what I viewed.

Caught four episodes of The Muppet Show and finished out the second season. The guest stars were Bob Hope, Teresa Brewer, John Cleese, and Cloris Leachman. Looking forward to starting season three.

This was my week for finishing up seasons. I watched the last two episodes of The Hardy Boys and I'm so excited there's going to be a second season. I really enjoyed how everything played out and I'm so happy everyone got the ending they deserved. Also kind of thrilled there's a seed planted for more possibilities for the eye.

Watched two episodes of Peak Practice. The first one finished out the third season where everyone said good-bye to Beth and Jack. The second started season four with Will on the hot seat trying to save the practice. Glad to see Andrew sticking around for a bit and I kind of liked the new doctor.

I finished up the Master Class with David Carson. I enjoyed getting his insight to graphic design and learned some new things. I also started a new class with LeVar Burton on storytelling. I'm very excited to work through this series of classes.

Caught two episodes of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. I'm loving how accepting the group is being about Theo and I'm kind of interested in how the academy stuff is playing out. I like Nick okay but I'm a little twitchy about his motives. Can't wait to find out if there's more going on there.

Enjoyed two more episodes of the Brokenwood Mysteries. I loved this show. The wine episode ended up being a great little mystery and the golf course episode was thoroughly enjoyable. I loved seeing the story play out on that one.

Started Star Trek: Discovery and have to admit I'm cautiously optimistic. I quite enjoyed the first episode. I'm looking forward to more.

Watched two episodes of Chicago Med and have to say again I'm so glad I'm finally getting to watch this series from the beginning. I'm getting close to the end of the first season and I'm looking forward to season two.

Passionflix premiered season two of Driven and the first episode rocked. I loved the first actor that played Colton but the recast works very well. Looking forward to the next three episodes!

Started UFO Witness and liked the first episode. It's only a single season so I'll see where things go.

For nostalgia's sake, I started the new version of the Rugrats (heretofore referred to as New Rugrats). The original will always have a special place in my heart since all three of my kiddos loved the show. It had the rare ability to appeal to little ones and grown-ups with so many inside jokes. The new version is quite charming and I'm happy to say I think I'll enjoy it.

Last but not least, I started a new episode of Blue Heelers. It's a two-parter and looks to be kind of interesting with lots of bridges being burned and internal affairs out for blood.

Whew. That's if for television this week. Tonight's post is from Hot as Hades, a novella featuring the god of the underworld coming to the assist of an artist that needs a little help with a couple of nefarious guys.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Roxie St. Clair, an up and coming artist, wants to live and work on her own terms. But when the god of the underworld informs her of the underhanded tactics of her former employer, she decides to turn the tables and fight back.

And a preview snippet…

Roxie St. Clair burned hot.

Baking, boiling, dripping in sweat, hot.

She'd known using all four kilns at once would make her studio unbearable. She also figured it would make her attached loft warmer than usual.

But not sweltering.

She couldn't shut any of them down either. Too much rode on getting as many pieces completed as possible. She could kick herself for that last creative spurt she'd had.

But it would turn out as some of her best work.

Her very best ever.

The notion brought a smile to her face. She'd never lacked pride in her work—hand thrown pots and clay sculptures—but she did doubt ever making it a success.

Now, she had her chance and couldn't afford to blow it.

The lease on her lovely space would be up in six months and her upcoming show next week would make or break her. If she didn't score enough interest from distributors, she'd be out on the street.

With no choice but to go back to work for evil Edsel Montague.

Oh, how she hated that man. And his creepy, twisted, little day dreams involving the two of them in the throes of passion.

As if. Maybe at half past never she'd consider hooking up with her former employer.

Possibly her soon to be again employer.

Stop it, Rox.

She'd escaped his groping hands and graphic descriptions. Had been free for almost a year.

Best year of her life so far.

Blowing a wisp of hair out of her face, Roxie lifted the heavy length off her shoulder and twisted it up on top of her head. Using one of her carving tools to keep it in place, she instantly felt cooler.

And that, in turn, made her less anxious. She still had the six months to get everything in place to take over the lease from her anonymous benefactor.

Flopping down on the sofa, she kicked her feet up and said yet another silent thank you to the person who'd made it possible for her to pursue her dream.

She still had no idea who her savior might be, or how they'd known her deepest desire. Maybe they'd witnessed the constant harassment from evil Edsel and decided to grant her fondest wish—aside from murdering the pawing pervert—of living and working on her own terms.

Whatever the case, Roxie would be forever grateful. She enjoyed the freedom to create whatever came to mind and prayed she'd be able to continue.

Checking the time, she realized the first kiln would be shutting down in a few minutes. Time to brave the heat and go take a look. She couldn't wait to see how the latest batch turned out.

Roxie is so much fun to write. She doesn't know she's between a rock and a hard place, but she'll soon learn.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Celebrate Your Freedom to Live, Love, & Read—Freedom Hop

LET FREEDOM RING!

Welcome to the Freedom Hop, a great sampling of authors sharing short excerpts from their work. Please enjoy and consider picking up the full book by clicking on the buy link.

~*~

How wonderful is it to have the independence to choose how we live our lives, who we love, and what we read?

I'm lucky enough to have always had the choice and I've used my liberty to do what I love… write about hot romances between men and women, edit for authors who write about all kinds of love—from best friends who become lovers to same sex couples and relationships that include multiple partners, and read all of the above with voracious abandon.

When writing as Skye Ritchey, I tend to focus on magic, fantasy, and paranormal or supernatural settings, characters, and stories. Exploring things not of our realm is whimsical and freeing. Being able to imagine what a character can do or how they react to the world around them is exciting and challenging.

For this year's Freedom Hop, I'm sharing short samplings of all my current titles and a longer excerpt of my most recent release, Cupid's Curse, which I'm giving away for the blog hop. I had the best time writing Bree and Archer. Both characters had very strong voices and wouldn't leave me alone until I wrote their story.

~*~

Cupid's Curse

Available on Amazon ~ $2.99

Archer Stewart, a Cupid of the First Order, suffers the wrath of Eros when he nips the wrong woman with an arrow. Cursed by the god of love, Arch spends his days making perfect matches or he had to deal with some unpleasant consequences.

Bree Daniels is indirectly responsible for Arch's predicament and seeks advice from Aphrodite, hoping to find a way to make amends. After almost two years apart, Bree finally realizes Arch is the man she wants and she's willing to risk her immortality to set him free.

Excerpt:

The push-pull-whoosh feeling weighed on Bree and she shoved everything else aside and readied herself to pop in on Arch.

She blipped, shimmered, and landed with a flourish—something she'd perfected by lots of practice—to find Arch comfortably sprawled on the overstuffed couch, chatting it up with Merry Deerfield.

Stupid cow.

And Arch didn't seem the least bit uncomfortable having Miss Merry practically sitting in his lap.

Stupid man.

But worse, neither one paid her any attention.

Not part of the plan. But she could adjust.

Tilting her head sideways, she cleared her throat. "I'm so sorry… I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

Arch flicked a glance toward the hour glass by the viewing pool. "Would it matter if you were?" His tone clearly indicated it wouldn't have bothered him.

Bree didn't like to be on the defensive as soon as she arrived. It made her off kilter. Her bravado saved her.

She tossed her head and sent a bored look in Arch's direction. "Not to me, but I imagine it would to you." Her gazed shifted to Merry. "And your friend, of course." Bree waited a beat. "No one likes to be caught with their pants down."

Arch snorted. "Except you."

Okay, totally not fair. And it only happened one time, dammit.

Bree hid her embarrassment behind an audacious front. "Well, yes…" She flicked her gaze toward Merry again. "But I'm not standard fare around here."

To Merry's credit, she only rolled her eyes in response to the insult.

Arch didn't hold back. "Bree, you're not standard fare anywhere." He got up and gave Merry a hand. "You're more like an overused trend… not worth the price."

Bree flinched. That one hurt. But she couldn't blame him for lashing out.

Arch's voice went flat. "You're also late."

Bree recovered quickly. "For which I'll happily apologize." She remembered her conversation with Aphrodite and grinned. "It really couldn't be helped."

Arch shook his head. "Let me guess… you were tied to a bedpost and lost track of time?"

Book Tagline: Cursed by the god of love, Archer Stewart, a Cupid of the First Order, knows exactly who to blame—his fellow cupid, Bree Daniels.

Brand Tagline: When gods and mortals play together… the result is often unexpected.

~*~

AUTHOR GIVEAWAY

To celebrate our freedom to live, love, and read, I'm giving away Cupid's Curse, which is the introductory book in the Meddlesome Gods branded series. More titles are coming this fall.

To enter, please leave a comment and let me know how you like to spend the 4^th of July. Non-US readers, let me know what would celebrate with fireworks.

~*~

More books by Skye Ritchey

A Magical Affair

Available on Amazon ~ $3.99

A mansion atop a wellspring of magic lets Romy, Heath, and Stacie live out their fantasies.

A Little Yule Magick

Available on Amazon ~ $1.49

Boyd and Sygin use a Little Yule Magick to get their holiday off on the right start.

An Idyllic Affair

(With ML Skye)

Available on Amazon ~ $3.99

On the run from their enemies, an island sanctuary gives Geoff and Linnea time for An Idyllic Affair.

~*~

Please stop by my website

Celebrate with more fireworks! Visit the other participating authors.

Embrace the Magic—Cupid's Curse

Welcome to the weekly blog hop hosted by the Paranormal Love Wednesdays blog.

Readers: Embrace the magic, the mystical, the totally out there. Witches, werewolves, shapeshifters, magicians, wizards—the dearly twisted begins we all know and love. Authors are sharing short excerpts or blurbs from their books or works in progress.

Please enjoy and consider picking up the full book by clicking on the buy link.

~*~

Today I'm featuring a brief look at how Bree helps Arch ease the symptoms of his curse.

The words she'd been waiting to hear. She'd followed Aphrodite's advice to a tee. Took her time, let the days drag out, the inevitable slow build to a horrible headache and raging hard-on that would make him come to her and seek relief. She'd done everything she could to speed that end along. She'd put very careful care into her wardrobe, finding sexy, sensual outfits designed to entice. Of course, Arch took notice, but resisted her allure—until now.

She couldn't blow it by going gooey on him. Acting nonchalant took everything she had, even though he turned her on beyond anything. Especially since he'd continued to self-pleasure several times a day and she couldn't resist watching—or listening if she couldn't observe.

"Right. Your little issue." She sighed, staying in her self-modeled role, but her eyes dropped appreciatively to the bulge in his pants. "Why not? I guess it's the least I can do." Turning back around, she flipped up her skirt. "Been a while since you've nailed me from behind..." She glanced over her shoulder. "You game?"

~*~

Series Tagline: When gods and mortals play together… the result is often unexpected.

Book Tagline: Cursed by the god of love, Archer Stewart, a Cupid of the First Order, knows exactly who to blame—his fellow cupid, Bree Daniels.

~*~

Available on Amazon

~*~

Series Blurb: Welcome to a world where gods and goddesses of various pantheons mix and mingle with mere earthly mortals—often with unexpected results. Deities can't seem to help themselves and have to meddle with their human counterparts. Sometimes the godly being offers much needed assistance, but occasionally they lash out and cause harm.

But mostly, the amalgamation of deified power and human nature combines to be highly entertaining.

Book Blurb: Archer Stewart, a Cupid of the First Order, suffers the wrath of Eros when he nips the wrong woman with an arrow. Cursed by the god of love, Arch spends his days making perfect matches or he had to deal with some unpleasant consequences.

Bree Daniels is indirectly responsible for Arch's predicament and seeks advice from Aphrodite, hoping to find a way to make amends. After almost two years apart, Bree finally realizes Arch is the man she wants and she's willing to risk her immortality to set him free.

~*~

~*~

Please stop by my website

Embrace more great reads! Visit the other participating authors.

Embrace the Magic—Cupid's Curse

Welcome to the weekly blog hop hosted by the Paranormal Love Wednesdays blog.

Readers: Embrace the magic, the mystical, the totally out there. Witches, werewolves, shapeshifters, magicians, wizards—the dearly twisted begins we all know and love. Authors are sharing short excerpts or blurbs from their books or works in progress.

Please enjoy and consider picking up the full book by clicking on the buy link.

Today I'm featuring a brief look at Arch and Bree's interaction. These crazy cupids can't seem to get their act together.

Arch didn't hold back. "Bree, you're not standard fare anywhere." He got up and gave Merry a hand. "You're more like an overused trend… not worth the price."

Bree flinched. That one hurt. But she couldn't blame him for lashing out.

Arch's voice went flat. "You're also late."

Bree recovered quickly. "For which I'll happily apologize." She remembered her conversation with Aphrodite and grinned. "It really couldn't be helped."

Arch shook his head. "Let me guess… you were tied to a bedpost and lost track of time?"

Series Tagline: When gods and mortals play together… the result is often unexpected.

Book Tagline: Cursed by the god of love, Archer Stewart, a Cupid of the First Order, knows exactly who to blame—his fellow cupid, Bree Daniels.

~*~

Available on Amazon

~*~

Series Blurb: Welcome to a world where gods and goddesses of various pantheons mix and mingle with mere earthly mortals—often with unexpected results. Deities can't seem to help themselves and have to meddle with their human counterparts. Sometimes the godly being offers much needed assistance, but occasionally they lash out and cause harm.

But mostly, the amalgamation of deified power and human nature combines to be highly entertaining.

Book Blurb: Archer Stewart, a Cupid of the First Order, suffers the wrath of Eros when he nips the wrong woman with an arrow. Cursed by the god of love, Arch spends his days making perfect matches or he had to deal with some unpleasant consequences.

Bree Daniels is indirectly responsible for Arch's predicament and seeks advice from Aphrodite, hoping to find a way to make amends. After almost two years apart, Bree finally realizes Arch is the man she wants and she's willing to risk her immortality to set him free.

~*~

~*~

Please stop by my website

Embrace more great reads! Visit the other participating authors.

Get Hooked: Reel in a Great Book—Cupid's Curse #MFRWAuthors #MFRWHooks

Welcome to Book Hooks, the weekly smorgasbord sampler hosted by the MFRW Authors Blog.

Readers: get hooked and reel in some great books. Authors are sharing short excerpts from their work. Please enjoy and consider picking up the full book by clicking on the buy link.

While Cupid's Curse isn't set around Valentine's Day, it is about cupids and making perfect matches.

This week, we see a little of how the curse affects Arch.

Series Tagline: When gods and mortals play together… the result is often unexpected.

Book Tagline: Cursed by the god of love, Archer Stewart, a Cupid of the First Order, knows exactly who to blame—his fellow cupid, Bree Daniels.

~*~

Arch laid on the bed in agony. He'd passed the skull-splitting migraine stage and had entered into the hellish zone of the next phase—a non-stop hard-on. The headache receded into a continuous dull throb, but remained constant reminder of his curse.

How could it possibly be a week since Bree had arrived? What in Aphrodite's name was taking the woman so long? Arch's cock felt like it would break in two at any moment.

He sat up slowly, willing the stiffness between his legs to subside long enough so he could stand. The pound of the headache settled in with a thrum along his hairline and at the base of his neck. He had to find out what the hell Bree planned to do about finding a match.

Slowly, trying not to stimulate his hard length too much, he made his way to the grotto. Bree sat on the chaise, filing her nails, looking rather fetching in a red micro mini and form fitting, white T-shirt. Her feet were bare and the racy candy apple-colored polish on her toes drew attention to her well defined legs.

Arch had a thing for those legs. Especially when she wrapped them around him, urging him to pound her harder.

Not a good place for his thoughts to go right now. He'd rather live with the pulsating, radiating throb of his dick than get tangled up with Bree again.

Clearing his throat, he got her attention. "Filing your nails? I thought you were working hard to find someone."

Bree continued scraping the edge of the emery board across the blunt tips. "Oh, I haven't found anyone yet. Just taking a break."

Arch saw more red—the bold hue of his anger. "You're what?"

Bree narrowed her eyes. "You heard me. I know you're not deaf." She switched hands, her right foot tapping up and down in rhythm with the file.

"You know what happens to me when I go too long without making a match. You don't have time for taking breaks."

She shrugged. "There's no one out there that appeals to me."

Arch made a garbled, choking sound. "They're not supposed to appeal to you, Bree. You just have to find someone who needs a mate." He took two steps forward, ready to strangle her.

Bree held up a finger, knowing his intent. "I wouldn't. You'd just have to wait for someone to be called in to take my place." She went back to smoothing off non-existent hangnails.

Available on Amazon

~*~

Series Blurb: Welcome to a world where gods and goddesses of various pantheons mix and mingle with mere earthly mortals—often with unexpected results. Deities can't seem to help themselves and have to meddle with their human counterparts. Sometimes the godly being offers much needed assistance, but occasionally they lash out and cause harm.

But mostly, the amalgamation of deified power and human nature combines to be highly entertaining.

Book Blurb: Archer Stewart, a Cupid of the First Order, suffers the wrath of Eros when he nips the wrong woman with an arrow. Cursed by the god of love, Arch spends his days making perfect matches or he had to deal with some unpleasant consequences.

Bree Daniels is indirectly responsible for Arch's predicament and seeks advice from Aphrodite, hoping to find a way to make amends. After almost two years apart, Bree finally realizes Arch is the man she wants and she's willing to risk her immortality to set him free.

~*~

~*~

Please stop by my website

Reel in more great books! Visit the other participating authors.

Smokin' Hot—Hot and Swoon-Worthy: Cupid's Curse (A Meddlesome Gods novella)

Welcome to the Hot for Friday blog hop!

Readers: Enjoy posts from authors with fun weekly tasks or a cool question.

Authors: Get in on the fun and join here.

After a forced hiatus where I descended into deadline hell, I finally get to rejoin my fellow authors with a new Hot for Friday blog post. YAY!

This week we're tasked with posting a piece of dialog where our hero gets to take center stage and deliver a swoon-worthy line to the heroine. I can't wait to read some smooth moves from our heroes.

For my feature, I'm posting one of my favorite exchanges from my current Ellipses Press release, Cupid's Curse, a Meddlesome Gods novella.

For a little background, here are the series and book taglines:

When gods and mortals play together… the result is often unexpected.

Cursed by the god of love, Archer Stewart, a Cupid of the First Order, knows exactly who to blame—his fellow cupid, Bree Daniels.

And the swoon-worthy dialog…(from Arch's point of view)

Bree rolled her eyes. "I don't flit." She backed away from the console. "I make an entrance." He snorted rudely, but she ignored it. "Look, I'm not chained to this location the way you are." She glanced back at the pool. "I get bored and need to go explore." She shot him a wry look. "You should try it sometime. Oh… wait. That's what landed you here on a permanent basis." Her bubbly giggles made his head throb harder. "Can I help it if I enjoy having fun?"

Arch steamed. "Apparently not." He almost shook with the pain. "Are you going to help me out here or not, Bree?" His glance dropped down, the rigid hardness unmistakable.

~*~

Trust me when I say these are words Bree has been waiting to hear. :D

Available on Amazon

Ellipses Press, Ltd.

~*~

Series Blurb: Welcome to a world where gods and goddesses of various pantheons mix and mingle with mere earthly mortals—often with unexpected results. Deities can't seem to help themselves and have to meddle with their human counterparts. Sometimes the godly being offers much needed assistance, but occasionally they lash out and cause harm.

But mostly, the amalgamation of deified power and human nature combines to be highly entertaining.

Book Blurb: Archer Stewart, a Cupid of the First Order, suffers the wrath of Eros when he nips the wrong woman with an arrow. Cursed by the god of love, Arch spends his days making perfect matches or he had to deal with some unpleasant consequences.

Bree Daniels is indirectly responsible for Arch's predicament and seeks advice from Aphrodite, hoping to find a way to make amends. After almost two years apart, Bree finally realizes Arch is the man she wants and she's willing to risk her immortality to set him free.

~*~

Thank you for stopping by.

Please feel free to drop by my website

And don't forget to enjoy the other Hot for Friday posts!

Embrace the Magic—Cupid's Curse

Welcome to the weekly blog hop hosted by the Paranormal Love Wednesdays blog.

Readers: Embrace the magic, the mystical, the totally out there. Witches, werewolves, shapeshifters, magicians, wizards—the dearly twisted begins we all know and love. Authors are sharing short excerpts or blurbs from their books or works in progress.

Please enjoy and consider picking up the full book by clicking on the buy link.

~*~

My current release Cupid's Curse, a Meddlesome Gods novella, features Cupids of the First Order Archer Stewart and Bree Daniels. They're about to face a complicated work situation when Bree has to take a turn at finding a perfect match, something she's avoided for a very good reason. She can't put the task off any longer or she'll lose her immortal status, a designation she covets above all other things. Almost.

Cursed by the god of love, Archer can't leave the matching grotto until Eros exhausts his anger. His many gaffs after a spectacular break up with Bree backfired in such a way he may never be released. Arch can live with being stuck in one place, but if he and he fellow cupids don't make a perfect match quickly, the nastier side effects of his curse kick in. Thinking Bree will ever settle down and share her long life with him proves to have been his biggest mistake of all.

Bree has no doubt Arch blames her and their ill-timed split for his current predicament. Having no choice but to complete her duties—meaning she'll have to see him again—she seeks assistance from Aphrodite to help get Arch's curse lifted. Even if he hates Bree, she can make one thing right—because she hasn't found anyone else in the realm of cupid who holds her interest the way Arch does. And she's tried. A lot.

Arch is beyond shocked when Bree shows up, ready to make a perfect match. But when the days roll by, and the terrible effects kick in, he begins to suspect she's only toying with him. In a way, she is, but she's bound by the goddess of love to follow a strict plan if Bree wants to get Arch released from his Cupid's Curse.

Series Tagline: When gods and mortals play together… the result is often unexpected.

Book Tagline: Cursed by the god of love, Archer Stewart, a Cupid of the First Order, knows exactly who to blame—his fellow cupid, Bree Daniels.

~*~

Available on Amazon

~*~

Series Blurb: Welcome to a world where gods and goddesses of various pantheons mix and mingle with mere earthly mortals—often with unexpected results. Deities can't seem to help themselves and have to meddle with their human counterparts. Sometimes the godly being offers much needed assistance, but occasionally they lash out and cause harm.

But mostly, the amalgamation of deified power and human nature combines to be highly entertaining.

Book Blurb: Archer Stewart, a Cupid of the First Order, suffers the wrath of Eros when he nips the wrong woman with an arrow. Cursed by the god of love, Arch spends his days making perfect matches or he had to deal with some unpleasant consequences.

Bree Daniels is indirectly responsible for Arch's predicament and seeks advice from Aphrodite, hoping to find a way to make amends. After almost two years apart, Bree finally realizes Arch is the man she wants and she's willing to risk her immortality to set him free.

~*~

~*~

Please stop by my website

Embrace more great reads! Visit the other participating authors.

Get Hooked: Reel in a Great Book—Cupid's Curse #MFRWAuthors #MFRWHooks

Welcome to Book Hooks, the weekly smorgasbord sampler hosted by the MFRW Authors Blog.

Readers: get hooked and reel in some great books. Authors are sharing short excerpts from their work. Please enjoy and consider picking up the full book by clicking on the buy link.

While Cupid's Curse isn't set around Valentine's Day, it is about cupids and making perfect matches.

This week, we meet Archer Stewart.

Series Tagline: When gods and mortals play together… the result is often unexpected.

Book Tagline: Cursed by the god of love, Archer Stewart, a Cupid of the First Order, knows exactly who to blame—his fellow cupid, Bree Daniels.

~*~

Flora got up and walked around to the back of the couch. Her cool hands massaged his temples and he groaned at the additional relief they provided.

Stupid damn curse.

"Hey, at least the more unpleasant aspect of your predicament didn't kick in." Her hands stilled on his head. "But I would've been happy to help you out if it had taken any longer." She reached down and gave his shoulders a squeeze.

Flora's reference to the worst part of the curse almost made the headache come back.

Arch glanced up. "I appreciate the sentiment, Flo." He grasped her hand in thanks. "But something tells me Martin might come after my head if you ever provided assistance in that area."

She came back around and dropped down beside him.

"Being on the god of love's bad side is quite enough, thanks." He sighed.

Flora nodded. "Eros certainly holds a grudge. And Martin would be more understanding than you think, especially when you pretty much have no choice—once things progress that far."

Arch grimaced. He hated that aspect more than anything.

"Has it ever…? Got to that point for you?"

Twice. In the eighteen months since Eros had cursed him, Archer had been near out of his mind two times. If two days passed without a match being made, the headaches started. At five days, the pounding in his brain took on epic proportions. Seven days without a perfect hook-up and the nastier side-effects kicked in. Arch got a raging hard-on that wouldn't go away, unless he masturbated for relief. By day ten, hand-jobs no longer worked—only sex with penetration would provide a solution. The two times he'd reached that point, he'd been lucky enough to have willing participants within an easy call. The couplings lacked finesse—he'd been near out of his mind in pain—and word spread quickly, rallying the other cupids and encouraging them to make their matches in a timely manner.

Arch shuddered. "Flo, I'd rather not talk about it."

Available on Amazon

~*~

Series Blurb: Welcome to a world where gods and goddesses of various pantheons mix and mingle with mere earthly mortals—often with unexpected results. Deities can't seem to help themselves and have to meddle with their human counterparts. Sometimes the godly being offers much needed assistance, but occasionally they lash out and cause harm.

But mostly, the amalgamation of deified power and human nature combines to be highly entertaining.

Book Blurb: Archer Stewart, a Cupid of the First Order, suffers the wrath of Eros when he nips the wrong woman with an arrow. Cursed by the god of love, Arch spends his days making perfect matches or he had to deal with some unpleasant consequences.

Bree Daniels is indirectly responsible for Arch's predicament and seeks advice from Aphrodite, hoping to find a way to make amends. After almost two years apart, Bree finally realizes Arch is the man she wants and she's willing to risk her immortality to set him free.

~*~

~*~

Please stop by my website

Reel in more great books! Visit the other participating authors.

Smokin' Hot—Book Girlfriend Celebrity Lookalike: Cupid's Curse

Welcome to the Hot for Friday blog hop!

Readers: Enjoy posts from authors with fun weekly tasks or a cool question.

Authors: Get in on the fun and join here.

We already got to know our book boyfriend celebrity lookalike. For this week's entry, we get to cast our book girlfriend celebrity lookalike.

FUN!!!

As mentioned in my boyfriend casting post, I almost always have an actor or actress serve as inspiration when I'm writing. It's great to have visual imagery as a point of reference when creating characters.

I'd love to share my vision of hotness for Cupid's Curse, coming soon from Ellipses Press, Ltd.

So… without further ado…

Please meet the truly gorgeous inspiration for Bree Daniels.

Anna Silk

Anna stars as Bo, a succubus, in Lost Girl. Bree is a very sexual being, but she's also got a few vulnerabilities, even if she tries damned hard not to show them. Anna's character—hello, Succubus!—really gave me a needed boost to get inside Bree's head. And Anna's look is what I wanted, too. No hardship to cast Anna as Bree.

Book Tagline: Cursed by the god of love, Archer Stewart, a Cupid of the First Order, knows exactly who to blame—his fellow cupid, Bree Daniels.

Series Tagline: When gods and mortals play together… the result is often unexpected.

Bree Daniels had a dilemma. Up next for a turn at the matching chapel—she'd put it off as long as she could—she'd end up face-to-face with Archer Stewart. And he would not be happy to see her.

And didn't that just figure? Because she couldn't wait to lay eyes on him—and maybe her hands and other body parts, too. If he didn't try to strangle her before she had the chance.

She didn't really blame him. Her track record with him sucked so far. First, there were the less than stellar circumstances they'd met under. She'd arrived naked from a beach in Belize. The hook-up she'd had took a weird turn and the guy hid her clothes. Already late, she decided not to waste time and popped into the grotto sans anything but skin… which completely made a bad impression with Arch.

But they'd muddled through that debacle and found some common ground. Enough that they spent some time together. Got to know each other. Spent a glorious week at the Four Corners.

The sex had been incredible.

But Arch wanted more… and Bree didn't feel ready to be tied down.

Her reluctance didn't go over well.

And then came the curse. Poor Arch couldn't leave the grotto until Eros removed it. And she'd been the indirect cause.

Gads… when I screw up, I really do it up right.

She needed some deified intervention and found herself standing outside Aphrodite's private chambers.

If anyone could help Bree fix the mess she'd made, it would be the goddess of love.

Raising a hand, she rang the chimes and waited to be summoned inside.  

The tinkling trill drew Aphrodite's attention away from choosing an appropriate piece of clothing. "I'm not decent, but come in anyway." Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty, had no shame when it came to immodesty.

Bree entered Aphrodite's lovely suite and watched as she stepped into a gorgeous frothy robe.

"Bree. How lovely to see you today." The goddess sat down at her vanity and admired the view.

Bree stepped further inside the sanctuary and opted for formal politeness. "Mistress, I seek advice." A safe opening when one didn't know the mood of the goddess.  

Aphrodite raised a brow. "Oh, come on, Bree. You know I don't stand on ceremony." She picked up a make-up brush, waited a beat then laughed. "Okay, I do. But not with you." She waved Bree to a nearby slipper chair.

Bree relaxed and sat down. "Thanks." She started feeling good about coming to see Aphrodite.

The other woman swept a lovely pink color on her cheeks, but watched Bree carefully. "You look pensive, my dear. What worries you?"

Bree blew out a breath and decided to just lay it out. "I'm due for my turn at the matching chapel…" When Aphrodite gave her a knowing look, she hastily added on the truth. "Okay, overdue for my turn, and I've sort of got a problem."

Aphrodite smiled. "Hence the advice seeking part." She laid the make-up brush aside and turned to face Bree. "Okay. Spill."

Bree suddenly didn't know where to start. "Uh, you know the guy who's cursed? Archer Stewart?" When the goddess nodded, she continued. "I haven't had a matchmaking session since he's been stuck there. Purposefully."

Aphrodite's patience wore thin. "And?"

Bree opted to spit it out in one go. "And we had a thing and it sort of went kinda south… and well, now I have to face that smokin' hot guy or lose my privilege as cupid."

Aphrodite mused. "Hmm. You've done it to yourself this time, haven't you?"

~*~

Coming Next Week!

~*~

Series Blurb: Welcome to a world where gods and goddesses of various pantheons mix and mingle with mere earthly mortals—often with unexpected results. Deities can't seem to help themselves and have to meddle with their human counterparts. Sometimes the godly being offers much needed assistance, but occasionally they lash out and cause harm.

But mostly, the amalgamation of deified power and human nature combines to be highly entertaining.

Book Blurb: Archer Stewart, a Cupid of the First Order, suffers the wrath of Eros when he nips the wrong woman with an arrow. Cursed by the god of love, Arch spends his days making perfect matches or he had to deal with some unpleasant consequences.

Bree Daniels is indirectly responsible for Arch's predicament and seeks advice from Aphrodite, hoping to find a way to make amends. After almost two years apart, Bree finally realizes Arch is the man she wants and she's willing to risk her immortality to set him free.

~*~

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Smokin' Hot—First Encounter: Cupid's Curse

Welcome to the Hot for Friday blog hop!

Readers: Enjoy posts from authors with fun weekly tasks or a cool question.

Authors: Get in on the fun and join here.

For this week's entry, we were asked to post our hero and heroine's first encounter?

FUN!!!

I love writing that first meeting, or sometimes, the first time characters see each other after a long time or maybe even a break-up, because they just can't stay apart. Or sometimes, it's when they've been interested and are just now acting on their attraction. And occasionally, the encounter is hostile because of a different kind of break-up.

I'd love to share Bree Daniels and Archer Stewart's first encounter after a nasty split. It's been almost two years and Arch carries something of a grudge, especially since he's been cursed by the god of love, Eros. Cupid's Curse is coming in January from Ellipses press and is part of the Meddlesome Gods brand.

Book Tagline: Cursed by the god of love, Archer Stewart, a Cupid of the First Order, knows exactly who to blame—his fellow cupid, Bree Daniels.

So… without further ado…

The push-pull-whoosh feeling weighed on Bree and she shoved everything else aside and readied herself to pop in on Arch.

She blipped, shimmered, and landed with a flourish—something she'd perfected by lots of practice—to find Arch comfortably sprawled on the overstuffed couch, chatting it up with Merry Deerfield.

Stupid cow.

And Arch didn't seem the least bit uncomfortable having Miss Merry practically sitting in his lap.

Stupid man.

But worse, neither one paid her any attention.

Not part of the plan. But she could adjust.

Tilting her head sideways, she cleared her throat. "I'm so sorry… I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

Arch flicked a glance toward the hour glass by the viewing pool. "Would it matter if you were?" His tone clearly indicated it wouldn't have bothered him.

Bree didn't like to be on the defensive as soon as she arrived. It made her off kilter. Her bravado saved her.

She tossed her head and sent a bored look in Arch's direction. "Not to me, but I imagine it would to you." Her gazed shifted to Merry. "And your friend, of course." Bree waited a beat. "No one likes to be caught with their pants down."

Arch snorted. "Except you."

Okay, totally not fair. And it only happened one time, dammit.

Bree hid her embarrassment behind an audacious front. "Well, yes…" She flicked her gaze toward Merry again. "But I'm not standard fare around here."

To Merry's credit, she only rolled her eyes in response to the insult.

Arch didn't hold back. "Bree, you're not standard fare anywhere." He got up and gave Merry a hand. "You're more like an overused trend… not worth the price."

Bree flinched. That one hurt. But she couldn't blame him for lashing out.

Arch's voice went flat. "You're also late."

Bree recovered quickly. "For which I'll happily apologize." She remembered her conversation with Aphrodite and grinned. "It really couldn't be helped."

Arch shook his head. "Let me guess… you were tied to a bedpost and lost track of time?"

~*~

(Cover Art Not Final)

Coming in January!!

~*~

Series Blurb: Welcome to a world where gods and goddesses of various pantheons mix and mingle with mere earthly mortals—often with unexpected results. Deities can't seem to help themselves and have to meddle with their human counterparts. Sometimes the godly being offers much needed assistance, but occasionally they lash out and cause harm.

Book Blurb: Archer Stewart, a Cupid of the First Order, suffers the wrath of Eros when he nips the wrong woman with an arrow. Cursed by the god of love, Arch spends his days making perfect matches or he had to deal with some unpleasant consequences.

Bree Daniels is indirectly responsible for Arch's predicament and seeks advice from Aphrodite, hoping to find a way to make amends. After almost two years apart, Bree finally realizes Arch is the man she wants and she's willing to risk her immortality to set him free.

~*~

Thank you for stopping by.

Please feel free to drop by my website

And don't forget to enjoy the other Hot for Friday posts!