An Author's Blog

Vintage Jackets

2012-02-11T20:49:00.000-08:00

I'm cleaning out my closet and took pictures of some of the jackets/coats I'm going to sell on ebay. I have more I intend to sell, as well. I just didn't get a chance to shoot all of the pictures or measure the jackets/coats for the ads. The leather and red one are Double D Ranchwear (a super brand!) but they're too big for me now. I was a little fuller figure when I wore them. The leopard-print coat still fits, but it's just too warm for where I live. But I loved all of these! I'll miss them.

Coffee Times FERAL review

2012-02-04T15:50:00.000-08:00

Her big cat rescue center is dying a slow death due to the economy, and Jenny Lincoln is scrambling to raise enough money to keep that from happening. Thankfully a huge anonymous donation has come through with a promise of more in the future.

It may have been chance that Noah Diaz decided to help out this particular rescue center, but after seeing the picture of its curator, the deal was sealed. Beautiful blue eyes and soft golden hair lures him in like a predator to prey, and he is powerless to resist.

Her new benefactor has made no bones about the fact that his donation comes with strings, but Jenny cannot seem to find it in her to care. Noah is as primal as any one of her big cats, and undeniably as dangerous. Their one night together creates a bond Jenny does not want to see end, but with Noah’s abilities, she has little chance of any future with him. Noah keeps telling himself that Jenny is just a fling, a fun time, a sexy diversion, but every moment in her presence draws him in further, and he fears that what she wants is something he is incapable of giving.

Jenny feels so deeply, and she lays it all out there for everyone to see. She shows more heart and determination than Noah could ever hope to achieve, and yet she loves him without reservation. I really like how honest and open she is about her wants, needs, and desires, and most especially how far she is willing to go to keep the love of her life. In contrast, Noah may come across as a bit harsh and crass, but it is his deep seated need to keep Jenny safe under any circumstances that lets you know how he feels deep down inside.

Lototy
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More

Vampire Magic

2012-01-23T10:30:00.000-08:00

On Saturday night I Skyped with the Online Warrior (my gorgeous male friend and lover) and on Sunday I went to a birthday brunch at a local winery with a group of lovely ladies. Now, on Monday morning, I'm back at my computer, creating vampire magic. My current project is erotic vampire short stories. The vampires are hybrids (vampire-genies) who take blood in exchange for granting wishes. I'm hoping to self-publish these stories, so I'll post more about them when the time gets closer. Fun stuff!

FERAL review at Love to Read for Fun

2012-01-02T15:25:00.000-08:00

Jenny Lincoln runs a big cat rescue that is on its last legs financially. If she does not get an influx of cash soon, she might have to close her doors. But there seems to be a mysterious donor that will provide the money needed - but there is a catch. Jenny must attend a party at a private sex club to collect the remainder of the promised funds. Desperate to save her rescue, Jenny agrees to the proposition from Noah, a rich benefactor. Noah displays rather feline qualities himself. At this meeting, Noah gives her the remainder of the funds.

Jenny is so fascinated by the enigmatic Noah that she agrees to go out on a date with him, despite her misgivings about Noah and his intentions. Noah is hiding a secret, though. Will he share who and what he really is with Jenny?

Feral had a good beginning that got me involved in the storyline from the first chapter. The way Ms. Whitefeather introduced the characters, Jenny, open, natural and committed to the care of her big cats, and Noah, secretive, closed and intent on possessing Jenny. You could feel the chemistry between these two. I also enjoyed the background info on big cats or felids that was a part of Ms. Whitefeather’s storytelling.

There was a definite sexual tension from the beginning of the tale. Although we knew Noah’s secret early in the story, what was more interesting to me was the way Ms. Whitefeather portrayed Noah’s struggle to deal with the advent of Jenny into his life. Jenny was different and although Noah tried to distance himself from her, his efforts were for naught. Jenny was without artifice or guile. She did not play games and that threw Noah for a loop.

I enjoyed Jenny because her character was so open and like Noah was fascinated by her willingness to explore her sensuality without expecting anything in return but pleasure. There was also a mystical element to this story that seamlessly incorporated myth and magic. I found the legends fascinating. It was literally a glimpse into a different world. Ms. Whitefeather portrays convincingly Jenny’s courage and fortitude in fighting for a life with Noah without no barriers and Noah’s fear that he will lose Jenny because of her quest to be a full partner in his life.

The erotic scenes between Jenny and Noah were hot, and you see the gradual building of the intensity of the emotions between them as the story progresses. This book has good erotic love scenes, emotion, and an interesting plot. Well done, Ms. Whitefeather.

Reviewed by Dawn

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T11:13:00.001-08:00

Wishing everyone happiness, success, beauty and love in the new year!

FERAL review from Deb's Book Bag!

2011-12-27T23:39:00.000-08:00

Sheri Whitefeather's latest erotic release, Feral takes animal magnetism to a whole other level! This book has some ties to Sheri's book Demonic which I reviewed earlier this year. Some of Demonic's action takes place in a supernatural BDSM club called Aeonian. In Feral, the hero, Noah Diaz is the owner of Aeonian. Even though they are related I would not necessarily consider this a sequel. Having read both books, I can definitely say that though I liked the first one, Feral is my favorite!

First of all, most of my readers know that I have a big shifter fan. My favorite paranormal creatures are usually shifters of some sort, usually werewolves. But I was interested to see where Sheri would take this book, with a mountain lion shifter as the main character. It was easy to see the authors love for big cats in her writing. This book was much more passionate and intense than others I have read by Whitefeather. She seemed very engaged in the story and her depiction of Noah's mountain lion characteristics were amazing. They felt realistic and authentic. I think she nailed that aspect of the book!

This is definitely an erotic romance. For starters some of the action takes place at Aeonian, a sex club that Noah owns. Jenny, heroine in this book, is the owner of a big cat rescue that's about to fail without the help of money from donors like Noah. Noah wants Jenny to visit his club in exchange for helping her with the rescue. Jenny is very naive in some ways and Noah is opening her up to a whole new sexual experience. I thought Jenny responded in the way most people have never experienced this kind of thing would. She was scared, nervous and found herself very intrigued. I liked the whole idea of Jenny's sexual awakening and I thought Whitefeather described her reactions in a very real way. I think readers will find a lot about Jenny that resonates with them. She is a character that is compelling and very sensual. I loved her a lot!

Noah is just fantastic. I loved him both his human and mountain lion form. He has this very primal energy that kind of surrounded him. He was commanding and dominant, yet his vulnerability shows sometimes. I liked the whole idea that Jenny was the beauty and he was the beast she was able to gentle. Though I thought Noah continued to exhibit that wild and untamed spirit throughout the book. The club scenes were realistic and Noah seemed to take pride in his lair, so to speak. It was obvious that he considered it his domain and he was quick to show that he cared for his patrons and their comfort as well as their fantasies.

Overall I would have to say I really liked this one and if you are a fan of paranormal erotica, this is one you won't want to miss! I loved that the book had a "beauty and the beast" kind of background and the sex is sizzling. Whitefeather really knows how to write good BDSM scenes without overpowering the reader. I think readers who love shifter stories are going to love this one... Noah is one sexy mountain lion, LOL! And his lady is no wallflower either, once she lets her hair down.

Happy Early New Year!

2011-12-27T18:55:00.000-08:00

It's almost New Years! So...here's a video of my dog celebrating! Actually, it's him when he was younger. A friend of my son's posted the video on Youtube years ago. All male French bulldogs do this. Silly boys!

FERAL giveaways!

2011-12-21T10:05:00.000-08:00

I'm a guest blogger today on Deb's Book Bag and my publisher is giving away a copy of FERAL! The contest runs until January 4th. To see my blog and enter the contest Click here!

I also guest blogged on Saucy and Sinful Reviews! You can still enter that contest, too. It runs until January 1st. Click here!

FERAL Bookaholics Review!

2011-12-08T17:30:00.000-08:00

Feral by Sheri Whitefeather
Paranormal Romance
4 stars

In Feral, the hero Noah is mountain lion shifter. He has anonymously donated huge amounts of money to the troubled Big Cat Canyon which is an exotic feline rescue center. It is headed by the beautiful and compassionate Jenny. But his donated money has strings attached: he invites Jenny to his exclusive sex club where he hopes to persuade her to return his 'favor.' But Jenny has always been practical and down to earth, and although she agrees to merely visit the club in exchange for the much needed cash, she can't help feeling unwanted attraction to the magnetic Noah.

Soon Noah realizes that Jenny is much more than a fling. When he thinks he has magical/prophetic dreams of Jenny, he wonders if his attraction to her has put her in danger or will she be his salvation?

This was an intriguing story about sexual exploration as the sheltered and naive Jenny lets herself fall under the seductive spell of the compelling Noah. I really liked Jenny’s character: she seems realistic and her reactions to the sex club and Noah’s secret seemed very normal. For example, reading about how nervous she is about visiting his club and how she slowly changes was very involving. Her anxiety and the feeling that she is stepping into a whole new world were believable. She even thinks about backing out. I also liked her practical side: she realizes that the donation will solve all her problems but will not compromise her integrity. On the other hand, Noah is bored with the same old women from the club and wants a challenge in Jenny. He anticipates the seduction and doesn't hold back! He is fascinated by a woman who has her own independence and doesn’t just want him for his wealth. I felt their relationship was genuine. I also liked the mischievous character Coyote who makes Noah think about his relationship with Jenny.

For a sultry and scorching read with a little of the paranormal to spice it up, this book can't be beat!

Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club

Here’s a direct link to the review

Guest Blogs

2011-12-07T14:47:00.000-08:00

I'll be doing some guest blogs in December to promote FERAL and give away some free books. I'll do my best to post the dates and links when I have them. Thing is, I'm traveling quite a bit this month and might not have Internet access, other than my phone. I'll try to use my phone to post the links. But sometimes my smart phone isn't all that smart. It doesn't always behave.

My 39th Book!

2011-12-06T17:04:00.001-08:00

FERAL was released today, and it's my 39th book! I celebrated with a sushi dinner: cucumber rolls, vegetable rolls and tofu-and-avocado rolls! Yummy!

FERAL countdown

2011-11-28T12:43:00.000-08:00

On December 6th, FERAL will be released in bookstores and become available on online bookstores, as well.

Grrrr...

The hero, Noah Diaz, is a werecat shapeshifter. A man who is part mountain lion.

Here's a Youtube video I came across that's a tribute to mountain lions. Beautiful imagery.

My Black Friday

2011-11-26T09:37:00.000-08:00

Me at the Pechanga Casino! Thumbs up! One of my sisters won 150.00!

Jewelry box I bought at an antique store the same day. Art deco style.

Fun day with family!

Online Warrior

2011-11-10T20:25:00.000-08:00

To those of you who conversed with me on Facebook, this blog post is for you. For those of you who weren’t on Facebook, here’s the scoop:

I had a 16x24 poster made from a nude picture of a male friend who is an artist and art model. I wasn’t going to post his picture, but due to numerous requests (begs!) on Facebook to see it, I decided to post it here.

He has already become known to some of you as the ONLINE WARRIOR. He is my muse, my dearest friend, my sometimes lover, and the man who is inspiring a future book (single title series) of the same name. The books aren't written yet. I hope to work on them in 2012. It will be one of the most important projects I’ve ever done because of how deeply he has impacted my life.

Here are three angles of the same picture. I cropped it rather than reveal too much. But it’s a powerful image nonetheless.

This is a close up shot.

This is another cropped image. You can see how the poster has been framed.

This is a faraway image. I put the poster near my computer to keep him close while I’m working.

FERAL excerpt

2011-10-21T08:46:00.000-07:00

The prologue and first chapter of my next release...

Beware: EROTIC ROMANCE!

FERAL, December 2011, Berkley Heat

PROLOGUE
LATE NINETEENTH CENTURY, MEXICO

Lareina stood in the shadows, churning with hunger.
She had been stalking him, watching him— this one called Noah. She’d heard that his people possessed some sort of special magic, or “medicine,” as they called it, and she hoped that this would keep him alive after she was finished with him. Not for his sake, but for hers.

She moved forward, and as she did, her dress swished around her ankles. She was naked beneath the embroidered fabric, and she knew that she was beautiful. In her human form men desired her, yet none had lived to tell of her charms. She needed someone to survive, to become the creature she was.

She headed for the cantina, where Noah was spending his evening.

Barreling through the door, she held her head high. Women were prohibited from entering drinking establishments in this area. But Lareina didn’t care if anyone tried to stop her. The cantina wasn’t crowded. Only a handful of men gathered at the bar. They all turned to gape at her, including Noah. She returned his gaze. She smiled at him, too, her lips curving ever so slightly.

The proprietor, a thick- bodied man with his stomach hanging over his pants, waved his arms at her.

“No whores!” he said.

She stared straight at him. “I am not a whore.”

He looked her up her and down. “You are not a lady, either.”

That produced a round of chuckles from the patrons. Annoyed by their male foolishness, she returned her attention to Noah. He wasn’t laughing.

The proprietor bellowed at him, “Get your slut out of here.”

“She doesn’t belong to me,” Noah responded, without taking his gaze from Lareina’s.

No one believed him. But why would they? Especially now that she was striding toward him.

She stood next to him. He smelled of soap, salt, and tequila, the combination strangely stirring.

“Who are you?” he asked, as the others watched.

She didn’t give her identity away. Instead, she touched the side of his face. He was young and handsome, with strong features, deep-set eyes, and shiny hair falling bluntly to his shoulders.

“Out!” the fatty man snapped again.

She wanted to growl at the intrusion, but she couldn’t. Maybe later she would come back to kill him. Or maybe later it wouldn’t matter. Her priority was Noah.

Since the trap had already been set, she turned and walked away, exiting the cantina. She waited a moment, her immortal heart thumping.

Footsteps sounded behind her.

She proceeded toward the woods, aware that Noah followed, his now-familiar scent swirling in the breeze.

Once she was safe within the trees, she stopped and turned. He approached her, and she beckoned him, peeling off her dress and tossing it aside.

He pulled open his shirt and undid his pants. Apparently he no longer cared who she was. He didn’t say a word and neither did she. Anxious, he grabbed her, and they tumbled to the ground, crushing leaves in their lustful wake.

He freed his erect penis and plunged into her. She smiled like the seductress she was. He was deliciously carnal, but he was no match for her. She thrust back against him, creating a brutal rhythm.

His breaths rasped against her ear, and she rolled her tongue along the cords in his neck and down the front of his chest, where his shirt spilled open.

He groped her flanks and hammered her into the earth. Dirt stuck to her bared flesh, twigs jabbing her backside. She flipped their bodies until she was on top, riding him, her legs taut around him. In his excitement, he roamed his hands over her, fondling her breasts, pinching her nipples, pushing a finger into her navel.

She kept moving, creating friction. He groaned his pleasure, and she relished the feeling.

Eager for more, she bit at his lips, drawing specks of blood and making herself climax. Heat ripped through her veins just as Noah shuddered and his seed burst from his loins.

Relentless, she bit at his lips again, only now her fangs pushed through her gums with knifelike precision. Her nails turned to claws, and her muscles elongated, her body getting bulkier, stronger. Transforming until the animal emerged.

Moonlight shimmered through the branches, manifesting a soft light and allowing her prey the opportunity to witness what was happening to him.

Fear flashed across his handsome face, distorting his already bloodied mouth.

Lareina ripped into him, shredding his flesh. Ribbons of red streamed down his virile young body. He attempted to fight her off , but she intensified the attack.

On and on it went.

Harder. Deeper.

More fang. More claw. More sweet, crimson blood. She growled with the power that possessed her, and finally,finally, she released him.

Barely breathing, he slipped into unconsciousness. She peered curiously at him, batting him one last time with her paw. She couldn’t come back and tend to his wounds. She could do nothing to help save him.

Still in cat form, she ran through the woods toward the hills, leaving him at his own mutilated mercy.

CHAPTER ONE
PRESENT DAY, SANTA CLARITA VALLEY, CALIFORNIA

The safari-themed fund- raiser presented khaki-colored tablecloths and centerpieces with flowers that grew wild on the property. Lights twinkled in the trees, and cutouts of lions, leopards, and tigers mimicked animals that lived there.

Jenny had hosted plenty of outdoor dinners before, but tonight she was nervous.

She stood off to the side, scanning the guests. Earlier in the day, she’d received a generous donation, and the anonymous donor had claimed that he or she would be attending the fundraiser this evening and providing another substantial sum.

Enough to literally save this place.

Her heart hadn’t quit pounding since she’d gotten the news. Would the donor actually come through? God, she hoped so. Big Cat Canyon, the exotic feline rescue her grandfather had founded, was her lifeblood, and she was on the verge of losing it.

“Any idea who it is?” Matt asked from beside her.

She turned toward him. With his golden blond hair and noticeable blue eyes, the family resemblance was clear. He was her cousin, but he looked like he could be her brother, maybe even her twin, though they were a few years apart.

“No,” she said. “Do you?”

“No, but wouldn’t it be funny if it’s a guy who has designs on you?”

“What makes you say that?”

“Because rich men are notorious for using money to get a woman’s attention. Stuff like that happens all the time.”

She shot him a get-real glance. “The donation isn’t about me. It’s about the rescue.”

“Really, cuz. I could have stumbled onto something here. The donor is being all cryptic and dramatic for a reason, and the reason could be in his pants. What if he’s setting you up to be his mistress?”

She refused to entertain the theory. “That’s ridiculous.” Jenny was a zoologist who, most of the time, ran around in dirt-smudged jeans and no makeup. “I’m not the mistress type. I don’t wear glamorous dresses and go to parties.” These fund- raisers were as fancy as she got, and even now she was simply attired in a crisp blouse, a knee-length skirt, and flat boots, with her wavy hair clipped into a tidy ponytail.

“So maybe he wants to spruce you up. Or maybe he’s into natural girls. Maybe he thinks a chick who rescues exotic cats is sexy. He might even be someone you already know.”

The anonymous donation didn’t make sense coming from someone she already knew. None of her members or supporters had ever donated that kind of money before. The downturn in the economy was playing havoc with their checkbooks. Their offerings were getting smaller, not bigger.

“Was it an online donation?” Matt asked.

“No. It was a check. But it was issued from an accounting firm. A big fancy place in LA. I looked them up online.”

“Whose signature was on the check?”

“I don’t know. It wasn’t legible.”

Once again, she scanned the guests. There were almost a hundred people there, and some had already finished their meals and wandered into the silent-auction tent, checking out the items on display.

“Whoever the donor is, he or she is a stranger,” she said.

“Okay, but I still think it could be a guy who has designs on you, especially with that kind of money involved. Oh, wow. What if it’s him?”

“Him who?”

Matt gestured with his chin. “The dude at the second table, sitting next to the woman in the bedazzled top.”

She shifted her gaze to the aforementioned people. The man in question was as ancient as a moldy hill, and the sparkly old lady was probably his wife. “Knock it off .”

Matt grinned at his little joke.

She blew out a sigh, and he laughed. She wished that he would take something seriously just once. Her cousin was twenty-six going on twelve. He’d been weaned on the rescue, too, but he preferred the sand and surf. He lived in a messy apartment in Santa Barbara with a zillion other skater/surfers. He visited her and the cats only when the mood struck him.

“Holy shit,” he said suddenly. “I found him. This time for sure.”

She refused to follow his line of sight. “Just quit, okay? Stop it.”

“No, really, Jenny. I was just kidding around before, but I’m serious now. Take a gander at the guy coming out of the auction tent.”

Like an idiot, she glanced in that direction. Then she did what she’d been taught not to do. She stared.

Moving with the rangy grace of one of her cats, he was tall and leanly muscled, with bronzed skin and long, licorice-black hair. While the wind snapped at his clothes, autumn-tinged leaves fluttered in dust-devilish circles around his feet, as if the environment, the place she called home, were attaching itself to him with magnetic force.

“You’d better be careful,” Matt said. “A guy like that will f**k you raw.”

Jenny gulped the night air, blasting her lungs with a much-needed breath. “No one is going to do anything to me.”

“Oh, yeah? Well, he’s coming this way, and if he’s the man with the money, you’re in trouble.”

It was pointless to ask Matt to stick around. He was already searching for an escape route. Clearly, he didn’t want to get involved other than to dole out unsolicited advice.

He gestured to the buffet line. “I’m going to grab some chow.”

“Go ahead.” She wasn’t going to let him fill her head with nonsense. The hunk of burning man walking in her direction wasn’t going to save this place for a piece of tail, least of all, hers.

She didn’t move forward. She waited for the stranger to approach her. When he did, she plastered a smile on her face and hoped it wasn’t wobbling.

“Jenny Lincoln?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“I’m Noah. My accountant sent a check over today.”

Oh, Lord. He was the donor, and up close he was even more handsome, with a wildly ethnic edge: deep, piercing eyes and cheekbones chiseled to perfection.

Before she lost her manners, she extended her hand. “Thank you. It was an incredibly generous donation.”

His hand enveloped hers, and a jolt of heat, of sheer sexual energy, nearly knocked her off of her feet. She actually planted her boots in the ground to keep herself steady.

“There’s more where that came from,” he said.

The heat? she wondered.

He continued, “But I’m not going to give it to you tonight.”

She blinked out of her haze. He was referring to the rest of the money.

“I’d like to meet with you privately,” he said. “And I want you to give me a tour of the rescue.”

She caught her breath. That was doable. “I’d be glad to show you around.” Why wouldn’t he want to see the facility he was sponsoring before he handed over another check? That made total sense.

He suggested the when and where. “Tomorrow morning around nine? At the main gate?”

“I’ll clear my schedule for you.”

He fixed his dark gaze on her. “Good.”

Suddenly she realized that he hadn’t told her his last name.

She couldn’t Google him later and find out more about him. But she assumed he didn’t want her to have that advantage. He smiled, but it didn’t soften the moment. It actually made him seem more predatory.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said.

“Yes, I’ll see you,” she parroted.

He didn’t move, so she waited for him to walk away. Instinct told her not to turn her back on him.

Instinct?

Was she making too much of this? Feral as he seemed, he wasn’t one of her cats.

But still, she waited.

He finally departed, walking away with the same feline grace with which he’d appeared, light on his feet, his muscles bunching and rolling.

As he disappeared into the crowd, she put her hand against her heart, struggling to calm the erratic beats. Matt was right. She needed to be careful of the man with the money.

FERAL blurb

2011-10-21T08:43:00.000-07:00

My next release...

FERAL
Berkley Heat
December 2011

His hunger sets her nights on fire…

Late nineteenth century, Mexico. One fateful night Noah Diaz steals into the night to ravage a bold woman. But it’s Noah who finds himself at her mercy. During their savage act, she transforms into a feral mountain lion, leaving him on the brink of death. He survives only to become a lion himself—and immortal.

Noah is now a wealthy man who owns an underground sex club where he and other supernatural beings can indulge in no-holds-barred sensual play among lovers who don’t know the difference. Though Noah has scores of willing victims at the club, it is the thrill of the hunt he desires…

Jenny Lincoln runs a big cat rescue that can barely stay afloat—until a donor offers large sums of money under the condition that she goes to his club. There she learns of a world different from anything she’s ever known or experienced. What at first frightens her, thrills her. It’s clear that she is Noah’s prey, but once she gets a taste, it is Jenny who wants more. And though he’s lured by her insatiable desire, a man as wild as Noah may never be tamed…

Four wonderful DEMONIC reviews!

2011-10-07T03:56:00.000-07:00

NIGHT OWLS REVIEWS:
Reviewed by Missyb0103

Bent on writing an expose about a sex club called The Aeonion, Jane asks her two best friends to come with her to the club. At this club, the members like to dress up like supernatural beings. Once in the club, the three girlfriends meet up with three handsome men. What the ladies don't know about the men is that one is not playing at being a demon, but is one. What happens when you play with fire?

I really liked the idea of the story, three friends, meet three friends but one is hiding a secret. Who is, and what will happen kept my interest. The 6 different characters and how they paired off was a good match. I feel the author did a Great job making each character their own and the personalities were fitting. Of course the guys were hot and yummy. Great sex scenes for whatever you like, makes Demonic a worthwhile and sexy read.

ROMANCE REVIEWS TODAY
Reviewed by Cece Johns

Jane Brooks has been assigned to write a story for L.A. Underground, a publication that features the spicy and seedy sides of the city. Jane is to find out what goes on in an exclusive sex club, Aeonian, where people dress up as either supernatural beings or their groupies. Researching a sex club isn’t really something you do by yourself, so Jane invites her friends, Emily Torres and Suzanne Quinn, to dress up as groupies and go with her. As the three girls walk in, they meet three guys, also going in, who immediately cast their eyes on the girls who most interests them. Dressed as three demons, Marcus immediately hones in on Jane. Damien checks out Emily, and Jake asks Suzanne if she likes to do dirty things in public. Yikes, there’s a rumor that these three aren’t merely dressed as demons, one of them actually is a demon, and his human friends are devoted to him, but not one can tell which is which.

Is it Marcus, who likes to dominate and needs a sub? Is it Damien, who is an artist and paints S&M scenarios, or is it Jake, who soon has Suzanne on his lap and his hands under her skirt?

As each of the women starts a fast and furious relationship with the men, they compare notes, and after talking to others at the club, they are almost certain one of the men is a demon, but can any of the women give up her man in case he is the one? Is there is any way Suzanne, Emily, and Jane can create lasting relationships with these demons, and not one just based on sex?

Sheri Whitefeather has written a unique story written from each of the girls’ points of view. Marcus is a sensual hypnotist, and Jane feels herself falling under his spell. Jake tells Suzanne the men met as teenagers and were dabbling in the occult. Together they conjured up an evil demon, and when he attacked them, it was only a guardian demon that came to save them, and he remains in their group. Damien looks like an angel but seems the neediest. Emily is a good girl and senses that being around these men who pretend to be demons is attacking her soul, and feels she must get away.

All three couples make up the main characters, and the sex and mystique of the men is what draws the women to them. The men are hunky and yummy, irresistible to almost any mortal woman.

DEMONIC is a quick read that, at first, I thought would be too creepy, but it turned out to be interesting and fun. I don’t usually mention the cover, but it is X-rated (might need a plain brown cover). Give it a try even if you don’t usually try this type of book, and especially if you do.

MANIC READERS:
Reviewed by Cheryl

Jane is writing an article on underground sex clubs. She asks for her two friends, Emily and Suzanne’s assistance. Jane, Emily and Suzanne head to Aeonian—Jane scored a guest pass. Aeonian is a member only club. As the ladies are entering the club, they are joined by three sexy men. Their names are Marcus, Jake and Damien.

The three ladies quickly pair off into couples. Jane with Marcus, Jake with Suzanne, and Emily and Damien. The ladies learn that there is a rumor that surrounds the three men. It seems that one of them is a real demon and the other two are humans protecting him. The ladies aim to uncover if the rumor is true but can they handle the truth?

I can guarantee that when I pick up a Sheri Whitefeather novel that it is going to be sizzling. Demonic is no exception. This book is a yummy morsel of pure sex and good reading!

I could not pick a favorite couple as I liked them all for different reasons. Marcus and Jane have a BSBM relationship; though it was on the light side or at least that is the way it was portrayed in the book. Suzanne and Jake were on fire and could not keep their hands of each other. Finally, there was Emily and Damien. While they were just as hot, their relationship shared a deeper connection.

FRESH FICTION:
Reviewed by Diana Troldahl

Jane Brooks is a journalist for L A Underground a publication focusing on the less acceptable and sometimes seedy side to life in Los Angeles. Her current assignment was Aeolian, a sex club with a paranormal twist. People joined to role play with groupies wanting the fantasy of sex with a supernatural being. Demons, werewolves, vampires, fairies and any supernatural creature imaginable could be found within the walls of the downtown club, inhabiting rooms catering to all sexual tastes; voyeurism, BDSM, or any creative sexual play the human or parahuman mind can conceive.

On her first visit, Jane brings along her two best friends. They were college roommates and formed a strong friendship despite their differences. The visit to the club seems to highlight their differing personalities; Suzanne, a fashion designer finds herself engaging in highly public displays of affection with Jacob Keller, Emily the history teacher meets artist Damien who wants nothing more than to ripen her innocence into a sweet enjoyment of passion, and Jane connects with Marcus Monroe, an unabashed dom looking for a sub. As each of the women observe what the club has to offer, they learn more about themselves and realize they can never go back to the uninformed lives they led before, but are uncertain exactly how far down the path to sexual adventure they will tread. Will they let fear stand in their way or learn to trust in the men who call themselves demons?

Hot. Hot, sizzling, steamy sexy writing characterizes this glimpse into the lives of three women who venture off the beaten path to hesitantly explore their sexuality. Sheri Whitefeather provides an interesting plot with hint of mystery. Among the three main female characters a reader is likely to find at least one with which they can closely identify, making the experience that much more intimate. Whew! I suggest you read DEMONIC with plenty of iced tea at hand and brace yourself for some of the best erotica around.

Warrior's Baby re-released!

2011-08-15T10:13:00.000-07:00

My very first book was just re-released as an e-book! The orginal pub date was Oct. 1999. I was so excited when I got the call that it sold. It's so cool to see it out there again! Click Here for the Link!

Like me on Facebook

2011-08-14T17:39:00.000-07:00

I just created an author page on Facebook (seperate from my regular page). Click Here to Like me on Facebook!

Aug. 8th--win a copy of DEMONIC

2011-08-06T11:31:00.000-07:00

On Monday, August 8th, I'll be guest blogging on Laura Wright's site. Feel free to drop by. Those who leave comments will be eligible to win a copy of DEMONIC. It should be fun. :)

Here's a direct link. Hope to see there on Monday! Laura Wright’s Blog

DEMONIC review from Romantic Times

2011-07-29T09:55:00.000-07:00

I heard that DEMONIC is already in some bookstores (yea!), but the official release date is August 2nd. It received a four star review from RT (another yea!).

Here's the review:

Trying to do justice to three couples in one book usually means at least one is short changed. Not in this case. The conversations between the ladies tie these well-developed stories together, and the way each reasons out her individual relationship is well written. This is a page-turner that more than satisfies. Reviewed by Jacqui McGuins, Romantic Times BookClub.

Pictures from New York!

2011-07-12T08:21:00.001-07:00

I'm moving this week and won't have full Internet access, so I'll be off the grid until I get settled. But for now, here are some pictures from my trip.

View from our hotel window in Times Square. Fifteenth floor.

Me at the Museum of Modern Art

Posing with Wicked poster. Loved the show!

On the fourth of July with my kids, waiting for fireworks display. Left to right: Jack (daughter's boyfriend), Brenna (daughter), Nikki (son) and me.

At Central Park with Brenna and Nikki. It was wonderful to spend some vacation days together.

With Jane Porter at the Harlequin party. An awesome girl and an amazing author.

With Nalini Singh at the Harlequin party. Another awesome girl and amazing author.

For the final shot--the Naked Cowgirl. I didn't know at the time that she was a recent contestant on America's Got Talent. She was a kick! A totally fun gal.

New York!

2011-06-20T13:01:00.000-07:00

I'm leaving for New York next week to go to a writer's conference! I'm bringing my son with me and we're going to see a couple of Broadway shows (Jersey Boys and Wicked), along with as many museums as we can take it. My step-daughter(she lives in Philly) is going to visit us while we're there, too! I'll post pictures when I get back, but for now, here are some cool and classic songs.

DEMONIC excerpt!

2011-06-06T10:52:00.000-07:00

Here's the first chapter of DEMONIC, my Aug. 2011 release. Beware! A few naughty words! It's an erotic romance.

CHAPTER ONE:

An exclusive sex club where people either dressed up as supernatural beings or donned their best groupie gear . . .

Aeonian was a bizarre place, or so Jane Brooks had heard. But that was the point, wasn’t it? To go there and evaluate the hot and dirty weirdness? In her line of work it was called research. Jane was writing a piece for L. A. Underground, a publication that featured the spicy and often seedy sides of the city.

She stood in front of the gilded mirror in her garage-sale-gone-wild bedroom and smoothed her little shimmy of a dress. Beneath the silky taupe fabric, which plunged lusciously low in front, she was braless. Jane had never grown out of an A cup, leaving her lacking in the cleavage department, but at least she possessed perky nipples.

She glanced at the bedside clock. Her best gal pals, Emily Torres and Suzanne Quinn, were in the living room waiting for her. Jane was rarely ready on time. But they expected as much.

Returning to her primping, she studied her reflection. She’d pinned her auburn hair into a tousled twist and painted her lips a glossy cinnamon hue. With a critical eye, she slipped on a pair of heels the same color of her skin, then went into the living room.

Her friends sat on the couch. In tandem, they stood up.

“You look amazing,” Suzanne said.

“Thank you.” Jane more than appreciated the compliment.

Suzanne knew her stuff. She was an up-and-coming fashion designer.Tonight tall, blonde Suzanne was swathed in a candy-pink mini and a glorious tan. The shiny metal straps on the dress were made of big gold loops, and the formfitting, front- wrap bodice combined with a push-up bra gave her medium- sized boobs a boost.

Jane turned toward Emily. She was a properly behaved history teacher who was shy about showing off her assets. Although she had long dark locks and the curves of a Latina goddess, she’d done nothing to maximize the effect. A pastel headband kept her glorious hair from falling forward, and she wore a pair of jeans and a summer- print blouse, all buttoned up.

Jane said, “You realize that we’re going to a sex club, right? And we’re supposed to look like groupies?”

Emily responded, “Of course I know where we’re going, and I never should’ve let you two talk me into it.”

Suzanne chimed in. “It’ll be fun. Besides, we’re not going to participate. We’re just going to watch.” She waggled her eyebrows.“Like voyeurs.”

The brunette’s cheeks flushed. “I suppose I am a little curious about what sort of things they do there.”

Jane shot Suzanne a conspiratorial smile. They’d been trying to loosen up Emily for years. Or at least bring her out of her good-girl shell.

Tackling the wardrobe dilemma, Suzanne unbuttoned Emily’s blouse, where her bountiful breasts spilled out from a beige lace bra.

“There,” the designer said. “Now she looks almost as slutty as we do.”

“Almost,” Jane agreed.

From there, they dragged Emily into the bathroom and did a smoky number on her eyes. A coat of flaming berry lipstick followed. The headband went bye-bye and her hair was finger fluffed. After decorating her with glittering earrings, they forced her into icy blue pumps from Jane’s closet. The result was sex-kitten hot. But Emily wasn’t impressed. She squirmed at her wild unveiling.

“Someone is going to want to fuck me,” she said.

The horrified way she spewed the f-word made Jane and Suzanne laugh.

“You’ll be fine,” Suzanne promised. “Right, Janiac?”

“Totally fine,” she responded, as they left her apartment and climbed into her car.

Bound for decadence.

# # #

Emily sat in the backseat, fussing with the front of her blouse. She wanted to re-button it, but Jane and Suzanne would probably pitch a fit if she covered herself. She felt self-conscious dressed this way, and on top of that, her feet hurt. The shoes were a tad too tight.

The ladies who’d given her the makeover were doing just fine, laughing and talking and singing with the radio.

Silent, Emily quit tugging at her blouse. She wished she could be more like her friends. Jane was adventurous and imaginative, and Suzanne was trendy and sassy. The three of them had been college roommates, and even then, Emily knew she was the odd woman out.

Suzanne glanced over her shoulder. “You okay, Auntie Em?”

She nodded and forced a smile. Auntie Em, Janiac, and Susie Q. Their nicknames pretty much said it all.

As they traveled deep into the concrete jungle that was L.A., Suzanne went back to singing, and Emily returned to her nervous thoughts. She didn’t do well at regular clubs, let alone a place of this sort. What kind of people pretended to be supernatural beings? And what kind of people trailed after them behaving like groupies?

Anxious, she peered out the window. They weren’t in a populated part of the city. Downtown was weird that way. Some of it was isolated, particularly at night.

Finally Jane pulled up to the gate of an underground parking structure and put a keycard into the designated slot. Aeonian was a members-only establishment, and Jane had acquired the necessary guest passes, but then Janiac was clever that way.

Emily’s stomach went tight. She wanted to go home and watch something safe on TV, but it was too late for that. They parked and got out of the car. As they walked toward the elevator of the four- story industrial building that housed the club, the heels of her too- tight shoes hit the asphalt like bullets from a machine gun. The other women’s shoes echoed the same rat-a-tat-tat.

“What does Aeonian mean?” Suzanne asked Jane.

The writer responded, “Everlasting. Like heaven’s eternal bliss or hell’s perpetual fires.”

“That’s wicked cool,” the designer remarked.

Or just plain wicked, Emily thought. As they reached the elevator, a trio of well- statured men appeared from the other side of the parking lot.

Suzanne looked up and said, “Damn.”

Jane seconded the motion with a quiet, “No shit.”

Emily more than agreed. She almost expected a haze of fog to be floating around them.

None of the women pushed the elevator button. They merely stood there, gazing at the male figures. Even from a distance, Emily could see that they sported crisp white shirts, long-tailed jackets, vests, and boots.

Suzanne said, “I wonder if they’re supposed to be vampires.”

Jane hadn’t even blinked. “They don’t look all that pale to me.”

Suzanne keened out a little moan. “They’re coming this way.”

Emily stabbed the elevator button, hoping the men didn’t make it in time.

No such luck.

They arrived on the scene, greeted the women with interest, and waited for the elevator, too. Each man was handsome in his own right, and although they stood about the same height with similar builds, they didn’t look alike.

Except for their eyes.

Their irises were as black as midnight. Not that any fool couldn’t tell that they were wearing colored contact lenses, but the opaque shade created a haunting effect.

And to make matters worse, the pairing of partners had already begun, starting with the man on the right, who zeroed in on Jane.

That prompted the slightly dazed writer to ask, “Who are you guys?”

He responded in a sleek and sexy way. “I’m Marcus, and I’m a demon.” He motioned to his companions. “They are, too. We’re all immortal.”

Oh, Lord. As Jane introduced herself to Marcus, Emily whispered a prayer in her mind. This game wasn’t the least bit amusing. She’d been taught to fear the devil’s realm.

“What is a demon, exactly?” Suzanne asked, as the guy in the middle checked her out.

Marcus answered, “There are different breeds. Our breed descends from fallen angels. People sometimes think that all demons are fallen angels, but they’re not.”

As Emily shifted her feet, a different man, the one on the left, fixed his sights on her. He scanned the tops of her breasts, making his attraction to her known. She wanted to button her blouse more than ever.

He lifted his gaze, and they stared at each other. Chestnut hair fell across his forehead in wavy disarray and serious features lent him the intensity of a Renaissance man.

He said to her, “I’m Damien. And who might you be?”

“Em . . . Emily,” she sputtered. She wasn’t comfortable with his name. The kid in The Omen was called Damien, and he was the offspring of Satan.

But then this Damien smiled, flashing a one- sided dimple, and she was struck by how gently handsome it made him look. Almost like an angel.

A fallen angel, she reminded herself.

“It must be stuck,” he said suddenly and reached past her to tap the elevator button.

She noticed that he did it with his left hand. Centuries ago, it was believed that left- handed people were servants of the devil. Those superstitions had changed, but that did little to temper her anxiety.

She was horribly, dangerously attracted to Damien.

Finally the elevator door opened, and everyone stepped inside. Damien used his left hand again to direct them to the lobby level, which was where the entrance of the club was located.

Emily glanced expectantly at her friends, hoping they would come to her rescue, but they were deep in the throes of demon fever, too.

# # #

As the elevator jerked and made its ascent, Suzanne couldn’t take her eyes off of the hottie who’d singled her out.

Like her, he was blond, and he wore his hair short and wonderfully wild. The half-spiked, half-smoothed style put him at the top of his game, and so did those mysterious eyes. She couldn’t stop staring at him.

“Why haven’t I ever seen you here before?” he asked in a slightly southern voice. “Are you a new member?”

She made a small sweeping motion that included Jane and Emily. “We have passes. But just for tonight.”

“So, you’re a guest groupie? Then I’d better not waste any time.”

He moved closer, and her pulse zinged straight to her pussy. When he pressed his mouth to her ear, she inhaled the citrus-and-spice scent of his skin.

“Have you ever done anything dirty in public?” he asked.

“No.” Not until now. He was toying with the hem of her dress, lifting it just enough to make her breath rush out.

“Do you want to do bad things with me?” he whispered.

God, yes. She almost gave him permission to put his hand inside her panties.

Then she heard a throat clear. Emily, no doubt, reminding her that they weren’t supposed to engage in any activity tonight. But Suzanne couldn’t seem to help it.

Was she crazy? Letting this strange guy with the strange eyes seduce her in front of her friends?

She met his gaze, and he smiled. Emily’s throat clearing hadn’t bothered him a bit. Well, of course not, she told herself, or he wouldn’t be pulling this naughty stunt.

“What’s your name?” she asked him.

“Jacob Keller. But I prefer Jake. And you?”

“Suzanne Quinn. Sometimes my friends call me Susie Q.”

“Like the song?”

He sang a few of the lyrics into her ear, and his southern rock tone slid sensuously over her skin. Like custard spiked with moonshine.

Damn but she wanted to kiss him. Apparently he had the same urge. He turned his head so their mouths could meet. As the kiss unfolded, he rubbed his pelvis against hers. But he did it gently, and the contrast of his strong male body, especially the hardness behind his zipper, made the kiss more erotic than it should have been. His mouth was slightly opened and so was hers, but there was no tongue.

No noise in the background, either. No shifting of feet, no deliberate throat clearings, no low-talking voices.

Was everyone else watching? Was Auntie Em embarrassed? Was Janiac intrigued? Were the other two men turned on, their cocks nudging their trousers?

By now Jake had both hands pressed against the elevator wall, caging Suzanne with his arms. He intensified the kiss, teasing her with his bad-boy game, running his tongue along the seam of her lips. She heard herself moan. Her panties were actually getting wet.

At that creamy moment, she didn’t care why this man had such an openly lewd effect on her. All that mattered was keeping him close. She put her arms around his waist, making damn sure his pelvis remained fused to hers.

Thud!

The jerky motion of the elevator coming to a stop jarred her back to reality. She let go of Jake’s waist. He flashed his devil-may-care smile and lowered his arms, freeing her from his cage.

Suzanne looked at her friends. Jane had her head tilted at an entranced angle, and Emily was staring at her as if she’d just sprouted horns and a forked tail.

Gosh, she thought, maybe she had. But instead of checking to see if she had new appendages, she glanced at Jake’s buddies to get their reactions.

Damien had his hungry gaze fixed on Emily, and Marcus seemed unfazed by it all. Did that mean he was into even kinkier stuff? That when he decided it was time to seduce Jane, hell would really break loose?

Everyone piled out of the elevator and stepped into a dimly lit lobby that showcased Victorian, medieval, and mystical furnishings, along with a fancy hotel-style desk.

On the other side of the Gothic- inspired room was a set of ornately carved double doors, closed tight. An imposing bouncer stood in front of them, and the hip- thrusting music that penetrated the wood was a telltale sign that the club was in full swing.

Suzanne turned her attention to the desk. Behind it was a busty blonde in a fuck-me outfit only the most experienced groupie would dare to wear. She looked up and smiled, greeting the men as if she’d had the pleasure of knowing each of them intimately. That didn’t sit well with Suzanne. She was already getting territorial over Jake.

From one little elevator kiss?

She glanced over at him and caught him looking at her, too. That made her feel better, and she chastised herself for it. She didn’t belong with him any more than Emily belonged with Damien or Jane with Marcus.

Yet here they were.

Jane removed the guest passes from her purse, and they presented them to the blonde in charge.

She said, “Have fun tonight, ladies.” She turned and smiled at the men again. “You gentlemen take good care of them.”

“We intend to,” Marcus answered.

“Damn straight,” Jake echoed.

“Absolutely,” was Damien’s reply.

And before they knew it, Suzanne and her friends were being escorted into a sex club.

Where anything could happen.

Next Release! DEMONIC, August 2011

2011-04-10T18:31:00.001-07:00

A fantasy so mind-reeling, so deliciously dangerous, only one thing could be hotter…

Writer Jane Brooks enlists her two friends, Emily and Suzanne, to help research an article by combing an underground sex club where patrons masquerade as supernatural beings and engage in the most bizarre erotic games imaginable. And unimaginable. Then three men disguised as demons convince Jane and her friends to become more than spectators. How can they say no to such powerful, demanding, and desirable strangers?

…the reality.

Jane’s man is a hypnotist, evidenced by his uncanny sensual bondage that has her begging for more. Emily has found her dream man, too—a reclusive artist with a thirst for blood-red wine and a touch that drives Emily wild. And Suzanne’s seducer is a musician who prefers to expose their wicked sex secrets in the most public of places.

Yet right from the start, the women are made aware of a rumor: one of these demons-in-disguise is the real thing, guarded by his two mortal friends. At first it seems too unbelievable to be true, but as details emerge, danger prevails, and they have no idea how far, or how dark, the next erotic game will be. Or what will happen if one of them falls irrevocably in love with a demon.

PRIVATE DANCER TwoLips Review

2011-03-31T18:45:00.000-07:00

Victoria from from TwoLips Reviews just notified me about super review! Here’s a link if you want to check it out

Ebooks

2011-03-15T15:37:00.000-07:00

I just received notice that two more of my older books will be released as ebooks. In April, CHEROKEE will be available, and in May TYCOON WARRIOR will be available. When the time comes, you can buy them directly from Harlequin's website (in the ebook department). I think you will be able to purchase them on kindle from Amazon, too. Currently,a kindle version of CHEROKEE is available for preorder on Amazon.

Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T15:11:00.000-08:00

Best of everything in 2011!!!

Look Who It Is!

2010-12-04T18:31:00.000-08:00

For all of you who’ve been reading romance novels since the 80s and remember all of those wonderful old covers, this is me with Fabio! Okay, so I’m sort of with him.

This picture of me was taken at the Rock Store on Nov. 26, 2010. If you’re curious about the Rock Store here's a link

If you’re curious about Fabio and his career here's his site

And, yes, I will to be the first to admit that I bought books simply because he was on the cover. I didn’t know who he was then, but he caught my attention, along with a zillion other readers. Later, of course, we all found out who he was and learned his name.

Portuguese edition of MASQUERADE

2010-11-13T20:26:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to share my latest cover!
I think it translates to MASQUERADE OF DESIRE

Halloween 2010

2010-10-25T20:49:00.000-07:00

Halloween is approaching, and I'm writing a book called DEMONIC. So, to celebrate, here are a few pics of my little devil.
Colt in his horns peering through the fence at a cat. Seriously! There was black cat trying to sneak past him.

Colt looking innocent in his horns.

Another PRIVATE DANCER review!

2010-10-24T22:02:00.000-07:00

Reviewed at Fresh Fiction
by Mandy Burns

Jay Novak has been in limbo for the past 2 years after his divorce from his wife Beverly Gilbert. Jay really thought Beverly would give up her profession as an exotic dancer after they were married, but she refused; causing a rift between them that ultimately led to divorce. Jay's friend and roommate convince him to go to the club once more to see Beverly and watch her dance. The moment Beverly hits the stage, Jay knows she is dancing for him, so he sets his feelings aside and makes the present his priority. Jay's need to know her again, to excite her again, even for a short time, is worth asking Beverly to have an affair with him. Beverly surprises Jay by telling him she attends hypnotizing sessions once a week where she visits her past life as Princess Camille and the turmoil and struggle to understand her new husband and his harem.

Beverly enjoys dancing onstage, the power stripping gives her is intoxicating and addictive. Unfortunately, Beverly's enjoyment lost her the one man she loved. Jay wanted Beverly to give up her job and relinquish the power she covets because of his jealousy and insecurities. Two years have passed and the feelings she had for Jay are locked up tight but threatening to break free when she sees him sitting at the end of the stage while she starts her set. As he watches her perform, she is unable to resist dancing for his benefit alone. Jay's offer to start an affair seems impossible at first, but the temptation becomes too much and she takes him up on it. Exploring the possibilities of having a past life makes Beverly wonder if Jay has a past life, too, and if their souls are meant to be together.

Sheri Whitefeather delivers a sensual sequel to MASQUERADE that makes you wonder at the possibility of a soul mate. A great read!

2011 Conventions and Conferences

2010-10-23T12:05:00.000-07:00

I’m excited about my 2011 summer trips. In late June/early July I’ll be in New York for the RWA national conference, and in early August I’ll be a spotlight author at RomCon in Denver!

As soon as more information is underway, I’ll post links to both events. RWA hosts a spectacular literacy book signing every year with HUNDREDS of authors, and RomCon is a huge gathering that celebrates the romance genre and its wonderful readers.

PRIVATE DANCER Reviews (three of 'em)

2010-09-23T08:07:00.000-07:00

I've been gathering the reviews for PRIVATE DANCER, but I kept forgetting to post them! Goodness, what's wrong with me? Lol. So, here they are. Happy to say they are great reviews!

ROMANTIC TIMES BOOK CLUB:
Reviewed by Jacqui McGugins

Any self-respecting hedonist will love this book! The author manages to seamlessly connect the dots in this exciting read that’s set in both contemporary Los Angeles and the late 18th-century Mediterranean region.

Beverly is perfectly content with her career as an exotic dancer who teaches women pole dancing, etc., on the side. Her ex-husband, Jay, could not handle her dancing and they eventually divorced. One of her students happens to practice regression therapy and Beverly is taken back to the 18th century and her life as a Middle Eastern princess, Camille.

After two years apart, Jay and Beverly reconnect and decide to have an affair, no strings attached, but they are meant to be together; it’s just a matter of time. As Beverly reveals more of her past, she wonders whether Jay was her husband/prince. The parallels are striking and Jay starts to wonder the same thing. But he also experiences some jealousy of the prince, who meant so much to her. Camille, on the other hand, is unhappy in her arranged marriage and attempts to entice her husband away from his harem.

READER TO READER REVIEWS:
Reviewed by Sandra Van Winkle

Exotic dancer Beverly Gilbert, a.k.a. “Malibu” is perfectly happy with her occupation, dancing at the Dusky Doll topless club. It’s where she first met her husband, Jay Novak, a male model and actor who moonlights as a fusion cook. Following a hasty wedding their torrid romance cooled when Jay asked Beverly to give up dancing, which turned into a deal-breaker for their marriage. They split within a year, though neither of them fell out of love.

In addition to her dancing, Beverly has an interest in past life regression. She learns in a series of therapy sessions that in the late Eighteenth Century she was Camille Renard, chosen as a child to be the future bride of Prince David Abir Rou Veli. On their wedding night Camille asks David to disband his harem, a request he flatly refuses, which turns into a deal-breaker for their marriage.

Back at the Dusky Doll, Jay shows up one night to see Beverly dance and their long-denied feelings reignite. In Neylan, Camille gets a second chance when she devises a seductive plan to charm her way back into the prince’s bed.

Whitefeather’s erotic tale alternates between the love stories of Jay and Beverly in 21st Century California, and David and Camille in 18th Century Neylan Empire. Both stories are equal in intensity and each switch heightens the reader’s anticipation as both couples find delightfully creative ways to settle their differences. Hot. Sweet. Yummy.

NIGHT OWL REVIEWS:
Reviewed by Reese

For those that love second chance at love romances, you will enjoy Private Dancer. Sheri Whitefeather starts readers off with Jay paying a surprise visit to the nightclub where his ex wife works as a stripper. Frustrated by her job and yet drawn to her even after their divorce, he pays for a lap dance. Beverly can’t believe it when she spots her ex in the crowd and dancing for him brings back the memories of how they met and fell in love.

At times I was on Jay's side understanding his jealousy and desire to have his wife just to himself and then I was on Beverly's side because she was a stripper when he met her. This was interesting as readers have to wait to see if these two old lovers will be able to conquer the demons of their past and make it work a second time. This was a full length book but the story flowed quickly and I was finished before I knew it. Whitefeather is an author I will check out again.

Cookbook Contribution!

2010-08-25T22:01:00.000-07:00

I was asked to contribute a recipe for a celebrity cookbook called THE HEART OF COOKING which contains over 140 recipes from 125 authors. My son got quite a kick out of this because I'm not a very good cook. But I have tons of recipes because my mom is a fabulous cook!

The book is a fundraising project children's charity, so it's for a very good cause. If you enjoy cooking or collecting recipes (like me), please consider purchasing THE HEART OF COOKING. You can order it here

Borders True Romance Giveaway

2010-08-24T08:14:00.000-07:00

I'm guest blogging today at Border's True Romance Blog and giving away three copies of WEDDING FAVORS on their site! Here's a direct link to the Border's True Romance blog You can read my blog and check out blogs by other guest authors, too!

Save the Date--Aug. 24th

2010-08-21T03:08:00.000-07:00

I'm guest blogging on Border's True Romance Blog on August 24th. I'll post a link when the time comes. I'll be talking about psychic experiences and past life regression. I'll also be giving away three copies of WEDDING FAVORS!

Romantic Times Interview

2010-08-20T07:52:00.000-07:00

Romantic Times Bookreviews interviewed me for their website and it just went live!
Read the interview here

PRIVATE DANCER excerpt

2010-07-27T18:53:00.000-07:00

In August, PRIVATE DANCER will hit the shelves. I'm posting the backcover blurb and an excerpt that includes the prologue and a portion of chapter one. Beware: This is an erotic romance. A few explicit words are in this post.

BACKCOVER BLURB:

It’s been two years since Jay and Beverly divorced and Jay still can’t get her off of his mind--or out of his fantasies. Even more frustrating is that Beverly hasn’t given up her sultry job. She continues to work as a stripper at a local club--so close, yet so untouchable, except if Jay’s willing to pay the price. Old passions and jealousies lure him to the club for one last dance.

Since her divorce from Jay, Beverly has undergone past life regression sessions, where new-age therapy helps her identify who she was in a past life: Princess Camille of yore, a young European bride who attempted to make her husband, a Middle Eastern prince, fall in love with her by infiltrating his harem and becoming his most prized possession. Though different in many ways, both Camille and Beverly use their empowering, erotic dance to unleash their desire. And Beverly and Jay’s once-passionate relationship will soon reach a whole new level of sensuality.

PROLOGUE

An Independent Nation in the Mediterranean Region
Late Eighteenth Century

I always knew that Prince David Abir Rou Veli, the heir to the Neylan Empire, was going to be my husband. I, Princess Camille Renard, had been promised to him since I was a child. As a little girl, I used to imagine him as a kind-hearted boy who would grow into a romantically noble man.

But my dreams about him were nonsense.

Wildly handsome, Prince David was also spoiled and barbaric, and I dreaded the thought of becoming his bride.

Nonetheless, we were about to be wed.

At this very moment, I waited in the primary courtyard of the palace for my bridegroom to appear in a royal procession. Already I could see a throng of torches headed my way, held aloft in the night sky. Beside me were my female attendants.

Earlier, I had been groomed in an ancient method called smoothing, where my body hair had been removed with a syrupy paste and strips of muslin, leaving my pubis shamefully bare.

Afterward, they had bathed me in milk, a tradition of purification, followed by scented oils. They had also arranged my long dark hair in an elaborate style, covering their handiwork with a delicate veil that also shrouded my face.

My dress was a sparkling caftan made of the finest white silk and adorned with the most precious of jewels.

I glanced down at my hands. They had been decorated in a ritualistic blessing, where a renowned artist had painted an intricate design, using a paste made from a dried plant. This was meant to ward off evil spirits, bring luck, and increase fertility. But much to my dismay, my soon-to-be husband’s name was also hidden within the complex pattern.

Beneath my veil, I tempered my expression. Prince David’s parents, the sultan and his European-born queen, would be arriving in the royal procession, several paces behind their son.

Although the sultan took deep pride in his customs, the queen influenced the culture, as well. Some of her practices had been absorbed into society, creating mixed traditions.

Like the queen, I, too, hailed from a small European country, and my marriage had been arranged to protect alliances and retain royal bloodlines.

I understood this. I accepted it. As a child, I had been taught to speak the Neylanic language, preparing for this day.

But the one thing I could not fathom was the sultan’s harem. Although he was only permitted one wife, he kept a bevy of beautiful women at his disposal, and the queen accepted this without reservation.

Me? I did not want to be married to a man who openly called upon other women. But Prince David had a harem, too. I, of course, had been aware of this all along, but I had requested that once we were wed, he would respect my wishes and disband his harem. But he had told me, in no uncertain terms, that he intended to keep his women.

Heaven, how I hated him.

As the procession got closer, as the torches drew nearer, I detested the notion of our wedding night. I suspected that after he dutifully bedded me, he would send me back to my chambers and summon one of his other women.

A harem beauty who would curl up beside him while I soothed the ache from our coupling and battled the urge to cry myself to sleep.

CHAPTER ONE

Beverly Gilbert added a little more blush to her luminously bronzed skin, then sat back to evaluate her reflection in the mirror.

Her wedding garb consisted of skimpy lingerie and a short, flouncing white dress, where her surgically enhanced breasts spilled out over the top.

For the final touch, she clipped a rhinestone headpiece into her long, thickly waved blond hair, but she didn’t cover her face with the attached veil. She still had a bit of time to spare.

“Hey, Malibu!”

Beverly turned to the sound of her stage name. The high-pitched call had come from Delilah, another dancer at The Dusky Doll. Delilah, a chatty brunette, was dressed like a Roman goddess, and beneath her micro-mini toga was a G-string decorated with gold grape leaves.

As always, Delilah was peering out from behind the dressing room curtain, checking out the clientele.

Beverly preferred not to think about the crowd, not until it was her turn to dance and the opening song she’d requested was played.

Delilah closed the curtain and made a face. “Don’t freak out, okay?”

“What are you talking about? Why would I?”

“I think I saw your husband at the tip rail.”

Beverly started. “You mean my ex-husband?” Jay Novak, she thought, the man she’d divorced more than two years ago. “It can’t be him. He would never come here.” They’d met at the club, but they’d split up over it, too.

“Maybe it’s just some guy who looks like him.”

Yes, that had to be it. About a month ago, a man bearing a striking resemblance to Jay had sat at the tip rail with a gorgeous brunette by his side. They’d made Beverly so nervous she’d almost messed up her routine. But they’d left right after she’d danced, and she hadn’t seen them since.

“Do you want me to double check?” Delilah asked, offering to peer out from behind the curtain again. “Or you could take a quick peek yourself.”

“No. It’s fine.” What reason would Jay have for invading her turf? “I’m on soon anyway.”

“Then you’ll know for sure.”

“I already know it isn’t him.”

“He’s hot, whoever he is.”

“Delilah.”

“Sorry.” The Roman goddess adjusted a bobby pin in her loosely styled upswept hair. “I’m just making conversation.”

Beverly wanted to tell her to go make it somewhere else, but Delilah wasn’t the enemy.

So who was? Jay?

Between the whirlwind courtship and hasty vows, they hadn’t even made it past the first year. But that didn’t mean that she hadn’t loved him.

Clearing him from her mind, Beverly returned her attention to the mirror and covered her face with the veil.

Once she was ready, she waited by the curtain to make her appearance. The tall, tanned, green-eyed siren.

The naughty California bride.

As the intro to Billy Idol’s “White Wedding” began to play—the song she’d picked—the DJ introduced “Malibu.”

Whoosh.

Beverly dashed through the red velvet curtain and onto the stage, scanning the tip-rail patrons. The hard-edged music pounded through her soul, but that was nothing compared to what seeing him did to her heart.

There he was. Not someone who resembled Jay. The real thing.

Gorgeous as ever, he sat parallel to the pole, at the center of the horseshoe-curved stage, which had been his favorite spot when he’d courted her.

His short, light brown hair was stylishly messy, and although he surveyed her every move, he showed no emotion. His face was a blank canvas, shrouded in male mystery.

Torn between strutting straight up to him and getting the hell out of Dodge, she headed for the pole and swung her long, lethal body around it.

If Beverly was the ultimate California girl, then Jay was the supreme California guy. As a model/actor, he had grown up in the Valley, surfing, skateboarding and snowboarding. To support his craft and his sports, he moonlighted as a fusion-style cook.

A tasty man who made tasty food. A man who’d wanted her to quit dancing once she’d become his wife.

Well, screw him, she thought. Between Jay and her family, no one supported her choices.

She climbed the pole, knowing he was watching. The club was filled with people, but he was the only one on her radar. He looked like a mirage through her filmy veil. A long, tall, forbidden drink of water.

“White Wedding” was all of four minutes and ten seconds, but already it seemed like the longest song in history.

By the time her pole work was done and she was lifting her veil, a poignant line in the second verse blasted through the speakers.

I’ve been away for so long.

As Beverly got down on her hands and knees and crawled across the stage, collecting ones and fives in the process, she was inexplicably drawn to her ex.

When she came to him, she stood up and peeled off her dress, turning around to flash him her G-stringed rear.

Was that her way of telling him to kiss her ass? She honestly didn’t know because she spun back around and unhooked her bustier, baring her full Ds.

Taking it to the next level, she licked the tips of her fingers and wet her nipples, smiling like the naughty bride she was supposed to be. If she hadn’t been such a professional, her face would’ve cracked. Flirting with him, even in a theatrical way, was painful.

He didn’t return the smile. But she had him just the same. He leaned forward in his chair, and she knew she’d just given him the makings of a hard-on. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. He seemed afraid to blink, as if he would miss something, even though it was a routine he’d seen a zillion times.

Beverly stayed close enough to tease him, to make his cock stiff, but not close enough to let him breathe her in.

Then he held up a neatly folded bill, offering her a tip.

Damn. Now she had to get closer.

PROTECTING THEIR BABY won the Readers Crown!

2010-07-14T15:03:00.000-07:00

Yep, it won in the Short Romantic Suspense Category!

As part of the prize, PROTECTING THEIR BABY will be reprinted and displayed on an end-cap at at all US Borders! It will be displayed starting August 17th to Sept. 30th!

WEDDING FAVORS (Night Owl Review)

2010-07-05T08:27:00.000-07:00

WEDDING FAVORS got a Top Pick from Night Owl Reviews! I tried to post a link but it wouldn't work, so here's a copy of the review:

Author: Allyson James, Nikita Black, Sheri Whitefeather

Genre: Spicy Romance

Reviewed by: ELF

Wedding Favors is a trio of decadently sinful adventures experienced by daring bridesmaids who have come into contact with the magical fountain endowed with sensual powers invoked by a voodoo queen such as Marie Laveau, her daughter or another practitioner of the dark arts. The fountain’s motto, “All That You Wish” frees each of the bridesmaids to satisfy their sexual fantasies, whether it is with the owner of the maison itself, as part of a ménage a trios with the God Eros’ son or as the submissive of a sexy inn proprietor. Nikita Black’s Binding Her Heart details the freeing of Tessa Kittredge’s heart as she places her body into thrall to sexy Treves Duchesne, owner of the former bordello that houses the mysterious fountain. Allyson James’ Mortal Sensations explores the ramifications of Eros’ son Alexi interfering once more in mortal affairs by enhancing the relationship between Madison Rainey and the hot star of her secret fantasies, Thomas Dupree. Sheri Whitefeather describes a bondage dungeon located in the attic of a bed and breakfast inn that features in the Dungeon Dreams of one of the inn’s guests, particularly after she makes a pilgrimage to the infamous fountain.

Wedding Favors is a sizzling collection of erotic stories that combine the steamy ambience of New Orleans with mystical intervention that allows three women to experience their wildest sexual fantasies. Each author expertly depicts a masterful man who is able to satisfy the woman who is there to support her friend the bride and in turn reaps a satisfying and sensual partner brought into her life by the fountain known as the “Jaillissement de Plaisir”which fulfills its promise so delightfully.

Portland Pictures

2010-06-29T18:32:00.000-07:00

I just got back from an amazing trip to Oregon. I went there with a friend and am popping in to post a few pictures from our trip.

The Morrison Bridge. I took this from the airport shuttle while en route to our hotel.

A beautiful interior shot of the lobby of our downtown hotel.

At the Saturday Market with a Jimi Hendrix lookalike. Totally cool guy!

At Nordstrom’s with Edward, Jacob and Bella cutouts. As many of you know, my sister lives in Oregon. She also loves Twilight. I'll be headed back to Portland in August to spend a few weeks with her. While I'm there, we're going to see Eclipse together.

In the old days, a real horse would've been tied to this ring. In 2005 an artist got the idea to attach plastic horses. Now the plastic horses are all over the city.

Dungeon Dreams Excerpt

2010-06-04T10:12:00.000-07:00

Dungeon Dreams is my novella in WEDDING FAVORS. Here is an excerpt from chapter one:

Kendra Madden battled an erotic chill.

This, of course, made no sense. But nothing in her head constituted logic, not since the dreams had started.

Dreams of a dark, gothic place with brick walls, iron shackles, and rough-hewn devices with leather restraints. A place that made her dangerously aroused. A place vastly different from where she was now.

Confirming her soft, fanciful whereabouts, she stopped to study the mansion in front of her. Nothing could be more whimsical, more gingerbread, more Queen Anne Victorian than the Bonswa Inn, an extravagant bed-and-breakfast located in New Orleans’s Garden District. The pink, lavender, and white structure boasted curlicue details and frosting-style scrollwork.

So why did she have goose bumps? Why did this fairy-tale structure create a sex dungeon sensation?

Because she was losing her mind, damn it. Because those dreams were interfering with her sanity. Whenever she awakened from one of those episodes, all she thought about was kinky sex: bondage fantasies, acts of debauchery, things she’d never craved or even considered before.

She took one last look at the fancy exterior of the building. Then, determined to behave as normally as possible, she proceeded to the entrance. The wheels on her basic black suitcase bumped up and over the porch steps, making a soft, thudding sound.

Summers in New Orleans were hot and humid, or so she’d been told. But today the weather was warm and pleasant.

She went inside and entered an impressive foyer that served as a reception area. Decorated with rose-motif armchairs and painted side tables, it presented a colorful invitation. Seated at a carved writing desk was a middle-aged woman with fluffy auburn hair and sparkling jewelry. Flamboyant in her own right, she fit the environment.

She stood up, showcasing her full figure, and said, “You must be Kendra Madden. I’m Claire. The the innkeeper’s assistant.”

Kendra smiled and said hello. She wasn’t surprised that Claire presumed who she was. Her arrival time had been pre-arranged. Kendra was a bridesmaid at a wedding that would take place at the inn. She’d booked her reservation a day early because she was anxious to get out of Los Angeles. The rest of the wedding party would be filtering in tomorrow and were only scheduled for a short stay. Kendra had decided to combine this trip with a much-needed two-week vacation.

Claire said, “I’ll let the innkeeper know you’re here. He’ll get you situated.”

While the assistant called her boss, Kendra noticed that the reception area led to a parlor. She caught glimpses of crushed velvet settees and marble-topped tables.
A few minutes later, a man emerged from that direction, and Kendra could do little more than stare. He owned this place? She’d been expecting an older gentleman, but he was about her age.

Mercy me, she thought.

Although he sported casual business attire and carried himself in a professional manner, he was tall, dark, and hot. Stylishly mussed straight black hair, caramel-colored skin, and strong-boned features illustrated a wildly ethnic quality.

Was it any wonder? She’d read on the inn’s Web site that this was a Creole-owned establishment, and from what she understood, the Louisiana Creole hailed from French, Spanish, African, and Native American roots. Or at least some sort of combination thereof.

Kendra had a fair complexion, blue eyes, and natural blonde hair, but she’d always been intrigued by exotic men. Not that she’d ever been with anyone who looked like him. Her ex was blond and blue-eyed, too.

Their gazes met from across the room, and she sensed that the attraction was mutual. He glanced away first, but the male-female ritual had already begun, creating an awkward moment.

He apparently did his best to recover. As he moved closer, he played the perfect host and smiled. But that only made things worse. His smile was slow and naturally sexy.

He closed the gap between them, and she waited for him to speak, wondering if he would greet her in a local accent.

“Hello, Kendra,” he said, making polite use of her name. “Welcome to the Bonswa. I’m James Rideau.”

He didn’t speak in the “Nawlins” way. In fact, aside from reciting Bonswa and Rideau with a gentle French inflection, he sounded as West Coast as she did.

Even more intrigued, she extended her hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”

He reached out, too. “The pleasure is mine.”

Oh, no, she thought. No. Pleasure was the wrong thing for him to say. The very instant they touched, the tie-me-up hunger associated with her dreams slammed straight into her.

She wanted to pull away, but she followed through with the handshake, pretending that her heart wasn’t sticking to her throat.

“Would you like a tour of the inn?” he asked. “Or would you prefer to go to your room first?”

“I’d like to see the inn.” She was too nervous to enter a bedroom with him. She needed time to get a grip on reality, to clear her mind of forbidden fantasies.

Wedding Favors

2010-05-30T11:29:00.001-07:00

Just a quick reminder that this spicy book is due to hit the shelves on June 1st.

What do bridesmaids wish for?

When it comes to weddings, why should the bride and groom be the only ones tying knots? In these consummate erotic novellas set in steamy New Orleans , three nice-turned-naughty bridesmaids each make a wish by tossing a coin into an infamous fountain. Before the night is through, these bridesmaids find themselves entangled with passionate partners, who show them the only way to free their desires is through the most enticing restraints.

Nikita Black goes behind the closed doors of a bordello and a masked bachelorette party where anything can—and does—happen.

Allyson James explores a ménage a trois as a bridesmaid finds herself locked in a house with two men who introduce her to sensations that are out of this world.

Sheri Whitefeather reveals a secret room in a Victorian bed and breakfast where a bridesmaid’s forbidden erotic dreams become a reality.

An invitation to indulgence, Wedding Favors offers bold and sensual adventures in seduction and surrender. When the gowns come off, the games begin…

Busy Summer Ahead

2010-05-16T09:37:00.000-07:00

I'm planning two trips to Portland this summer and one long weekend in Los Angeles. But I’m on deadline, too. I have two new books to write, and I’m trying to finish the first one before I start my trips. Hopefully I'll have some cool pictures to share later.

Reader's Crown Finalist

2010-04-30T17:27:00.000-07:00

I got a phone call this morning saying that PROTECTING THEIR BABY is a finalist in the "Short Contemporary Romantic Suspense" category of the Reader’s Crown!
Here’s a list of all of the finalists on the RomCon site Just scroll down to the middle of the page to see it.

The finalists receive all sorts of cool promos, and winners will get even more fun stuff. Also, Harlequin has agreed to REPRINT any series romance title that wins its category! You can’t beat that!

Whitefeather Way

2010-04-26T15:01:00.000-07:00

A friend posted this picture on my Facebook page. It's from her trip to Sequim, Washington. The sign says Whitefeather Way! How cool is that?

Here's a map from Google of Whitefeather Way.

Interview at Writely So

2010-04-22T12:48:00.000-07:00

The lovely and talented Deanna Cameron interviewed me for her blog. We discussed MASQUERADE as well as other topics.
Read the interview here

Excerpt from MASQUERADE

2010-04-03T22:27:00.000-07:00

MASQUERADE is scheduled for release on April 6th. I'm posting a blurb about the book, as well as the prologue and a snippet from chapter one. It's not an explicit excerpt, but remember this is an erotic romance and the book itself is quite steamy!

The Blurb:

Bombshell heiress Amber Pontiero is looking for fun—and she’s going to find it in Luke and Jay, two of her former lovers now eager to complete the perfect threesome. There are no rules—only soul-stirring pleasure. But things change when Luke starts looking into Amber’s family tree, specifically her great-great grandfather Curtis. The gunsmith was once at the center of an infamous love triangle of his own—one that ended in Curtis’s murder and a royal scandal for Lady Ellen and the Duke of Auburn.

The past reveals something else: the forbidden course that Curtis and Lady Ellen followed, driven by irresistible passion. It’s a path of consuming desire now repeating itself a century later, leaving Amber to realize that when it comes to love there is a point of no return—no matter what the risk.

The Excerpt:

PROLOGUE
A small seaside country
Early twentieth century

I knew better than to make eye contact with the stranger who’d caught my attention from across the ballroom. So I stood off to the side in my luxurious gown, stealing lash-lowered glances and praying that no one would notice. I was, after all, betrothed to the duke who owned this grand estate, and the curious stranger was my fiancé’s guest.

Surely he was American. He was far too rugged to hail from Glenmoor or anywhere in Western Europe for that matter. Even attired in formalwear, he had an untamed quality. He stood tall and powerfully built, yet he seemed wiry, too, a sure-footed man who could move swiftly, who wasn’t labored by his stature. His longish hair, dark brown in color, had been combed straight back, but a portion of it rebelled, falling across his forehead. I assumed the sun had bronzed his skin. But it was possible that he’d been born with a swarthy complexion, roughly enhanced by the elements. Tiny lines crinkled around deeply set eyes, and when he laughed at something another guest said, he tossed back his head in a strong, confident manner. I imagined him as the hero of a Beadle’s Dime Novel, much like the wildly compelling stories I’d read about Jesse James.

America fascinated me so.

By now, a small grouping of men had gathered around the stranger. He was infectious, and not just to me. I wanted to join them, but it wouldn’t be decorous for me to do so. Sometimes I detested being female. And a titled one, no less.

Lady Ellen Fairmont. Yes, that was me. At twenty-two, I was fair and blonde and gently curved—the socially refined, properly reared daughter of a womanizing earl who’d gambled away the family fortune. To cover his debts, Papa had arranged a marriage for me. Mama agreed that it was for the best. But why wouldn’t she? Papa had lost our home in a card game. Currently, we all lived here, with my parents acting as my chaperones. After the wedding, they would be awarded a small estate of their own.

My betrothed was a good man. None came finer. Stuart Harris, Duke of Auburn, possessed a heart as vast as his pocketbook.

Then why was I stealing glances at the stranger?

Shame coiled low in my belly. Truly, I should turn away and not look at him. But he was like a lighthouse beacon drawing me across an ocean mist. He made me feel warm and dreamy. Carnal, I thought, my shame deepening.

“Oh, my,” said a woman, standing nearby.

I snapped to attention and shifted in the direction of her voice. Had she noticed me admiring the stranger?

Luckily, she hadn’t. It was Lady Milford, a stunning brunette in her middle thirties, and she was too busy gauging him for herself. But she had the right, I suppose. She was widowed. Lord Milford had died a few years back, and it was rumored that she fancied free-spirited lovers to keep the boredom at bay.

“Who is that man?” she asked me.

“What man?” I responded, feigning innocence.

“The tall, dark one.” She tapped a gauntlet-gloved hand to her chin. “He looks wild, doesn’t he? Like an outlaw.”

My favorite dime store novels came to mind. “I hadn’t noticed.”

“So, you don’t know who he is?”

“No, I’m sorry. I don’t.”

Just then, my fiancé approached. He was as tall as the stranger, but that was where the similarity ceased. The duke’s gray-threaded hair was impeccably styled, as was everything about him. He’d been born and bred for the life he led. At fifty-four, he was accustomed to wealth and privilege, to behaving in a manner that complemented his title.

If he had a sense of adventure, I’d yet to see it.

I would be his second wife. His first, a woman he’d dearly loved, had died of an illness, leaving him without an heir. All the tender years they’d shared had proved fruitless, and now the duke was hoping that our upcoming union would produce the heir she’d been unable to give him.

If only he wasn’t so kind. There were times when I wanted to hate him, to fault him for the deal he’d struck with my father. Yet I knew I could have done worse.

“My lady,” he said, then indicated the direction of the stranger. “I would like to introduce you to someone.”

Beneath my lace-trimmed, pearl-encrusted gown, my guilty heart knocked against my corset. Still, I nodded dutifully. Of course, when didn’t I? Dutiful was the word that best described me.

“Your Grace?” Not to be ignored, Lady Milford addressed the duke. “May I be introduced, too?”

If her bold request offended him, he didn’t let it show. Forever the gentleman, he responded, “Most certainly,” and escorted both of us toward the stranger.

Who, at that very moment, looked up and caught sight of us, too. As a smile skirted past his lips, he made direct eye contact with me. Swift as it was, I understood the secret he was trying to convey.

No one had noticed me watching him earlier. But he had.

He knew all along that I’d misbehaved.

CHAPTER ONE

Amber Pontiero enjoyed misbehaving. She lived to be bad. But as she stood at the front door of a Hollywood Hills rental house, she asked herself what the hell she was doing.

She had no business getting involved with two men. Sure, she’d already had a threesome with them last summer, but that was just a one-night fling. This, she told herself, as she prepared to ring the bell, could lead to something dangerous.

Something emotional. Something completely out of Amber’s realm. Why? Because ever since the threesome, she couldn’t get either of them out of her mind.

She glanced back at the street. The airport limo was still there, the driver waiting until she was admitted into the house. She wasn’t scheduled to be here, at least not at this hour. She’d taken an earlier flight.

But in spite of arriving early, this visit wasn’t a surprise. Jay and Luke, her former one-night flings, were expecting her. They’d all agreed that she would stay for a month.

Still poised to ring the bell, she looked down at her luggage. She hadn’t brought a ton of luggage, but she didn’t need to. Amber preferred to shop when she was on holiday, to buy whatever she needed in whatever city she was visiting.

As a rich and spoiled fashion heiress, she’d been everywhere and done just about everything. Her family had mansions all over the globe, including a beach house in Malibu. It wasn’t as if Southern California was foreign to her. This was one of her playgrounds.

Naturally, she had the looks to go with her jet-setting lifestyle. She even spoke with a slightly European accent from all the years she’d spent in exclusive boarding schools. At twenty-seven, Amber was one cosmopolitan chick.

So why was she standing here with her pulse thudding in her throat?

Before the limo driver declared her insane, she rang the dang bell.

Footsteps sounded on the other side, and her heart thudded again. She took a quick moment to run a hand through her hair. Cut in an angular bob, it was dark and straight and shiny—retro Sassoon.

Her embossed tank top, pin-striped vest and short slim skirt had come from her mother’s latest collection. Beneath her Pontiero couture, she was tan all over. Amber frequented clothes-optional beaches and sunbathed in the nude.

She waited a second longer, then boom!—the door flung open and there stood Jay Novak: actor, model, surfer, snowboarder, all around California guy. He wore his light brown hair short and just a little messy. Tall and leanly muscled, he sported a tee shirt and Hawaiian-print shorts.

A grin stretched across his handsome face, and she realized that although they’d done all sorts of decadent things to each other, she barely knew him.

Same with Luke, her other partner in sex. She’d met both men through their talent agencies, but she’d hooked up with them at a masquerade ball. Amber’s mother had been hosting the ball at her Santa Fe, New Mexico, mansion, and Jay and Luke had been hired to impersonate another guest.

In the costumes, makeup and wigs that had been provided, Jay, Luke and the other guest had looked remarkably similar. In real life, they resembled each other, too. But not to the point of mixing them up, not like at the ball.

The other guest was a former lover of Amber’s, and he’d been playing a trick on his new lover to see if she could tell him apart from the other two men. Amber had helped arrange the charade, suggesting that each man wear a different-colored rose on his lapel, which had become their identities that night.

Luckily the tricked lover had picked the right man. Caught up in the fun, Amber had zeroed in on the other two, flirting shamelessly and then inviting them to her room.
During the threesome they’d turned out the lights and the men had kept on their masks, heightening the thrill and making it difficult for her to distinguish between them.

Since the masquerade, Jay and Luke had become friends and roommates, making her wonder if they’d been sharing other women the way they’d shared her. Both of them were highly heterosexual though. Amber didn’t dally with bisexual men. She preferred having the male attention all for herself, which she’d gotten that night.

Regardless, she hoped they weren’t having other ménages. She wanted their threesome to be exclusive. Special, she supposed, which was downright stupid.

“You’re here,” Jay said, shattering the stare-at-each-other silence. “And you’re gorgeous as ever.”

“You, too.”

He came forward to hug her, and she got a sexy chill. She deliberately bumped his cock and felt him shudder. He turned to kiss her, and their mouths came together in illicit remembrance.

Lord, he was hot. She could’ve mauled him forever. Every detail, every hot, naughty image of their night together zinged through her body.

Only something was missing.

No, not something. Someone.

She ended the connection, took a deep breath and asked, “Where’s Luke?” She wanted a tongue-thrusting kiss from him, too.

“He had an audition today. He’ll be back in a while.” Jay paused. “One man isn’t enough for you?”

Did she detect a note of jealousy?

“Sometimes. But I prefer multiple partners.” Because the more lovers she had, the less of a commitment she had to make. “Ménages are my favorite.”

He picked up her bags, inviting her into the house. “Then I’m glad I can oblige. Our threesome was the wildest night of my life.”

“Mine, too.” And that was saying a lot. The reason, she assumed, why she craved this reunion and was spending the next month with him and Luke.

Jay smiled and the note of jealousy was gone. Or maybe she’d imagined it. From what she recalled, he seemed to be the less possessive of the two. Less romantic, too. Luke, she decided, was the one to watch out for. The day after the masquerade, she’d received two long-stemmed roses. One had been pink, the other red, representing the boutonnieres the men had worn on their costumes the night before. Soon after, she discovered the roses had been Luke’s idea and Jay had simply gone along with it.
Amber preferred to downplay romantic gestures. But even so, she’d fussed over the flowers, drying the loose petals and placing them in an antique powder compact for safekeeping.

She glanced back at the limo and waved the driver on his way. As the car pulled away from the curb, she prayed that she wasn’t getting in over her head.

Men weren’t supposed to have this kind of effect on her. Single, double or otherwise.

Entertaining Angels

2010-03-27T10:32:00.000-07:00

Congratualtions to my dear friend and critique partner, Judy Duarte. Her May 2009 book, ENTERTAINING ANGELS, is nominated for a Rita Award in the inspirational category. The Rita is the academy award of the romance book world! The winners will be announced at a gala this summer.

Red Cars

2010-03-12T12:11:00.000-08:00

We often have three or four cars in our garage, but at the moment all of them are red. The 1978 Mercedes is mine, the 1957 Chevy Handyman Wagon was restored by my step dad and has been sold, and the 1956 Chevy Handyman is still being worked on.

Popcorn Mistake

2010-03-10T23:40:00.000-08:00

Okay, it wasn't the popcorn that was 180 calories for 3 tablespoons, it was butter that was on it. The whole bag of popcorn was around 600 calories, including the butter.

Now that makes more sense.

Popcorn Mishap

2010-03-10T18:59:00.000-08:00

I was craving popcorn so I borrowed a bag from my folks. I usually buy the low-fat, low-calorie bags, but I figured what the heck. I’d go ahead and eat the butter kind. After I wolfed it down, I got online and checked the calories. Okay, get this. It's 180 calories for 3 tablespoons.

Who measures popcorn by tablespoons??? I can't even venture to guess how many calories the whole bag was.

I’m never doing that again. It was good, but it wasn’t that good. I could have just eaten a stick of butter and been done with it.

Yes, I know this was a weird post. But I'm in a weird mood. lol.

A Flor do Desejo

2010-02-12T14:02:00.000-08:00

Today I received a wonderful letter from a reader in Angola-Africa who read the Portuguese edition of The Art of Desire. She told me how beautiful she thought the story was and how real the characters were to her. In honor of her letter, I posted the cover of the Portuguese edition.

San Francisco and Oregon Pictures

2010-02-03T08:30:00.000-08:00

I'm finally getting a chance to recap my Christmas and New Years trip. On Christmas Day, Nikki (my son) and I saw the 3D version of Avatar (super movie!), then went back to his apartment and made Tofurkey (vegetarian turkey) with all the trimmings. I didn't take any pictures on Christmas Day (my bad), but here are few other San Francisco shots.

This is the lobby of Nikki's apartment building in the city.

The ceiling in the lobby. I love the architecture in the Bay Area.

Nikki enjoying Thai food at a wonderful eatery a few blocks from his apartment. This was taken on Dec. 23rd, the day I arrived.

When I left San Francisco on the 26th, I flew directly to Oregon to visit my sister. One of the highlights of my Portland trip was when we went to see New Moon and came out of the theater to a blanket of snow. The weather forecast proclaimed clear skys, but that wasn't the case. In fact, the roads were such a mess, we were unable to get back to her house. Luckily we found a Motel 6 and stayed there until the next morning. We didn't have anything with us, but there was a Walgreen's Drugstore nearby where we bought some cheapy sweats to sleep in. Across the street from the motel was a Taco Bell where we had dinner.

I snapped this when we walked out of the theater.

Dinner at Taco Bell.

Me at the motel, wearing my Walgreen's T-shirt and sweats.

The Husband Store

2010-01-10T15:21:00.000-08:00

As soon as I have time, I'll post a few pictures from my Xmas and New Year's trip. For now I'm posting something a friend (a yummy guy with a sense of humor) sent me that I think you romance readers will enjoy.

Here goes:

A store that sells new husbands has opened in New York City, where a woman may go to choose a husband. Among the instructions at the entrance is a description of how the store operates:

You may visit this store ONLY ONCE! There are six floors and the value of the products increase as the shopper ascends the flights. The shopper may choose any item from a particular floor, or may choose to go up to the next floor, but you cannot go back down except to exit the building!

So, a woman goes to the Husband Store to find a husband. On the first floor the sign on the door reads:

Floor 1 - These men Have Jobs
She is intrigued, but continues to the second floor, where the sign reads:

Floor 2 - These men Have Jobs and Love Kids.
'That's nice,' she thinks , 'but I want more.'

So she continues upward. The third floor sign reads:

Floor 3 - These men Have Jobs, Love Kids, and are Extremely Good Looking.
'Wow,' she thinks, but feels compelled to keep going.

She goes to the fourth floor and the sign reads:

Floor 4 - These men Have Jobs, Love Kids, are Drop-dead Gorgeous and Help with Housework.
"Oh, mercy me!" she exclaims, "I can hardly stand it!"

Still, she goes to the fifth floor and the sign reads:
Floor 5 - These men Have Jobs, Love Kids, are Drop-dead Gorgeous, Help with Housework, and Have a Strong Romantic Streak.

She is so tempted to stay, but she goes to the sixth floor, where the sign reads:

Floor 6 - You are visitor 31,456,012 to this floor. There are no men on this floor. This floor exists solely as proof that women are impossible to please. Thank you for shopping at the Husband Store.

PLEASE NOTE:

To avoid gender bias charges, the store's owner opened a New Wives store just across the street.

The first floor has wives that love sex.

The second floor has wives that love sex and have money and like beer.

The third, fourth, fifth and sixth floors have never been visited.

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-19T09:47:00.000-08:00

Merry Chritmas and Happy New Year from my house to yours! I'll be out of town until after the New Year, so I'm posting this now.

Thanks to all of you who read/follow my blog, leave posts, and/or email me privately. It's nice to know you're out there.

Holiday Doggie

2009-12-14T09:54:00.000-08:00

My baby boy waiting for Santa.

My baby boy thinking about getting a treat from Santa.

In Loving Memory

2009-12-10T14:46:00.000-08:00

I'm sorry to say that my father passed away this week. He was strong and healthy for most of his life, but about four months ago, it was discovered that he had lung cancer.

Tomorrow, Dec. 11th, would have been his 83rd birthday. He was a retired truck driver and World War II veteran who enjoyed serving in the navy. He requested that his ashes be sprinkled at sea.

Rest in Peace, Daddy. Happy Birthday in heaven.

This is Dad and Nikki (my son) in November.

Me and Dad, also taken in November.

Dad hamming it up for the camera.

A New Month

2009-12-01T17:32:00.000-08:00

Wow! It’s December 1st already. I’m going to San Francisco again this Xmas, so I have less than three weeks to finish proofing the typeset pages of MASQUERADE, polish the completed manuscript of PRIVATE DANCER and get a good start on some new proposals. Oh, and then there’s the holiday cheer…cards, gifts, etc.

At the moment I have a bit of a cold and all I want to do is curl up under my new electric blanket and read a good book. Hmm. Sounds like a plan.

The book? Nalini Singh’s SLAVE TO SENSATION. I’ve been dying to read her psy/changeling series.

Thanksgiving

2009-11-27T11:23:00.001-08:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday!

Supermarket Story

2009-11-27T00:45:00.000-08:00

This was my Facebook status a few days ago. For those of you not on Facebook, I decided to post it here, too.

My fifteen minutes of fame: My son swiped his card at a supermarket in San Francisco and the checker (a big burly dude) sees the name WhiteFeather and asks my son if he is related to the writer. Yep, the checker meant me.

Almost Done!

2009-11-03T23:55:00.000-08:00

Twenty pages to go to finish my novella! This is more of tweet than a blog post, but I just wanted to announce that. :)

Besides, I don't Twitter.

Ghosts of Halloween Past

2009-10-31T08:02:00.000-07:00

Yes, these are me from many Halloweens ago. No time to dress up this year. In the midst of of traveling and trying to wrap up a book.

Hope all of you have a super, fun, scary Halloween!

WEDDING FAVORS cover

2009-10-11T09:47:00.000-07:00

This is an anthology that will be released in June 2010. I'm actually working on my story now. :)

Can you read this?

2009-10-07T17:50:00.000-07:00

This was another forward...

Only great minds can read this.
This is weird, but interesting!

fi yuo cna raed tihs, yuo hvae a sgtrane mnid too

Cna yuo raed tihs? Olny 55 plepoe out of 100 can.

i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!

English Is Easy?

2009-09-29T18:14:00.000-07:00

A friend forwarded this to me, and I thought readers and other writers would enjoy it.

Read to the end . . . a new twist

1) The bandage was wound around the wound.

2) The farm was used to produce produce.

3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse..

4) We must polish the Polish furniture.

5) He could lead if he would get the lead out.

6) The soldier decided to desert his dessert in thedesert.

7) Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present.

8) A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.

9) When shot at, the dove dove Into the bushes.

10) I did not object to the object.

11) The insurance was invalid for the invalid.

12) There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row

13) They were too close to the door to close it.

14) The buck does funny things when the does are present.

15) A seamstress and a sewer fell down into asewer line.

16) To help with planting, the farmer taught hissow to sow..

17) The wind was too strong to wind the sail.

18) Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed atear.

19) I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.

20) How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?

Let's face it - English is a crazy language.
There is no egg in eggplant, nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple.English muffins weren't invented inEngland or French fries in France . Sweetmeats are candies while sweetbreads, which aren't sweet, are meat. We take English for granted.But if we explore its paradoxes, we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.

And why is it that writers write but fingers don't fang, grocers don't groce and hammers don't ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn't the plural of booth, beeth? One goose, 2 geese. So one moose, 2 meese? One index, 2 indices? Doesn't it seem crazy that you can make amends but not one amend? If you have a bunch of odds and ends and get rid of all but one of them, what do you call it?

If teachers taught, why didn't preachers praught? If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat?

Sometimes I think all the English speakers should be committed to an asylum for the verbally insane. In what language do people recite at a play and play at a recital? Ship by truck and send cargo by ship? Have noses that run and feet that smell?

How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites? You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language in which your house can burn up as it burns down, in which you fill in a form by filling it out and in which, an alarm goes off by going on.

English was invented by people,not computers, and it reflects the creativity of the human race, which, of course, is not a race at all. That is why, when the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible.

PS. - Why doesn't 'Buick' rhyme with 'quick' ?

You lovers of the English language might enjoy this .

There is a two-letter word that perhaps has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that is'UP.'

It's easy to understand UP,meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP? At a meeting, why does a topic come UP? Why do we speak UP and why are the officers UP for election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report?

We call UP our friends. And we use it to brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver; we warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen. We lock UP the house and some guys fix UP the old car. At other times the little word has real special meaning. People stirUP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses. To be dressed is one thing, but to be dressed UP is special.

And this UP is confusing: A drain must be opened UP because it is stopped UP.We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at night.

We seem to be pretty mixed UPabout UP! To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP, look the word UP in the dictionary.. In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4th of the page and can ad d UP to about thirty definitions. If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used. It will take UP a lot of your time, but you shouldn't give UP on UP. When the sun comes out we say it is clearing UP.

When it rains, it wets the earth and often messes things UP.

When it doesn't rain for awhile, things dry UP.

One could go on and on, but I'll wrap it UP for now. My time is UP, so.......so I'll just shut UP!

Oh . . . one more thing:

What is the first thing you do in the morning & the last thing you do at night? U P

One More Cover!

2009-09-15T08:25:00.001-07:00

December 2009 release. I love this book and can't wait for it to come out. :)

Another New Cover!

2009-09-03T23:30:00.000-07:00

How cool is this?! It's a summer 2010 release.

Peltier Attorney--Response on Parole Denial

2009-08-21T16:30:00.000-07:00

Here is a copy of the response from Peltier's attorney:

The Bush Administration holdovers on the U.S. Parole Commission today adopted the position of the FBI that anyone who may be implicated in the killings of its agents should never be paroled and should be left to die in prison. Despite judicial determinations that the unrepentant FBI fabricated evidence and presented perjured testimony in Leonard Peltier's prosecution; despite a jury's acquittal on grounds of self-defense of two co-defendants who were found to have engaged in the same conduct of which Mr. Peltier was convicted; despite Mr. Peltier's exemplary record during his incarceration for more than 33 years and his clearly demonstrated eligibility for parole; despite letters and petitions calling for his release submitted by millions of people in this country and around the world including one of the judges who ruled on his earlier appeals; and despite his advanced age and deteriorating health, the Parole Commission today informed Mr. Peltier that his "release on parole would depreciate the seriousness of your offenses and would promote disrespect for the law," and set a reconsideration hearing in July 2024.

This is the extreme action of the same law enforcement community that brought us the indefinite imprisonment of suspected teenage terrorists, tortures, and killings in CIA prisons around the world and promoted widespread disrespect for the democratic concepts of justice upon which this country supposedly was founded.

These are the same institutions that have never treated indiginous peoples with dignity or respect or accepted any responsibility for centuries of intolerence and abuse. At his parole hearing on July 28th Leonard Peltier expressed regret and accepted responsibility for his role in the incident in which the two FBI agents and one Native American activist died as the result of a shootout on the Pine Ridge Reservation.

Mr. Peltier emphasized that the shootout occurred in circumstances where there literally was a war going on between corrupt tribal leaders, supported by the government, on the one hand, and Native American traditionalists and young activists on the other. He again denied -- as he as always denied -- that he intended the deaths of anyone or that he fired the fatal shots that killed the two agents, and he reminded the hearing officer that one of his former co-defendants recently admitted to having fired the fatal shots, himself. Accordingly, it is not true that Leonard Peltier participated in "the execution style murders of two FBI agents," as the Parole Commission asserts, and there never has been credible evidence of Mr. Peltier's responsibility for the fatal shots as the FBI continues to allege. Moreover, given the corrupt practices of the FBI, itself, it is entirely untrue that Leonard Peltier's parole at this juncture will in any way "depreciate the seriousness" of his conduct and/or "promote disrespect for the law."

We will continue to seek parole and clemency for Mr. Peltier and to eventually bring this prolonged injustice to a prompt and fair resolution.

Peltier Denied Parole

2009-08-21T13:05:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry to say that Leonard Peltier was not granted parole. Here is a copy of a brief news article that was forwarded to me today:

American Indian activist denied parole.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) U.S. Attorney Drew Wrigley says imprisoned American Indian activist Leonard Peltier has once again been denied parole.

Wrigley says the next scheduled hearing for Peltier is 2024, when Peltier would be 79 years old.

Peltier is serving two life sentences for the execution-style deaths of FBI agents Jack Coler and Ronald Williams during a June 26, 1975, standoff on South Dakota's Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

He was convicted in Fargo, N.D., in 1977. He has claimed the FBI framed him, which the agency denies, and unsuccessfully appealed his conviction numerous times.

Peltier had a full parole hearing for the first time in 15 years last month at the Lewisburg, Pa., federal prison where he is being held.

Defense attorney Eric Seitz declined comment on the U.S. Parole Commission decision Friday, saying the Justice Department had not informed him.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press.)

New Covers

2009-08-09T14:37:00.001-07:00

Here is the cover for IMMINENT AFFAIR, my November 2009 release. I love that the hero looks just the way I pictured him.

Here is the cover of MASQUERADE, my first erotic romance written as Sheri WhiteFeather, available in April 2010. Pretty and sexy.

Catching Up: Family, Twilight and Books

2009-08-04T12:53:00.000-07:00

Last week my son came to visit for a few days, and we had a wonderful time just hanging out. He bought a new bike while he was here. He lives in San Francisco and cycling is his main mode of transportation. For you bike enthusiasts, it’s a Cervelo S1.

We also got take-out and rented Twilight since neither of us had seen it and were curious. His friends either loved or hated it. Same with my friends. We wanted to decide for ourselves.

Turns out, we both liked it. Although I thought it needed more the plot, we were in agreement that the innocence of it was appealing. Makes me curious about the new one. Another thing we found interesting is that it was filmed in Oregon near where my sister lives and we recoginized some of the landmarks, like the waterfall.

Last night I went to dinner with Scott and Robert (my best guy buds), and they told me about a book my former mother-in-law thought I might enjoy. It’s called RHODA: Her first 91 years: A memoir. Written by Rhoda Curtis.

I just ordered it from Amazon. Not sure when I’ll have time to read it, but it sounds facinating. It's probably good research material, too, considering the time span it covers.

Here’s the description from Amazon: Rhoda's memoir covers almost nine decades of a life exuberantly lived. A first generation American, born in Chicago in the Year of the Horse, 1918, she lived and worked through several eras: the late 1920s, the depression years, the years of World War Two, and the postwar period in San Francisco in the Fifties and Sixties; Berkeley and the world in the Seventies, Eighties, Nineties, and the Ought Years. Funny, sexy, and emotionally honest, her stories will resonate with anyone who has swum against the current. Not afraid to change her life every twelve years, Rhoda has been an elementary school teacher, a journalist, a fashion designer/owner of her own business, as well as a leader in the field of training teachers to teach English as a second or foreign language. Working and traveling throughout the world (including a Fulbright to Korea at age 63, and an assistant professorship in China at 67), Rhoda shares her successes and failures in a story of survival.

Parole Hearing

2009-07-31T12:18:00.000-07:00

Leonard Peltier’s parole hearing was on July 28th, but a final determination hasn’t been made. The parole board has up to three weeks to make that decision. Leonard spoke with the board and answered questions for 1-1/2 hours. Afterward, his attorney addressed the crowd waiting outside and said that he feels “optimistic,” as he was able to present additional evidence on Leonard's behalf to the board.

For those of you interested in knowing more about how Leonard landed in prison and why so many people have been championing for his release, you might want to check out "Incident at Oglala - The Leonard Peltier Story." This is a critically acclaimed documentary produced and narrated by Robert Redford.

If you want to know more about the man himself, consider reading PRISON WRITINGS: MY LIFE IS MY SUN DANCE written by Peltier while he has been incarerated.

Family Party Pictures

2009-07-26T08:29:00.001-07:00

My family celebrated my sister's 50th birthday this weekend! I took a few pictures when I first arrived. I should have taken more, but later I caught got up in the festivities and forgot to keep snapping. It was a fun-filled party with food, drink, lots of lively conversation.

Blaine--the beautiful birthday girl.

My brilliant niece Rachel. She is Blaine's daughter.

My step dad, Aunt Greer (who hosted the party) and my mom.

My sister Brenda (on the right) and her partner, Yvonne.

Me with Taylor and Jordan--Yvonne's great kids.

Taylor and her boyfriend.

Brenda and me.

Yvonne and me.

My mom holding Mimi (Yvonne's cutie dog).

There were tons of people and lots of activity I didn't capture, including kids, cousins, friends, and more dogs. But I'm glad I was able to capture a few moments to remember the wonderful day.

Pupusa Recipe

2009-07-16T12:38:00.000-07:00

My son called today and told me that he made pupusas last night. I wasn’t familiar with what they are, but he explained that are like corn tortillas, only thicker and stuffed with various ingredients. The pupusa originated in El Salvador.

Here is a picture of the ones my son made. They are stuffed with beans and cheese and have homemade salsa on top.

I’m posting a simple recipe, which I found on the Net. It's basically the same recipe my son used. I plan to make them, too. Well, okay, my mom will probably make them. She’s the cook in the family. But I’m gathering recipes because I want to start cooking more.

The flour used in the recipe can be found in Mexican groceries and in some local supermarkets. You can also order it online. Just Google it. Tons of links will come up.

RECIPE

Ingredients
• 5 cups masa harina flour
• 4 cups water, approximately
• 16-24 ounces canned refried beans
• 3 cups ranchero cheese or mild melting cheese such as Monterey Jack
• light vegetable oil or light olive oil

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, gradually stir water into masa harina until dough forms a ball that can be handled.
2. Into another bowl, empty the refried beans. Place the grated cheese into a separate bowl.
3. Divide dough into about 20 pieces. Roll each into a ball and flatten between the palms of your hands to about 1/2-inch thick. Put a spoonful of beans and a small handful of cheese into the center of each pupusa. Work the edges up over the filling and again form a ball, completely enclosing the filling. This takes only a few seconds. Flatten again with the filling inside.
4. Heat a heavy, wide-bottomed or flat skillet until hot. Brush with oil and cook pupusas on each side 4-5 minutes until a pale golden-brown. The outside should be firm.

Jeff Rivera Promos

2009-07-14T01:09:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
Jeff Rivera passed these on to me. They’re promos for his book FOREVER MY LADY, but you must wear headphones for them to work!

Another great SUBMISSION review

2009-07-10T16:49:00.000-07:00

Eye on Romance reviewed SUBMISSION and gave it a super writeup.
Click Here for the link

Release Dates

2009-07-10T07:38:00.000-07:00

MASQUERADE, my next Berkley Heat, will be released in March 2010 under my Sheri WhiteFeather name (instead of Cherie Feather). For those of you following my erotic books, this is Amber, Luke, and Jay’s story.

My next Silhouette Romantic Suspense novels, IMMINENT AFFAIR and PROTECTING THEIR BABY, will be released in November and December of this year.

As soon as I have the covers of all of these books, I'll post them.

Fourth of July

2009-07-05T20:07:00.000-07:00

I know. I’m a day late. I hope everyone had a great holiday. I worked in the morning and spent the afternoon with my family. We went to see Public Enemies and had dinner and a margarita afterward. As for the movie, parts were good and other parts were slow. A little too many shoot ups and not enough information about Dillinger as a man. Of course the acting was terrific. You can’t go wrong with Johnny Depp and Christian Bale.

I didn’t watch any fireworks. In the evening, I went back to work. Some other writer friends were working, too, so we were exchanging e-mails and plotting together.

Oh, and I spent some time on Facebook. It’s always fun to read everyone's posts and see what they’re up to.

Leonard Peltier Parole Hearing

2009-07-01T18:35:00.000-07:00

Leonard Peltier has been given a PAROLE DATE HEARING NOW SCHEDULED FOR MONDAY, JULY 27, 2009! This is a call for a final effort for a major letter writing campaign.

For information about how to write a letter to the parole board, follow this link http://www.prisonactivist.org/node/522
Parole Hearing

To read more about Leonard, follow this link:
http://www.leonardpeltier.net/theman.htm Leonard Peltier

Michael and Farrah

2009-06-26T23:02:00.000-07:00

This is one of those times that no one will ever forget. Where were you when Michael Jackson died? How did you find out? I was at home working on my current book.

My son called and said, “Mom, Michael Jackson died.”

I said, “No, Farrah Fawcett died.”

He responded, “So did Michael. A friend just texted me.”

I insisted that it must be a rumor and checked the Net. At that point, all I could find was a report on TMZ’s website. That didn’t seem concrete enough to me. So I told my son I’d keep checking and call him back. I did another search and found a report on the NY Times site. Suddenly, it was becoming very real.

I called my son back and told him that it was true. From there, I went to my parents’ house and watched TV reports with my stepdad. My mom was on the phone. Later, we all talked about it.

What a strange day. I was already feeling sad about Farrah and then I was blown away about Michael.

So what are your favorite Michael Jackson songs? Mine are Thriller and Billy Jean.

My favorite Farrah Fawcett movies? The Burning Bed and Children of the Dust, which was released on DVD as A Good Day to Die.

Interview with Author Monica S. Martinez

2009-06-24T15:32:00.000-07:00

Q: Which of your stories is your favorite and why?

A: It is hard to say which one is my favorite because I enjoyed writing about them all.

Q: Are any of these stories based on your experiences?

A: Well I’m not one to kiss and tell. It’s possible but as you know sometimes fiction is based on experiences you either lived or experience through someone else.

Q: When will Tantalizing Erotic Thoughts and Encounters available to purchase?

A: They can go on my site or grab it from
Amazon

Q: If a fan has a great idea for a book, will you read it or write it?

A: I definitely would embrace the idea. It must be very sexy LOL.

Q: What are your long-term plans for writing?

A: I plan to continue writing fiction. Writing has become a part of my daily life and I never run out of ideas or exciting topics.

Q: How do we find out more about you and your books?

A: You can visit my website www.monicamartinez.org it will give you the latest information on me as far as book signings and events I’ll be attending. The site will also take you on a journey of Blogs. I’m currently blogging once a month providing readers an insight to my book. The can leave comments and contact me directly through the site.

Funny Typo

2009-06-23T22:20:00.000-07:00

I just received a spam message that said "How to Satisfy a Girl in Beed."

Lol. Should that be the title of my next erotica?

Long Days and Jim Morrison

2009-06-17T04:17:00.000-07:00

I’ve been putting in ten to twelve hour work days. On one such occasion, I couldn’t unwind to go to sleep, so I watched The Doors movie.

Here’s a fascinating old clip of the real Jim dancing his famous dance.

Photo Opportunities

2009-06-04T22:52:00.000-07:00

Okay, here goes. Our fun-filled day at Universal Studios. Truly, we had a blast. We went on the Jurassic Park and Mummy rides and visited the House of Horrors, Shrek, Terminator and Backdraft shows/exhibits. We also rode the tram, shopped, ate way too much and took lots of tourist-type pictures.

The start of our journey. Robert, me, and Scott before we left the house. Scott is my ex's uncle, and Robert is Scott's partner. They are also my dear friends.

Hamming it up outside of the Terminator 2 show.

Access Hollywood. Aren't we glamorous?

Frankenstein pestering me.

Goofing around with Scooby and Shaggy.

Hugging Vin Diesel.

Looking serious with Matt Damon.

A mock view of the city.

Bates Motel. Psycho is one of my all-time fave movies.

Norman Bates with a body in the car and a knife in hand.

A house on Wisteria Lane.

More shots of backlot movie sets.

Fred and Wilma.

A cute guy we met from Holland. We took his picture because he had cool eyes. In person they were almost clear.

Robert on the tram.

Me in my 4-D Shrek glasses.

Robert and Scott in their 4-D Shrek glasses.

Marilyn Monroe made out of jelly beans. Check out the price. She costs over $25,000.

Universal Studios

2009-06-03T14:15:00.000-07:00

My best guy friends asked me to spend the day there with them tomorrow. Swamped as I am with work, I decided an outing was just what I needed, so I agreed to join them.

I’ll do my best to take some pictures to post. I haven’t been on the Universal Studios tour in years. I suspect it’s goofy as ever, but that’s half the fun.

Did anyone see Conan’s first Tonight Show and the bit he did on the tour bus? Lol. Talk about goofy.

The First Two Chapters

2009-05-31T11:51:00.001-07:00

As a rule, I plot quickly, usually in a day. But it’s just a bare-bones plot, a brief outline of the characters and the story. Depending on the genre or the publisher, I'm often able to turn in a few paragraphs as a proposal.

Later, while I’m writing the book, I start fleshing it out. It’s called being a panster (writing by the seat of your pants). Mostly I have no idea what’s going to happen. I just sit there with a blank screen and see what turns up. I also edit as I go, polishing each chapter before I move on.

That said, I just completed the first two chapters of my next book. Yea for me!

Only hundreds of pages to go…

Favorite Hummus Recipe

2009-05-24T18:09:00.000-07:00

Yes, another food post. lol.

I absolutely love hummus and eat it often. Mostly it’s served as an appetizer with pita bread, but I also eat it with rice cakes, raw veggies or apple slices.

I prefer a low-calorie, low-fat version. Here’s a simple recipe you can follow:

1 can drained garbanzo beans (save the juice)
1 to 2 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed butter)
2 to 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 clove garlic (chopped fine)
1/4 cup of juice from the can
1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Combine above ingredients (except parsley) in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth, adding juice as necessary. Remove from blender and add chopped parsley.

Note: If you're unfamiliar with tahini or if it's unavailable in your area, you can replace it with low-fat plain yogurt.

Another Dinner with My Best Guy Friends

2009-05-21T20:24:00.000-07:00

This evening we went out for Mexican food. And since it was margarita night, with 2.00 drinks, I indulged in a strawberry margarita. Everyone ordered fajitas (mine were vegetarian.) Very good and very plentiful. We all had leftovers to take home.

So, can you guess what I'll be eating for lunch tomorrow? :)

Idol Results

2009-05-20T22:20:00.000-07:00

What can I say? I was rooting for Adam. Regardless, it was a phenomenal show, and I’m happy for Kris.

Dang

2009-05-19T23:05:00.001-07:00

Now, honestly, why didn’t Gilles win? He was absolutely, positively the best dancer the entire season. Makes me wonder what will happen with Idol.

Best Movie Kisses

2009-05-18T10:06:00.000-07:00

I’m writing a kissing scene in my current book and it got me thinking about the best all-time movie kisses. I ran a Google search and the results were all over the board. Here are a few that I liked.

Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh in Gone with the Wind. (1939)

Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in Casablanca. (1942)

Leonardo DiCapprio and Kate Winslet in Titanic. (1997)

Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey in Dirty Dancing. (1987)

Daniel Day-Lewis and Madeleine Stowe in Last of the Mohicans. (1992)

The dogs in Lady and the Tramp (the spaghetti kiss.) (1955)

Research Books

2009-05-14T07:24:00.000-07:00

At the moment, I'm immersed in them. Books about the 18th and 19th centuries. Books about harems. Books about Moroccan architecture. Books featuring classic European literature. Yes, all of this is for my next erotic romance, which I'm working on now.

Lost

2009-05-14T07:19:00.000-07:00

I thought last night's show rocked! I'm looking forward to the final season next year. Will everything be reversed in the end? Or will fate intervene and they'll meet each other all over again?

Adam and Kris

2009-05-14T07:15:00.001-07:00

Yea! My picks made it. :)

American Idol and Dancing with the Stars

2009-05-13T09:03:00.000-07:00

My choices? No doubt about it--Adam should take Idol, and Gilles should take the mirror ball trophy. Who should be in the finals with them? For Idol, I would pick Kris. For Dancing, I think it should be Melissa.

I guess we'll see how it goes...

Booksellers Best Nomination!

2009-05-10T10:44:00.000-07:00

I just learned that THE ART OF DESIRE is a finalist in the Booksellers Best Award in the erotic category! What a nice Mother's Day surprise!

The winners will be announced at the RWA National Conference this summer in Washington DC. I wish I could attend the conference, but I can't swing it this year. That's two awards ceremonies I'm going to miss, where I'm a nominee.

Here is a list of the Bookseller's Best finalists in all of the categories, including mine:

Long Contemporary

On My Terms – Shirley Hailstock

A Perfect Stranger – Terry McLaughlin

The Ranchers Surprise Marriage – Susan Crosby

The Wedding Heiress – Pamela Ford

Last Night’s Kiss – Shirley Hailstock

Paranormal/Time Travel/Futuristic

Gone With The Witch – Annette Blair

The House on Tradd Street – Karen White

A Match Made In Hell – Terri Garey

The Bleeding Dusk – Colleen Gleason

All I Want For Christmas – Kerrelyn Sparks

Short Historical

Maverick Wild – Stacey Kayne

To Taste Temptation – Elizabeth Hoyt

The Dragon Earl – Jade Lee

What A Pirate Desires – Michelle Beattie

The Naked Gentleman – Sally MacKenzie

Inspirational

Leaving November – Deborah Raney

Courting Miss Adelaide – Janet Dean

Anathema – Colleen Coble

Bayou Judgement – Robin Caroll

Lonestar Sanctuary – Colleen Coble

Erotic

She’s On Top – Susan Lyons

Unleashed – Lori Borrill

The Art of Desire – Cherie Feather

Lyon, The Lords of Satyr – Elizabeth Amber

Raine, The Lords of Satyr – Elizabeth Amber

Romantic Suspense

Thread of Fear – Laura Griffin

Trust Me – Brenda Novak

Silent Guardian – Mallory Kane

Wyoming Manhunt – Ann Voss Peterson

Phantom in the Night – Diana Love Snell

Long Historical

Mistress of Pleasure – Delilah Marvele

The Legacy – TJ Bennett

His Woman – Diana Cosby

Shadow Rider – Kathryn Dennis

Her One Desire – Kimberly Killion

Single Title

The Memory of Water – Karen White

Tall Tales and Wedding Veils – Jane Graves

Sweet Talk – Susan Mallery

Hot – Julia Harper

Once Smitten, Twice Shy – Lori Wilde

Short Contemporary

The Cowboy and the Angel – Marin Thomas

The Surgeon Boss’s Bride – Melanie Milburne

Their Secret Child – Mary J Forbes

Do Not Disturb Until Christmas – Charlene Sands

Once Upon A Christmas – Holly Jacobs

Traditional

Christmas Wishes, Mistletoe Kisses – Fiona Harper

Her Millionaire, His Miracle - Myrna Mackenzie

The Italian’s Cinderella Bride – Lucy Gordon

Newlyweds of Convenience – Jessica Hart

The Convenient Groom – Denise Hunter

Last Night's Dinner

2009-05-08T13:42:00.000-07:00

I forgot to mention that I went out with my guy friends last night. We ate at a cozy little place called China Gate, then went to the mall, where we had a happy hour drink and shopped for Mother’s Day gifts.

Crazy Busy

2009-05-08T13:01:00.000-07:00

Yea! I finally met my deadline, albeit 8 days late. Now I have to start a new book, with another story waiting in the wings.

Wishing everyone a happy Mother’s Day weekend.