Gratitude and Romantic Sassitude

From BonzaSheila, Legendary Lovers~ http://bonzasheila.com/stories/hepburntracy.html ~
In 1942, Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy co-starred in Woman of The Year, the first of nine films they would make together and the beginning of a romance that would become legendary.

Gratitude... tis’ the season to take a look at what we’re most grateful for. I’ll admit this year has been challenging in that respect, for me. Yes, I am thankful for every good thing that’s come my way, for my family, my friends, my author buddies, and my doggies.
Living on the tame prairie as I call it, is a daily blessing. Just to look out at the land, the glorious softly rolling grassland lined with trees, to see the amazing and inspiring sunsets, to catch glimpses of the wild critters and watch the birds fly and live their lives... it is sustenance for the soul.
One day, several weeks ago, the early morning sunlight slanted across the trees when their leaves had changed to a lovely autumn yellow and the scene was gold. A golden radiance haloed the trees along one long fenceline. I stared, my breath taken away, my soul soaring.
This year, I had four books e-published and now two of them are in print. Smiles of gratitude are definitely on my face. Actually, I’m even more grateful to have written the stories, given I always fall in love with my heroines and heroes.

Sassitude, a word I thought of today, to describe my heroines. Though, I’m certain it’s being used by others, as well. I haven’t seen it, but the word’s a natural, given there’s kick-assitude and other variants.

Romantic purring sassitude, that’s my black cat girl, Sable, the heroine of BLACK CAT BEAUTY, released in January. The novella is written in her POV and living inside her seductive shifter skin was an absolute trip.
I’d love to have the time to write more of Sable Kiki’s story. I’m thinking... maybe... Black Cat Magic or Black Cat Friday for the title. Realistically, though, I’m so overwhelmed... well a feline-natured author can dream...

R-Snippet from BLACK CAT BEAUTY ~

Sable flipped her ear forward, noticing Devon Zant had halted high on the stairway, his attention clearly on the “accident” commotion. Although concealed by shadow, the bold strength of his physique could easily be seen. His dark shirt and pants skimmed his superbly muscled body as if the materials had been poured over him.

“Every inch the superhero,” Sable whispered, wondering how he would look flying on screen as the son of Super Ace. She hadn’t bothered with the movie trailer or the website. Especially since she’d only learned about the assignment late yesterday afternoon. A catnap in the sun had seemed much more enjoyable.

“Of course, I haven’t viewed those meaty ‘inches’ yet. So who knows if his cock is supercharged and heroic in action?” Sauntering unimpeded to the stairs, Sable briefly scanned her surroundings. Evidently Mr. Rising Superstar didn’t require beefy cow muscle to protect him ... just PETA to protect him from wandering pussycats. Maybe I should offer him personal protection from all pussies ... if he’s worthy.

Once she placed her foot, encased in the supple black leather of her sleek shoe, on the first step, his gaze fastened on her. Slowly she smiled at him. She lingered her Mae West smile on him as she provocatively swayed up the stairs.
~~~

Also released in January was MURDER BY HAIR SPRAY IN GARDENIA, NEW ATLANTIS, a finalist in the Romantic Times/Dorchester American Title IV contest. This story rose like a tidal wave from my soul and hasn’t stopped yet. I have the next book in the New Atlantis Trilogy partially written... again, all I need is time, energy and my Atlantean muse. Oh, and luck... and everything else an author needs to complete a manuscript.

*Good luck to all of us authors getting our manuscripts finished and polished!*

Yep, romantic independent sassitude, that’s my heroine, Sheriff Kalypso Sun Wing. Nope, I can’t resist that kind of tension between a woman and a man. She’s her own woman and he’s determined she belongs to him. Blame it on those Katherine Hepburn/Spencer Tracy movies I grew up on, and adored.

R-Snippet from MURDER BY HAIR SPRAY IN GARDENIA, NEW ATLANTIS

Kalypso whipped around. "Get your equipment up, stud dog, for these."

"Not worn long," he stated, watching his vid scan. "And not worn by our victim. Must be one of your citizens. She's not showing up on my ID. I can analyze her gene material, give you a profile, unless that's contrary to your sovereignty, Sheriff gorgeous. By the way, no underwear, anywhere." He fastened his gaze on her. "You're not wearing any."

"Don't like it." Kalypso averted her face, and twisted the corner of her mouth. Men! "Except on special occasions," she added for affect. "Give me a profile on our red lace gal. My prerogative as Sheriff of our fair land and town."

"I like it. That you're not wearing any...underwear. It'll take a few minutes. I have to use the central program."

"Really don't care what you like. And don't like," Kalypso grouched. "Anything else you want to investigate here?" She shoved past his great hulking frame, and breathed in the air of freedom, from him, even if it still reeked of hair spray.

"Feeling trapped by our ferocious attraction?" Zryphus sauntered toward her, his gaze locked on the vid.

"If I have to personally tromp through hell, I'm finding the killer just so I don't have to be around you!"

Zryphus raised one dark ruthless brow, then both brows. "If I were the killer I'd be quaking in my killer boots...my killer shoes, or my killer bare feet."

"Is that the diabolical plan? Make me hate you so much, I'll do whatever I have to do to get the killer, despite my duty to the sovereignty of New Atlantis?"

"No, the deviant diabolical plan is to trap you in my bed, take advantage of every carnal thrill with that exceptional and sweet body of yours."

"Disgusting doesn't cover it!" Kalypso marched toward the door.
~~~~~~

STALLION OF ASH AND FLAME is my latest release. It’s the first story I’ve ever written only from the hero’s POV. That was a trip and a half, trying my best to think in ‘manly’ terms and, at the same time, think and feel like a stallion, since Trail is a stallion shapeshifter, and more. He’s not from this Earth.
Romantic cautious sassitude, that’s my heroine, Seneca. She’s been burned by love many times and only hires Trail because she desperately needs help with her horse ranch.

R-Snippet from STALLION OF ASH AND FLAME

Before she opened the door entirely, Seneca peeked around the edge. The glisten of her bright sky eyes galloped over him. Recognizing him, she opened the door, her gaze meeting his without an ounce of pretense. Still, speculation flickered in their depths. Trail had decided a long time ago her eyes were a type of magic he wanted to explore. However, that could not be his destiny.

“Howdy, Seneca. I’m looking for a job. Mandy saw your ad for a hired hand until your brother can get back on his feet again. I’m applyin’.” He tried a small grin that he hoped looked more friendly than saying, “I want to grab your fine round ass and plunder your mouth until you melt against me.”

“Trail, is it?” She stepped outside, letting the door slam closed. Raising her chin, she eyed him almost fiercely and crossed her arms beneath her plump perky breasts. Hell, she rarely wore a bra, and now her nipples poked her flannel shirt, he knew not for him. The morning chill hadn’t been dispelled by the sun’s ferocious heat yet.

“Yes, ma’am. That’s my handle.”

“Why Trail?” Her tone interrogated him, even though her brows raised revealing her curiosity.

“End of the ” He paused, hoping for an amused glint in her eyes. Nothing. “As in, end of the trail.” Still nothing. “This is where I make my home, end-of-the-trail,” he added.

Trail had the wild urge to grab off his hat and finger the brim nervously like he’d seen in the old western movies he’d watched over and over. Yep, a filly like her would sooner kick his flanks, then race past him. That is, unless he minded his manners.

“Oh.”

Her voluptuous dark pink lips formed an O. Trail caught himself wondering if she would respond to him like Maureen O’Hara had to John Wayne when he’d hauled her over his lap and given her ass a good blistering. Or when he’d seized her against him and forced a kiss on her fighting lips.
~~~~~~

Have a Wonderful Thanksgiving...
May your most romantic dreams come true...

Savanna

Savanna Kougar

~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
~~~~~~
~~~ Sable & Devon invite you to read their love story ~ will a black cat girl find happiness with a superhero? ~~~

BLACK CAT BEAUTY ... She has the claws and the cattitude to prove it... He has the super-powered strength and passion she fights, but needs... *4.5* Top Pick from Night Owl Romance Reviews ~ available from Liquid Silver Books ~ http://liquidsilverbooks.com ~ http://www.liquidsilverbooks.com/books/blackcatbeauty.htm ~ ISBN: 978-1-59578-507-7
~~~~~~
~~~ Kalypso & Zryphus invite you to read their love story ~ a match made in intergalactic heaven ~~~

MURDER BY HAIR SPRAY IN GARDENIA, NEW ATLANTIS ~ 2051 suspense futuristic, erotic romance ~ American Title IV finalist ~ One hundred years later Sheriff Kalypso despises relationships. Zryphus has found his one woman. The Battle of the Sexes begins. *4* Blue Ribbons from Romance Junkies ~ Rising from Siren-BookStrand ~ the future begins here... ~ IN PRINT ~ http://bookstrand.com/authors/savannakougar ~ ISBN: 1606011472
~~~~~~
Trail and Seneca invite you to read their love story ~
STALLION OF ASH AND FLAME ~ Available from Siren-BookStrand ~ A man-stallion of ash and flame on a mission to save his world’s Earth portal must save his Mate, a human woman forbidden to him ~ http://bookstrand.com/product-stallionofashandflame-15601-192.html ~ ISBN: 1606015931

The Romance of Trail and Seneca

Tomorrow, Thursday, September 24th, is the release day for my erotic romance novel, STALLION OF ASH AND FLAME, from Siren-BookStrand.
Yep, I’m galloping with excitement.
If you can’t tell by the title and cover, my hero, Trail, is a stallion shapeshifter. The story is also told from his viewpoint because he arrived before my mind’s eye more than ready to talk.
This is a story I fell in love with by degrees. For me, as a writer, often it’s magical love at first sight with no lessening of that feeling as I pen away. In this case, the more I’ve worked with Trail and Seneca and on the plot, the more my love grew. This happened throughout the writerly process, including the final line edits.
~~~
Since I haven’t gotten a clear picture of what excerpts to use for STALLION, I’ll just start at the beginning of the story, an r-rated excerpt I think.

First, here’s the blurb ~

Drojovv Zyan of the V’Trailuc Realm is a man-stallion of ash and flame on a mission to save his world’s crucial Earth portal from the fires ravaging the National Forest surrounding it. Pretending to be the tracker, Trail, he settles in a small southeastern Arizona town. When he gets an eyeful of the beautiful ranch owner, Seneca, he stud lusts after the Earth human, a woman he’s not supposed to take as his Mate.

Trail leaves her alone until her brother is in a bad motorcycle accident and she needs a hired hand. Soon both of them are threatened by a whole horde of enemies. At all costs Trail must protect her. His world depends on it, her world depends on it. And his heart comes to depend on it.
~~~~~~

Chapter One ~ Her Hired Hand

Southeast corner of Arizona, Spring 2009

Trail rapped his knuckles on the splintery wood of the ranch house’s front door and made a mental note to replace it. The instant Seneca moved to answer, he gathered her fragrance into his nostrils, then let the blazing rose and gingery spice of her womanly flesh course through him. He suppressed his urge to breathe in her scent more fully. He’d decided to help her and, at the same time, make his cover on Earth look real.

Trail had admired Seneca from afar, mainly at the Saturday night dances in town. Despite the raging bulge of his cock every time he did catch sight of her, he knew she was not a woman to give a man a one-night tumble, so he’d always respected her aloofness toward him.

Even now, his balls ached to give her a mounting she’d always remember. One that would make her call out his name, his real name, Drojovv. One that would make her summon him when he ran as stallion, the way of lovers in his realm.

His was an equine shifter world more advanced in technology than present-day Earth. Since the time of Deluge, after the catastrophic sinking of Atlantis, Earth and his planet-world had been connected by a portal, many of them now. The first portal had been created by renegade Atlantean scientists looking for other worlds to inhabit.

Down, stud, he commanded himself. You’re only here to help a mare in need.

Before she opened the door entirely, Seneca peeked around the edge. The glisten of her bright sky eyes galloped over him. Recognizing him, she opened the door, her gaze meeting his without an ounce of pretense. Still, speculation flickered in their depths. Trail had decided a long time ago her eyes were a type of magic he wanted to explore. However, that could not be his destiny.

“Howdy, Seneca. I’m looking for a job. Mandy saw your ad for a hired hand until your brother can get back on his feet again. I’m applyin’.” He tried a small grin that he hoped looked more friendly than saying, “I want to grab your fine round ass and plunder your mouth until you melt against me.”

“Trail, is it?” She stepped outside, letting the door slam closed. Raising her chin, she eyed him almost fiercely and crossed her arms beneath her plump perky breasts. Hell, she rarely wore a bra, and now her nipples poked her flannel shirt, he knew not for him. The morning chill hadn’t been dispelled by the sun’s ferocious heat yet.

“Yes, ma’am. That’s my handle.”

“Why Trail?” Her tone interrogated him, even though her brows raised revealing her curiosity.

“End of the--” He paused, hoping for an amused glint in her eyes. Nothing. “As in, end of the trail.” Still nothing. “This is where I make my home, end-of-the-trail,” he added.

Trail had the wild urge to grab off his hat and finger the brim nervously like he’d seen in the old western movies he’d watched over and over. Yep, a filly like her would sooner kick his flanks, then race past him. That is, unless he minded his manners.

“Oh.”

Her voluptuous dark pink lips formed an O. Trail caught himself wondering if she would respond to him like Maureen O’Hara had to John Wayne when he’d hauled her over his lap and given her ass a good blistering. Or when he’d seized her against him and forced a kiss on her fighting lips.

Stop, he warned himself. Stop thinking like that.

“Well, if Mandy thinks you’re okay, it might work. Are you two an item now? Last I knew she was pining hard for Rick.”

Trail watched her become aware she chatted friendly-like with him. She halted, searching his face. Dominant little mare, he thought, with that stubborn chin and that fiery gleam in her eyes. Yep, she’d nip his withers as soon as look at him.

“Nope, we’re just coffee-drinking buddies. Mandy is still chasin’ after Rick. My bet is she’ll get him roped real soon.”

Seneca nodded, her loose hair taking on a life of its own. He swallowed, watching the long smooth strands of coppery red dance in a lazy rhythm.
~~~~~~

Have a Wonderful and Wild Autumn...
May your most romantic dreams come true...

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
~~~

STALLION OF ASH AND FLAME ~ coming from Siren-BookStrand, September 24th ~ A man-stallion of ash and flame on a mission to save his world’s Earth portal must save his Mate, a human woman forbidden to him ~ http://bookstrand.com/product-stallionofashandflame-15601-192.html ~

Romancing my Stallion of Ash and Flame

Excitement down to my toesies, everyone, and some happy dancing or in my case, just bouncing up and down. My erotic romance novel, STALLION OF ASH AND FLAME is being published by Siren-BookStrand with an e-pub date of November 2009 and a print date of April 2010.
This is my very first story written only from the male POV. I so hope readers enjoy it.

Here’s the rough blurbie ~

Drojovv Zyan of the V’Trailuc Realm is a man-stallion of ash and flame on a mission to save his world’s crucial Earth portal from the fires ravaging the National Forest surrounding it. Pretending to be the tracker, Trail, he settles in a small southeastern Arizona town. When he gets an eyeful of the beautiful ranch owner, Seneca, he stud lusts after the Earth human, a woman he’s not supposed to take as his Mate.
Trail leaves her alone until her brother is in a bad motorcycle accident and she needs a hired hand. Soon both of them are threatened by a whole horde of enemies. At all costs Trail must protect her. His world depends on it, her world depends on it. And his heart comes to depend on it.

Plus! I’m also participating in a summer scavenger hunt contest.

Big Cats, Hunt up some Sexy Summer Reading!
It’s that contest time of year, my lusciously lovely KitKats... 33 authors have joined together to hand out 33 prizes!!! Simply find the Sexy Summer Reading button on each of their sites and paste it into the entry form found at ~ http://contestlove.com/ssreadingentry ~
More details, links to the authors home pages and rules for the contest are all listed at ~ http://contestlove.com/ssreadingentry ~

So go on the prowl and pounce on some Sexy Summer Reading!

Purrs... BLACK CAT BEAUTY is one of the prizes.
~~~~~~
Blurb ~

A private Halloween party in a gothic mansion hidden in the Hollywood Hills. Add one party crasher, Sable Kiki, a naughty black cat with a sexy wild human side.
Her covert assignment from her devious, always-cunning father: use her seductive wiles to find out the truth from Devon Zant, a movie star on the rise to super stardom.
Posing as the superhero actor, Devon Zant, D’Torr has arrived on Earth seeking revenge for the capture of his younger brother, and to assist in stopping a powerful enemy.
The leviathan warfleet of the Altirrux wants rule of all intergalactic trade routes to Earth, endangering the survival of D’Torr’s race, and all the inhabitants of the rare blue jewel, Earth.
~~~~~~

HAVE A WONDERFUL SUMMER

~ MAY ALL YOUR READING DREAMS COME TRUE ~

Savanna Kougar

~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~

Author of ~
All Shades of Blue Paradise
Red Lioness Tamed
When a Good Angel Falls
Tangerine Carnal Dreams
Murder by Hair Spray in Gardenia, New Atlantis
Black Cat Beauty

Western Erotic Romance ~ Or Lasso Me, Cowboy

Belly up the bar, ladies, this is a sweet and sexy tale of old meets new, or how trends in our culture recycle themselves. Or how you just can’t keep a good cowgirl down, not one who wants her own special cowboy to ride hard and put away wet.
Yep, lasso me, cowboy, I’m ready and willin’ to be yours. That’s one of the newest trends in erotic romance.
Within the past year, to my notice, alpha-hero cowboys have become hot property in most of the erotic romance subgenres. Happily, some readers can’t get enough these tough, but mushy hearted ~ *do-anything-for-their-woman* ~ *fast with a gun and a cocky grin* men ~ a good thing because I want to write my own stories and live the Western Erotic Romance adventure.
I’ve had so many swoony-heart crushes on TV-show cowboy heroes growing up, I’d hesitate to name them all here, space being at a premium. Suffice it to say, there has never been a lack of inspiration, whether it’s Roy Rogers, Bonanza or James West of Wild, Wild West ~ and of course, two of my absolute favorites, The Lone Ranger and Zorro (blog coming soon).
Oh soar-my-heart, yes, I confess, I do adore a man who can ride a horse really well... yeehaw!
Yep, the Westerns of yesteryear have met today’s erotic romance, and it’s a marriage made in absolute big-sky heaven.
Contemporary sexy-hunk cowboys are at home on the range, on a modern dude ranch, riding in the rodeo, enjoying the high life of Las Vegas, or residing in the marrying town of Wayback, Texas, a popular series put out by The Wild Rose Press.
Cowboys are also dark, tall and deadly vampires, who know how to make love with one bite. They are alpha-dangerous werewolves who know how to seduce a woman to every pleasure.
Yep, make-me-wanna-ride cowboys come in every species of shapeshifter ~ Big Cats like tawny cougars and stallion shifters like my hero, Trail Drojovv, in my WIP ~ Stallion of Ash and Flame ~ He alters into his horse form to save the heroine, Seneca, in this scene-snippet.

“No!” He heard her scream, trying to protect him from the Sheriff’s bullets.
Seeing through his blood-red rage, he snaked his neck. His teeth trapped the Sheriff’s forearm, and he crunched down, then ruthlessly twisted. The gun flew out of Pork Belly’s grip. He grimaced with excruciating pain, and grunted, not yelling because shock had him in its grip. Drojovv head-butted him against the side of the car. Rearing, he attacked with his hooves, pummeling his chest and shoulders until he was utterly cowed.
Wild with the need to make certain his Mate would never be harmed, Drojovv flailed his hooves around the Sheriff’s upper torso. Both car windows shattered.
~~~~~~
Recently, I purchased the historical western erotic romance, INTIMATE STRANGERS by Gem Sivad, because I’m impressed with the powerful realism of the excerpts I’ve read.
Instantly, I’m transported back to that time in the Old West, and I’m living the love story of Lucy and Ambrose as they live it. Nothing better than that. I can’t wait until I get some time to read it, so I can lose myself in the type of western I’ve always wanted to read.

Here’s a scene Gem kindly sent me with her intro ~
~~~
Back on the Double-Q with her husband, Lucy has no memory of him. Ambrose is determined that she will once again be his wife, memory or not (and maybe it would be better if she didn’t remember their sad marriage of before.)
~~~
Whenever he could, more often than not, Ambrose Quince came in from the ranch work and washed up on the back porch before sitting down in the kitchen with a cup of coffee to watch her cook.

It irritated her to step around him as he cluttered up her work space. She only tolerated his being in the way because Brody was delighted that her pa was visiting them each afternoon.

Lucy was not. Each time she softened her voice, controlling her need to slap Brody’s father or chase him from the kitchen with a broom, she did so to ingratiate herself with her daughter. And he knew it.

“Mr. Quince, are you watching for mistakes or looking for my flaws?” Her voice was sharp this afternoon as she tried to erect a barrier of words between them. It was usually unnecessary with Brody talking a mile a minute, but Alex had lured his sister to the barn to help with an orphaned calf, abandoning Lucy to the unwanted attentions of her husband.

“Neither, Mrs. Quince,” he drawled after frowning over her formal address. “I’m just wondering how many fellas came courtin’ after they ate their first Lucy-cooked meal?”

The question was meant to be teasing, but came out as more of a possessive growl. Lucy let her voice convey the full measure of her dislike of him, relieved that for once, she had no reason to pretend.

“One,” she declared grimly, watching sham curiosity change to jealousy. “But after I shot off half his ear, the traffic from the dining room trickled down to just Roberta.”

Ambrose settled deeper in his chair facing her, as though preparing to withstand the siege if she pulled out one of her weapons and started slinging lead at him. He didn’t bother to hide his gratification at her answer and ventured another question.

“Got any sugar for me today?” Brody made sure they had a treat waiting for him every afternoon. Cinnamon rolls left from breakfast, apple pie made for supper, johnnycake and beans when he came in roaring hungry and needed a tide-me-over.

Suddenly, Lucy wanted him out of her kitchen. She wanted the innuendoes and sly comments stopped.

“What do you mean by that, sir?” She could feel the flush of outrage heating her cheeks as she glared at him. It was the way he said sugar—it just made her want to scream at him. The fierce heat in his glance was at odds with his bland demeanor.

He shrugged answering, “Just hoping for some of your hidden delights, sweetheart.” His face was inscrutable, but his lip did that little twitch that Lucy had come to realize concealed his humor.

She slapped a withered apple in front of him, the last of the dried bunch Brody had supplied. “This will have to do. I’ve got nothing else to offer.”

His look made her tense and uneasy. When he stood and walked toward her, she backed against the counter, frightened by his sudden approach. But he reached past her shoulder and pulled out the slab of chocolate cake Brody had secreted away for him.

“I figured you’d forgotten something you had saved back just for me.” His chest brushed closer to her shoulder than was needed, and he leaned over her closer than necessary. Head even with hers, resting one hand on her back as he retrieved the cake slice, he inhaled deeply. “My God, I’ve missed that smell.”

Rattled at his proximity, Lucy demanded defensively, “What smell?”

Ambrose paused, bending closer to her neck to breathe deeply. “…Salt … Sugar …
Cinnamon…”

“I thought you said I didn’t cook before. Did you hang your nose over the shoulder of somebody else who quit?”

He stopped to consider, almost brushing his lips against her neck before he continued, “No other cooks, no other women. I guess I must be remembering you … the scent of Lucy Quince. That’s what I’ve missed, the smell of my woman.”

The words made her gasp, and she was unpleasantly aware of a tightening in her chest and her nipples pebbling beneath the rough material of her dress. Her breath heaved in and out, fighting some wild passion that made her want to—She looked around for something to hit him with.
~~~

INTIMATE STRANGERS is available at Liquid Silver Books where you can read the first chapter.
~~~~~~

If you have a hankerin’ for those drool-worthy cowboys, they’re just waiting to show you a real good time at epublishers like Siren-BookStrand, where western erotic romance is flourishing big as the Montana sky.

Happy Romantic Trails
May your most romantic dreams come true...

Savanna Kougar

~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~