So I have a secret little project that will be making its appearance sometime in November at Samhain Publishing…

It’s entitled Neon Chaos and it’s going to be included in the End of Days anthology along with Reaper by Mina Carter. Go us!

Here’s a quick little unedited blurb of Neon Chaos for your enjoyment:

Party girl Samantha Sanders is ready to celebrate her thirtieth birthday in style with a road trip to Las Vegas with her girlfriends. Staying in the swankiest hotel on the strip, she’s naked and in bed with a hot guy when the clock strikes twelve. Who knew the world would really end on December 21, 2012?

Russ Weaver is above all else a soldier. His newest mission? Protect the sweet, scared woman he just so happens to be with when the world as they know it is over. Wandering the virtually abandoned streets of Vegas, the city has turned into a war zone. Their only hope to get out alive is to stick together—and fight those who wish to cease their endeavors. Permanently.

I’m excited! I declare 2011 the year I really stretch my creative wings. I am taking chances left and right here. I can only hope y’all like what you read.

I’m headed to the Romantic Times Booklovers Convention in Los Angeles this week. I haven’t been since 2008 so I’m excited! If you’re going to be there, please come find me. I’d love to meet you. I’ll have romance trading cards to hand out and plenty of other swag to entice you with!

A few of the things I’m participating in:

– Naughty Smutty Hollywood: Friday, April 8th 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

The Nine Naughty Novelists and The Smutketeers get together for an unheralded reader event! Prizes galore and a hunky cover model – what more could you ask for?

– E-Book, Independent Publisher And Graphic Novel Expo: Friday, April 8th 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Meet more than 100 e-book, small-press, comic, manga and graphic novel authors who will be signing their latest books at the RT’s 3rd Annual Expo where you can purchase their books. Learn who they are in an intimate surrounding devoted to these emerging markets. Also meet the leading e-book and small-press publishers as they showcase their lists for readers.

– Giant Book Fair: Saturday, April 9th 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Over 300 authors will autograph books, posters and bookmarks, and you can bring your favorite “keeper” books to have your fav author sign them!! This event is open to the public for a small fee of $5.00 at the door. All registered convention attendees will be able to enter 15 minutes prior to the public opening.

Also, please check out Operation Auction – there are so many amazing items up for auction and if you’re a romance book lover you will DIE. Trust me. In fact there are more than a few items I have my eye on.

Operation Auction was created to assist Fatin, a strong supporter of the romance community. She lost her husband in a senseless act of violence earlier this month. I love seeing how supportive the romance community is – makes me proud to be a part of it. Now I’m off to do my part and make a few bids…

Okay, here it is folks, along with some blurbage. Tell me what you think!

Loving her is easy. Proving to himself he deserves her? Baby steps…

Playing With Fire, Book 4

King of one-night stands, all-around man whore, that’s Eric. And you know what? He doesn’t give a rip. After being dumped by the two people who mattered most to him, numbing himself with alcohol and anonymous sex was the easiest thing to do. Men, women, they’re all the same to him. Feelings, caring, it all just gets in the way.

Then he meets Stacy. Sweet, beautiful, a delicate combination of shy and forceful, she’s unlike anyone he’s ever known. She sees right through his façade and makes him face his ugly truths, brutal reminders he doesn’t deserve her. He wants her like no one else—and it scares him out of his mind.

Stacy can’t help herself, she’s attracted to gorgeous, sexy, hurting Eric. There’s more to him than meets the eye—even though what’s meeting her eye right now is a complete mess. Broken hearts will do that to the strongest man—she should know. If she can get him to forgive—especially himself—maybe things could work out between him. But first, she can’t let him get away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Eric was…quite the character. He gave me fits and was probably the most difficult hero I’ve ever had to wrangle with. It’s weird, how they sort of take over and do their own thing. It’s like your fingers and thoughts don’t have any say in the matter (and I’m the one who created him! LOL) and they just do what they want. That was Eric. He did what he wanted and I didn’t approve of some of his choices. He did some things to Stacy that weren’t very nice. But she sees something in him that he doesn’t. And she’s not perfect either, trust me. I’m very curious to see how readers react.

Here’s her latest release!

One taste of her lips, and friendship is off the menu

Holding Out for a Hero, Book 3

Kate has always been everybody’s friend and the de-facto little sister to the Wyatt brothers. But her feelings for Todd Wyatt, the town’s hottest firefighter, run far beyond the sibling variety. Not that he’s ever noticed.

After years of nursing her crush, Kate decides it’s time to take action. Except she has one awkward little secret: she’s still a virgin. She hopes she can seduce Todd without him realizing just how inexperienced she is.

In Todd’s mind, Kate’s the sweet girl he teases and hits up for free cupcakes. One surprise kiss over the summer, though, and suddenly she’s jumped from the platonic side of his brain to the want-her-in-my-bed side. Even though the last thing he wants is to lose her friendship, his resistance to her determined seduction is slipping. Fast.

When malicious attacks on her bakery escalate, it soon becomes clear that for all Kate’s friends, she’s made at least one big enemy. And if they don’t figure it out soon, things could take a deadly turn.

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Reviews

“Ms. Stevens takes a couple who has been friends their whole lives, adds a bit of spice and turns it into a grab a fan and ice water because this one is a HOT story. She also adds just the right amount of suspense combined with a knock out romance and made this the kind of book that I will read again and again.” Fallen Angel Reviews, Recommended Read

“I would definitely recommend to any fan of contemporary romance.” Whipped Cream Reviews

“Flash Point is a delightful story centering around Kate who is a great friend and Todd who is slowly realizing that she maybe more.” Sensual Reads

EXCERPT

Silence fell between them, heavy and awkward, and the longer she kept quiet, the more she just wanted to scream. She could barely deal with Todd talking to her about the women in his life, seeing them was bad enough, but having to help him with it?

Todd seemed to sense her mood change, because any further attempts at conversation stayed firmly away from the topic of women and dating.

When the check arrived, he handled it despite her insisting that she pay half. The entire ride home, the hot ball of anger in her belly just kept expanding, until her vision was tinted with red and her hands were clenched into fists.

When they pulled up outside her house, she didn’t trust herself to say anything more than a terse, “Goodnight.”

She climbed out of the truck, slamming the door behind her as she strode toward her front door. She’d just blown any pretense of playing it cool, but so what? She heard the truck door slam again, and she flinched, increasing her pace.

Todd’s fingers curled around her elbow, spinning her around and off balance. She reached out to catch herself, just like she’d done earlier today with Walt. Only this time, there was no urge to pull away when her palms flattened against Todd’s hard, broad chest. But the fact that she was pissed, not just angry, downright pissed at Todd, had her jerking away regardless.

Todd didn’t let her go though, instead slid his hands up her arm to pull her closer to him.

Her heart lurched in her chest and her mouth went dry.

“I’m sorry,” he muttered.

She lifted her gaze to his and from the light of her porch saw the regret in his eyes.

“There isn’t a woman I’m trying to impress with baking. I made that up.”

Kate frowned, stilling in her efforts to free herself. “Why did you say that then?”

“Damn it, to keep this from happening.” His head blocked out the light as it dipped, and then his mouth crashed down on hers.

Shock ripped through her as his lips masterfully parted hers, his tongue plunging inside to taste her. She couldn’t move, couldn’t even respond for a moment. Until the tingling began and a liquid heat seeped through her veins, pooling heavily between her thighs.

She was in Todd’s arms and he was kissing the hell out of her? How long had she fantasized about this?

I’m excited about the Carina one (Lessons in Indiscretion) because it’s my first historical cover and oh, I love a good historical clench cover. I just finished edits on it this morning. Now waiting for copy edits. I think (hope, pray!) it’s a sexy little story.

I will share the covers here as soon as I can!

A few things going on with me that are book-related…

- My first book with Loose Id is coming out in a month. Fell for You will release on March 29th. More info coming soon – including excerpts to tease you with!

- My backlist from Cobblestone Press is now available on Amazon Kindle! Yeah, go check it out here!

- I have sold the third and final novella in the Fated series at Samhain. But I’m whispering this announcement because it’s semi-official not official-official. But I had to tell you all because I’m excited about this one. I hope it comes out closer to the end of the year.

- And finally,  My Favorite Mistake got a FANTASTIC review from Black Raven Reviews! Five Ravens and a Recommended Read! Whoo hoo! Here’s a bit of what Ashley had to say:

“As always, I’m thrilled to read another excellent romance from Karen Erickson! The sex is always red-hot and plentiful, the romance itself, always sensual. I can never get enough of her books.”

You can read the rest of the review here. And thanks, Ashley! I appreciate the kind words!

Add some spice to your life today — read a romance book!

It’s February so that means a few birthdays going down in my house. My daughter’s is tomorrow – she’s turning 8 on the 8th. My baby girl is 8! Where did the time go? We had her birthday party Saturday. Lots of friends and family and food and presents. We had it here. Everyone had a blast.

My birthday is Thursday. I’ve decided this year I’m turning 31…again. Such a great age, I want to repeat it! If you’re feeling a little, um, aged and want to lower it a bit, I will NOT hold it against you. You can join my club. The 31 club!

This week I plan on working on more administrative type stuff (paperwork, updating my website, ooh I need to do taxes – you know, that stuff) and starting the third Fated novella. I pondered the storyline all weekend and I think I’m ready to dig in. I’m excited.

What excites you this week? Did you watch the Super Bowl? The game was all right. The commercials, I thought they were weak. But that’s just me…