I wanted to take a few moments and talk about my printer.  When my old printer a HP PSC1510 I’ve had FOREVER  started acting really funky and then not working, I knew I needed a new one. I print a ton of black and white, not so much color. So I wanted low ink costs. With the HP I could get remanufacturered cartridges for about $5-7 each through OSC Inkjet. I wanted that same price.

And yes, I’d seen the “ink monsters” commercials talking about how Lexmark lowered your cost of ink. Additionally, this was right after the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, and I’d just seen a very interesting human interest story about how Lexmark handled all of their printing, saving them money and saving electricity, paper, and helping the environment at the same time. So yeah, it’s pretty safe to say I’d had Lexmark on my mind.

After research, I decided on the Lexmark Pinnacle Pro901. The $5 for a black ink cartridge was nice to my budget (per the box, each one prints 550 pages) and I loved Lexmark’s cartridge return program where I return five cartridges and get one free. (Plus if I buy five cartridges I get one free.) Having just completed a major printing project, I have to say I’m as much in love with this printer now as when I’d purchased it.

PROs:

• Cheap ink cost for black ink. Color cartridges aren’t that bad either.
• Quick printing. Doesn’t take long to print out several pages, or an entire manuscript.
• Has an auto-document feeder for scanning.
• Faxes out multiple pages.

CONs:

• incoming faxes seem pretty flaky. Sometimes they’re received, sometimes they’re not. (We have an alternate fax service, which I am keeping.)
• If you scan/copy/fax with the auto document feeder, it always tries flat bed scanning first. So you have to cancel, and then re scan/fax/copy.
• Seems to be hit and miss whether it will duplex print right out of word. Sometimes it works. Sometimes I have to print certain pages. But for the most part it works, you just have to watch it.

If you’re like me and print mostly black and white, I have to say this is a very nice printer for author-personal use. It seems to be hardy, and it’s a professional model, so it’s designed for a little more high volume printing.

Breathe Me In
by Lex Valentine
erotic paranormal M/M long novella (approx. 40,000 words)
$3.39

Life is good for vampire Wilson North.  His family left him well off. His job as an estate attorney is prestigious, well paying, and non-demanding.  He’s gay and out and never had any issues being either. In fact, until the day he ended up beneath his car, bleeding out and only a few pints of blood from a sure trip to the Afterworld, life had never been a challenge.

When Will meets his destiny in the form of an enigmatic Magia named Garrick Forrester he finds the challenge of his life. Garrick’s gay but doesn’t live an openly gay life.  Instead, he hides his nature behind his ownership of a BDSM club.  The two men instantly know they are mates, but that doesn’t smooth the path to their bonding.  Garrick wants Will but threats from his past convince him that the only way to protect his lover is to leave him. Shocked by Garrick’s ability to walk away, Will struggles to understand why his mate doesn’t want him.  For the first time in Will’s life, something isn’t easy and he must fight for what he needs or give up his chance for happiness.

Drawn together by destiny. Torn apart by self-doubts and fear. Two men on the cusp of a dream must set aside the lives they’ve always lived for a chance at a new and brilliant future.

Warning: This book contains virgin sex between a sexy self-sacrificing wizard who’s never been catcher and an angelic-faced vampire who’s never pitched, a BDSM bad guy with dark magic, a mysterious royal Acerbian, and a host of characters from previous Tales books who do everything from implode buildings to change diapers…all to help two reluctant heroes find true love.

Excerpt:

Leaning back on his elbows, Will sank the fingers of one hand into Garrick’s raven hair, marveling at its silky texture. Garrick’s head bobbed as he sucked and Will had to admit, the man did an amazing job. The rasp of his tongue along the underside of Will’s cock was literally a masterful stroke. Will shivered and his balls tightened. Garrick’s long fingers slipped beneath those balls, cupping them and rolling them a little in their sacs.

“Oh, gods,” Will moaned unable to hold back the sound.

A fingertip brushing the sensitive skin of his perineum and anus caused Will to shake with hunger. He wanted Garrick to take him nearly as much as he wanted the reverse. The hot caress of those talented fingers over his entrance made him want to flip onto his belly and present Garrick with his ass. He wanted to beg his lover to possess him. And afterward, when they’d both recovered, he wanted to do it all again but with himself in the driver’s seat.

Will watched his cock disappear into Garrick’s body. It might not have been the part of the wizard’s body that Will wanted most, but the sight before him certainly had an eroticism he’d never experienced before. Garrick’s cheeks hollowed and the suction on his sensitive flesh made Will moan again. He couldn’t recall ever having such an intense reaction to a blowjob. Of course, he didn’t think anyone had ever loved sucking his cock as much as Garrick seemed to.

I’m going to teach you what a joy your body is to me. I love its taste and texture not just with my hands but with my mouth, my tongue. Your scent is an aphrodisiac. Breathe me in, Will. Breathe me in as I breathe in you. Want me as I want you.

Garrick’s thoughts sent Will’s mind spinning with the most exquisite level of desire he’d ever experienced. Instinctively, he followed his mate’s directive, breathing in Garrick’s patchouli scent. The exotic flavor of his mate struck a chord within him that resonated through every cell in his body. He quivered as Garrick took him deep, throat muscles massaging the hard length of his erection. The most beautiful man he’d ever seen, the most masculine, forceful personality he’d ever met, knelt between his thighs, worshipping his cock and loving every single lick and suck. A heady sense of power and wonder filled Will.

Gods, Garrick. You’re turning me into a puddle of want. How do you expect me to hold onto my sanity when you intoxicate me with your every touch? How can I not want you? How can I protect my heart from loving you?

Slowly, Garrick lifted his head, his tongue dancing along Will’s throbbing cock. With his hand, he grasped the thick stalk of flesh and pulled his mouth free.

“Do you want to protect yourself? Or do you want me to make you scream with the most intense orgasms you’ve ever had?” Garrick asked quietly, his gaze holding Will’s.

Swallowing hard, Will reached for Garrick and rubbed his thumb over one soaring cheekbone. “I just want you. So badly I would kill to be with you.”

A flame began to burn in the depths of Garrick’s light eyes. He pulled off his t-shirt and eased to his feet. Will blatantly stared as Garrick popped open the buttons on his jeans. As the denim fell to the floor, Garrick’s thick cock sprang free. Will stifled a gasp of surprise although he shouldn’t have been shocked that a man like Garrick went commando. Men who took their pleasures as freely as Garrick often hated the constriction of clothes.

A rich laugh rose from the wizard. He placed his hands on the bed beside Will’s shoulders and leaned over him. Their cocks brushed and this time Will couldn’t hold back his gasp. Garrick’s skin rippled in reaction. Without thought, Will raised his hands to stroke over the bulge of the Magia’s arms, up to his shoulders. He drew Garrick down on top of him. Moans of pleasure came from them both as Garrick pressed his mouth to Will’s.

Fireworks exploded in Will’s veins. His blood had never heated as it did in that moment. The sure knowledge that Garrick had been made for him filled him with satisfaction and a touch of triumph. The intensity of the attraction between them spilled from their thoughts and feelings in a shared whirlpool of sensation, emotion, and sheer unadulterated lust.

Purchase direct from Pink Petal Books.

Secret Lives of Sea Crest Wives
by Kerri Nelson
erotic contemporary novella with M/F and F/F relationships (approx. 25,000 words)
$2.54
When Ginger Lockhart discovers her husband’s secret affair she snaps in a major way but little does she know that her new found freedom will lead her to the real love of her life.

Meanwhile, her best friend, Teagan Ryan has been harboring secrets of her own since college but when she meets Ginger’s sexy new neighbor, will the truth finally surface?

Dr. Marley Foster is a sex therapist but even her own husband doesn’t know the dark secret that she’s been keeping under wraps. And when he catches her in a compromising position, their lives will never be the same.

Meet three women who will turn the town of Sea Crest, Florida, into the hottest place on earth.

Excerpt:

Marley cleaned up the bedroom and herself and then went for a walk on the beach. Charles had left the house after their confrontation and had not returned by the time she completed her cleaning.

She’d meant everything she’d told him. She loved him and wanted him, but she’d discovered she needed more in that department and she’d found it. She couldn’t explain exactly why dominating men appealed to her. Analyzing oneself was not always as easy as analyzing others, any therapist would say that.

But the fact remained she enjoyed her passion and her work and wouldn’t be able to easily give it up.
Sitting down in the sand she curled her toes in the coarse grains. Life was all about making choices.  From the simplest thing, such as what to wear for the day or what to eat for breakfast, to the most difficult, like whether or not to stay in a struggling marriage.

She closed her eyes and let the soothing sounds of the surf quell her worries. The chirp of her cell phone roused her from her moment of bliss.

Thinking it might be Charles, she dug the phone out of her pocket and looked at the display. A client. A regular client with whom she had an appointment later in the day, when Charles had been scheduled to play in a golf tournament.

She sighed and flipped open the phone.

“Hello, Martin…”

“Hi Marley, listen, I think I’m going to have to cancel our appointment for this afternoon. My wife is missing in action today, I think she’s helping out a friend of ours but she hasn’t phoned in all day. So, I’m not sure when she’ll be home and I’m stuck here watching the boys.”

As he rattled off his explanation, Marley stood from the sand and began brushing off her pants leg. It was just as well that he cancel, she had no clue as to where she stood with her husband and bringing another client over today seemed like a bad idea any way you looked at it.

“That’s alright, Martin. Perhaps we can reschedule soon.”

“Great. Thanks for understanding, Marley.”

“Martin?” she asked, suddenly remembering something.

“Yep.”

“You’re an attorney, aren’t you?”

“Sure am. Why?”

“I might be in need of a referral in the near future.”

“That’s not a problem. Just give me a call in the office on Monday and I’ll set you up.”

“I’m afraid I don’t have that number.” She started walking back toward home. She could see her wind chimes glittering in the afternoon sunlight even from a distance.

“We’re listed. It’s under Ryan & Jones.”

Marley stopped dead in her tracks. Ryan. Martin Ryan. That was where she knew the name from. His wife Teagan had just become her newest patient and she was about to come out to her husband of over a decade. Her husband who had been struggling in therapy for months because his marriage was failing. Because his wife didn’t want him to touch her anymore.

Purchase direct from Pink Petal Books.

When I’m requesting and reviewing cover art for our new releases, as a publisher, there are a few things that I want to see. As a reader, I want to see specific things from a cover, too. So, I thought I’d take a few moments to discuss covers with you.

As a publisher, first and foremost I want a cover that grabs readers. Whether it’s the image, the coloring, or simply the composition, I want a cover that makes readers stop and look twice…or more. I also want the title of the book and the author to be clear when the book is reduced down to thumbnail size on our site.

I want a memorable cover. The kind that you see and it sticks with you.

And I want a cover with which the author is happy. Because if the author isn’t happy with the cover, then the author might not show it off as much as she might. I know as an author I’ve done that with some of my “ugh” covers. The promo doesn’t quite get done, and the cover gets hidden on the website, or simply put up and ignored in favor of far more attractive covers.

As a reader, my cover needs are similar, but not exactly the same as when I have my publisher hat on. As a reader, I want a cover that conveys what the story is about, or gives me a tantalizing glimpse into the story. Even the “cartoon” covers that were so maligned a few years ago accomplished this by giving us an idea of what the story was about along with the general tone of it. Dark, brooding books didn’t get these covers, and the ones that did, in my mind, stick out as delivering on their fun, flirty promise.

I also want to be able to see the name of the book. I might not have time to purchase it right away, or I might want to search for the author’s website or more excerpts. If I can’t read the title of the book without clicking onto another image or trying to find out who the author is, there’s a very good chance the book is going to get passed over in favor of a different title.

I’ll also confess that I tend to like the “traditional” romance covers. Give me a romantic image, or even a steamy one, as long as it’s important to the story. Simple is better. One, strong romantic image will be more memorable, and clearer, than the bundle of five different stock images slapped on top of one another.

And, what do I want as a writer?

Well, I want the same things. A cover that’s going to stick with readers, be memorable, and be something that I can promote. If I send out the cover and people go “WOW!”, then that’s the kind of response I want. Wouldn’t you?

We’re doing a cover art poll until the end of the month (https://pinkpetalbooks.com/survey.php) and I would love to have you vote and tell me which of the covers from our new releases are your favorite. Plus, if there are any memorable PPB covers, feel free to comment and tell me which ones are your favorite.

PS – If you loved any of the covers, you can click on them to be taken to our website where you can find out more about each title!

 

 

Everybody loves to save, right? We have three chances for you to save, and a way to vote for your favorite author out of our new releases this month.

Fill out our survey at: https://pinkpetalbooks.com/survey.php?surveyid=3

Then, if you want an additional “vote”, use the following coupon codes for 10% off your order. Each coupon is good once per customer, but there are three of them, so you can have three chances to save! Coupons are good through April 30.

For Lex Valentine use coupon code: NORTH

For Kerri Nelson use coupon code: SEACREST

For Rita Sawyer use coupon code: EIGHT

 

 

8 Ways Onto The Naughty List
by Rita Sawyer
erotic contemporary novella
$2.54

For two years, Patsy had been working for, and lusting after, her boss, Dexter. Unable to keep hiding her feelings she tries to quit, but her boss refuses to let her out of her contract. Furious, she devises a plan to get herself fired, but everything she does fails to make him mad. She even goes as far as coming onto him, but instead of firing her, he says he wants to take things between them to a more personal level. Now she’s wondering if he’s serious or just trying to keep his assistant?

This book has been previously published under the same title.

EXCERPT

She glanced back at him as she walked into the file/supply room. He stood his ground, refusing to give her the satisfaction of following her. They were going to talk before she left, but on his terms not hers. He sat on the edge of her desk and listened to her bang the drawers open and closed. She didn’t know it yet, but he could be patient when it was for his benefit. Then again, there were times he needed to act swiftly. It seemed to him that he was going to have to pace himself when it came to dealing with her, in and out of bed.

“How would you like it if I waltzed into your office and sat on your desk?” She called out from the other room, and though he tried not to react to the possibilities of her comment, his cock hardened of its own free will.

He got to his feet, giving it some much needed space. She had no idea how easily she could get a rise out of him. There were times he’d hear her laughing at something a client said, and he’d spend the next twenty minutes blatantly aroused, wondering why she didn’t laugh like that with him. The worse thing was when she’d walk past him and he’d catch a whiff of her perfume. He spent way too many hours trying to identify that damned smell.

Lately it had been so bad he’d been having dreams about exploring her body while trying to guess what it was. He’d start by sniffing her neck and arms, stripping off her clothes as he went. Once he had her naked, he’d search every inch of her to find out where it was the strongest. He’d use his nose to smell her, his hands to feel her silky skin, and his lips and tongue to taste every delectable inch of her. Just when he’d get her to the point where she was burning out of control and writhing beneath him, he’d wake up.

Waking up hard and aching, much like he was right now, thanks to his imagination, was becoming a ritual. One he’d like to end, unless she was going to be there to help him ease his suffering. He knew the first step in making that happen was apologizing. His gait was a little stiff as he walked over to the storage room. They reached the door at the same time, and he ended up blocking her way. Their bodies were inches apart and he couldn’t help but notice her hands shook slightly.

“Excuse me.” The high pitch of her voice was a dead giveaway that their closeness was bothering her too, though probably not for the reasons he wanted.

“Actually, I think this works fine for me. We need to talk.” She opened her mouth and he held up a hand before she could argue. “If you don’t want to talk that’s fine, then you can just listen.”

“I’m off the clock so I don’t have to do either, but if it’ll make you happy, by all means, go right ahead.” She waved her hand between them, circulating the air, wafting that damned scent up to his nostrils.

Everything he planned on saying, his whole perfectly crafted speech, disintegrated in one carnal thought. What would it feel like to bury himself deep inside her? Filled with so much unleashed desire, he was surprised he was able to keep his hands by his sides. All he wanted to do was grab her by the arms and pull her against him. He would give just about anything right now to find out if her body was as soft as he thought it would be. His erection, which had finally started to soften, surged against his zipper once again, making him glad he preferred jeans to slacks.

“Well.” There was a note of gratification, probably at his delayed response evident in Patsy’s voice.

“Damn you!” He didn’t know what was stronger, his urge to throttle her or his need to claim that sassy mouth of hers.

“Me?” Her eyebrows scrunched together as her eyes narrowed on his and he knew he’d made another mistake.

The thin thread holding back his emotions snapped. “Yes, you. I knew exactly what I wanted to say, but the smell of that goddamned perfume of yours is so distracting I forgot.”

Patsy smiled. The little tease actually had the nerve to smile up at him with those twinkling eyes. “I’m so glad you like it, now if that’s all you’ve got to say, I need to be going.”

With that parting shot, she ducked under his arm and fled into the other room. Stunned by her audacity, all he could do was turn and watch her go. With efficient, yet sexy movements she gathered her purse and coat from the closet and marched to the elevator. She stabbed the call button and didn’t even glance back while she stood there waiting for it to arrive. It took a few seconds for the haze to lift and his mind to clear, but in that small amount of time she’d managed to escape, yet again.

Read another excerpt and purchase directly from Pink Petal Books.

 

 

 

Secret Lives of Sea Crest Wives
by Kerri Nelson
erotic contemporary novella with M/F and F/F relationships (approx. 25,000 words)
$2.54
When Ginger Lockhart discovers her husband’s secret affair she snaps in a major way but little does she know that her new found freedom will lead her to the real love of her life.

Meanwhile, her best friend, Teagan Ryan has been harboring secrets of her own since college but when she meets Ginger’s sexy new neighbor, will the truth finally surface?

Dr. Marley Foster is a sex therapist but even her own husband doesn’t know the dark secret that she’s been keeping under wraps. And when he catches her in a compromising position, their lives will never be the same.

Meet three women who will turn the town of Sea Crest, Florida, into the hottest place on earth.

Excerpt:

As she cut the engine, she couldn’t stop herself from peering across the lawn to Ginger’s new neighbor’s house.  A tickle of excitement laced with chagrin trembled through her at the thought of the sexy blonde and her tropical scent.  That lovely smell was so out of place in the wintertime–just like she felt out of place in everything she did.

She stepped out of the car and started up the driveway.

“Ah, hello there…”

The soft, seductive voice sounded nearby.  Teagan turned to see her fantasy woman materialize from the back of her property.  She lifted one hand and waved with a finger twirl.

Cari approached her with what appeared to be a nervous smile on her face.  Teagan felt responsible for that nervousness.  She was probably feeling awkward after their exchange earlier. She really should apologize.  Perhaps even explain herself.

“Hi, Cari.”

Cari stopped just a short distance away, the wind carrying her intoxicating scent to Teagan’s nostrils and bringing back those tempting mental images once again.

“I was wondering if you’d help me with something here.” Cari said, motioning to her house over her shoulder.

Teagan smiled and nodded.  Suddenly feeling like she couldn’t form any words without saying something else inappropriate.

She followed Cari to the back of her house and inside the sliding glass door through her kitchen. Boxes and packing materials littered the floor.  Teagan couldn’t stop watching the way the tight, denim shorts hugged Cari’s ass.

As they reached the bathroom door, Cari stopped and turned around suddenly.  Catching Teagan in the appraisal of her bottom.  She smiled a tiny smile and then turned to enter the bathroom.

Teagan suddenly had a different vibe pass through her.  She hadn’t been with a woman nor flirted with another man or woman in years but she was almost certain Cari knew what was on her mind.  She didn’t know how that was possible but she intended to find out for sure.

“Right here.  I’m having trouble hanging the curtain here in the loo.”

Teagan watched as Cari balanced precariously on the edge of the bathtub and tried to reach above her head to fasten the shower curtain ring through the loop in the curtain and over the curtain rod.  As her arms reached upward, she exposed her tanned, bare abdomen.  It was smooth and there was a small butterfly tattoo just above the belly button.

Teagan stepped closer, inspecting the tattoo.  It was two tiny butterflies intertwined inside a pink heart.  She’s seen that image before but couldn’t quite place it.

When she looked up to make eye contact with Cari she saw a look of lust and longing on her face.  The intensity of her gaze nearly knocked Teagan off her feet.

A few seconds of indecision later, Teagan stepped forward and wrapped her arms around her Cari’s slender waist.  Holding her narrow hips tightly.

She pressed her lips to her abdomen and gently kissed just above the tattoo.  Then she inhaled Cari’s scent deep inside her nostrils.  Cari let out a delicate sigh from above her letting her know her attention was welcomed.

Purchase direct from Pink Petal Books.

There’s an old saying that dancing is a vertical expression of a horizontal desire. I have no idea who said it; when I googled to find out, a couple of sources attributed it to George Bernard Shaw and a few others attributed it to “anonymous”.

Whoever said it, it seems to be true. Dancing with a partner can be a very intimate experience. Touching, moving together, looking into each other’s eyes can be a real turn-on. If you’re already attracted to your partner, dancing with them can add to that attraction, until you feel like you just have to act on it.

In my novella You Shouldn’t Kiss Me Like This, that’s exactly what happens between Erin and Stefan, who co-teach a West Coast Swing dance class. Erin has been attracted to Stefan for months, and he finally admits that he’s attracted to her as well. For them, dancing together has definitely become an expression of their desire for one another. Erin even uses the quote at one point in the story.

West Coast Swing is a form of swing dancing, obviously. I was introduced to it by my husband, who was a West Coast Swing instructor before we met. Some of the music used in West Coast Swing is very sensual, and sometimes even sexual. Even though the dance doesn’t involve as much physical contact as some forms of dancing, it can still be very arousing. At least, I found it that way when I danced with my husband, but then again, I find him arousing no matter what we’re doing.

I’d love to hear readers’ dance experiences, so feel free to post. And to dance with your favorite partner.

 

April’s New Releases: A Bouquet Of Romance
	Breathe Me In by Lex Valentine erotic M/M vampire/Magia paranormal romance $3.39 $3.99 Life is good for vampire Wilson North.  His family left him well off. His job as an estate attorney is prestigious, well paying, and non-demanding.  He’s gay and out and never had any issues being either. In fact, until the day he ended up beneath his car, bleeding out and only a few pints of blood from a sure trip to the Afterworld, life had never been a challenge. When Will meets his destiny in the form of an enigmatic Magia named Garrick Forrester he finds the challenge of his life. Garrick’s gay but doesn’t live an openly gay life.  Instead, he hides his nature behind his ownership of a BDSM club.  The two men instantly know they are mates, but that doesn’t smooth the path to their bonding.  Garrick wants Will but threats from his past convince him that the only way to protect his lover is to leave him. Shocked by Garrick’s ability to walk away, Will struggles to understand why his mate doesn’t want him.  For the first time in Will’s life, something isn’t easy and he must fight for what he needs or give up his chance for happiness. Drawn together by destiny. Torn apart by self-doubts and fear. Two men on the cusp of a dream must set aside the lives they’ve always lived for a chance at a new and brilliant future. Warning: This book contains virgin sex between a sexy self-sacrificing wizard who’s never been catcher and an angelic-faced vampire who’s never pitched, a BDSM bad guy with dark magic, a mysterious royal Acerbian, and a host of characters from previous Tales books who do everything from implode buildings to change diapers…all to help two reluctant heroes find true love. Read an excerpt. Purchase direct from Pink Petal Books. Pink Petal Books would like to congratulate Lex for being a finalist in the Passionate Plume contest with her title, Unbreak Me. The Passionate Plume is hosted by Passionate Ink, the erotic romance chapter of RWA.
	Secret Lives of Sea Crest Wives by Kerri Nelson erotic contemporary romance novella (M/F and F/F) $2.54 $2.99 When Ginger Lockhart discovers her husband’s secret affair she snaps in a major way but little does she know that her new found freedom will lead her to the real love of her life. Meanwhile, her best friend, Teagan Ryan has been harboring secrets of her own since college but when she meets Ginger’s sexy new neighbor, will the truth finally surface? Dr. Marley Foster is a sex therapist but even her own husband doesn’t know the dark secret that she’s been keeping under wraps. And when he catches her in a compromising position, their lives will never be the same. Meet three women who will turn the town of Sea Crest, Florida, into the hottest place on earth. Read an excerpt. Purchase direct from Pink Petal Books.
	8 Ways Onto The Naughty List by Rita Sawyer erotic contemporary romance $2.54 $2.99 For two years, Patsy had been working for, and lusting after, her boss, Dexter. Unable to keep hiding her feelings she tries to quit, but her boss refuses to let her out of her contract. Furious, she devises a plan to get herself fired, but everything she does fails to make him mad. She even goes as far as coming onto him, but instead of firing her, he says he wants to take things between them to a more personal level. Now she’s wondering if he’s serious or just trying to keep his assistant? Read an excerpt. Purchase direct from Pink Petal Books.