Fran Lee's Romance Blog

What do you think?

2012-01-29T23:30:00.000-08:00

What do you think of my new cover?

When Dictated by Fate is self-published next month, this will be the cover. Tell me if you like it...

I adore the photo...but I hadn't seen this exact shot on any other cover. I think I discovered why... so naughty! I have strategically removed part of the lower portion of the shot...plus I put my name right over the spot where the male cover model's exceptionally nice big shaft is clearly visible beside the pink lace teddy on the female model. I wonder if he knows he was showing off his naughty bits there? I certainly thought it was great. But then, I am a confirmed DOL (dirty old lady).

Sigh...I wouldn't mind for one minute doing a nude photo shoot with Jimmy...yum!

Hugs!

Fran

I saw this the other day on Facebook and just couldn't resist sharing

2012-01-16T13:35:00.000-08:00

After the New Year, I figured that many of us might want to know exactly how our celebrations added to our inability to speak precisely. So have a bit of fun. Think about it.

Hugs!

Fran

I am amazed at how many people need multiple prompts to get stuff for free...LOL!

2012-01-13T22:11:00.000-08:00

Well...I did get rid of some of the biggest stuff...

but people stopped entering after the first nine days...

Sigh...I guess we still need some heavy prodding to stick with it to the bitter end. Since I have not had an entry since January 10th, I simply went back to the first and chose more winners out of the huge number of entries I received that day. LOL! I got 40 entries on January 1st! So several more of you earlybirds are getting e-mails asking for your mailing address.

Out of the 10 days I got entries, I have sent out about 40 prizes. No sense not choosing more than one per day when there were so many to choose from.

So if you have not received a prize, there are still two whole days to enter if you still want to.

Hugs!

Fran

Happy New Year! Welcome to my SWAG giveaway contest...

2012-01-01T00:01:00.000-08:00

Welcome!

I have tons of SWAG items that I have amassed during the past year or so, and much of it is useful stuff...

such as T-shirts, tote bags, notebooks, wall calendars, a few print books, and such.

(No...this guy is not included in the SWAG items I still have.)

Now, there are rules to this contest...not terribly tough ones, but definitely rules that must be followed. If you don't follow the rules, you can't win a prize.

This contest runs from New Year's Day through January 15, 2012 at midnight. There will be a giveaway drawing every 24 hours...

1.) Prizes will be awarded randomly...I will select one prize each day and you won't know what it is until you receive it.

2.) You may enter as many times as you like over the 15 days, but once you have won a prize, your remaining entries will be ignored.

3.) In order to be entered into the daily drawing(s) you must send me an e-mail each day with the current date (eg 1/1/12) and the words "Fran's SWAG Giveaway" as the subject of the e-mail. Just send one each day. Send e-mails to:

fran.lee.romance@gmail.com

4.) Winner will be selected each day at midnight MST. When winner is drawn, all other entries will be deleted for the next day's drawing.

Those are your rules. Hope they are not too difficult to follow.

PS!!! Please give me a name and a snail-mail addy so I won't have to send out an e-mail for the winner to tell me how to get the SWAG item to you!

Thanks for helping me clean out my closet...

Fran

Are you ready for the New Year?

2011-12-27T00:09:00.000-08:00

Are you rarin' to get into the new year?

Well, I hope so, because on January 1, 2012, I will be posting my New Year's Party contest...and this one requires just a teensy bit of WORK on your part to win any of a number of nice prizes. Oh...what are the prizes, you ask? Well, I have several limited edition Fran Lee Romance wall calendars...several beautiful (If I may say so myself) coffee mugs that showcase my latest covers and will sport my autograph (which might prove valuable after I win the Nobel Prize for Erotic literature)...several handy dandy tote bags graced with Fran Lee book covers (so you can advertise for me when you head to the market)...several wonderful T-shirts that show one of my book covers...and a few lovely glossy notebooks (also sporting my book covers). I also will be giving away print books (I have six available) and some of my back-list e-books.

So, come on over and help me clear out my excess SWAG items! There will be a number of winners (depending on how many entries I get) and I really need the space in my closet 'cuz I have stacks of SWAG boxes in there.

Don't forget the date...January 1, 2012...and join in the fun.

The contest will run from New Year's Day through January 15, 2012. Contest rules will be strictly adhered to, so if you don't follow them, you will probably miss out on your prize.

Of course, I am very sure that a lot of you won't want SWAG items, but just think...someday when I am on the New York Times best seller list for my erotic cook book, you can always point to my SWAG stuff and proudly say "Hey...I got that direct from the Author Herself".

How exciting! And some of my SWAG stuff is even useful...like keeping track of the date...drinking coffee from it...using it to hold your house and car keys...jotting down notes in your College Civics class...carrying your stuff out of the grocery store...wearing over that itsy-bitsy bikini top...use them as door-stops...etc.

So hop on over on New Year's Day, and join the fun.

Again, I won't spam the loops, so you get only one reminder on New Year's Day...that's it. Ten posts are not necessary to let people know there is a contest...LOL!

Thanks for reading!

Hugs!

Fran

Well, it is midnight on Christmas Eve...

2011-12-24T23:59:00.000-08:00

And I will be sending out gifts to all who commented...

And one of you will be receiving your grand prize copy of

Uncertainly Yours!

Thanks to every one of you for joining in my release day giveaway. I truly appreciate your participation, and I have learned who pays attention and who doesn't...LOL! As I promised, I did not spam all my loops and groups. I just don't do that. One notice is all you get, so those of you who were alert and willing have now been rewarded....

Merry Christmas

to all of you...I hope your day will be memorable and will leave you with wonderful memories and warm wishes.

Have a marvelous New Year, too!

Win a digital copy of my new release!

2011-12-09T00:56:00.000-08:00

Uncertainly Yours

Fran Lee

My newest (and longest awaited) book will be released Friday, December 16, 2011! Hopefully this offering will be as well-received as my other Native American hero novellas...I certainly had fun writing this one!

Here is the official blurb, and the official excerpt:

When Jack’s uncle, the man who raised her, dies unexpectedly, she returns to her childhood home to settle his affairs, hoping to pay off his debts, sell the house and head back to her normal life. Things are quickly complicated by the arrival of Lance, the object of her heated—and unrequited—teenage fantasies. He greets her with open arms, smoldering kisses and mind-blowing orgasms…but makes it clear that he wants to keep things casual.

It’s been years since he saw her, but Lance never managed to get Jack out of his head or his fantasies. He knows only too well, though, that she has plenty of reason not to spare him a second thought. Despite that, it’s clear her desire for him is still alive and well—and he’s not above exploiting that. He’ll keep things casual and give her what she wants, satisfying her every need, until she begs him to give her what he’s wanted for years. Not just her body, but her love.

An Excerpt From: UNCERTAINLY YOURS

Two hours later, after playing you-can’t-catch-me tag with the big roan and finally convincing him it was in his best interests to carry her home, she rode into the ranch yard thinking of nothing but a desperately needed cup of coffee and a can of chili. Sliding to the ground with a groan of relief, she led the horse into the corral. She clipped his bit ring to the dangling halter lead that always hung on the hitching post just inside the gate.

Loosening the cinch, she dragged the big old roping saddle off his high back. He started shaking his ugly head, impatient for his evening meal.

“You ate two lunches, you big mule. You can just wait until I put the tack away and get myself something to eat, which, by the way, I’ve wanted to do for the last four hours. If you hadn’t played your damn games, you might be eating right now!”

She lugged the heavy saddle into the barn and settled it over the sawhorse by the tack room door, draping the damp saddle pad upside down over the saddle seat to let it dry. Grabbing a rag and a stiff brush, she stomped back out to brush and rub the horse’s rumpled coat before she ran fresh well water into the trough.

Leaning against the rough pole fence, she stared at the gelding as he drank his fill and headed over to check out the feed bin. Wouldn’t it be nice to have someone to take care of you? Never have to worry about where your next meal came from? Never have to get up and shower and get to work? Just put the bridle away and go feed your growling belly, girl…

After she put the bridle in the tack room, she trudged wearily back across the yard toward the house and stopped dead as she saw the gleaming black 4x4 pickup that was parked beside the rattletrap old Ford.

Company? When I look like I just lost a sand-wrestling match with a bear? Great. Jack shook her head. Oh, well. She’d see what they wanted and make it quick. She certainly wasn’t expecting anyone to drop by and Molly drove a blue van. She approached the black pickup wondering who the hell would be coming out here and what they wanted.

She didn’t have to wait very long to find out, as the driver side door swung open and a long, lean body unfolded itself from the cab of the vehicle to face her as she approached.

OMG. Her heart lurched. Her suddenly useless feet almost tangled and she drew in a sharp breath to steady her suddenly racing pulses.

No. Way. In. Hell.

She came to a stumbling halt, too shocked to move closer as she came face to face with her worst nightmare and her wildest fantasy.

Lance Blackfeather.

Dark eyes swept over her dusty jeans and grubby shirt as he removed his black Stetson and ran a lean hand through his nearly waist-length hair. One look at that beautiful, intense face brought back all the humiliating memories of her wild teenage crush on the man…and the way he’d treated that crush. She was suddenly speechless. The silence that hung between them was just another reminder of her lack of savoir faire. She had always felt totally gauche around the man.

Finally managing to force words through her stiff lips, Jack nodded and said tightly, “Blackfeather. What brings you out here? Uncle Frank’s funeral was last week.” She couldn’t stop the little jab at his conscience. If he actually has one. He seemed to be considering his answer carefully as he trailed those lean fingers over the deep center dent of his hat. She shivered as she had a sudden image of those lean fingers trailing over the warm folds of her pussy.

Gah! Mind out of the gutter, Jack!

When he did finally speak, the sound of his voice sent shivers through her.

“I’ve been away for a while. I just got back. My condolences. Frank was a damn good man.”

She lifted her chin slightly to gather her damn pride around her like a shield against the sexy, mouthwatering aura he had always exuded. However, his unexpected response took some of the wind out of her self-righteous sails. He’s been away? She could accept that excuse.

“Thank you.” She swallowed hard to calm the rampant butterflies that had just headed down her throat to her stomach. Now what, Jack? At least act like you have some manners. “I don’t have much in the way of fancy hospitality, but I can offer you a cup of coffee, if you don’t mind reheated.”

Amazed that she’d actually had the courage to ask him if he wanted coffee, she removed her hat and dusted it off against her worn jeans. She started toward the porch and he raised his hand to forestall her.

“I don’t mean to impose.” His voice was husky. Sexy. And sending little flutters of lust into her belly. Damn it Jack! How the hell can you even think of him that way after he tore your heart into little pieces? Her anger at herself translated to her tone when she spoke again.

“You aren’t imposing. If you have the courage to drink my lousy coffee, you’re welcome to it.” Trying not to notice his sun-bronzed face and that killer body as she passed him, she climbed the steps to the front door a bit stiffly. She didn’t have to look over her shoulder to know that he was following her. His boots scraped on the wooden steps and as she shoved the creaky front door inward he reached past her to hold it open, his chest brushing her shoulder. She almost gave a yelp as she jerked away, but managed to move without making it look like he’d just scared the hell out of her.

“Looks like the screen could use fixing.” His quiet observation brought a hot flood of color to her face.

Duh! Real observant of you, Blackfeather. “Yeah. It fell off the hinges last summer. Uncle Frank was going to fix it…” her voice trailed off as she recalled all the times the old man had said he was going to fix that sagging screen door. She shook herself back to the present and waved toward the kitchen, forcing back the lump that filled her tight throat. “Make yourself at home. I’ll get you a cup.” She reached for two chipped mugs and said “I was about to fix myself some chili. I can open two cans if you’re hungry.”

She paused to look over her shoulder and realized that he was so close she could move back half an inch and lean into that rock-hard body. OMG. Space! Need to put some space between his front and my back—now!

She moved quickly to the stove and checked to see if there were any hot coals left to ignite the kindling she had gathered earlier from the quickly dwindling wood supply out back. Nope. It was stone cold. She grabbed a sheet of old newspaper out of the box next to the stove and crumpled it, added some kindling to get the fire restarted and then reached for the box of matches. Empty! Damn! Another thing that has to be purchased next time I’m in town. Well, maybe she could afford a box of matches. Just not much else.

A long arm brushed past her and, with a soft click, Lance lit the paper with a lighter. He was almost flush against her back as she straightened and she closed her eyes and swallowed the tight knot in her throat. “Thanks,” she said tersely as she reached to move the cold pot of coffee back to the heat plate of the stove.

He moved back a step as she turned to face him and she motioned toward the little table with its pair of white-painted wooden chairs. Damn, but he has absolutely no concept of personal space. “Grab a seat. Did you want that chili or not?” Here I am blushing like a sappy idiot again just because he’s looking at me in that damn sexy way of his.

He hung his hat on one spindle of the chair he chose and he sank onto the seat slowly, apparently testing its capability of handling his weight. “I ate a while ago. I’ll just have some of that coffee.”

God, but he was still as gorgeous and as well built as she recalled. She had hoped he would have gone gray and grown a paunch like most of the men around here seemed to. But no. He had to remain hot and sexy and…

She swallowed and forced her thoughts away from him. No use thinking about him. Nothing had changed, except she was older and wiser and not as apt to drool over him openly like she had at sixteen.

As she moved around the kitchen opening a can of chili, then setting it on the stovetop to heat in the can, she could sense his eyes following every move she made, making her feel oddly clumsy. She nearly dropped the long spoon she’d stirred the chili with before getting it safely into the kitchen sink. She washed her hands and reached for a tea towel.

When there was no further excuse to keep her back to him, she turned and leaned against the counter top, folding her arms defensively over her chest. “It was real nice of you to drive all this way to offer your condolences. I know you and Uncle Frank were friends. And I really appreciate the help you were to him all these years.” She chewed the corner of her bottom lip and drew a calming breath. “But I get the feeling that’s not what you came out here for. I gather you saw my ad in the papers? You want to buy me out, since this is right in the middle of your spread? I plan to have it sold as soon as possible.” Jesus. I’m babbling.

He inhaled deeply and frowned. “You can’t sell the ranch.”

She stared at him stonily. “I don’t have a choice. I don’t have any other way to settle the remainder of his debts. I sold everything that wasn’t nailed down to pay off his creditors. Do you want to buy me out or not? I’m not asking much—just enough to pay off the rest of his bills and the funeral.”

Damn him. He’s got that look on his face, like he feels sorry for me.

Tremors of weariness hit her but she didn’t want to show any weakness to him. She turned to stare out the little window above the sink, afraid she would begin to bawl like a baby. “Look, it’s been a real rough day. I know you have important things to do…”

He was suddenly right behind her again and she drew a ragged breath. Damn! How the hell could he move that fast without her hearing him? His closeness set off all sorts of alarms in her body. His hands settled gently on her shoulders as he murmured softly, “I’m sorry. I sure as hell didn’t come here to upset you.”

She drew a calming breath. “It’s okay. It’ll sort itself out. I know it won’t bring much on the market, but at least I can pay off the bills that are left. Just make me an offer.”

His fingers tightened on her drooping shoulders and he turned her to face him. “Maybe you should sit down.” His voice was quiet as he glanced toward the table and chairs.

“Sit down? That sounds pretty ominous.” Her eyes searched his face for a moment and then his words began to sink in. Her belly knotted as she tried to calm her heart rate. This isn’t a social visit. He had come to deliver some bad news. His dark eyes told her that. Then she whispered, “Exactly why can’t I sell the ranch, Blackfeather?”

He hesitated, then murmured quietly, “This piece of land is on the Standing Rock Sioux reservation. The tribe owns all the land here. Frank was only leasing it.”

Her heart was hammering as she swallowed and whispered shakily, “Leasing it?” She drew a painful breath. That’s why there was no land title on file? Her lips trembled. It made perfect sense now. But he had always told her that the ranch would be hers someday. That implied that he owned it outright. Didn’t it? This was getting so crazy…

She allowed him to ease her onto the chair he’d been sitting on. Her thoughts swirled dangerously. Just how was she supposed to pay off what he still owed his creditors? God knew she had nothing more to sell…of his or hers. What about the cost of his funeral? They had buried him on her promise to pay the costs from the proceeds of the estate. She closed her eyes and swallowed the nausea she felt. Oh, God.

She sensed Lance sinking to his haunches in front of the chair and she forced her eyes open to meet his gaze. “I don’t understand. He led me to believe this would be mine someday—that I would have a place to come back to.” She shook her head. “I just assumed…” Her voice trailed off.

“He had a twenty-year lease. He always figured you would still have the ranch to come back to if things went sour.” She saw the pity in those almost-black eyes and she stopped herself from saying any more.

The last thing she needed or wanted from Lance Blackfeather was his pity.

I will be giving away a copy of my new release to one lucky commenter. So leave me a comment, and be sure to give me your first name and your e-mail addy so I can notify you if you are the lucky winner! I will also be giving away a pdf copy of the Christmas classic ghost story, A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens to every one who comments. (If you already have that from my prior Christmas contest, let me know and I'll send you a classic adventure tale instead.)

This is MUCH simpler than my usual contest, right? Also, since so few have commented in the past on my contests, you might just be the lucky one who wins! LOL! Hate to admit that I have so few fans, but it's the sad truth! *snif*

So just leave a comment telling me what your favorite Fran Lee book is, (you can leave more than one but you only get entered into the hat once) and on Christmas Eve, at precisely midnight, I will have my grandson reach into the hat and draw the winning comment. If there is no e-mail addy and no name, and I don't know you well from prior chats or contacts, another comment will be drawn...so please be sure to give that info in your comment.

Good luck...and I want everyone to have a happy and peaceful Chanukah, a wonderful merry Christmas, and a marvelous, happy Kwanzaa!

Love to you and yours this blessed season...and thanks so much for your patience in waiting for this one.

Hugs!

Fran Lee

http://www.franleeromance.com

Am I Crazy?

2011-11-15T12:43:00.000-08:00

Or am I just going into my second childhood?

I find that I am looking at things in a totally different way as I get along in years. Take this young man, for instance...a number of years back, I would have been appalled by all those tattoos...but now I find myself wondering if those tats go down any further than his belt line...

Would you call this crazy? Or merely a paradigm shift? (I love using buzz words). Hah! I think I figured it out. I am not crazy...I am an erotic romance author...and I see things in a whole other sense now. Where once I would have been shocked by a man's naked body flaunted for the world to ogle, I am one of those doing the ogling. Sigh. I am much like the silly dog that madly chases those sports cars down the street...it's fun to chase...but what the hell do I do with it if I catch it?

Never mind...I have a wonderful imagination, and I still know how to use it. LOL!

Too bad everything else is getting too old to use anymore. Creak...groan...ouch.

That might be why my books are so hot?

Living vicariously has become an art for me. Every heroine is a little part of me. Every hero is a composite of all the men I have drooled over and admired from afar for years...and have been too darned timid to chase. I am the little dog that sits inside her yard, watching the other dogs chase cars, too afraid to get run over to join the fun.

Hugs!

Fran

http://www.franleeromance.com

We have a winner!

2011-11-01T18:59:00.000-07:00

We have a winner in the Oktoberfest Contest!

I guess I make these contests too complicated...out of fifteen entries, only three people posted here before going to my website and sending me the e-mails. And out of the fifteen, only one person put "Fran's Oktoberfest Contest" in the subject of the e-mail. Congratulations to the winner!

The entrant who followed all the instructions to the letter, was...Molly Daniels!

Molly will be receiving a print copy of Hard Work, Hot Boss in the mail shortly! Hope you enjoy it, Molly!

Now...the rest of the entrants are being sent a special gift in keeping with the holiday season...a special pdf copy of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. Thanks so much for being great sports and entering my Oktoberfest Contest. It was fun having all of you here to share the joy!

Hugs...

Fran Lee

http://www.franleeromance.com

Win a PRINT book or e-book of your choice! Oktoberfest is here!

2011-10-07T13:51:00.000-07:00

You can WIN a copy of one of my PRINT books

One of my e-books...

YOUR CHOICE!

Just follow the instructions below, (leave a comment on this blog post that says "I entered!" but do not leave your answer in your comment) then go to my website and use my "Contact Fran" page to send me an e-mail with your answers. Be sure to put "Fran's Oktoberfest Contest" as the subject of your e-mail.

In the body of the e-mail after your answers, be sure to give me your full name, your snail mail addy (unless you are outside the US in which case your prize will be an e-book) and your AGE. Unless you state that you are at least 18 years of age I will not put you into the drawing.

Everyone who enters will win a prize, but only one can win the print book. :)

This contest will run through October 31, 2011. Winner(s) will be selected by drawing at midnight Halloween...bwah hah hah....

Have fun!

1.) Go to my Facebook page and click on the "photos" link on the left sidebar. (Should show "33" photos) Once on my photo page, select the album "Romanticon 2011". Pick the photo you like best out of all of them, leave a comment on that photo that says "This is the one I love best" and add the number "2011".

2.) Go to my website and use the "Contact Fran" page. Tell me which photo you loved best out of the ones I took at Romanticon 2011. Tell me if you are one of my "fans" on Facebook. (You can become a "fan" by following the Facebook fan link on my blog), and if you are the winner of the contest, you will get another prize for just being my "fan". :)

Have fun...it's not a hard contest...no major running around...

Hugs, and good luck!

Fran Lee

http://www.franleeromance.com

Sigh...Romanticon was a blast...

2011-10-06T10:43:00.000-07:00

Jaid Black and Patty Robb Marks

Owner and CEO of Ellora's Cave Publishing

Cris Anson, Angelo Riguero, Desiree Holt, Kaenar Langford, and Cerise DeLand

Cover model and Ellora's Cave employee extraordinaire Lisa Gray

EC's first cover models, CJ Hollenbach and Shannon Smith

Brand new hot and sweet Caveman Cole Reilly

Two more hot Cavemen, Ace Boogie and Will (honorary Caveman)

Francesca Hawley, Joel Sajian (Caveman Alex) and Cris Anson

New Caveman Mmmmmanuel...yummmmm

Kaenar Langford (aka Spike) and Cris Anson

I call this one "Patty sandwich"

Hot new Caveman Georgio and Cris Anson

Boss and some of the New Cavemen...

CJ Hollenbach in his future costume

And CJ Hollenbach as his own photog "fixed" my photo LOL

Cerise DeLand and..."that woman"

These are just a few of my pics. I have uploaded most of them to Facebook, but wanted to share them here with you. If you "borrow" one, be sure to give me photo credits* wherever you display them. *That's just professional courtesy...:P

I had a blast...wish all of you could have been there. Met lots of wonderful new people, and "met" a lot of my online pals face to face. LOL! Had a lot of wonderful conversations, and tons of fabulous fun. (Was that effusive or what?)

Anyway, I will share more of my photos soon.

Hugs!

Fran Lee

First day at Romanticon...

2011-09-29T19:55:00.001-07:00

So many wonderful people all in one place!

I will be uploading photos of all my friends when I find a moment to spare...you e-mail me if you don't see someone you want me to get a picture of.

I tried hard to get pics of everyone so you could enjoy them, but obviously my camera batteries died after two hours, and I will have to get more tomorrow!

Check back in a couple of days.

Hugs

Fran

EPIC Awards Finalist

2011-09-25T14:38:00.000-07:00

Woman on Fire

Is a finalist in the Contemporary Romance category for the EPIC Awards this year!

So excited...I advanced to the finals last year with Out of Her Dreams, but didn't win. Win or lose, being a finalist in the EPIC Awards is truly a feather in an author's cap! Whoo hoo!

Hugs,

Fran Lee

http://www.franleeromance.com

Got my new cover...

2011-08-27T17:07:00.000-07:00

Uncertainly Yours

coming soon from Ellora's Cave

I subbed this one is April. I got my cover last week, but am still waiting on the first edits. I have been assured that the book will be released before year's end, so, here's hoping...

Just got past my birthday...survived one more year. Almost past the post-herpedic pain of the shingles I got a couple of months ago. Stress does some gnarly things to us, huh?

Romanticon is coming up too, and I'm pretty stressed about that. Last year I got so sick on the return flight, I thought I would die. But I did survive. Hmmm...

I'll let you know when the next book is released. Thanks for checking my blog out, kiddies!

Fran

http://www.franleeromance.com

Coming August 4th!

2011-07-31T21:34:00.000-07:00

This was certainly a surprise!

I knew it was going to be released sometime this year, but with print books, they never tell you ahead of time. What a surprise! They caught mew with my pants down...Snort!

Hugs!

Fran

Contracted my wip...

2011-07-30T15:59:00.000-07:00

In the meantime...

I will be working on another. And another. And another. Editors, bless them, have lives too, and mine can't get to my first edits for another month or so.

Have been seriously thinking about self-pubbing one just for the heck of it. Of course, I wouldn't expect to sell many on my own, but maybe there are enough of my fans out there who might buy one, especially if they are reasonably-priced. I do a fairly good, clean manuscript. Self-editing is not the easiest part of this thing, because we never see what's wrong with our own work...until it glares out of a printed page at us. LOL! But I've been waaay too lazy, and have vegetated for an entire year.

Just thinking over options...

On vacation this week...

2011-05-22T11:21:00.000-07:00

Wish I could have brought this guy with me...

Sigh...I am more than certain my muse would have appreciated having him around. Hopefully she will get her fanny in gear and start cleaning up the wips I am working on.

Wish me luck!

Hugs,

Fran

Now out in PRINT...

2011-04-16T11:47:00.000-07:00

A Brief Moment of Pleasure

This 2009 e-book release is not out in PRINT! I love the feel and smell of a brand new print book...

Hugs!

Finished Cal's Omega....

2011-04-08T23:03:00.000-07:00

My sequel to Hallie's Cats is ready to roll...

There were some mixed reviews for "Cats" back in 2009...some reviewers loved it...others said they really wanted Cal's story, since my hot younger shifter was hangin' out hopin' for some down time with Hallie, too (Seronta Leopards females need harems). Folks seemed to love Cal more than Gar, so I decided to do a sequel, and give Cal his own mate.

It will be ready to sub by this next Monday. Wish me luck.

Fran

Almost done...

2011-03-30T21:39:00.000-07:00

My next wip is in the final stages and will be sent to my editor post haste! Wish me luck! She may hate it and zip it back to me with a thumbs-down sign! LOL!

I'm genuinely back in the saddle...

2011-03-19T14:35:00.000-07:00

Thunder Hawk

Hunkpapa Sioux

I have found my muse and am keeping well dosed with dark chocolate and cinnamon raisin toast. She grabbed me by the ear a week ago and demanded that we finish my next NA hero so she can read about him and pick out her favorite toys.

Thanks for all your kind encouragement. I sincerely don't think I would have managed it without you.

Hugs!

Fran

Happy Release Day to my good friend!

2011-03-05T15:07:00.000-08:00

Panther Moon

is another hot shifter novella from Regina Carlysle. It is available now at Ellora's Cave!

Fran

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel...

2011-02-22T19:39:00.000-08:00

I took this picture of a man lying back on a hot purple satin bed...but when it came out, there was no guy...

So I am just gonna tell you that he was something else. Yum! Oh, well...now about that light I saw...I was dreaming and I saw a face from my past...WAY past...like when I was 12. It was a guy I had a wild crush on. A hot, delicious NA guy who was my hero back then.

He ran a big herd of mustangs, and he let me ride them when they came into town to munch on people's gardens, lawns, and lilacs. Now, needless to say, I was about the only one who liked those horses, so the man sort of liked me. I would give him a call on our brand new three-party-line phone (after waiting for everyone else to finish, of course) and let him know where the horses were before the sheriff got a call. He would come out in his pickup and turn the sheep dogs loose and they would send them off home pronto. And I would always get a free ride.

Well, anyway...I grew up and he moved on to a new spot where the horses would be able to graze, and his sheep would not rove into cattleman's pastures...but I never forgot that tall, lean, long-haired guy. Yum. I decided to write him into a new story. So wish me luck...I have a week left to finish the wip and sub it.

Fran

It's on sale now!

2011-02-15T15:43:00.000-08:00

Needing A Cougar

Available now at Ellora's Cave

Drilled by Regina Carlysle

Lori Donovan accepts the Cougar Challenge and pledges to snag a hot young stud, knowing it’ll be tough once she moves back to her Texas hometown. She expects barren plains and rattlesnakes but finds hunky Jackson Blue drilling for oil on her property instead. A driller. Hmm. Lori has a few ideas about that and just about all of them involve her poor, needy, sex-starved body.

Jackson takes one look at the curvy, sexy, older woman and puts his expertise into action. After all, drilling is what he does best. Against the wall, on the floor or in the middle of her bed, he’s the right man for the job. It’s a hot time in Texas when a tough, sexy drillin’ man meets a sassy cougar, and playing it safe just isn’t an option.

Driven by Jayne Rylon

Lynn Madison transformed from repressed corporate drone to bold seductress overnight when her online friends at Tempt the Cougar encouraged her to take charge of her destiny. Their advice haunts her as she drools over the hottest Italian stallion on the planet while stranded in an airport.

Sebastian Fiori is a master of speed. A rally car driver, he’s used to winning on and off the track. He sees no need to put on the brakes when a sexy sophisticate revs his engine. After spotting Lynn’s decadent ménage novel, he decides to take her for the ride of a lifetime—with his navigator Mark.

Storm delays would be far more upsetting if Lynn’s young stud wasn’t offering a first-class ticket to indulge her fantasy. Neither of them expects their rendezvous to last beyond their transatlantic flight on his private jet. But sometimes there’s no escaping the forces of nature.

Reader Advisory: Novel offers a racy little treat—an m/f/m ménage.

Nothing but Sex by Fran Lee

Lee Blackhorse is hardly Cougar material, no matter what her friends over at Tempt the Cougar say. A forty-two-year-old woman who lusts after her thirty-year-old weekend helper is just plain nuts. Or is she? Mike Running Elk is the sexiest thing ever to don tight jeans and a second-skin t-shirt. She’s secretly yearned for the man for years.

Mike has no problem seeing himself in the role of Lee’s lover. In fact, if he can just get the hot-as-hell woman to realize he’s plenty old enough to ring her bells, he plans to do more than just clean her barn and mow her grass. He’s waited for her long enough.

When Mike shows up at her door with an injured hand, he notices Lee can’t pull her eyes off his naked, ripped chest. Mike can’t believe she’s as oblivious as she acts. The ice has been broken and he intends to heat things up even more…

Reader Advisory: Our poor heroine endures some mild violence, but don’t worry—the hero’s got her back.

I want to sing this woman's praises...

2011-02-09T00:01:00.000-08:00

Meet Melva Niles Barborka...

Better known as Melva Niles back in the days when she sang on Broadway, off Broadway, on the radio, and for the President at the National Theater in Washington DC. Melva Niles was one of the fastest rising stars of musical theater in the mid to late 40's...and then she gave it all up to walk away and be a wife and mother.

Baritone Robert Peterson and Soprano Melva Niles

Melva sang on stage with some of the greatest male leads in the business...including her "The Railroad Hour" performance of The Song Of Norway on February 28, 1949 on ABC Radio, with the show's charismatic host, Gordon MacRae. When she was singing in the nation's capitol, Mrs. Truman and the President's daughter were so impressed by her that they insisted Harry invite her to the House for lunch.

How on earth did I get to meet this person, and to call her friend? Well, obviously she is not into karate. And truth to tell, she blushes every time I tell her the kind of books I write. Actually, I met Melva a number of years ago when she was doing a part time job in my office. I was fairly close friends at work with Melva's daughter-in-law, who just happened to mention that her m-i-l was starting work there the next week under a special program that allowed aged low income folks to work a few hours a day for the government to help make ends meet.

Melva was celebrating her 80th birthday that fall. She was a sweet, unassuming lady who blushed easily and laughed at every problem. So when her d-i-l happened to mention in passing that Melva had once been a star of the stage and Broadway, I did what I always do...I got curious. Why had I never heard of this once-famous and now destitute person?

I Googled her. I found several blurbs on the Internet about shows she had been in, but after a meteoric rise to stardom for three years, she suddenly seemed to vanish. I found her recorded performance of the Song of Norway on ABC Radio, and purchased it for her as a birthday gift. Seems she found the man of her dreams, married him. Two years later, she got pregnant, and quit a multimillion dollar career to be a wife and mother. Now, that is what I call determination and courage.

Melva is another of my personal heroes. She continued to do special performances for a number of years after leaving Broadway...but she did them for her church, and made not a dime off anything. Her records are being sold everywhere, but this little lady receives not a red cent. She found faith in a world of glitz and money. She and her husband lost everything that most people find important...money, cars, a high flying social life...and when her wonderful love became ill, she found herself a widow. But her courage and determination taught me a great deal, and I will always treasure our friendship.

Melva is a bright star in the Heaven of heroes. She is now 85, and still singing.

Fran Lee
http://www.franleeromance.com

I am going to hire a person to kick my butt when I stop working...

2011-02-07T16:58:00.000-08:00

And this lady certainly can kick butt...

Meet an old pal of mine from my karate days...Jeanette Wilde Anderson. These days, Jeanette sells home-made crocheted items and Avon...plus she still works as a product demonstrator at Costco. Does she still do Tai Chi and Kenpo? Sometimes, for the exercise. But like me, she values her bones and her brains...either of which can get messed up if a student kicks you in the wrong place.

Jeanette and I traveled for years to various tournaments around the country, winning trophies and enjoying the camaraderie of meeting new people and maintaining old ties. We taught together in her school for years, and then we just...stopped. You know how stuff can get to you? How things you truly loved doing can just sorta slip into the limbo where you can't seem to reach them anymore, but where you can recall everything that you achieved?

This week is my week to give tribute to special friends I have treasured over the years...lauding their contributions to my life and to the lives of others they have touched. Can you believe that the woman above is turning 70 this year? That she still looks about 45? Of course, I hate her. KIDDING!

This woman in one of my heroes. She showed me that starting martial arts at the ripe old age of 45 is not a frivolous thing...nor is it impossible. Jeanette also began her martial arts career at 45, and was a brown belt when I began also at age 45. She tested for her black belt and received it shortly after I got my Orange belt (I moved up fast...being old, I didn't want to waste precious time). I was amazed that this tiny person (about 5 feet tall) could actually take down a man who stood 6 feet and weighed over 200 pounds. She was my bright beacon in the frightening darkness of a newly-divorced woman doing all the things she couldn't do while she was married.

I have always revered women who could manage to survive and do it very well in a man's world. Jeanette was one of those women. It has been an honor and a pleasure to call her my friend.

Come back again for my next tribute to a special friend...

Hugs!

Fran Lee

http://www.franleeromance.com

The WINNER is...

2011-01-28T00:43:00.000-08:00

The winner of a digital copy of

A Brief Moment of Pleasure

Terra Pennington!

The winner of a digital copy of

First and Ten

Colleen McSpirit!

And grand prize winner of a PRINT copy of

Dictated by Fate

Gabrielle Lee!

Congratulationis, and thanks for attending my monthly chat over at LoveRomancesCafe!

Check out my NEWS on my website for next month's chat date and time!

Fran

COME JOIN ME ON WEDNESDAY!

2011-01-24T17:32:00.000-08:00

Come on over to LoveRomancesCafe on Wednesday January 26th and join me and my pals for a nice chat!

One of the prizes that will be given away is my latest PRINT book, Dictated by Fate, so don't miss it! The chat begins at 8:00 p.m. Eastern (7:00 p.m. Central/6:00 p.m. Mountain/5:00 p.m. Pacific) and runs until I run out of steam or 11:00 p.m. LOL!

There will be hot excerpts, contests, and loads of fun. You must be a member of LRC to participate, so go on over and join now. If you don't care to stay after the chat, just unsubscribe or change your membership to no e-mail. You are in the driver's seat on these loops. :)

Some of my good author pals will likely show up with excerpts of their own, so come join the fun...

Hugs!

Fran

http://www.franleeromance.com

Selling books without spending a fortune on ads...

2011-01-16T23:10:00.000-08:00

Dictated by Fate was released as an e-book in August 2009.

It has now been released as a print book in January 2011.

Now, although this book has been lauded by critics and reviewers as being hot, funny, and highly romantic, sales have been very poor. I believe that it has not sold even 300 copies in almost two years!

So my question is...how can I possibly help this under-exposed book to sell decently in both e-book form and print form? It is a full length novel at 360 pages in print, and the Trade Paperback price is $15.99! Wow! Trade paperbacks are not cheap.

The key to sales is exposure...

Obviously I cannot sit back and pray that people decide to search for me on the publisher's website. My back list is lost in space. Unless I can get people looking for Fran Lee Romance on Google and Webcrawler, it's a lost cause. The ideal way to sell back list books is to keep writing books every month or two, and hope that the folks who come to buy the new release will also pick up one of my back list books.

But over the past year, I have only managed to actually write two books, and those were with my other publisher. So obviously, my sales were minimal.

I am mulling over several methods. One is to make up a pdf excerpt that I can e-mail to anyone who wants one. A "sampler" of sorts. I will be happy to allow anyone interested in my books to get a free "peek". And love Blogger as I do, it reaches a very limited number of people...so I am going to experiment a bit and see what happens. Wish me luck!

Hugs...

Fran

http://www.franleeromance.com

Happy New Year!

2011-01-01T18:48:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

May your work week begin on Wednesday...

May your weekend begin on Thursday...

May your next book sell ten million...

May your last book sell even more...

May there always be a tiger in your tank...

May he be as sexy as the hero in your last book...

May your car last into the next century...

May your house miraculously pay itself off...

May your friendships all be long-lasting...

May your bills be mysteriously paid by John Beresford Tipton...

May the Publisher's Clearing House van find you in your lacy skivvies...

May your mailbox be full of chain letters containing $100 bills...

And may your 2011 be happy and bright!

Happy New Year!

Be the first to comment to win this book...

2010-12-24T00:01:00.000-08:00

Day Six of the Seven Books of Christmas...

Be the first to comment to win this book...

2010-12-20T23:48:00.000-08:00

Day Three of The Seven Books of Christmas...

'Tis the season to be jolly...

2010-12-20T00:18:00.000-08:00

Have a very Merry Christmas...

And a Happy New Year!

Nope...this is the wrong day for my Seven Books of Christmas giveaway...please try again. I pre-scheduled each post for one of the seven days, so keep checking back until the post is up!

I may not get the chance to post again before the BIG DAY, so please enjoy the holidays!

Hugs, and a very Happy Holiday!

Fran

Once Upon a Time...

2010-12-05T03:13:00.000-08:00

All of us love books...

At one time or another in our lives, we all find enjoyment in books, whether they be books of poetry, fiction, or non-fiction. I love to read, as well as write, and my favorite books are romance novels. When I was young, I loved to read books about horses. I was a total horse freakazoid. When I grew older, I loved books about people and feelings. I read Tolstoy's works in the 6th grade. I read T E Lawrence's Seven Pillars of Wisdom. I read Lew Wallace's Ben Hur. I read everything I could get my hands on. I devoured the OZ books by L Frank Baum. I spent hours in my tiny local library (upstairs above the Fire Dept) and in my school library.

As I matured, and raised a family, I found that Romance books gave me enjoyment. I was able to believe that men and women found special loves, and lived special lives. It was a revelation of sorts, and I was hooked.

Now I write books, and that gives me great pleasure. It is marvelous to know that other women read my books and perhaps find enjoyment in the scenarios and plots I write. That other women get the shivers when they read a sexy passage in one of my books, and go back to read it again and again.

So my Christmas gift to the world is my body of works as a romance author. It is a part of me that I share daily with thousands of other women around the world. And I hope they enjoy my books as much as I enjoyed writing them.

Hugs!

Fran Lee

The year-end holidays are upon us again...

2010-11-13T04:13:00.000-08:00

The Year Has Come Full Circle...

And changes not only in the seasons, but also in our lives will force us to make changes in our activities and our pursuits...

I have made some decisions that will give me back more time to pursue my writing, but making those decisions will leave others that I have been helping in a bit of a bind. It was not easy to make those decisions, because I loved volunteering my time and efforts to make things better for others.

Perhaps after the holidays my life will return to normal, I will be in control of my writing career once more, and I will be able to get back to doing more again.

So I am kissing some of my good pals goodbye, and am striking out on my own to better manage my resources. Perhaps we will manage to get back in sync once the stresses of the holidays are behind us.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving...and I will post again soon with some contests to lighten the mood.

Hugs, and all my love.

Fran

I am utterly amazed that I am a finalist for the EPIC Awards!

2010-10-29T02:03:00.000-07:00

I decided to submit a couple of contemporary romances to the EPIC competition...one from each publisher...

I was thrilled to receive notification that one of my entries, Out of Her Dreams, is a finalist. I am also thrilled that some of my dear friends have been selected as finalists in this prestigious competition! WOW! Congrats to all who submitted and have become finalists...this is sooo exciting!

I sincerely doubt that I will win, because I know the other authors, and have read their fabulous books! But it is very exciting to have been chosen as a finalist.

Best wishes and good luck to all of my competition (and I will not say "break a leg") even though I know that's supposed to mean "good luck", because with my luck, somebody might, and then I would feel terrible. :P

So wish me luck...

Fran

Even MORE pics!

2010-10-09T22:23:00.000-07:00

There were a lot of great folks at the hotel, not all going to Romanticon, but they joined in the fun!

For instance, folks stopped to ask what "Romanticon" was, and other folks asked if We would take their pics, too! Like David Pizzaro, of PA, who asked if he could get in on the fun , since I was taking pics of our Cavemen. Now...I was taking pictures of the Cavemen from the neck up (I know...I know...a weird choice), because most of them have the sweetest grins and the sexiest smiles.

Well David wanted to know if he had the makings of a Caveman. So I took his picture, not including the nicely put together lower part of his bod. After all...it's the smile that counts, right?

Hmmm...so what do YOU think? Nice smile, great teeth...cute dimples...

And he has a pretty nice set of shoulders...and biceps...and...I didn't ask him to take off his shirt, but the basics were all there. :P

He wants a female opinion...so give it to him...he will be checking the blog for comments, so be nice ladies and no catcalls, growls, or shouts of "take it off!"

And on to more photos of smiling faces...

And we'll have even more tomorrow...I am going to bed! It's 1:30 am and my feet are aching...but otherwise, I have had a blast...covered in Caveman sweat that I will never wash off...um...but that's another story...later!'

Fran

A few smiling faces from Romanticon!

2010-10-08T22:50:00.000-07:00

The fabulous smiling faces of just a few of my friends

at Romanticon!

If you find yourself here, e-mail me at

fran.lee.romance@gmail.com

or find me in the hotel before the end of the convention, and I will make sure you get a small thank you gift before I leave the hotel!

Fran Lee

http://www.franleeromance.com

I am here!

2010-10-06T20:14:00.000-07:00

I arrived Wednesday Evening in Richfield, Ohio!

After nearly missing my connecting flight because the trip coordinator scheduled the second flight within moments of debarking at the other end of the Detroit Metro airport, I ended up dashing madly for my connecting flight, and barely made it...last in the door! WHEW! I never want to cut anything that close again!

Anyway, my wonderful friend met me in Cleveland and drove me back to our hotel. I ate breakfast at 7:30 a.m. and they gave me a tiny bag of pretzels and milk as a complimentary snack during the three hour flight from SLC to Detroit. I could have had a slightly bigger snack for the pittance of $5.00. Whatever happened to those salads and sandwiches we used to get when we flew? I was so hungry by the time we got to the hotel, I thought about eating one of the cows I saw along the freeway.

I am busy putting my goodie bags together, so I have got to go. Will update with photos and stuff tomorrow!

Fran

I am going to Romanticon!

2010-09-09T00:06:00.000-07:00

I missed last year's Romanticon. I am not missing this year's!

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Ellora's Cave Publishing.

There will be a huge 10th anniversary celebration...

Besides that, I have my first EC print book to autograph!

I have been an Ellora's Cave author since June 2009, and have seven books out with them, plus the print edition of Out of Her Dreams. At first, I was totally gung-ho in the promo department, making cover trailers for not only myself but for about fifty other authors! It taught me a lot about making professional-looking trailers. After learning what the process was, I began to pay for premium services, stock photos, and music, and now I am searching for better software for creating my trailers. Goes to show, you just keep on learning.

My first OOHD cover trailer was okay...but I re-cut it last month, using some of the newer technology. Sigh...still using nothing but the cover, here is the new slightly improved trailer...

I will be taking a DVD of all my cover trailers to play on my laptop computer at my signing station, and I will be taking a number of goodie bags to give away. Not only will I submit SWAG items, but also personal giveaways for my fans. (All twenty of them...LOL!)

So if you are going to Romanticon, please look me up...I will be doing a reader workshop with Amber Skyze called "Recipe For Success" and you are all invited to attend. Again, even more goodies as door prizes for those who attend. All in all, I think this will be a huge learning experience for me, and it will be a fabulous way to meet face to face with all the wonderful new friends I have "met" online over the past year.

Hope to see you there! October 7-10 2010...see details on the Jasmine-Jade webpage.

NEW RELEASE!!! Woman on Fire

2010-09-02T01:47:00.000-07:00

Available September 3, 2010

Woman on Fire

Fran Lee

My second novel length book from Ellora's Cave is coming Friday! This one is for all of my fans who wanted more than a Quickie or a novella. I hope you enjoy this one as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Azrael Thunder Horse never thought another Anglo woman could possibly knock him for a loop after leaving Hollywood. Despite the instant shot of lust he feels when he first lays eyes on his new Native American Studies teacher, he’s determined to get rid of her. After all…she misled him with that damn Indian name of hers! But the stubborn redhead has a thing or two to say when he tries to fire her.

Cheyenne Red Wolf has never met a more maddening, arrogant, downright irritating man. He hates her on sight. Too bad he’s the hottest thing she’s ever seen…and her new boss. The man tried to fire her because she wasn’t a “real” Indian. Good thing he can’t stand her, because she sure as hell wouldn’t be able to say no to all that sexy, hardheaded, Lakota masculinity.

An Excerpt From: WOMAN ON FIRE

“Can I help you?” Her quickly pasted-on smile was polite and pleasant. Probably a parent, checking out the new teacher. Damn. They didn’t build single males like him these days.

Night-dark eyes slid past her, wandered around the classroom slowly, and then returned to her. Eyes that would normally have set her pulse off like a shot, but these held a cold, aloof quality that let her know she was beneath his interest.

“Is Ms. Red Wolf still here?” The dark-chocolate voice held a quiet, tense note.

“I’m Cheyenne Red Wolf.” She repeated the polite smile. “How can I help you?”

The look of shock in those obsidian eyes made her bite back a grin. It wasn’t an unusual reaction to her definitely un-Indian looks attached to a very Indian name. But the desire to grin dissolved the instant those eyes turned angry.

“You are Cheyenne Red Wolf? Our new Native American Studies teacher?” Every word was clipped and reflected a fury that was barely held at bay.

She moved away from the bookshelf and resisted the urge to cross her arms defensively over her chest. The animosity rolling off that man was enough to choke her. It was only through sheer willpower that she didn’t cut and run. He took a step toward her and she had to crane her neck to meet his glare. She drew herself up to her tallest possible height which wasn’t much over five foot six in shoes and lifted her chin slightly in answer to his unspoken but clearly heard challenge. Damn! She wished now that she’d worn heels.

Forcing her voice to remain softly calm wasn’t easy. “I am. And you are…?” she coached gently, refusing to retreat as he invaded her personal space with all that hulking, broad-shouldered menace he exuded.

His eyes moved from the copper-penny red hair she’d dragged back into a bun before her first class, all the way down her fuzzy blue cardigan sweater and travel-wrinkled beige linen slacks to her vintage fifties penny loafers, then back with a disbelieving insolence that was as insulting as it was scary. Every nerve in her body screamed at her to take a few steps back and get a desk between them, but she’d be damned if she’d let him intimidate her.

She had no real reason to fear him, after all—it was broad daylight and they were in a school full of—empty classrooms. Oh, shit. As the realization hit her that regular classes had let out over half an hour ago, and most of the teachers were gone for the day, she inhaled slowly and wondered if maybe it might be wiser if she turned tail and sprinted for the still open door.

But her common sense returned after one panicky moment, and she frowned at her own silliness. What the hell was he gonna do? Attack her? He was understandably shocked to find a non-Native American woman teaching a class that should by all rights be taught by a Native American. There were a lot of Native Americans who resented what she did, simply because she was not one of them. Not really. And being one in spirit didn’t quite cut the mustard.

She made a point of glancing at her watch and lifted her eyes back to his face. “I really can’t take time to go over lesson plans right now. If you’ll just tell me which student is yours, I can give you a call tomorrow—”

“There’s been a mistake, Ms. Red Wolf.” The voice was low and controlled.

“A mistake?” She had to work damn hard to keep a tremor of anger out of her own voice.

Those almost-too-damn-sexy-to-be-real lips twisted into a sneer as he seemed to loom even closer in the suddenly airless classroom. “A big one.”

Her breath caught in her throat and she hated the fact that she was shaking under his glare. “If you have a problem with me teaching this class, you’ll need to take it up with Mr. Wyatt or Ms. Running Deer of the school board. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have someone waiting.” A lie was better than letting him think she had no backup here.

“He can keep on waiting.” The clipped statement startled her, but only because it was coupled with another forward movement of that intimidating body that had somehow moved so close she could feel the heat sizzling off him through her clothes.

This guy had absolutely no friggin’ concept of personal space.

She suddenly decided that retreat was entirely acceptable under such unfriendly fire. She took a quick step backward and felt the bite of a wooden desk on the soft flesh of her fanny. The startled gasp she gave seemed to make those nearly black eyes darken even more, and she blushed hotly to have let him know he frightened her. Her temper rose.

When under attack, counter attack, Frank had always said.

“Excuse me—whoever you are—but if you have a complaint about me teaching your child, like I said, take it up with the school board and the principal, who felt I was very well qualified—”

She gave a yelp of shock as a book that had been too close to the edge of the desk she was nearly sitting on fell to the floor with a resounding smack, and she jumped away from the desk automatically, coming into full frontal contact with her tormentor. And he didn’t miss a beat as he caught her around the waist with a pair of lean, strong hands and glared down at her.

His beautiful lip curled. “Just like a woman—trying to use any weapon at hand to avoid the consequences of her actions.” His voice was scathing and she blinked up at him, not getting his meaning.

“Weapon? Consequences? What the hell are you talking about?” she gasped and shoved at his hands without much success as she twisted to try to get free.

“Those weapons.” He hissed a breath inward through his teeth as her hips twisted against his. Her movements brought her generous chest tight against his. His rasping words instantly halted her movements as she realized what he was talking about and her eyes widened in horror, then narrowed in fury. Damn, but the man was blaming her for his own actions now.

“If you will take your hands off me, I will happily remove my weapons from your vicinity,” she hissed, her temper flaring at his insinuation that she was trying to use sex to escape whatever “consequences” he imagined were due her. It didn’t take a Rhodes Scholar to get his meaning and it didn’t take much imagination to realize their confrontation had produced a hard-on from hell on his part. It was jabbing against her belly quite insistently. It had already grown even larger and more dangerous in the several seconds they’d been plastered together.

For a moment, he didn’t respond, and in that tense moment she sensed that he was considering his next response with extreme care. Her incensed glare met his and she waited with lips compressed and indignant fury in her expression. Dark eyes warred with blue. It became a battle of wills as he remained tautly silent, staring down into her furious face without any change in his expression of angry disdain. His hands remained firmly clamped around her body, making it impossible to move away without a struggle, and she’d be damned if she was going to give him his jollies by wiggling and twisting against him to try to get loose again. His hands were long and powerful. The pads of his fingertips rested firmly on the upper swell of her buttocks. The sensations running rampant inside her traitorous pussy were indescribable.

After what felt like hours of silent, glaring antagonism so thick it could easily be cut with a knife, she irritably decided the only way she was going to get him to let go of her was to say something. She slowly drew a shaky breath and spoke in a low, careful tone like one might use when talking to a suicide jumper on a ledge. “How about you and me calling a truce? You take your hands off me, and we’ll both back away. Then maybe you can calmly tell me what the hell you are so damn bent out of shape over.”

Out of Her Dreams is out in PRINT!

2010-08-21T13:35:00.001-07:00

Now in PRINT!

Out of Her Dreams

Available now at Ellora's Cave/ Jasmine-Jade

She’s a best-selling erotic romance writer. Her fans adore her. She’s making excellent money. All by writing about a man she dreamed up many years ago. Her hero is handsome, virile, sexy, strong, sensitive and a complete gentleman.

He’s a hot-headed, sex-on-the-hoof pro wrestler. He has a reputation for being the hottest, nastiest man on the mats. The fact that his face and body are plastered all over a bunch of mushy romance novels written by a woman with a death wish doesn’t sit well on those massive shoulders. His agent’s demanding monetary retribution from the woman who’s dared to use his image on her covers but he has another form of retribution in mind…and it has nothing to do with money.

She was his the moment he touched her. He came out of her dreams to claim her, and she wants every hot, throbbing inch of that delicious man.

He wants her, naked, at his mercy. One hot, orgasmic night wasn’t nearly enough. She ran…but he’ll find her.

An Excerpt From: OUT OF HER DREAMS

She walked slowly across the luxuriously thick carpet to the ready supper table set up before the fireplace and looked about the decadently fabulous room. Obviously he had planned on a very private dinner and drink. She touched the bottle of champagne and swallowed hard. Dear Lord. She didn’t know if she could manage being alone with him again. She didn’t realize she wasn’t alone until his voice made her turn with a little gasp.

“You have my book?” The sight of him standing in the doorway of the luxurious sitting room made her breath leave her in a startled whoosh.

Control yourself, Sam. It is not polite to stare and drool.

She nodded jerkily, opening the bag and taking out the hardback copy. “Of course. You paid for it.”

She held it out as he walked across the room to stop a couple of feet from her. He looked awe-inspiring in a beautifully tailored silk shirt that was open to show his corded neck and a pair of trim Armani slacks. The material sleekly covered but didn’t hide the massively muscled body beneath it and her mouth went dry again. God but that man had a walk—predatory and as sexy as hell.

She had no idea real live men could look so utterly marvelous and perfect. Dream men could but certainly not real ones. Heat pooled and swirled in the area somewhere below her navel, moving into the suddenly damp center of her body as the man moved toward her like some big cat on the prowl, those dark eyes moving down her body to her feet before returning slowly to her red face. A shot of something honeyed and hot surged through her at that look and she knew exactly what was on his mind because the exact same thing was running through hers.

He took the book from her hand slowly and opened it to the flyleaf, his dark eyes touching the page for a long moment before returning to her face again.

“You were serious about that dream bit?” His voice was quiet. A small smile curved his lips.

Oh. My. God. That mouth.

She swallowed and nodded jerkily. “Yes.”

The sight of her standing beside the intimate little table for two sent a jolt of lust knifing through him almost painfully. David could almost taste her delicate floral perfume, along with the warm, delicious scent of a woman who craved what she saw. She stood bravely erect in an incredible blue silk dress that hugged every lush curve she possessed. The warmth of her body and the need in those emerald eyes fired his blood and made his groin swell and come alive with a vengeance. He found himself staring like an idiot. A horny idiot.

It was suddenly hard to remember why he had asked her to come. Was it to discuss the books, or was it simply to see her again? To take her and slowly strip her and taste her soft skin with his lips and tongue until she begged him to bury his cock inside her and finish it up right? Okay. That sounded good. Damn good.

She handed him the book with nervous hands and he wondered what those hands would feel like moving over his naked body. What she would think if he just tossed the damn book and dragged her against him to let her feel how rock-hard he was and how much he craved her. And as he opened it to stare at the autograph she had scrawled over the flyleaf page, he knew that she was not leaving here tonight until he had tasted every inch of that creamy skin.

I guess nobody likes my books...sigh...

2010-08-07T23:48:00.000-07:00

So maybe this will get your attention...

I know it sure got mine. Yum. Always did love a good solid 8-pack. And even a great 6-pack. And I don't mind tan lines. I wouldn't toss him outta my bed for eating crackers.

Now that I have your attention...

Did any of you receive my August Newsletter with the info about my New Release Contest? If you didn't, please click on the link at the top of the blog, and check it out, because I have TEN books to give away this time.

On top of my new release, I will be giving away a copy of every one of my back list books, as well...and for everyone who is not a book winner, there are consolation prizes. So don't figure "Heck, I never win these things...why enter?" Everybody is a winner here.

I don't have cover art yet, but should have it shortly. When I do get the go-ahead to publish it, I will have it up instantly! In the meantime, please enjoy the picture above. Joy over at Joyfully Reviewed let us ogle this guy for awhile. Sweet lady! :)

Fran
http://www.franleeromance.com

NEW RELEASE! New contest!

2010-08-01T12:07:00.000-07:00

Click on my Newsletter Link above and follow the instructions on how to win! Simple? If you want to check out my newsletters, and want them in your home e-mail, please e-mail and tell me so. Thanks!

Fran
http://www.franleeromance.com

My Newsletter...

2010-07-21T00:31:00.000-07:00

I used to have a professional newsletter. You know...one of those you pay to use? It was fine for awhile, but in order to "get my money's worth" out of it, I sent out newsletters every new release, and every other happening. I am pretty sure most of the folks on my mailing list simply pressed the "delete" button. So when it expired, I didn't renew.

But I do think that having a newsletter is important, if only to let fans and pals in on new things that are happening in our lives. So I have created a simple e-mail format Newsletter...no bells and whistles...no tracking of "clicks", and I will send out my "new" newsletter just one time. After that, if fans and pals want to check out new release contests, important happenings, etc., they can come to my website and/or my blogs and simply click the "News" link. That way, I won't be sending out e-mails every few weeks, and you won't have to delete them every few weeks. LOL!

Plus, I promise not to promote the same books over and over and over ad nauseum. In fact, there will only be book promo in the news if I have a special contest, or if I have a new release coming out. Otherwise, my newsletter will be full of plain old gossip, silliness, and an occasional free read.

Thanks so much for being here for me when I needed you. Those of you who have left kind comments, given me advice when needed, and ignored me totally when I ranted and whined have been a god-send to me. Thank you.

Hugs!

Fran

Woman On Fire has a release date...

2010-07-16T22:03:00.001-07:00

My release date for
Woman On Fire
is set for September 3, 2010.

That will make it four months between releases.

With no new releases out, it's hard to get folks to check out the back list! I am working on two wips that will be forwarded to my editor shortly.

Hopefully, Nothing But Sex will draw some folks to my back list. But I won't know until August.

Now, I want to remedy my lack of releases by sending in one book each month to my editor.

Here's an excerpt from Woman On Fire...

An Excerpt From:

WOMAN ON FIRE

“Can I help you?” Her quickly pasted on smile was polite and pleasant. Probably a parent, checking out the new teacher. Damn. They didn’t build single males like him these days.

“Is Ms. Red Wolf still here?” The dark-chocolate voice held a quiet, tense note.

“I’m Cheyenne Red Wolf.” She repeated the polite smile. “How can I help you?”

“You are Cheyenne Red Wolf? Our new Native American Studies teacher?” Every word was clipped and reflected a fury that was barely held at bay.

She had no real reason to fear him, after all—it was broad daylight and they were in a school full of—empty classrooms. Oh, shit. As the realization hit her that regular classes had let out over half an hour ago, and most of the teachers were gone for the day, she inhaled slowly and wondered if maybe it might be wiser if she turned tail and sprinted for the still open door.

“There’s been a mistake, Ms. Red Wolf.” The voice was low and controlled.

“A mistake?” She had to work damn hard to keep a tremor of anger out of her own voice.

Those almost-too-damn-sexy-to-be-real lips twisted into a sneer as he seemed to loom even closer in the suddenly airless classroom. “A big one.”

This guy had absolutely no friggin’ concept of personal space.

When under attack, counter attack, Frank had always said.

“Excuse me—whoever you are—but if you have a complaint about me teaching your child, like I said, take it up with the school board and the principal, who felt I was very well qualified—”

“Weapon? Consequences? What the hell are you talking about?” she gasped and shoved at his hands without much success as she twisted to try to get free.

Awaiting cover art and release date...

2010-07-13T18:28:00.000-07:00

I am hoping to receive my cover art and my release date for my New Ellora's Cave book, Woman on Fire. While my hero is a jeans and cowboy hat kinda guy, he is first and foremost a hot Native American with black hair to his waist. Sometimes the perfect guy for the cover doesn't have that gorgeous long hair.

I have been fortunate to have gotten one of the world's most talented and wonderful cover artists, and I have faith that her interpretation of my cover will be fabulous. I used to overwork the cover request, giving minute details about build, skin, hair, etc. but soon found that I didn't have to go through all that. Not when you have a cover artist who seems to read minds and comes up with the most scrumptious covers in creation!

So as I await the final edits from my patient and kind editor, I worry far less about having the perfect cover. It is a godsend to have cover artists who know how to create hot, utterly delicious covers. And I want to take this moment to thank the wonderful Syneca for all the stunning cover work she comes up with!

Sigh.

Regina's Regency is now in PRINT!

2010-07-10T14:50:00.000-07:00

Chasing Temptation

Regina Carlysle

Resplendence Publishing

London's Haute Ton calls her Miss Temptation. But Elizabeth Grayson can't be bothered by society's diversions while seeking justice for her murdered sister. She is a woman on a dangerous mission. Now is not the time for mindless social engagements or courtships from men she has no intention of marrying. However, Christian Delaford is no ordinary man. He stirs her like no one she has ever met before. His eyes speak of sin and tangled sheets. Of decadent nights spent in his arms. Far too diverting for her peace of mind.

Christian Delaford, the Duke of Haverton, must be married by midnight of his birthday or forfeit his heritage to a distant relation. After years of living a hedonistic life in the Orient, the thought of binding himself forever to an insipid English Miss fairly curls his toes. London's current 'diamond of the first water', however, changes his mind. In Elizabeth, he finds a bold and daring woman who harbors a terrifying secret. He vows to chase Miss Temptation, to the ends of the earth if needs be, and save her from the forces that would tear them both apart.

BUY IT HERE

My first Versatile Blogger award, courtesy of romance author Laura Kay

2010-07-09T01:43:00.000-07:00

Just received my first Versatile Blogger award, courtesy of romance author Laura Kay. Thanks Laura! The award requires me to share seven random facts about myself, and point you in the direction of noteworthy blogs I've found especially useful. So, here goes:

I hold a second degree black belt in American Kenpo.
I have written over a hundred books...but have only subbed about a dozen.
I type over 30 words a minute :P
I have a 20-year-old cat, a dog who thinks he's a cat, two kittens who think they are dogs, a leopard gecko, a five foot python, and the large black gerbil he wouldn't eat.
I collect vintage toys and vintage metal horse statues.
I love McDonald's sweet tea (addicted!)
I have over 9,000 books. Yes you read that correctly.

Finally, here are some blogs I enjoy that I think you might like too. Check 'em out!

Tempt the Cougar--the famous Cougar blog site that started the whole Cougar Challenge thingy
Seven Sexy Scribes--seven hot authors sharing one blog
Six Sexy Sirens--six ladies of the "write"
Romance Books "R" Us--A wonderful spot to learn about new authors and meet new friends
RomErotica Writers--a place to meet great erotic authors and find new reads

Enjoy! And thanks for reading!

Fran Lee

I have a new contract!

2010-07-01T00:03:00.001-07:00

I just got a contract on another hot contemporary from Ellora's Cave...

This picture is about what my hero would look like...

Azrael Thunder Horse never thought he would ever see another white woman who could possibly knock him for a loop after leaving Hollywood. Despite the instant shot of lust he feels when he first lays eyes on his new Native American Studies teacher, he is determined to get rid of her. After all…she misled him with that damned Indian name of hers! How could he know she was not NA? But the stubborn red-head has a thing or two to say about him firing her on the spot.

Cheyenne Red Wolf has never met a more maddening…arrogant…downright irritating man. He hates her on sight. Too bad he’s the hottest thing she has ever laid eyes on…and he’s her new boss. The man tried to fire her because she wasn’t a “real” Indian. Good thing he can’t stand her, because she sure as hell couldn’t say no to all that sexy, hard-headed, Lakota masculinity. He is the man from her dream…and no matter what he thinks of her, she has it bad for the man…

Meet my good friend, Regina Carlysle!

2010-06-23T00:01:00.000-07:00

Regina has been my inspiration since I first came to Ellora's Cave...

Her books are fabulous, and and here is the newest!

Eagle's Refuge

Book three in the Texas Passions series.

When Callista Hill settles in tiny Morgan’s Creek, she vows to make a better life for herself. She never figured lust and screaming-hot orgasms were part of the equation. One look at the local bar owner and she’s flooded with the need to have him in her bed. He burns her to ash with every erotic touch, bringing her sex-starved body achingly to life.

The instant dark, moody Mac Moreno claps eyes on Callie, he knows he wants her. Her lush curves turn him inside out and have his libido racing from zero to sixty in three seconds flat. Burning up the sheets with this sassy, sweet lady brings him back to life. But when her stalking ex hunts her down, will Callie run?

Not if Mac can help it.

An Excerpt From: EAGLE’S REFUGE

Chapter One

Mac Moreno leaned back against the corral fence and looked out over land that now belonged, in part, to him. A year ago, he would never have imagined such a thing but with Joe Morgan’s death, the White Eagle Ranch had been split into thirds, leaving his half sister Leah, half brother Dash and himself with a legacy that was pretty overwhelming to a guy who’d scratched out a living alone for most of his life.

Heavy noonday sunshine beat down on him. Mac swept the battered straw cowboy hat from his head and mopped his sweaty brow with a bandana he kept tucked in his back pocket.

Damn hot today.

A savage shriek ripped through the air. Mac squinted at the violently blue Texas sky and watched a lone eagle glide through that vivid palette to land on the roof of the barn where it pierced him with an unblinking gaze. Eagle and man shared a moment of utter communion. No doubt the bird of prey wondered what the hell a nobody like himself was doing out here laying claim to this land, this ranch.

Mac had asked himself the same question a million times over the past few months. Sending his gaze over the immediate area, taking in the stately ranch house in the distance, the corrals, the barn, he wondered about the fickleness of fate. His mother Elena had been the housekeeper for Joe Morgan thirty-odd years ago and on one hot Texas night, she’d slept with the boss and wound up pregnant. That event had ended her employment at White Eagle Ranch and she’d moved on to clean the houses of wealthy folks in the town of Morgan’s Creek, scratching out a living as a single mother until the day she’d died.

Mac’s jaw tightened.

As he shifted his gaze to the side of the barn, memories assaulted him, bitter and ultimately humiliating. He’d been sixteen, a gangly kid who knew full well the rich, powerful Joe Morgan was the father who’d never claimed him, never wanted him.

“What the hell are you doing here, boy?”

Mac swallowed hard. His hands were shaking but he didn’t want his father to see so he shoved them in the pockets of his jeans and tried like hell to look cool. “Looking for work, sir.”

Joe scowled at him. He was a big man with a shock of white hair and as intimidating as hell. This was the man who didn’t want him, didn’t speak to him on the streets of Morgan’s Creek, the town that bore his name. The big man looked down and then up, taking him in, sizing him up, and Mac knew Joe Morgan didn’t like what he saw. Nope. He didn’t measure up but had he thought he would? He’d been fooling himself.

“Aren’t you Elena Moreno’s kid?”

“Yessir.”

Silence fell. Mac sucked in a breath and held it. What the hell had he been thinking? Had he imagined his dad would call him son and hug him like he meant it?

Suddenly Mac felt stupid and dumb and more on the outside than ever before.

Why would the all-powerful Joe Morgan ever in a million years acknowledge a poor Mexican kid from the wrong side of the tracks? To most of the town, Mac was nothing but trash. He had no hope of college and could lay claim to no kind of future. Hell, his mom had saved for years just to buy him a class ring so he could remember his high school days. Dumb thing but it made Elena proud to do it. She’d saved every dime so he could have a couple of new pairs of jeans at the start of every school year. She’d worked her fingers to the bone, scrubbing toilets and polishing floors, to give him the bare necessities of life. Joe Morgan had never contributed. Not once.

In the distance, a horse galloped across a pasture. Pretty Leah, his half sister, the legitimate child of Joe Morgan, was out riding her beautiful mare, her ponytail whipping out behind her like a shiny flag. Resentment welled up deep inside him. His heart tightened and frustration dug steely spurs into his belly. She had everything. He had nothing. The fact that she didn’t know he was her brother wasn’t the issue. Mac was so jealous he wanted to just die.

He was the unacknowledged bastard kid of a rich dude who apparently hated his guts.

Mac focused on the older man and wanted to kick his own ass. His being here was stupid, ridiculous.

Joe shifted his stance and gave him a fierce look. “Think you’ve got what it takes to be a cowboy, kid?”

The spit dried in Mac’s mouth. “Yessir.”

“Well, I don’t think so,” he drawled. “Got plenty of hands and they don’t need to be babysitting you. Now you get on out of here, kid. You don’t belong here.”

Mac watched him walk away without a backward glance, standing there, his eyes burning like hellfire from tears. Then he turned and ran as fast as he could to the old beat-up truck he’d borrowed from a friend. Slamming the door of the truck, he rubbed his stinging eyes before driving away.

And we have two winners!

2010-06-22T17:00:00.000-07:00

The back list contest winner for First and Ten is Tamsyn!

Congrats! Your prize is on its way!

The back list contest winner for Dictated by Fate is Molly!

Congrats! The book is on its way!

Sorry...I meant to do this tomorrow morning, but I promised Regina I would blog about her new release on the 23rd, and she is in Houston right now...

Promoting Back list Books...

2010-06-17T17:23:00.001-07:00

Here is a great little novella with a tiny pricetag...

First and Ten
Fran Lee
Resplendence Publishing

This one came out last year, and is priced at the pittance of $3.00! How on earth can you lose at that price? :) Here is the blurb:

A Carnal Reunions tale...

What Fran Jamison and Jack Gerrard have in common, you could balance on the head of a pin. And to make things worse, Jack blew his chances to hell back in High School with the BBW.

Neither goes to their 10th college reunion expecting sparks to fly, but when they collide in the airport, painful old memories quickly evaporate to make way for two people desperately needing to scratch 12-year-old itches.

Jack royally blew it when he let other people's opinions stop him from pursuing the 5'11" bombshell so many years back, and by the time he realized he was a jackass and tried to apologize, a traumatized and hurt Fran had shredded his ego in public, leaving him to lick his wounds and move on.

She thought she would hate him on sight. She didn't. She thought she could walk away. She couldn't. She certainly didn't expect to find herself making out like a madwoman on the hood of a borrowed car in the airport parking ramp. But she did expect one thing...she was not going to walk away again. Not when he was so damn good at scratching those itches...

Excerpt:

To: franjamison@think_tank.com

From: SikorskiK@WIndiU.edu

Hello to all of Gracie’s Girls, class of 1999. Once again, thanks to all of you for the flowers and phone calls after my aunt Gracie’s passing last winter. You all meant so much to her, and to me.

As I’m sure you all know, our tenth college reunion is coming up this summer. Since I now have Gracie’s big rambling house all to myself, I’d like to extend an invitation. If any of you are coming back for the reunion, you’re more than welcome to stay here, in your old rooms. Gracie quit taking in college students several years back, so there’s no one here but me, and I’d love to have some company while I’m getting the house ready to put on the market. So what do you say? One last time as roommates? It would be great to see all of you again.

Hugs,

Karen

* * * *

She hadn’t planned to attend, at least not until she received Karen’s guilt-inspiring e-mail. Every instinct she possessed screamed at her to hit the delete key and pretend the e-mail hadn’t arrived, but she just couldn’t do that. Karen was having financial problems, and had to sell the historic but dilapidated old Victorian house they had all shared in college.

She shouldn’t feel so gun-shy, but even after all these years, it would be hard for her to go back and see all her old pals with the memories of her college years slamming hard into her refurbished self-image. A self-image that had taken her seven long years of analysis and hard work to create.

Fran sighed and rubbed her temples, shoving her reading glasses up onto her sleep-tousled head. She received the formal reunion invitation last week, but she had tossed it. No use reliving the whole college scene just to see how everyone else looked…see how many of her friends had kids…how they had changed over the ten years since she’d last seen them. Listen to them telling stories about new babies and favorite pets and how they’d met their husbands.

All the things Fran had excluded from her life in favor of monetary success and being “her own woman”.

Fran was a realistic woman now. She refused to kid herself. She had never found the man of her dreams and settled down to raise a family, mainly because it had taken her seven years to get past her own demented mental image of herself. And now that she finally recognized her own worth, and had learned to love herself as she was, she was way past the desire to flaunt her wares and try to trap some unwary male. Besides, most men in her age bracket were already married…or divorced and on the rebound. Or just looking for a one-night stand. So far, that had never quite appealed, no matter how damned good looking the man in question happened to be.

Men were not a necessity to life. Besides…she’d royally screwed up with the only man she’d ever really wanted any sort of relationship with, long ago.

She ran her fingers through her wild curls and pressed her thumbs against the bridge of her nose. Back then, she’d been so sure the tentative advances he’d made were simply another way for the jock community at WIU to have a laugh-fest at her expense. She’d reacted defensively, tearing his ego into tiny strips. And then he’d basically left her alone. Damn…

Only years later, after many long sessions with her uber-patient therapist, had it flashed with astonishing clarity into her mind. Jack Gerrard…her dream man… and he’d actually tried to ask her out on a date. And she had gone off on the man as if he’d just asked her to jump naked into an anthill.

She gave a sigh of resignation. The worst part of it was she had always had the most pathetic crush on the man—most girls had crushes on the hot, sexy hero of the WIU gridiron.

Even in high school, Gerrard was always in the company of cheerleaders and prom queens and the most popular girls. They hung all over him like bees around a honey pot. One look from those riveting blue eyes could make any girl drop her panties with a scream of delight. But Jack had ignored them most of the time, keeping up excellent grades so he could play varsity football. She supposed that was the true attraction.

Sure. There she went, lying to herself again. She had been hot for his ripped body, just like all the other girls. But it had gone deeper than that with her.

He had offered her some modicum of friendship, and good-looking guys did not want to be pals with Fran Jamison. So when that friendship was withdrawn without explanation or reason, it had torn her up inside.

Fran leaned back into her leather desk chair. Getting through high school and completing college had taken every ounce of strength she possessed…but she had managed it with top grades. She had avoided Jack Gerrard as if he no longer existed. She had made certain that she built a shell around her mind and soul, and in college, she had toughened up that outer shell to ward off any painful quips the guys made about her size or her height.

She had graduated first in her class, with a full post grad scholarship to Harvard Business School for her Master’s studies. She’d left WIU behind and had never looked back.

She had spent the last ten years methodically building one of the most sought-after consulting firms in the world. She had parlayed a first class education into a multi-million-dollar corporation using government grants for seed money, and a sharp business acumen that took her to the top of her profession. Eight and a half years of working 24/7 on her business. Seven years of therapy. A totally new Fran Jamison.

And now she was actually going back to the beginning of it all? She had more guts than she’d thought. And it almost made her physically ill.

She typed a quick acceptance, and then slowly closed her laptop. She rose from the desk chair and scratched her head as she yawned capaciously. Glancing into the mirror that graced the far wall…the one with the giant slogan hung over it that said “See not the world through the eyes of others”, she smiled grimly and said, “Okay, Fran…that gives you exactly four days, thirteen hours and twenty six minutes to get your shit together.”

Promoting backlist books...

2010-06-12T17:10:00.001-07:00

Promoting Backlist Books

To an author, back list books are what keep you solvent while you are attempting to write that next big seller. Unfortunately, without any current new books out from that publisher, those back list books sit there unseen.

Most of us really go gung-ho on the new releases, hoping to attract attention to those, so that folks will automatically see and perhaps buy one of our back list books. But that leaves some of our best books languishing in the shadows, unseen and ignored.

For example, Dictated by Fate, my full length novel (240 pages) has been relegated to that dark corner of my back list, despite the fact that it is one of the best I have written. I have folks complaining about how short the novellas are, and how they wished I wrote longer books, but this is one they will never see, since it is from a different publisher, and is not displayed on my Ellora's Cave back list, where most of my back list sales come from.

This one is over at Resplendence Publishing. Because Resplendence is fairly new (barely three years old this summer), they don't have as much visibility as other e-pubs, but they do send the books out to a great many second-party sales vendors such as Amazon, ARe, Fictionwise, B&N and more. I just got a Google alert for my one and only print book from Resplendence, "Carnal Reunions Anthology", that is selling in Hindi, in India.

Needless to say, the shades need to be drawn up, light needs to be let into this particular back list, and the spotlight needs to be turned on bright.

Chris has been through hell, and is about to become homeless. Losing that great job has left her scrambling for pennies working fast food and working temps to make ends meet. But after many months of struggling, her rent is in arrears, and the landlord is evicting her. She finally got another good paying job, but they won't let her have another couple of months to catch up the arrears. She would pray for a white knight to rescue her, but there are no such things. She learned that the hard way long, long ago.

Antonio is in a pickle. His father's will stipulates that he must marry within a year of his death or lose the huge Rodriguez fortune. It will go to a cousin, leaving Tonio and his little sister with virtually nothing. Tonio has no desire to wed...not after his one horrendous experience with love. It all boils down to marrying one of his sister's friends, and being hogtied for life to a woman he can't stand, or quickly finding an acceptable alternative. One that will last only the two years required by the will. One he can get out of, and live his life free again.

She needs a rescuer. He needs a rescuer. Fate drags them together and offers them both what they desperately need. Now, if they can only get around their extremely inaccurate assumptions about each other...

Excerpt:

At twenty-nine she wasn’t in the first bloom of youth, and despite all that crap about equal opportunity employment, she found herself fighting over scraps with busty young things fresh off the farm, scrambling to get a job until they could get that big break—and she had lost one hell of a lot of the battles. Most likely because she was unwilling to file a job app on her back in some sleazy store room.

She had managed to snag a few temps, a few fast food stints, and one or two short-term accounting jobs that had helped pay the bills and fend off bankruptcy. But the good paying, permanent job had come too late to save her this terribly embarrassing and depressing eviction.

She had managed to convince Mr. Anderson that she was far more efficient, and ten times more knowledgeable than the bevy of busty beauties applying for this particular job, so he had magnanimously given her a try, at half the salary she had been drawing with Erlinger and Dunn. But it was steady work, and the pay was better than she’d had for the past few months. If she could just have three weeks, she would have a handle on this.

Maybe she would try Mrs. Allen again in the morning. If she could only convince her to give her another month, she could catch up the back rent within a few weeks at the pay she would be getting. She drew another calming breath and decided to try again. Anything worth keeping was worth fighting for, even if it was going to be $200.00 more expensive next month. It would be terribly hard to rebuild her savings, spending another $200.00 on the rent, but what choice did she have? Of course, that was assuming that she was a good talker, and Mrs. Allen was a willing listener.

She sank down onto the bed and leaned her chin on her crossed arms. Maybe some miracle would happen to take her away from all of this. She rolled onto her back and closed her eyes. Some wildly handsome knight in shining armor, maybe, whisking her onto the back of his huge black stallion to ride off into the sunset.

Sure. Just like the last one.

She gave a groan and shook her head. There were no knights in shining armor. There were no saviors riding in and carrying the fair maiden away from a fate worse than death. Those guys had all been figments of some writer’s imagination. Lancelot and Arthur had been myths—chivalry had only been for the rich, not the poor—and if she had brought any naïve illusions out west with her at twenty three, they were all completely dispelled by now.

There would be no rescuer to save her from this mess. She had been looking for him since she was sixteen, and she was quite certain she would die an old maid because the men she had seen didn’t even come halfway up to her slowly evaporating ideal. Of course, the only men she knew were either married but looking, divorced and on the rebound—or gay.

In her age group, the pickings were pretty slim. Oh, there were plenty of opportunities to hop into the sack with someone. But she wanted more than a one-night stand. She had those in her dreams. In real life she wanted more—so much more.

She had decided several years back that she didn’t want to get involved with married men, nor was she interested in nursing a sick ego back to health for some other woman. She was doomed to remain unplucked, as it were, rotting on the frigging vine. She flushed at her naïve thoughts, and punched her pillow into submission with an angry fist.

“Wake up, stupid!” she growled. “There is no such animal as Prince Charming!”

Sleep came unwillingly, and only after a long fist fight with her uncooperative mattress and pillow. At least in her sleep Prince Charming did exist. He was a welcome visitor to her restless nights, and as she sank into weary oblivion, he was there waiting in the silken darkness to help her forget.

He was standing where she always found him. He was looking out over the rooftops toward the black, roiling ocean, with the wind blowing his dark hair across his shadowy face, his body hidden in the mists of her dream. Strange, how she never managed to actually see him. Only feel him. Sense his intensity. He turned to face her as she floated from the door of the stairwell, and the only part of his face she could see were his lips, those sinfully wicked, curving lips that did such heavenly things to her body. Why couldn’t she see him?

As always, he said nothing. Reaching out to her, he pulled her close with lean, strong hands and took her mouth savagely, needfully, hotly. His tongue was strong, hot, decadently delicious, tasting of delights she desperately wanted to know. There was heat in his kiss. Deep, sizzling heat. Devouring her. Building within her an aching hunger as his mouth and tongue left her faint and desperate for more.

His hands—oh, those marvelous, strong hands. Hands that moved slowly, decadently, torturing every place they moved, making her hot and greedy for more. Hands that cupped her barely covered breasts as he demanded everything.

He was naked. He was always naked. His smooth bronzed skin hot against hers as her own virginal white gown melted beneath his searing touch. She desperately wanted to see all that seductive, sweat-sheathed skin. She could never see his body clearly, and it was so hard and strong, so completely masculine and hot. She could not see his rippling muscles—only feel them as her own hands frantically moved over his chest and shoulders. Her palms caressed the hard nubs of masculine nipples, and when she tried to look at his body, he kissed her again, passionately, hungrily, preventing her from looking her fill.

He smiled down into her face as he held up the black cloth that he invariably wrapped around her eyes, and she shook her head. No! She wanted to see him! And then she was lost once more in the black folds of cloth as he ran his mouth down her body to her navel, his hot tongue swirling over her skin as she clutched his thick dark hair and begged him to finish this time—just once—so that she would know what it felt like. Her body was aflame, her lips trembling as she begged him to take away the cloth so that she could feast her eyes on him.

He laughed softly at her cries, ignoring her breathless need to see. His mouth moved over her trembling lips then tracked lower over her aching throat as she moaned and clung to his shoulders.

His fingertips trailed over her aching nipples, to be replaced by his hot, wet mouth suckling, teasing—his tongue swirling seductively around her breast’s puffy tip, his hot breath making the painful tightness of her nipple even more desperately unbearable.

“I want you to—oh, please—touch me! Please, let me see you,” she sobbed as her hands dragged his body closer. Oh, the enthralling feel of his body beneath her fingers—under her aching palms. Her mind swirled in a miasma of unsated passion as he laughed and moved to the other nipple, tugging it deep into his hot mouth as his hands—oh, God! Those wonderful, talented hands—cupped her breasts as he licked, nipped, and nibbled until she wanted to die of the pleasure. Don’t stop! No! Please don’t stop.

He moved downward, his lips and tongue leaving a trail of devastation in their heated wake as he slipped down her body, his hands cupping her ass and lifting her hips to press a wanton kiss above her wet coppery curls. Oh, please! Yes!

He was pressing her thighs apart—seeking, teasing—until she lifted her hips and threw her head back, panting in desperation. She felt his delicious fingertips slip into the wet, swollen cleft between her legs—felt the heat swelling—that hot, sensuous beginning of ravening passion. She felt his long, lean fingers dip and swirl over her clitoris and into her throbbing center, felt the sweet, hot torture of his mouth as he kissed her wet sex, his tongue swirling, dipping—offering paradise! Almost—there—please—oh, please—oh—yeah…

Oh, shit!

The alarm brought her up from her bed with a strangled curse. Damn him! Even in her dreams, Prince Charming was just a frigging tease! She calmed her raging pulses and closed her eyes, falling back onto her damp pillow with a groan.

How many times had she felt him in her dreams? How many times had she so nearly felt the explosion she desperately craved? Oh, yeah, he was a damned tease.

But at least he wasn’t gay.

Happy Birthday, Cassie!

2010-06-08T01:51:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Cassie!

Cassie is my DIL, and the mom of three of my grandchildren, wife to my middle child, Dave. She was sick all day on her birthday, so I thought that maybe this would perk her up a bit.

Cassie helps me review books for St. Martin's Press and others, and a voracious reader. She had taken great care of my son, my grandkids, and she feeds me well (she is a wonderful cook!). So thanks, Cassie!

Sorry you were sick all day...but we'll get that ice cream and cake in somewhere during the next couple of days.

Hugs, girl!

Fran

Almost the final day of my New Release Drawing...

2010-05-29T12:52:00.000-07:00

Final three days...

Nothing But Sex

Entries to the drawing will be cut off on May 31, 2010 at midnight.

I have gotten so many wonderful comments on this blog...but the winner will be chosen from my OTHER blog...so if you want to enter, please trot over and leave your comment on this one:
Fran Lee Writes Sensuous Romance

Just got home from my week up in the mountains, and am back to work writing again on my wips. Still waiting to hear back from my editor on my recent submission. I need to get my fanny in gear here. LOL!

Don't forget to enter the drawing....

Fran
http://www.franleeromance.com

MY NEW RELEASE is out today!

2010-05-14T01:24:00.001-07:00

Nothing but Sex

Fran Lee

Released May 14, 2010

from Ellora's Cave

A standalone story in the Cougar Challenge Series

READ EXCERPT

I have a new release contest going on right now to win a FREE copy of this book. Jog on over to my website at:
http://www.franleeromance.com
and click on the link that says "New Release Contests".
The link to the contest is there.

Now, just in case you aren't familiar with the Cougar Challenge Series, here are the books in the series up through May 2010. There are more on the way, so keep an eye out for us at the Ellora's Cave website!

Fran Lee
http://wwwfranleeromance.com

Another pal's new release...YAY!

2010-05-08T01:37:00.000-07:00

Beautiful Stranger

Katalina Leon

Lily Fontaine is a newscaster and former beauty queen, but those roles don’t suit her anymore. She’s healing from divorce and ready to make big changes in her life, but first she needs her sexual confidence back.

She wants a lover without the risk of heartbreak and considers hiring a male escort as a special treat. Her best friend offers a provocative solution to her request. On her birthday, Lily returns to New Orleans, the place of her birth, to meet a special man. She plans to fly in and fly out for a three-day weekend of cool music, great food and hot sex, with no emotional attachment and no further contact with her “escort”. She wants to pay to play—what can go wrong?

David is perfect—even if he is eleven years her junior. He’s strapping hot, intelligent and knows how to take charge. The attraction is instantaneous. With just the clothes on her back, Lily sheds her old life and follows a beautiful stranger into bayou country for the adventure of a lifetime.

An Excerpt From: BEAUTIFUL STRANGER

Chapter One

“This is Lily Fontaine signing off for the late, late edition of Channel Three News. Good night and have a beautiful tomorrow.”

The red light on the television camera dimmed. She was off the air and tomorrow was already here. It was two a.m. and technically she was two hours into her forty-third year. She was so eager to leave the television station she bolted from her chair and yanked the microphone off her jacket. It instantly tangled in her dark curls and tugged against her scalp. An exasperated breath rattled out of her. She was trapped. This was yet another small irritation meant to slow her escape. She plopped back into the chair. Her fingers fumbled to remove the mic from her hair as her gaze swept across the cavernous studio with its cold concrete floors. Her heart sank as the mic tangled further. She couldn’t imagine a more pleasureless way to spend her birthday. In a perfect world, right now she would be wrapping her thighs around a gorgeous man and enjoying a bit of fun-spirited, hot-blooded sexual recreation. That’s how she really wanted to spend her birthday. It was going to happen. She would make it happen. The fact she didn’t have a man in her life wasn’t going to stop her from realizing her birthday ambitions. She had a plan. She just needed to get out of here and get on with it.

The tangled mic wouldn’t give. A ridiculous infomercial, featuring overenthusiastic people began. She turned away from the monitors. Where did they find these easily excitable people? It was too late at night to watch that level of peppiness. The studio was uncomfortably chilly. A shiver passed through her. She drew a deep breath and let her thoughts wander.

Lying skin to skin, pinned beneath a warm, muscular body, sounded heavenly right now. She imagined how wonderful it would feel to have a man’s hands wrapped around her wrists, holding her firmly against the mattress as his strong body pressed between her thighs, demanding a hard, fast fuck. Her breath caught. Yes, please. She couldn’t wait for it to happen. She wondered, would it be more fun to surrender to a dominating and demanding lover, or would it be better to take charge and treat the man as if he were a love slave eager to fulfill her every desire? Every selfish desire.

She had so many untested desires. Where would she start? Part of her craved the power of being in control and setting the pace, but another equally strong part of her soul longed for the bittersweet taste of submission. Which one was for her? What did her heart truly want? Her mind blanked. Her lips parted as she stared into space. It was a hard question to answer. They both sounded good. She would be delighted to explore either scenario. Her head spun from the possibilities. She actually hadn’t tried it either way and really didn’t know which she would end up preferring, but she would find out soon enough. Sex purely for fun. Experimentation and adventure were the new marching orders. Now that her libido had finally kicked into high gear, where would exploration start in the mysterious and uncharted realm of sexual freedom?

Her fingers tried to untangle the mic from a different angle but it didn’t work, she was thoroughly ensnared. She could hardly wait to get out of here and enjoy a little male attention, ending a long, sad, self-imposed sexual drought. She knew guilt-free sex for pleasure’s sake would be the perfect birthday present. No decorative wrapping or bows necessary. She’d take her birthday gift in his birthday suit, thank you. Her mind was made up. All she needed now was one interesting man who could keep a secret.

She closed her tired eyes to give them a moment’s rest. Her fingers fumbled blindly with the mic. The knot got worse. She tried to be patient as she reminded herself fun and freedom were just hours away. A slight smile crossed her lips as she mentally patted herself on the back for being decisive and allowing herself a forbidden taste of carnal indulgence. It had taken weeks to work up the nerve to go through with it. The hardest part had been granting herself permission to even consider it. The last crucial step was mustering the courage to make the call, and today she was more than ready to call.

Loads of new releases for my pals...

2010-05-05T23:50:00.001-07:00

I will show one each day for the next week...

Drilled

Regina Carlysle

A standalone novel in the Cougar Challenge Series

An Excerpt From: DRILLED

Chapter One

A bet was a bet!

Damn it!

Whatever had possessed her to jump on the Cougar Challenge bandwagon and pledge to snare a hot, young stud? Knowing she only had the alcohol and a lack of common sense to blame, Loralee Donovan, plain old Lori to her friends, looked around her grandparents’ old house and considered what her life would be like living out here in no man’s land. Not a hot, eligible young stud muffin within a twenty-mile radius, she figured. She’d only been here a few days and already the thought of the work facing her made her forty-one-year-old bones ache like hell. Boxes were stacked everywhere waiting for her to begin unpacking and then she faced the daunting challenge of getting on with her life after the divorce. Just thinking about what Grant had done to her made her want to cuss. Jackass!

Sighing deeply, she trudged into the old-fashioned kitchen and poured herself a cup of coffee before heading into the dining room to boot up her laptop. Time to check in with the other cougars. They’d met a few short months ago at an erotic reader and writers convention and they’d instantly clicked, each vowing over drinks in the bar to stop wallowing in misery and reach out for the hot, younger man of her dreams. Seven of them had already taken the plunge and now it was her turn.

Shit!

Feeling none too confident, she signed into the cougar blog they shared to exchange news, confidences, and advice.

Hey, ya’ll! How are my fellow cougars and champion margarita drinkers? Wanted to let you know that I finally made it back to Sandy Creek and I’ve settled into my grandparents’ old place. Lordy! You should see it. The Permian basin in west Texas sure as hell wouldn’t be featured in any travel brochures let me tell ya! Remember that movie “Giant” when young Rock brings young Liz to her new Texas home? The look of fear and wonder on her face? Talk about a flashback. The old Victorian sets smack-dab in the middle of acres of nothing. Dirt everywhere and winds that blow like a storm from hell every day and every night. Think desolate. But hey, what can I say, I’m home. Siiiigh. When I was a teenager, I couldn’t wait to shake the dust of this place off and have a great adventure. Now a little over two decades and a nasty divorce later, here I am back where I started. Don’t know whether to laugh or bawl like a baby. Starting over is never easy and now, on top of it all, I promised to snare and seduce some young stud. Why did ya’ll let me drink so much and can I get OUT of THIS? LOL. I’ve already talked to Autumn and she says no way in hell am I allowed to back out at this point. Crap. Looks like I’m stuck. So once I get settled in, this cougar is going hunting. Wish me luck.

Lori hit the publish button, tempted to bang her forehead on the keyboard. What had she gotten herself into? Well, if nothing else, she was a woman of her word and a deal was a deal. If she was to fulfill her promise, take the challenge, she had to find a younger guy, screw him silly and rediscover that wicked, naughty woman she’d once been. Could she do it? Here? The very notion made her laugh and shake her head. No way. Sandy Creek was one of those lonely little towns populated by the geriatric crowd and young families who barely scratched out a living on these desolate plains. It was the epitome of small town Texas and she very much doubted there was a bevy of young hunky studs just waiting to jump her forty-one-year-old bones. Laughable.

Before she could turn off the computer an IM box popped up on her screen. Autumn. Perfect timing as always.

Autumn: Hey chick! Did you get moved in?

Lori: Barely. Lordy, this place needs work. I’ve been back a couple of days. Currently staring at a bunch of unpacked boxes. How are you?

Autumn: Great! Couldn’t be happier. Can’t wait for you to meet Mitch. HA. The man rings all my bells and then some. Think you can come for a visit in a few weeks?

Lori: Damn! Lucky you! I’d love to come for a weekend but I just don’t know. There is so much to do here. Grandpa kind of let the place get run down after Grandma died. God, I miss him. Both of them. Anyway, when they left me the place, I was touched but I knew it was a real fixer-upper.

Autumn: Good luck with that. Okay, gotta ask. Are you ready to do it? The challenge?

Lori: Well, about that, hmm, yeah, I reckon so but I have a lot on my plate right now. First there’s the place and then I have to get a handle on all the stuff Grandpa had going on before he died.

Autumn: What stuff?

Lori: Looks like I’m sitting on a whole boatload of crude. Grandpa leased the land to a petroleum company and pump jacks are all over the place. Damn things look like a bunch of skeletons stretching off into the horizon.

Autumn: Wow, lots of money in that black stuff.

Lori: Don’t I know it. Need to check things out with all of this. I stand to earn a percentage of every barrel of oil they bring in so I need to stay on top of things. Oops. Phone. Gotta run. Talk to you later.

Rushing to the phone, she grabbed it up and breathlessly said hello.

“Mrs. Donovan?”

“Yes.”

“This is Jackson Blue of Blue Petroleum and Drilling. Did I catch you at a bad time?”

Damn but the man had a voice like dark, melted chocolate. Rich, slow and with a bit of an edge. Kind of like good sex. She settled in on the couch and tucked the phone against her face. “No, I’m still up. Um, I’ve been meaning to get out to the site. I’m behind. Sorry.”

His laughter was low and deep. Dear sweet heaven! The sound moved through her center to settle in the pit of her belly. Her pussy quivered just a little. Um. What the hell was wrong with her? Was she so desperate for the touch of a man that even a voice on the phone could turn her on? Pathetic. Yes, she was pathetic. He sounded young but there was no way to know for sure. “Some of the fellas said you’d taken possession of the house and I just wanted to give you awhile to settle in. I have some papers for you to sign to transfer the royalties over. Think you or your husband could meet me sometime tomorrow?”

Lori closed her eyes wishing he’d just keep talking forever. “I’m not married. Divorced.”

There was a pause over the line. “Ah, okay, that’s fine, Ms. Donovan.”

“Lori, please.”

“Sure, Lori. Tomorrow then? Want me to come by the house?”

She thought about the mess, the boxes, and shook her head though she knew he couldn’t see. Jeez! Dumb. “No, let me come out there. I’m dying to get a look at everything.”

Oh yeah! She’d crawl through gravel to get a look at the man behind that sexy come-fuck-me voice.

Jackson Blue laughed again. “Not a hell of a lot to see but, yeah, come on by. We’re drilling about half a mile south of the house. Can’t miss us.”

“I’ll be there with bells on.”

“Better make that boots. This is rattlesnake heaven out here.”

“Damn! I didn’t think about that.” Lori laughed and shivered simultaneously. “Snakes. It’s been a long time since I’ve lived out here. How could I have forgotten?”

There was another short pause. “I didn’t know you used to live here.”

“A long time ago, yes. My grandparents raised me but then I moved to Dallas after I married.”

“Must feel pretty weird to be back,” he said. “Coming from the Metroplex to the boonies is a flat-out culture shock.”

Laughter bubbled up. “You couldn’t be more right about that but honestly? A little solitude right now won’t hurt me a bit.”

Jackson’s voice came low and soothing. “That can get pretty lonely though. You know, all that solitude.”

She sighed, enjoying the conversation, enjoying him. “Guess I’ll find out. Ah heck, maybe I’ll hit Smoky Joe’s one night and join the land of the living.”

“Hey, that’s not a bad little honky tonk. I’ve been there a time or two since we rolled into town.”

“Best dance floor east of Midland.”

“So they tell me. Maybe we could head out there for a drink one evening? There’s not a lot in the way of entertainment around here and I get sick of hanging with the guys all the time.” He chuckled. “Could use some civilized company.”

“Who says I’m civilized?”

Lori wanted to bite her damn tongue off. Where in the hell had that flirty comment come from? She didn’t know a damn thing about this guy. He was just a smokin’ hot and dead sexy voice on the other end of the line.

Jackson only laughed. “A real wild woman, huh? This is sounding better and better. I can’t wait to meet you, Lori. Tomorrow then?”

“Yeah, see you then.” When they’d disconnected, she groaned as embarrassed heat climbed over her body. She’d really stepped in it this time.

Coming on May 14, 2010...

2010-04-17T20:06:00.000-07:00

Nothing but Sex

Fran Lee

Blurb:

A standalone story in the Cougar Challenge Series.

Mike Running Elk is the hottest thing ever to don tight jeans and a second-skin t-shirt…and he has no problem seeing himself in the role of lover. In fact, if he can just get the hot-as-hell woman to realize he’s plenty old enough to ring her bells, he plans to do more than just clean her barn and mow her grass. He’s waited for her long enough.

When her Saturday helper appears at her door with an injured hand, Lee can’t pull her eyes off his naked, ripped chest. And from her heated gaze, Mike can’t believe she’s as oblivious as she acts. The ice has been broken and he intends to heat things up even more…

An Excerpt From: NOTHING BUT SEX

Mike swore foully as he caught his glove on one of the murderously long barbs on the roll of wire fencing that he was trying to move and he tugged his leather work glove off to find that the barb had made it through to his palm. He shook his head and shoved his hair back from his face with his other hand before he tugged his unused handkerchief from his back pocket and wrapped it around his hand, which did very little to staunch the flow of blood. Swearing at his own clumsiness, he headed across the wide work yard to the back porch and stepped inside, knocking on the inside screen door.

She appeared from the archway to the living room, her face pink and her lower lip caught between her teeth as she caught sight of him and he realized that he hadn’t bothered to pull his damn shirt back on. He saw the way her eyes darkened as they slid over his body and he felt a shot of anticipation run from his gut to his cock. Her lips were full. Her eyes were smoky blue. A small vein throbbed in her throat. And it struck him forcibly that she most certainly was as aware of him as he was of her.

But before he could wrap his mind around her reaction to him, she was hurrying up the stairs to the bathroom and he was following, his appreciative eyes on the lush swell of her generous, gorgeous ass as he held the tea towel she'd just given him tightly to his bleeding hand. Sweet Jesus, but he loved her ass. He had loved it ever since he’d first seen her, when he was just eighteen, and he had asked her if he could do some odd jobs around the place to make some cash every week. Right after his dad had died. Watching her walk around in tight jeans had made him forget a lot of the pain in his life back then.

She filled a pair of jeans like they’d been poured onto her. His mouth watered and his cock grew impossibly harder. Even the stinging pain in his hand couldn’t distract his attention from that ass.

As she entered the bathroom and stretched up to the shelf above the toilet to lift down the first-aid kit, he almost whimpered. Was she trying to kill him? If she didn’t stop wiggling around, he was gonna blow.

“I can handle it from here,” he grated as she opened the box and started to take the soaked tea towel out of his grip. But she shoved his free hand away and gently placed his hand in the sink, rinsing it with icy-cold tap water that nearly made him yell at the pain. He stared down at her bent head as she probed and cleaned the wound and each time her body brushed his, he almost lost it.

He lost track of what was happening with his hand as every drop of blood in his body raged into his groin, threatening to explode. Maybe that was a good thing, because his hand might stop bleeding.

“I still think we need to get you to the clinic and get this stitched. It’s way too jagged to heal right, and it’s still bleeding.”

Her words were lost in the hot muddle of his emotions and body. But when she looked up into his face, he forced himself to pay attention. “Hold this clean towel in your palm. Press it tight. I’ll get my car keys.”

If you would like to win a FREE copy of this book, follow the instructions on my website:
http://www.franleeromance.com

Nudity...what's your take on going bare?

2010-04-07T21:11:00.001-07:00

Nudity?

If I had a guy running around next door in front of his windows in the bare nekkid buff, I would likely not survive. Or he might not survive...whatever.

Oh, there was a time when I ran around stark nekkid in my house...like when I ran out of laundry and had to wash a load in order to find clean skivvies. But I looked a bit different back then. If I did that now, I'd most likely end up terrorizing the meter reader who glances into the back window every now and then and waves.

In the summer, I sometimes sleep in the buff. Fresh sheets feel so cool and inviting against bare skin.

And I ALWAYS shower nude. You know...until I started undressing to shower, I had so much more laundry to do!

How do you feel about nudity? Do you feel comfy running around in the buff? Come on...admit it.

Fran

I'm officially a Cougar...LOL!

2010-03-24T23:44:00.001-07:00

Nope...I haven't seduced a hot younger man like the 50+ year old hottie to your left...

But I have gotten contracted for my Cougar Challenge Series novella over at Ellora's Cave!

Mine will be titled "Nothing But Sex".

MMMMM....

Now...I know that a "cougar" is a woman in her 40's who is hot for a guy at least 10 years younger...but I'm w-a-a-a-y over 40...and the guy that rings my bells is w-a-a-a-y more than 10 years my junior (run Bobby K! Run like the wind!) so what does that make me? Never mind...I don't want to know.

I dare say that makes me a dirty old lady! Or worse...a genuine bonafide cradle-robber! Yum!

Any suggestions?

Fran