Red Sage Revealed

The Repressed Sexuality of Victorian England

2009-07-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

By Leigh Court

Queen Victoria had nine children, so let’s face it -- she obviously knew a thing or two about sex! And yet, the Victorian era was noted for (among other things) its veneer of repressed sexuality. Why? Its strict set of moral standards was partly a reaction to the permissiveness of the previous Georgian era and Queen Victoria’s observations of how those loose morals affected people’s opinion of the monarchy.

And it probably didn’t help that when her husband Prince Albert died in 1861, she went into mourning, and wore black for the rest of her sixty-three year reign.

In fact, things got so somber in Merry Olde England that not only was the sight of a female ankle considered scandalous, even table legs were required to be kept covered and out of sight! And yet it was also during this bleak time that Richard Francis Burton introduced the Kama Sutra to England. Burton was an exceptional soldier and explorer, but his most lasting legacy may have been bringing back a translation of writings by a celibate Indian scholar called Vatsyayana, about his people’s most basic beliefs and, um, well, er… practices.

The Kama Sutra plays a big role in my latest Victorian novella THE BET, which is featured in Secrets Volume 27: Untamed Pleasures. Can you guess exactly how, after reading my excerpt below? Afterwards, be sure to check out the book trailer created by my fellow volume author Nicole North!

Excerpt from The Bet, Secrets Volume 27: Untamed Pleasures
Copyright © Leigh Court, 2009
All Rights Reserved, Red Sage Publishing

Chapter One

“I can satisfy a woman using just my mouth.”

Damian Hunt, Viscount Atherton, leaned back in his club chair after delivering that salacious pronouncement. He and his friend George Beringer had been drinking heavily for the past two hours, but what else was there to do to keep the boredom at bay on a cold winter’s night? Tucked away here at the Atherton country estate, they’d already discussed horses and politics -- hell, the only other thing of interest to a man was sex.

“What’s so impressive about that?” George slurred, inching his chair closer to the roaring fire in the hearth. “Always been one of my favorite activities. Works like a charm every time. Sends a woman right over the edge.”

Damian gave him a slow smile. “Oh, but I’m not talking about using my mouth on her. I’m talking about satisfying a woman using just the power of my words.”

“What?” George nearly dropped his wineglass. “Balderdash! You may have a well-deserved reputation as a ladies’ man, but it’s impossible to make a woman climax using just words.”

Damian took a deep swallow of his wine. His outrageous claim had certainly succeeded in perking up the conversation, but just how far was he willing to take it? Well, maybe just a little farther. “Care to place a small wager on that?”

George stared at him, as if silently debating Damian’s abilities, and then obviously dismissed them with a shake of his head. “Why, I’ll place a large wager on it, you arrogant bastard. My London townhouse says you can’t do it!”

Damian’s eyebrow quirked, and he held up his wineglass in salute. “I’ve always admired your house in town.”

“Admire it as much as you like. You’ll never --” George frowned. “Wait a minute. Have you ever done it? Satisfied a woman using just words?”

“Well… no,” Damian admitted. “But I’m certain I can.”

“Hah!” George obviously felt some measure of reassurance at Damian’s response.

“So.” Damian put down his wineglass. “The wager is your London house. Now we just need to name the woman. How about Marie-Therèse D’Auberge? I have a fancy for something French.”

“Oh no you don’t, you slick-tongued devil. That woman is so highly sexed she could climax from a man just looking at her! No. If I stand to lose my house, then we’ll have to make this a true challenge. I’ll be the one to pick the woman.” George stroked his chin thoughtfully. “Hmm…”

“Well, get on with it,” Damian said. “How hard can it be? We know practically every woman in London.”

“And bedded them.”

“True.”

George smiled slowly. “Which is why the woman in our wager must be a virgin.”

“A virgin?” Damian bolted upright in his chair. “The devil you say!”

“It’s perfect, don’t you see? The ultimate challenge for the ultimate rake.”

“A virgin wouldn’t know what the hell I was talking about!”

“Now, now, I’m sure you can be very, er… descriptive, shall we say. And I know just the girl for our purposes.”

“Bloody hell.” Damian scowled. What had started out as a vain boast was quickly turning unsavory. “Who?”

“Claire.”

“Your younger sister?” Damian couldn’t believe his ears. Even for the notoriously disreputable George Beringer, the suggestion was beyond the pale.

“Come on, man. There’d be no harm done there. She’s almost one-and-twenty, practically on the shelf.” George shrugged. “No man’s ever even made an offer for her.”

“But she’s --”

“A prude. Prim, and proper to a fault. And, sexually, a block of ice.”

“She’s a lady.” Damian’s face darkened. What the hell was George thinking? It was a brother’s obligation to protect his sister, not offer her up for some puerile bet. “I may be a rake, George, but I’m no seducer of innocents.”

“Ah, but that’s the beauty of it, don’t you see? You wouldn’t be seducing her, not literally.”

Damian stared hard at George. Growing up, he knew George had always thought of Claire as an annoying tag-along, a nuisance, a familial irritation, but perhaps he didn’t realize until just now how deeply George’s resentment ran. “She may technically still be a virgin, but after I’m through with her she will no longer be innocent, George. Pick another woman.”

George tilted his head and cocked an eyebrow. “What is it, you old sod?” he goaded. “Worried that you can’t do it, after your fine boast?”

“I can do it,” Damian growled. “Just pick another woman.”

“No. It’s either Claire, or you forfeit the wager. And if you forfeit, I believe it’s only fair that I get to claim a prize of equal value to my townhouse.”

Damian gritted his teeth. How had this situation gotten so completely out of hand? “What would you want?”

George tapped a finger against his lips, considering. “I’ll take -- Thunder.”

“Bloody hell! My new horse?”

They’d spent more than half an hour tonight discussing Damian’s recent purchase of the stallion, and his hopes for a win at Ascot this year. George knew full well he would never part with the horse. Aside from its value, it was too much his pride and joy.

“He’ll make a fine addition to my stable,” George observed.

“You will never get your hands on that horse,” Damian vowed.

George took a swig of his wine and smiled wickedly. “Then I take it we have a bet?”

Everyone – I hope you enjoyed that excerpt! Here’s the book trailer:

New Release: The Gee Spot by Mia Varano

2009-07-08T07:19:00.000-07:00

New in July from Red Sage fan favorite Mia Varano...

A story hotter than a summer night...

THE GEE SPOT
by
MIA VARANO

What happens when a former high school geek crosses paths with the prom queen? Plenty when the geek is now a gorgeous billionaire and the prom queen owns a sex toy company, The Gee Spot. But the prom queen has trouble with her own G spot and the geek exploits her problem—and her—to exact a satisfying revenge...for both of them.

Contemporary, Dominance, Power Games & Voyeurism -- this story has it all!

Excerpt:

Finally, she alone of the honorees remained at the table. With a smile playing about his lips, Jones’s dark eyes pierced her, as if he could see into her very soul and the view amused him.

“Our last award recipient of the evening, Ms. Hayley Grant, single-handedly established The Gee Spot.”

The room erupted in laughter as Hayley’s cheeks grew warm. She clenched her teeth to hold her smile in place. She didn’t understand why his words affected her so deeply. She’d encountered every double entendre known to mankind. Why did she suddenly feel like a schoolgirl caught with her mom’s vibrator?

Jones waited for the chuckles to subside. “The Gee Spot, of course, is the hottest line of sex toys on the market. The company does most of its business online but has boutiques in London, Paris, and Rome, and has even arrived in Middle America with a new shop in a Kansas City mall.”
Hayley relaxed her grip on her napkin and exhaled as Jones reeled off her company’s impressive sales statistics. “Please give a round of applause to our fifth award recipient, Hayley Grant, the woman who insists on quality testing every item she sells.”

The blood thumped in Hayley’s ears, drowning out the applause. Who the hell did he think he was? She thought this recognition tonight would give her parity with the legitimate businesswomen in the room. A.J. Jones just skewered that with his insulting jokes.
She pushed away from the table and stumbled to her feet. The unsteadiness of her gait owed nothing to her five-inch heels. After tripping over the first step to the stage, she squared her shoulders. She’d tell A.J. Jones to take that award and use it as a butt plug. Her heels clicked across the stage until she faced him.

His gaze, hard beneath half-lidded eyes, tracked up and down her body. Power hung about him like a mantle, but she stoked the burning embers of her anger to prevent herself from melting into a puddle at his feet.

While he handed her the award, a crystal pyramid, he extended his other hand. She gripped it in her best ball-breaking handshake and ground out through clenched teeth. “How dare you make a fool of me?”

His large hand engulfed hers as he squeezed back, but it didn’t hurt. Instead his firm grip sent a river of sweet honey coursing through her veins. His eyes dropped to her chest, which rose and fell. Her traitorous nipples hardened and poked against the silk fabric of her dress.

A smile curved his full lips, and Hayley drew in a quick breath. He knew. Some sensor in his eyes tracked every response in her body.

He dropped her hand and placed his fingertips on the swell of her hip, one finger, like the hot iron of a brand, resting on her bare back. He nudged her against his body so they could face the camera together.

As his fingers skimmed down her hipline, no doubt noting the absence of panties, edible or otherwise, he ducked his head, his whisper caressing her earlobe.

“How dare I? Just my way of getting even with Hayley Grant, bitch princess of Monroe High School.”

Also by Mia Varano:
Aphrodite's Fire
4 Stars!
"Aphrodite’s Fire may be a short story but big on hot steamy scenes. Mia Varano offers readers an exciting story that is sure to keep them on edge. I hope she makes this into a series."
~~Anne Boling ~~ ReviewYourBook.com

Sex and the Single Pearl
4/5 Stars!
"Sex and the Single Pearl is a spicy read. It grabbed me and made me love the two main characters. Kyra is living the fairy tale every woman would like to have. Gavin is the type of man every woman would like to make her fantasies come true. The plot is well written and creative. The story moved at just the right pace to keep me riveted and needing to finish this very short book in one read. The sex was very arousing. When Kyra has two men at one time my heat level jumped through the roof. Ms. Varano wove love into this very sexy story in just the right way to make it a book I will long remember. I strongly recommend Sex and the Single Pearl for a very lovely afternoon or bedtime read. Keep a cool drink handy. You will need it."
~~Wendy Cable ~ Just Erotic Romance Reviews

"Virgin of the Amazon" in Secrets Volume 21
4 Stars!
"This perfect blend of story, romance and sizzling sensuality has hot alpha heroes and ladies who can hold their own with them. These stories will keep readers warm on a cold winter night."
~~Romantic Times BOOKReviews

"Hot on Her Heels" in Secrets Volume 24
Recommended Read!
"I fell in love with the characters in each. HOT ON HER HEELS was a ton of fun. I really enjoyed Jack in his leopard print g-string at Vivica's mercy. They're relationship was filled with passion and provocative moments."
~~Dark Angels Reviews

A New Beginning for an Immortal Man

2009-07-07T07:16:00.000-07:00

Red Sage Presents...

New This Month...

The Launch Title for Our First Ever Author-Led Series...

Wicked Temptation
by
Liane Gentry Skye

Beyond the bounds of pleasure, a single chance for redemption…

Trey, a demigod, is sworn to guard the fates of human couples on whose relationships hinge the course of history. Over the eons, his affection for mortals has left him yearning for the one thing he can never have—a heart mate to call his own. When a ruthless goddess resorts to an aphrodisiac to force him to break his vow of chastity, his heart is instead claimed by the mortal woman who is destined to help her human lover save the world. Can a ménage possibly help him undo the damage he’s done?

About "Three Kinds of Wicked"

Trey, a time-striding demigod, spends his life skipping through the human timeline and reuniting couples torn apart by evil forces. Sworn to chastity, sworn to protect those he serves, Trey's own desires must never be expressed.

But on a mission to the Summer of Love, Trey meets Sage, a free spirit with a broken heart, and Russ, a scarred POW with a broken mind. His mission is to reunite Sage and Russ. But passion claims them, and their love triggers a destruction and chaos unmatched by any evil. By rights, Trey should be executed for breaking his vows.

Instead, he is sentenced to a new kind of servitude. With his chastity no longer an issue, he must find broken human couples and heal them sexually. Only after healing these broken bonds of love will Trey heal the broken human timeline. Only after reuniting these predestined pairs through his physical love will Trey be reunited with Sage.

Watch each month for a new "Three Kinds of Wicked" release, starting in July 2009, from Red Sage Publishing. The first story in the series, "Wicked Temptation," unleashes the dangerous passion between Trey, Sage, and Russ. Each following stand-alone story explores Trey's efforts to physically reunite another couple in the preordained human timeline. The series ends with "Wicked Redemption," the companion to "Wicked Temptation," which brings Trey, Russ, and Sage together again.

Red Sage. Read Dangerously.

Last Call For Ransom Notes!

2009-07-03T09:41:00.000-07:00

Have you sent in your Ransom Note for the "Kidnap This Logo" contest?

If not, this is your last chance!

Send an email with the subject line "Ransom Note" to
eRedSage@gmail.com and in the body of the email, tell us you saw the logo here!

Winners get the July Secrets anthology and Calista Fox's new July novel!

But hurry! Enter now! This contest will close to new entries on Monday, July 6, 2009!

Do you want a sneak peek at the books you might win? Check the Red Sage website for details!

Why I Write About Hotties in Kilts

2009-07-02T05:09:00.000-07:00

By Nicole North

Have you heard the saying, “a man in a kilt is a man and a half?” Well, that’s the first reason I’m drawn to these unusually clothed guys. This statement also makes you wonder what exactly is a man and a half. Hmm. Lots of possibilities. Another question on a lot of people’s minds is what do they wear under those kilts? Nothing, if they consider themselves true Scots. I think that intrigues most women… the guy is “going commando" or "regimental” and what if a fierce wind blows through? We get a treat!

But there is far more to a hero who wears a kilt than just his clothing. If the story takes place hundreds of years ago in Scotland, he’s a tall, strong warrior who fights for what he believes in and what he loves. His duty is to defend his clan, his lands, his country, and protect the woman he loves. Honor and loyalty are of primary importance to him. He is noble but at times playful. That delicious Scottish accent rolls off his tongue, seducing both the heroine and the reader. He can handle a sword or a woman’s pleasure with equal proficiency. He has passion in spades. Sometimes that famous Scots temper might escape his control and have him spouting Gaelic curses or chasing after the enemy with a sword. The land of myth and legend is his home. He has experienced the harsh realities of life--the feuds, battles and oppression--but chances are he also believes in fairies and magic. Perhaps his soul and body are battered and damaged from the battles he’s chosen to fight, and maybe he has lost all faith in love. But when he finds it, we enjoy watching him touch and accept love like something fragile and precious. Love can heal wounds of the soul and break curses.

The first time Shauna, the modern day heroine of Devil in a Kilt, meets Gavin, the 17th century Highland Chief hero, he’s isn’t wearing a kilt. He’s wearing nothing at all… because she appears in his bedchamber in the middle of the night.
***

Excerpt from Devil in a Kilt, Secrets Volume 27 Untamed Pleasures
Copyright © Nicole North, 2009
All Rights Reserved, Red Sage Publishing

“I dinna trust her.” Gavin set the candle on a nearby table, picked up the sword and handed it to Ewan. “Put this in the armory. Lock it up and haste ye back.”

“Aye.” Ewan scurried out the door with the long sword.

Gavin’s intense gaze zeroed in on her. “Now, Shauna, is it?” Damn, what his accent did to her name, made it sound more exotic than it had a right to.

“Yes.”

“Were ye sent to kill me or wed me? Or were ye just wanting to bed me?”

She sucked in a deep breath to calm her hip-hop heart rate. “Not bed,” she blurted. At least not now. She glanced down at his cock. That thing could hurt someone. Even semi-erect it was impressive. But it hadn’t hurt her in the fantasies. Quite the opposite.

“Of course no’. Ye wouldna be wanting to turn to stone.”

Huh?

“Keep your hands where I can see ‘em.” He placed the dagger beside the candle on the table and moved forward, apparently oblivious to his own nudity.

But she wasn’t. Holy codpiece, he was well-endowed.

Though danger emanated from him like the clean male scent of his skin, she didn’t fear him. She almost felt she knew him. But she didn’t. She barely knew his name.

He reached out and touched her face. Her skin tingled and heated. His gaze trailed over her face as if examining it. Then he stroked his warm, calloused fingers beneath her chin and down her throat. His touch was familiar, entrancing. Her body recognized him. Wanted him.

His expression eased, and his brows lifted. “I must search ye for weapons.”

“I don’t have any,” she said, breathless as a ninny.

“Forgive me if I dinna believe ye.” He placed his large hands on her shoulders, her blouse barely shielding her from his heat, and with a gentle grip, ran them down her arms and underneath them, firmly down the sides of her body, around her waist and back up between her breasts.

A storm tide of tingling sensation followed in the wake of his touch. Too intense, too real. No, this was no fantasy, and that scared the hell out of her.

“Stop it!” She shoved his hands away.

His eyes glinted. “Many a man has been sent to the hereafter with a sgian dubh that was hidden in a woman’s bodice.”

“They probably deserved it!”

Shauna grappled for control, but with Gavin’s obvious superior strength, he won. Towering over her, he gripped both her wrists in one large hand and held them above her head.

I don’t fear him. I don’t. He’s the one I’ve dreamed of. Why did her body tremble? Because of the invasion and his too-intimate touch, or because she craved his hands on her? She feared she would hand over control to him too easily. He was already a drug in her veins.

“Don’t!” She glared up at his face, darkened by shadows.

“I willna hurt ye, lass,” he said softly, then stroked his fingers down between her collar bones and into her cleavage.

His fingertips rasped over the sensitive skin of her breasts. So stimulating. Her traitorous nipples hardened.

Oh, this can’t be happening! She hung suspended between fantasy and a reality more real than anything she had ever experienced.

She felt as though she’d been reunited with a long lost lover, her body heating with rising desire. But he wasn’t anyone she actually knew.

He removed his hand, then caressed her waist all the way around the top of her skirt.

“Hmm, ye’re no’ wearing a corset,” he murmured.

“So?”

Lifting a brow, he brought her arms down and knelt. He stroked his free hand from her calf up the inside of her bare thigh.

Arousal crashed into her. He ran his fingers all along both legs, top to bottom and over her hips.

“Let me take your boots off,” he said in a husky voice. “So I can see if ye have any weapons inside.”

She pulled her feet up, one at a time, while he yanked her suede leather ankle boots off. After he searched the inside, he released her, rose and turned away. But not before she noticed his heightened state of arousal. She’d thought he was large before…

How could she want him so intensely? Paralyzed, she ached for him. Tears pricking her eyes, she almost ran to him and begged him to throw her on the bed and take her.

Ewan burst through the door. Gavin grabbed a long white shirt off a chair and pulled it over his head. The voluminous garment reached to mid-thigh.

Gavin faced her, his wicked gaze turning into the evil eye. “I canna trust you until I find out why you were sent.” He glanced at Ewan. “Take her to the dungeon.”

Interviews & More Sizzlin'-Hot Contests!!

2009-06-30T10:28:00.001-07:00

Who doesn’t like free stuff??! If you’ve visited my new website (www.calistafox.com) lately, you might have already entered yourself into my two contests. (One ends today, so pop on by if you still haven’t entered Red Sage’s 15th Anniversary Contest—they’re giving away free books!)

I have even more chances to win books and my “One Hell of an Island Adventure” beach bags!!

First, the lovely ladies at Fierce Romance (www.fierceromance.blogpost.com) have interviewed me today about my July single title release, OBJECT OF DESIRE, and the hunky hero I’ve fallen in love with! All commenters on the blog will be entered to win an autographed copy of Secrets Volume 26, featuring the third story in my Rendezvous trilogy, SECRET RENDEZVOUS! (Red Sage Publishing, trade paperback)

Next, if you’re not a subscriber of the weekly Hot Sheet from Between Your Sheets (www.betweenyoursheets.com), I highly recommend you check out their website and subscribe to their newsletter! Not only will you get the low-down on all the newest releases, but you’ll get sneak previews of upcoming books, interviews and special features from your favorite authors! And of course, there are CONTESTS!! Mine is a featured contest this week, and it’s SO easy to win!! BYS also interviewed me this week, and I had a great time talking to them about my writing and OBJECT OF DESIRE! Subscribe to the Hot Sheet and you could win! How cool is that??

Finally, sign up for my Seriously Sexy Romance newsletter (www.calistafox.com) and you’ll be entered in my “members only” contests! I’ve given away books and gift cards… who knows what I’ll give away next!!

Here’s an update on the release of OBJECT OF DESIRE. Looks like the book will be coming out on July 15! Just in time for signing at the Literacy Signing at the RWA National Conference in Washington, DC! Pre-orders at Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com are available, and you can receive a discount if you pre-order!

OBJECT OF DESIRE by Calista Fox

5 BLUE RIBBONS from Romance Junkies!!

4 STARs from Romantic Times Bookreviews!!

When treasure hunter and spy Laurel Blackwood raids Victoria Peak in Belize to recover a rare Mexican fire opal rumored to evoke dark desires and passions, she unwittingly sets off a sequence of dangerous events—and finds herself in the midst of a battle between good and evil… and lust and love. Laurel must keep the opal from falling into the hands of a deadly terrorist cell, a greedy Belizean dignitary, and one particularly hot and scandalous treasure hunter named Devon Mallory.

For ten years, Devon has had his eye on the $30 million prized opal and his heart set on winning Laurel for keeps. But her web of secrecy and now her betrayal over recovering the legendary stone without him has Devon hell-bent on stealing the opal from her and collecting on the massive payout. But Devon will have to make a choice soon, and decide which gem is his true object of desire...

Best,

Calista

Red Sage Authors Steam up your Summer

2009-06-26T03:22:00.000-07:00

Quinn's Curse on Sale

2009-06-22T19:45:00.000-07:00

Natasha Moore, Quinn’s Curse

“Haunting”

There are some things you never forget. Your first kiss. Your first love. Your first time. These moments stay with us throughout our lives and help create who we are.

Some stories reach into our hearts as deeply as any real-world moment, and over the years, Red Sage authors have touched more than one heart. Long after the book’s cover is closed, the story remains. Unseen but not unfelt, like a ghost. Like Quinn, the cursed pirate in Natasha Moore’s moving story about a haunted lighthouse, a heartbroken woman, and sexy ghost searching for redemption. Just as Miranda can feel Quinn’s invisible touch, so will your heart feel the power of this haunting story.

On sale June 21-30 for just $1.50!

Happy Anniversary, Red Sage!!

Natasha
www.natashamoore.com

Today's Featured Sale Book

2009-06-18T20:45:00.000-07:00

Ellie Marvel,
Megan’s Choice
“Innovative”

Before there were e-books, there was Red Sage Publishing. Before there were e-readers, or Amazon.com, or blogs, or stories labeled “erotic romance,” there was Red Sage Publishing. At a time when the romance industry was becoming squeamish about sex, Red Sage Publishing celebrated sex as an essential component of a healthy romantic relationship.

Now, as publishing grapples with the changes wrought by the digital age, Red Sage forges ahead with an innovative e-book format. Using the same technology that allows clickable links on web pages, Megan’s Choice is an interactive e-book that allows the reader to decide how the story should proceed. It’s one e-book with nine possible stories. The future is now!

On sale until June 20 for just $1.50!

Want to know a Secret? Our anniversary sale prices are being extended through the end of June!

Ah, Summer is Here... And I've Got Books as Scorching-Hot as the Phoenix Sun!

2009-06-13T19:30:00.000-07:00

Object of Desire Contests!!!

Visit my revamped website for two great contests this month--one is a special contest for the Object of Desire release!!!

Big Sale on My Sexy Werewolf Story, High Voltage!
Visit the Red Sage blog this week for a smokin'-hot deal on this erotic paranormal story, featuring a seriously sexy alpha werewolf! Y-UM! This e-book is on sale for $1.50! Yep, you read that right!

Hurry, because the sale ends June 20!!!

Where to Find Me In June--And MORE Contest Opportunities!!!

Monday, June 15: I'll be guest blogging all day at Bitten by Books and Jennifer's Random Musings. Here are the details:

Bitten by Books Appearance--TRUTH OR DARE??? (I'm taking a DARE!)

Event: 6/15/09 Truth or Dare Chat and Contest with Red Sage Authors

Location: Online at www.Bittenbybooks.com

Description: Join us on Monday 6/15/09 as 13 paranormal authors from Red Sage Publishing play truth or dare, chatting and of course a contest! Red Sage is celebrating their 15th birthday this month!

We will be giving away some amazing prizes, so show up and find out more about these fabulous authors and see what goodies they may have for you! Be sure to bring your party hats, because these ladies know how to tear the house up! Contest portion of the day is open to readers worldwide!

RSVP here and get 50 entries to the contest when you show up on the day of the event. If you don't show up and mention your RSVP AND ask a question, you won't be entered into the contest.

Monday, June 15: Also blogging at Jennifer's Random Musings on Monday, June 15! Come see me and we'll chat about books and contests and really hot romance!

June 25: Interview on The Romance Studio Blue blog! Find out the inspiration behind my latest book, Object of Desire, and some other secrets about me!

June 30: Interview on the Fierce Romance blog! Love these ladies and always have a great time when I visit them!

End of June: Interview on Between Your Sheets website! They picked my brain clean for this one!Join us!

July 9: Blogging at Fresh Fiction! This will be a blast!!!

So much fun!!! Hope to "see" you this month!!!

Best,

Calista

Great Contests & Sizzlin'-Hot Book Sale!

2009-06-13T13:56:00.000-07:00

Happy Saturday, all!

Major faux pas in publishing “dummy” website pages last week, but the revamped site is UP and running with two GREAT contests!! (One is a VERY SPECIAL bonus contest for my July release, OBJECT OF DESIRE!) Stop by and check out all the fun!!

Also, my “electric” paranormal, HIGH VOLTAGE, is on sale June 11-20 for $1.50! Yep, you read that right! $1.50 for this smokin’-hot book.

Here’s what Red Sage has to say about the ebook:
“Passion is electrifying. We feel it in our skin, in our bellies, in that flutter of excitement when we hear our beloved’s voice murmur tender words of love. The electrical charge builds until it breaks over our bodies at that crucial moment. No wonder we call it a climax.

Calista Fox writes electrifying stories, and not just in the sex scenes. HIGH VOLTAGE begins with an electrical storm on a secluded country road. The heroine, alone and terrified, manages to dodge these bolts of lightning, but then when she finds the hero, naked in the back of her truck -- direct hit! And does this werewolf story crackle with energy!”

On sale June 11 through 20 for just $1.50!

Enjoy!

Calista

Kicking Off the Summer of Love With a Contest

2009-06-11T14:02:00.000-07:00

by Liane Gentry Skye

Got menage?

I do, finally. At least in print. :) And what better era to set a love story involving the utter abandonment of sexual inhibitions than the late 1960's? It only felt natural as I created Trey, the sexy Time Strider who spreads his steamy brand of sexual healing throughout time in the upcoming Three Kinds of Wicked series, that he'd meet Sage, his lady love, as she made her journey to Woodstock.

What I didn't realize as I crafted Wicked Temptation, the kick off story to the Three Kinds of Wicked series, is that this very summer marks the fortieth anniversary of The Summer of Love.

Wow. Forty years. Quick, somebody stick me with a syringe of Botox before my forehead crinkles in an unbecoming and quite possibly permanent expression of surprise.

So, with *that* confession behind me (this blog tends to cause me to post before I think better of what I've said...) I tend to live with my head in the clouds when I write. But for some reason, as I did the historical research for Wicked Temptation, it still didn't click in my math-challenged mind that what I was writing about--the Summer of Love--would eventually be released so close to this important anniversary.(Can Botox go to your brain?)

So...being the first class promo ho that I am, and in celebration of this serendipitous marketing opportunity, I'm having a little contest this week. The winning comment and runners up will run on the debut post on the Three Kinds of Wicked blog on Friday. So you're going to have to check out *that* blog to find out if you won. :) (Told ya. Promo ho. And it was only a *little* Botox)

Many feel the Summer of Love changed the world forever. If you know anything about Kronos vs. Kairos--well, let's just say August 1969 was all about Kairos. (Big hint to the content of end story of the series, so file it away!)

So, tell me. Where were you during August, 1969 during the peak of the Summer of Love? How did this summer change *your* life? And if you were but an itch in your Daddy's underwear, tell me where you *wish* you were had you lived during those pivotal times. How you think you *might* have been changed by the Summer of Love?

And if you actually went to Woodstock? Major brownie points.

The first place comment will receive an advanced copy of "Wicked Temptation", the kick-off title in Red Sage Publishing's *first* author developed series, Three Kinds of Wicked.

The First place winner *and* how ever many runners up I think warrant it (minimum 2) will receive a hand-beaded set of "love beads" remniscent of the ones Sage wears in Wicked Temptation. These lovely beads are made of genuine multi-hued gemstones, and are hand strung by my beautiful son, who has autism. So yeah, they're special, and truly one of a kind. :) My very own version of a miracle to share with my readers.

And now for the icky legalese part. By entering, you certify that you are over eighteen years old. You'll also be giving me permission to run your comment(s)on the Three Kinds of Wicked blog. So hurry up, get to posting those comments before I get all sentimental and start posting pictures of sixties beefcake all over this thing. (Hush, Maree LOL)

Editor's Note:
To leave your comment and enter the contest, click this.
For a sneak peek at the Three Kinds of Wicked website, click this.
Wicked Temptation, the first story in this author-produced series, will be on sale July 1! It's going to be fabulous!

2009-06-09T17:05:00.000-07:00

Mia Varano,
Sex and the Single Pearl
“Menage”

If one man is good, then two must be better. With the rise of erotic romance over the last fifteen years, readers are becoming bolder and more willing to explore scenarios that would have been unimagineable when Red Sage first opened for business. The menage a trois story is just such a scenario.

But not all menages are made alike. Red Sage fans might love to push boundaries, but they still want a powerful, emotional romance underlying the wild sex. And they’ve got it in “Sex and the Single Pearl.” Just as the pearl pendant combines beauty with decadent wish fulfillment, Mia Varano’s stories will always blend heart-pounding menage with heart-satisfying romance. You really can have it both ways!

On sale until June 10 for just $1.50!

Today's Featured Anniversary Sale Book

2009-06-08T11:07:00.002-07:00

Lila Dubois,
Kitsune
“Magic”

There’s a special kind of magic in being swept away by passion. Time hangs suspended as every nerve ending, every pulse of our hearts, every indrawn breath becomes supercharged with erotic and emotional nuance. For fifteen years, Red Sage has been recreating that magic between the covers of its books.

But there’s a second kind of magic in Kitsune. As paranormal romance stormed the reading scene, Kitsune delivered a magical, mythical heroine. She’s part fox and part immortal, and she alone can help the hero cope with his own dual identity. And her power to fill suitcases with designer clothes just with the wave of her magical hand? That’s a happy bonus.

On sale until June 10 for just $1.50!

Today's Featured Book: Payback by Rose Middleton

2009-06-05T12:18:00.000-07:00

Rose Middleton,
Payback

“Rogue”

Women love a bad boy! Tall, dark, and dangerous, with a cool glint in his eye and an uncontrollable edge -- the Romantic Rogue reminds us why we love men in the first place. They’re daring. They’re governed by a personal moral (or immoral!) code. And they’re very, very sexy.

For fifteen years, Red Sage fans have savored stories about rule-breaking men and the women who tame them. What could be better than a charming devil? Try a charming devil who’s also a jewel thief! Described by one reviewer as “a fast ride on the not-so-legal side,” Payback continues the tradition of sexy, dangerous, and deliciously wicked Red Sage Rogues.

On sale until June 10 for just $1.50!

Today's Featured Anniversary Sale Story

2009-06-03T08:22:00.000-07:00

The Bride Unmasked
by Harriet Jones

“Herstory”

Red Sage has always been a company with a mission: to shine a light on women’s yearnings for sex and love. By sharing our fantasies through storytelling, we learn just how normal our feminine desires really are. None of our Secrets need to be cloaked in mystery any longer.

It wasn’t always so. “The Bride Unmasked” tells the story of a young Regency bride whose husband treats her like fragile glass. She’s a lady, and he wouldn’t want to impose on her. Or risk hurting her. Or even discuss “it” with her. But this lady craves her husband’s passionate touch, so she goes undercover at a decadent masked ball and teaches him an unforgettable lesson!

On sale until June 10 for just $1.50!

15 Years. 15 Books. $1.50 Each.

2009-06-01T11:11:00.000-07:00

Alice Gaines, The Hot-Blooded Husband
“Launch”

They say you should begin as you mean to go on. This is why we launched both the Secrets Anthologies and the Red Sage Presents e-books with novellas by Alice Gaines. We started strong with crowd-pleasing stories from this popular author.

“The Hot-Blooded Husband” represents another first for Red Sage -- our first e-book featuring a dash of male-male sexual content. Dan and Brad, highly competitive macho men, can turn anything into a contest. When their wives ban them from their bedrooms, the men are soon engaged in a battle to prove which of them craves sexual satisfaction more. You’ll laugh out loud as they resolve that issue in yet another unforgettable Alice Gaines story.

On sale until June 10 for just $1.50!

Kidnap This Logo!

2009-05-31T11:28:00.000-07:00

Kidnap This Logo!

And You Could Win!

To celebrate its Fifteenth Anniversary in June, Red Sage is throwing a party! Every party needs presents, and here’s a gift that could win you the July Secrets anthology and Calista Fox’s new novel, Object of Desire!

Here’s how to play the party game.

Anyone can play! All you have to do is “kidnap” this logo and post it on your blog or website. Copy and paste the jpg image of the anniversary gift to your own blog or website to kidnap it. Be sure to include these instructions so people know how to play!

Invite your readers and friends to send an email with the subject line “Ransom Note” to eRedSage@gmail.com. Inside this email, they must include a link back to your kidnapped logo.

Then you and your friend will both be entered into a drawing to win free trade paperbacks! Every time one of your readers sends a ransom note with a link, you will be entered again! Each Ransom Note is worth two entries in the drawing -- one for the person who sends the Ransom Note, and one for the linked blog or website. And you both can win!

Want more chances to win? Invite your readers and friends to kidnap this logo, and then you can enter again by sending a Ransom Note linking to your friend’s blog or website!

The more times you enter, the more chances you have to win! But get your entries in by June 30. We'll be drawing the winners on July 1!

Group blog or website? No problem! Just be sure to sign your post so we know who the winner should be!

Good luck, and have fun!

2009-05-19T17:50:00.000-07:00

Oh, no!

Petal the Red Sage House Fairy only wanted to work a harmless bit of May Magic.

But she took a peek inside our new releases for May...

Swooned over our luscious heroes...

Swished when she should have flicked...

And now our prices have been lowered!

Check out our website for details!

Coming Soon!

2009-05-05T20:29:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to show off my new cover for Object of Desire, my single title release from Red Sage Publishing! It goes on sale in July, and I'm looking forward to sharing sexy excerpts and great contests with you!

Visit my website for the latest news on this book!

Best,

Calista

2009-04-15T09:10:00.001-07:00

When Red Sage decided to host its first ever writing competition,
the response was overwhelming!
The editorial team sifted through an enormous pile of entries
to pick out finalists,
and the competition was fierce!

But all of the editors agreed on one thing—
The hero in Nameless Surrender
was too hot to be ignored!

The Red Sage Editorial Team congratulates:

Kristin Daniels
author of

Nameless Surrender

Winner
of the Alpha Male Contest,
E-Books Division!

On sale now!

New Release!

2009-04-08T10:09:00.000-07:00

THE MERRY WIDOW by KOKO BROWN

Victorian England is a man's world. And no one knows this better than Phillipa Jones, who must fight society's conventions along with chauvinistic ship captains and a greedy yet undeniably handsome Viscount to keep her late husband's shipping business afloat.

Unfortunately, one moment of weakness and a case of mistaken identities will place her in a compromising position, which will see everything she's worked for come to ruins including her reputation.

This novelette is available now in e-book from eRed Sage!

April Coupon! Save on Three E-Books!

2009-04-07T13:10:00.001-07:00

Buy All Three Volumes of
"The Secret Confessions
of Lady H"
and Save!

Any E-Book Format! Offer Good in April 2009!

Spring has finally arrived, and to celebrate, we're offering a special discount for our customers.

Buy all three volumes of The Secret Confessions of Lady H by Bethany Michaels for just $5.50! That's a savings of nearly 40% combined!

Just type in the coupon code
diary

at checkout, and you'll receive the special coupon price for all three volumes!

Resisting Temptation: Futile?

2009-04-06T13:02:00.000-07:00

I love chocolate. What woman doesn’t? But as long as I don’t buy any, I’m safe. I’m not likely to get in my car and drive to the store just for chocolate.

Once it’s in my house though, I start down that slippery slope.

If the package is still sealed, I’m safe for a while. I might even forget about it until the desire for something sweet overpowers me.

My Haagen-Dazs bars don’t last long because I have to take them out of the box to hide them in the freezer, and so the package is open. Thank heavens there are only three to a box.

In my April ebook, CRAVING JESS, Damon is tempted sorely by his neighbor Jess. He wants nothing more than to show her just how right they are for each other, but he worries he’ll ruin their friendship if he makes the first move.

When he gets the opportunity to show her how hot they’d be together, he wastes no time. And he uses chocolate. A man after my own…heart.

Catherine Berlin
Author of Craving Jess
Available now at eRedSage.com!

2009-04-01T07:11:00.000-07:00

Today over on Cynthia Eden's blog, Red Sage fans will get a rare treat. Not just one, but two Secrets authors, Cynthia Eden and Larissa Ione, talk candidly about Larissa's stories.

Wondering about a writer's schedule?

Want to know the one thing Larissa wishes she'd known about being a writer before she became a writer?

How about settling that perennial question -- who wins, Dracula or the Wolfman?

All this and more! So pop over to Cynthia's blog and have some fun!