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.

Plus, I’m having a contest over at The Smutketeers blog – go check it out!

Jordan Sumner is ready to embrace her new life. After nearly dying at the hands of her mother, moving to a new town offers new possibilities. First on her agenda? Get a tattoo. She just doesn’t expect the tattoo artist to be so incredibly sexy or for her to recognize him as the guardian angel who saved her life years ago.

Gabriel Wilder knows the minute he sees Jordan she’s different from any other woman he’s ever met. A fallen angel with no memory of his past, he senses Jordan is linked to him. He’s drawn to her sexually–in every sort of way. They’re meant for each other and no matter how much he fights it, he knows it’s a waste of his time.

An unknown evil is sent from Jordan’s past and is ready to sink its claws into her. Gabe must fight to save what he considers his–Jordan. But is he strong enough to fend off the demon who wants Jordan as his sacrifice, now that he’s fallen…fallen for her?

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.

Fallen is coming out March 29th with Loose Id. And I’m really excited about it. I mean, check out the cover! Whoo boy, is it AWESOME or what? The lovely Anne Cain is the cover artist. I bow to her skills.

Here’s an excerpt  for your Friday. A little something to tease you with. Enjoy!

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

Gabe needed to get her away from him. Before he did something stupid like yank her into his arms. Kiss her. Tear her clothes off and explore every inch of her body…

“This is embarrassing.” She smiled up at him, and it was like a punch right in the gut. She was too beautiful for her own good. And he was a sucker for falling for it that easily. “I just praised the car, and now it won’t start.”

“It might be a simple fix.” He flicked his chin at her. “Want me to check under the hood?”

“Oh. Sure.”

She tugged on the pull by her left knee, and he popped open the hood. Glancing down, he cursed the darkness, the broken lamplights that sat useless above him. He couldn’t see shit, couldn’t tell what was wrong with it. And damn it all to hell, this most likely meant he’d have to offer her a ride home.

On his motorcycle, where she’d clutch him close and press her chest into his back. So he’d feel her breasts, unbound by her bra, her hands on his flesh, so he could die a slow, torturous death.

“I can’t see anything.” He let the hood drop. It landed with a loud clank, and she startled at the sound. “Want a lift home?”

Her mouth dropped open. “You’re offering me a ride?”

“Yeah.” Gabe shrugged. “On my motorcycle, though. Just warning you.”

“I don’t live far, so it wouldn’t take long.”

“Really?” Shock laced his voice. He never would’ve figured she lived anywhere near this part of town.

“Mmm-hmm.” She climbed out of the car, shut the door, and locked it. “I live in a studio apartment on Third Street.”

Dead center in the crap part of town. This revelation shocked him even more. Why did this pretty little angel live around here? Did she live alone? With family, with a — oh hell, he hoped not — with a man?

“You could’ve walked,” he said instead, jealousy clawing at his gut at the thought of another man putting his hands on her.

Yeah, he was a freaking idiot to even think like this.

“I could’ve.” She came over to where he stood at the front of her car, her nearness spiking his temperature by about a thousand degrees. “But it’s not really a good neighborhood.” Her nose wrinkled.

“Not the kind of neighborhood a little girl like you should live in,” he muttered.

“I’m not a little girl.”

Oh, she didn’t like that. Well, good, he didn’t like any of this either.

Leaning down, he got right in her face, watched those pretty baby blues widen, her damp lips part. She was primed for kissing, and no way would he do it. No matter how much he wanted to, he had to hold on to some bit of control.

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!