Gabrielle Evans Birthday Bash @gevans983

Come one, come all for the hottest scavenger hunt. Celebrate Gabrielle Evans's birthday month by hunting for the big G on author blogs and pages. (Hint: mine's somewhere on my website www.cindyjacks.com and I'm giving away goodies!)

#BlogHop--Big Cocks and Shamrocks

Happy Saint Patty's day to all you blog hoppers! I'm offering a signed copy of the anthology WEDDED AND BEDDED and some bathtime goodies to relax with after a hard day of inspecting all those...ahem **shamrocks**. One lucky commenter will be drawn at random from all US participant who leave a comment. So sorry to my worldwide friends, but international shipping costs can be prohibitive. Sorry! Starving author here :)

Okay, today I have for you a snippet from something special I'm working on...and it's the closest to Irish characters I've written to date. SHELTERING ARMS is actually set in a fictional medieval kingdom called Cherte, but hey, it was inspired by Anglo-Saxon and Celtic lore. Close enough, right?

Here's an unedited excerpt in which my star-crossed lovers are saying their final goodbyes. Enjoy!

SHELTERING ARMS

Copyright Cindy Jacks, 2013

Excerpt:

Pressing her forehead to his chest, she cried silently. A rough hand wiped at the tears streaming down her face.

“You should get back before you are missed.” Jostling her, he moved toward the back of his cell, but she caught his shoulder.

“This cannot happen.”

“It can. And it will, milady.”

A clumsy step forward and Merewyn clutched her arms around his neck. Her mouth pressed to his, she kissed him still weeping. For a moment, he gave himself over to the rush of heat and electricity, letting it warm his loins. Then he remembered that such passions were for the living and he was already a dead man.

He moved away again, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

She gasped, sobbing harder.

The weight of his cruelty bore down on his shoulders. His imprisonment was not her fault. The trap in which he found himself had begun with his own meddling—interfering in a situation he had no right to put his hand in.

Even tear-stained she was the loveliest woman he’d ever seen. Was it her beauty that had besotted him or was it the cruel hand of fate that she’d been dealt that compelled him to act. He had no regrets. She and Owain and her other children had a chance now. Was it not his duty to protect the monarchy from threats both foreign and domestic? He had carried out his duty and now he would die with honor, if not in historical record at least in his heart. He could die in peace. Why then did the image of Merewyn in Leontes’ bed haunt him, tearing apart his peace, mocking his resolve to die like a man?

“Please go, milady. Before you are discovered here and my sacrifice comes to naught.”

She clutched at him, but he shook her off.

“Go!” he rasped. “Do not kiss me with same lips that he tastes. Just go.”

She spun around as though he’d slapped her, tearing open the door and fleeing from him.

It was better this way, he told himself. In two more dawns, he would be but a memory, a number of dawns after which that memory would fade into oblivion. She would move on…no, not would. She already had.

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Check out more Cindy Jacks books here: http://cindyjacks.com/books

Don't forget to keep on hopping! There are lots more goodies to be had and more talented folks to visit: http://closeencounterswiththenightkind.blogspot.com/2013/01/big-cocks-and-shamrocks-st-patricks-day.html
Don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/308aa4272/

And the winner is...#CandyCaneKink Blog Hop!

Thanks to everyone who hopped with us! My winner is Amy, congrats :) I'll email you for your address and get your goodies on the way!

Cheers,
Cindy
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Happy holidays to all my bad girls and boys! I'll be giving away a signed copy of my book RECLAIMED and a holiday cinnamon and cranberry bath set and candle. You'll be all set to relax with a good book and surround yourself with the scents of the season.

To me, the holidays are all about family. The fictional family I've created that I love the most are the Logans, the main characters in the PIRATES AT HEART series. A clan of bootleggers, pirates and outlaws, they stick together through thick and thin...even if the occasional squabble arises. Here's an unedited excerpt from SAILOR'S KNOT, book three in the series, coming soon to Ellora's Cave.

Sailor’s Knot

Cindy Jacks

Book three of the Pirates at Heart series

The year is 2037 and the next generation of the Logan family pirates have taken over the helm of The Yellow Rose. Running bootleg booze and smuggling runners from the Reformed States of America into the Republic of Texas, business couldn’t be better…that is if brothers Marcus and Nathaniel don’t kill each other in the process.

Captain Marcus Logan is serious, brooding and haunted, carrying a torch for his first mate, Amelie. Nathaniel—the resident party boy—is none of those things, but somehow they’d made their differences work for them until recently. When the tall, leggy blonde, Captain Ruby Delaney, is a guest aboard The Rose, she turns Nathaniel’s head and stirs up all sorts of trouble, not the least of which is winding up in Marcus’ bed one drunken night. This ill-advised one night stand ignites a love quadrangle so intertwined that the phrase “it’s complicated” doesn’t begin to define this sailor’s knot.

Excerpt:

Turning over in his mind what he would say, Marcus trudged along the corridor to Amelie’s room. It was time to lay his cards on the table. If only he could explain to her that he’d been foolish, that he’d let his dick do the thinking, that it was the pain over her rejection that had driven him into Ruby’s arms.

Okay, maybe he’d save that last bit for a future conversation. He wanted to reconcile, not drive her to homicide. Maybe he could explain that he’d lost his mind because all he'd ever wanted was Amelie in his arms again, but he was doing his best to accept that she never would be. And facing a future without her in it at all―not even as his business partner―was more than he could bear.

If she would only forgive him, if she would only stay on as his first mate, he’d promise to keep his feelings for her in check and he’d never bring his sex life aboard the ship again. It would be strictly business, but she had to stay. She had to.

Yes, if he could say all of that then everything would be all right. But that he’d never put so many words together in his entire life seemed a huge obstacle. He had to try. He owed her that much after the blow he’d dealt her.

Steeling himself to the task at hand, he approached her door. He’d just raised a hand to rap on it when it creaked open. Boots in hand, Nate appeared, half-dressed. Marcus stopped. Had he taken a wrong turn? Had he walked to Nate’s cabin out of habit? Why, then, had all the color drained from Nate’s face?

“Oh. MW.” Nate gave a curt nod.

A shard of ice stabbed Marcus’ heart. What had his brother done? What the fuck was going on? But Marcus knew the answer to that question. Didn’t he?

“What did you do, Nate?” Marcus growled.

“None of your fucking business.”

Marcus’ temper went off like a shot—he heard himself roaring at his brother as though he were listening to someone else. His hands were on Nate’s throat and Marcus tossed him against hallway wall. Striking wildly, Marcus smashed his fist into his brother’s nose. Nate caught him in the chin with an upper cut and they tumbled to the floor. Marcus continued to throw punches, some landing, some blocked. They continued to brawl, their shouts drawing others out of their cabins.

“Marcus!” Amelie shrieked.

She tugged at his collar clearly desperate to pull him off her new lover.

“Marcus, please.” She was frantic.

Somehow forcing himself off of Nate, Marcus struggled to his feet. He rounded on Amelie who was now sobbing—and wearing Nate’s shirt.

“What the fuck?” he shouted. “What the fuck, Amelie? Jesus fucking Christ.”

“Marcus, please—”

“’Marcus, please’ what? Oh no, I deserved this right? Yeah, fine.” He was so angry he shook.

“And you—” He turned to Nate. “If you weren’t my brother, I’d kill you with my bare hands.”

Amelie sank to her knees, tending to Nate’s bloody nose.

Walk away, Marcus told himself. That’s what he’d have to do, walk away and keep walking until there was enough space between him and Nate that Marcus couldn’t do something he’d regret…one day.

Still shaking, he stormed into his own cabin. Ruby was there, draped over his desk chair, reading a book.

“Get out.” He jerked a thumb at the door. Blood dripped down his hands, his knuckles split open.

“What’s wrong, sugar?”

“Just get out. Pick any room you like, but you can’t stay here.” He stripped off his master key and threw it at her feet. “Steal the fucking boat again if you want.”

“What happened?” She stood.

He uncorked at bottle of whiskey, pouring some over his hands one at a time. “Ruby, I’m going to get stupid drunk and I want to be alone. It’s nothing you’ve done.”

“Okay. I’ll go. But I’m not sure you should be by yourself,” she replied, uncharacteristically compliant.

Turning away, he downed several gulps. His chest warmed bringing with it the slightest bit of numbness. How Marcus longed to be completely numb. Bulletproof.

“If you want, I’ll look after the bridge.” Ruby dressed.

“Do whatever you want. Everyone else on this fucking boat does.” He drank more.

“Marcus…please, tell me what’s going on.”

“Amelie slept with Nate,” he mumbled, hanging his head. The pain of the admission seeping into his veins. Tears prickled in his eyes. He would not cry. He would not cry like some pathetic loser.

“I can stay.”

He choked on a sob sinking onto his bunk, his head in his hands. “Please go.”

“Okay,” she murmured.

He heard her collect his key and slip out the cabin door.

Like what you read? Don't forget to snatch up a copy of LANDLOCKED and SMUGGLER'S BLUES, books one and two!

http://www.jasminejade.com/p-9305-landlocked.aspx

http://www.jasminejade.com/p-10505-smugglers-blues.aspx

And don't forget to keep on hopping! Visit more blogs and leave some love for more chances to win great prizes.

http://closeencounterswiththenightkind.blogspot.com/2012/08/candy-cane-kink-giveaway-hop-sign-up.html

Happy Holidays!

Cindy

Take a Little Byte Blog Hop

I'd like to welcome to  my release day mini-blog hop. There are some great prizes up for grabs including a $20 Amazon gift card, signed editions of print books and free ebooks...and that's just from me so be sure to stop by Lily, Denyse, and Milly's blogs for their prizes! All you have to do is leave a comment on our blogs for a chance to win! Good luck to all and happy hopping.

Hop authors:

Cindy Jacks

Denyse Bridger

Lily Harlem

Milly Taiden

#Romance Junkies #Halloween #Contest

Drop by the Romance Junkies Haunted House Halloween Contest running 10/25/2012 through 11/29/2012. Hunt around the haunted house, answer scavenger hunt questions and get a chance to win dozens of prizes from romance and erotica authors. Yours truly is giving away a spa basket, a copy of SMUGGLER'S BLUES and some #EllorasCave goodies. Start out in the lobby http://www.romancejunkies.com/halloweencontest2012/lobby.html then click your away through the entire house. Don't forget to click on objects in each room to find links to questions! Happy hunting!

Cheers,
Cindy

We have winners!

I'd like to thank everyone who participated in both my Coffee Time Romance and Bewitching Blog Hop contests. Alas, there can only be one winner per contest so please congratulate Gloria and Cameron! They both received a copy of PHANTOM TOUCH and a $10 Amazon Gift Card. YAY, Gloria and Cameron!

But don't fret! Even if you didn't win, I really appreciate everyone who stopped by and there will be more chances to win some bad girl fiction this month and also in December. Can't wait that long? PHANTOM TOUCH and other hot Cindy Jacks titles are always available at Ellora's Cave http://www.jasminejade.com/m-683-cindy-jacks.aspx and if you're in the mood for some paranormal erotic romance, take a look at my CJ Elliott titles http://cobblestone-press.com/catalog/author/cjelliott.htm.

Hope everyone had a safe and fun Halloween...

CONTEST: Happy Read-an-Ebook-Week!

Did you know that it's "Read an E-book Week?" With Kindles, Nooks, and other e-readers flying off the shelves, electronic books are more popular than ever. It's been 40 years since the first e-book was created. For more about e-books and a contest to win an e-reader click here: http://www.ebookweek.com/

And since e-books are my bread and butter, how about I sweeten the pot? For a chance to win my brand new release, Waking Maggie, coming to Ellora's Cave March 15th, post your favorite e-book title in the comment section! The contest will run all week, winner will be drawn at random from commenters. I'll post the winner on Waking Maggie's release day! Good luck and I can't wait to see your faves :)

Cheers,
Cindy

Valentine's Kick-Off with LASR, WC and Goddess Fish!

Today Long and Short of It Reviews, Whipped Cream Reviews, and Goddess Fish promotions are kicking off their annual Valentine's Day celebration! There are LOTS of fabulous prizes: books, gift certificates and even a chance to win a Nook!

I'll be blogging about my work at Whipped Cream and Goddess Fish tomorrow (2/13), but be sure to drop by today for all the delicious excerpts and official contest rules:
 http://lasrguest.blogspot.com/
http://wcguest.blogspot.com/
http://goddessfishparty.blogspot.com/

Good luck, everyone and happy Valentine's weekend!

Cheers,
Cindy

Bringing in the New Year with Books and CTR (and me!)

Happy New Year readers! I'm please to participate in Coffee Time Romance's Bringing in the New Year with Books event so yep, there's a heart some where on my site: http://cindyjacks.com . Also, I'll be on the forums Jan. 27th with my fellow Ellora's Cave authors. Haven't heard about the event or want to know more? Check out the info below. Happy hunting!

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It is time to let the winning begin!  Yes, tons of fun and prizes heading your way. There are hearts on Coffee Time Romance & More.   There are hearts on author's websites. There are hearts on publisher's websites. Remember if you want to get the clues to find those hearts, you will need to have our toolbar to receive the clues every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday! This will help you be enter to win a new Pandigital color e-reader! To read all about how this works and the legal junk, click here.

This week's schedule These events are located in our forums.  If you are not a member yet, put Coffee Crew in the referral box and we will speed you through the lines! So here is the schedule and prizes that are up for grabs! See, told you that you did not want to miss it! So you want to stop by, chat with the authors, and win their prize! Jan.10 Lisa Marie Wilkinson - Autographed copy of Fire at Midnight and Stolen Promise Lisa Fox - An eBook copy of my novella Sculpting a Demon Mocha Memoirs Press - Autographed poster size image of the cover for A Healer's Bond, a Mocha Memoirs Press totebag, and a Mocha Memoirs Press tee-shirt Jan. 11 Paige Tyler   Deanna Jewel - winner's choice of Never Surrender or No Turning Back Zumaya Publications - gift basket, which will include neat Zumaya stuff and five (count 'em) signed books from Zumaya authors. :-) It's a good way to kick off our year-long fifth anniversary party Jan.12 Kay Dee Royal - 2 eBook copies of Big Girls Don't Cry Wolf Jackie M. Smith - eBook of A Soldier's Vow Brit Blaise - prize is winner's choice of five Brit Blaise ebooks Nan D. Arnold - 5 copies of Pesto Packing Mama Jan.13 Charlie Cochrane - Winners choice of one of the Cambridge Fellows print books jj Keller - $10 B&N card, two free e-books,Undercover Housewife and Love Hurts Lyrical Press - eBook of Prey For Mercy by A.E. Rought. Jan. 14 Nicole Gestalt - an ebook from my published ebooks - winners choice, as well as a pack of cards done in an encaustic style Tracey Kitts - eBook (pdf) of Bitten Miss Mae - autographed copy of my P&E 2009 winner YA, When the Bough Breaks Jan. 15 Aline de Chevigny   Lissa Matthews - Ellora's Cave ebook release, Ink Spots, as well as a $15 gift card to Starbucks Wild Rose Press - $25 gift certificate to Wild Rose Press or the Wilder Roses

Good Luck and have fun!

Spring into Spring Blog-a-bration!

Happy spring, y'all! And welcome to my month long celebration of the season. I have lots of guests and fun planned. Today's event? A contest to win one of my e-books :) Leave a comment about your favorite thing about spring and I'll pick a random winner from commenters. The winner gets to select a title from my releases. Contest closes midnight EDT, tonight! Don't forget to stop by all this month to read entries by my special guest bloggers! Now, let's get to commenting....