New Review and New Cover

Siren Book Reviews has given Lassoing Lara 5 Siren Stones! Here's a snippet of what the reviewer had to say:

"This is a delightfully funny and sexy story, that was such a great read. As a NJ Walters fan, she doesn't let us down in this sexy romance. You will really want to read this one over and over again."

~Yvette Lowe, Siren Book Reviews

You can read the entire review at Siren Book Reviews.

Check out the new cover for A Touch Of Magick, which will be releasing from Samhain Publishing on October 26th.

BLURB:

If you go casting love spells, be careful what you wish for.

Spells, Secrets and Seductions, Book 1

Rhiannon Sparks admits she’s not a very good witch—she can’t even light a candle without a match—but she keeps trying. At least her talent for business has made her magick shop a huge success. Now if only there was even the faintest flicker in her nonexistent love life.

During a night of eating and drinking, she and her girlfriends cast a candle-magick spell for hot sex. All in good fun, of course. Except Rhiannon accidentally mixes up the words. Instead of a lover, she asks for true love.

Deputy Ryland Stone’s past keeps him firmly rooted in reality. Then he meets Rhiannon and sparks literally fly. One date leads to another, and then they’re practically setting the bedroom on fire…until she reveals the deal breaker.

Though love and magick have found Rhiannon at last, getting a handle on her newly unleashed power is the least of her problems. Unless Ryland accepts that magick exists, he will never accept her for who and what she is.

Warning: This book contains a simple candle-magick spell, which you use at your own risk, a disastrous date, phone sex, and enough sizzle to practically set the sheets on fire.

New release and new cover goodness

*points left* See my new cover. Isn't it lovely?

I adore April Martinez. She's such a fantastic artist.

I'm really excited about I HEART THAT CITY: Body Shots, which is a part of a multi-author series and released yesterday from Loose Id.

Blurb:

Joe and Daphne go to I Heart That City every Thursday night to celebrate being together one more week. They almost lost their marriage and themselves to a former lover, who only wanted Daphne.

When Amos sees the happy couple, he knows he must capture them on film. Only he really wants to capture them for himself. Inviting them to let him take pictures only makes his longing more intense. And he's not the only one feeling the sexual spark. Joe and Daphne find themselves attracted to the man who seems to find both of them desirable.

One problem: they've taken a break from threesomes. When they decide to try and see where things go, passions explode with body shots on camera, and on Daphne and Joe with tequila. But Daphne's past has her in its sights and it could ruin everything.

To read an adult excerpt.

Mechele Armstrong aka Lany of Melany Logen

http://www.mechelearmstrong.com/

http://www.melanylogen.com/

Think before you hit send

I’m constantly amazed by the way some authors conduct themselves online. Very few seem to have stellar online presences that actually appeal to readers.

I started thinking of rules to live by when going online.

The internet has a long memory. Nothing is ever permanently deleted. Once you put it up there, it lasts forever, either by copying or staying in caches.

Think before you hit send.

Private email/forums/loops are NEVER private. Only vent to a person you’d trust to NEVER share. Luckily I have a couple of people I trust not to share. Or better yet, vent to your significant other or your cat in real life. My cat is a lot of things but she’s never going to tell anyone my deepest rants.

Think before you hit send.

Never argue with a review of your book. They may have completely not gotten the story or the characters. Vent to the cat, thank them for the review, and move on.

Lurkers could be the person you’re venting about or their best friend. You never know who is reading.

Think before you hit send.

Everyone on the internet has a long memory. And, they will remember what you put out there. If it’s things they don’t like, that could interfere with them being a reader of your book. Being mean doesn't nab you readers.

Think before you hit send.

Any other rules? I think we need a list out there on the internet with the long memory about how to act.

Mechele Armstrong aka Lany of Melany Logen
www.mechelearmstrong.com
www.melanylogen.com

I'm doing the new release shimmy

Settler's Mine 2: The Lovers released yesterday! I'm so thrilled. Writing about Amory, Zelda and Bren was fascinating as they had so much to tell.

Isn't the cover gorgeous?! I love April Martinez.

To read an excerpt, go here.

Mechele aka Lany of Melany Logen

So, What Do You Think?

I received the cover for Rules of Engagement, [warning: shameless promo ahead] which will be released February 1, 2008. At first glance, I really, really liked it. I still like it.

The BF saw the cover and asked, "When did you start writing African American romances?"

"Uh, I'm not," I replied.

"Oh," he said, still looking bemused. "Are you sure?"

I rolled my eyes, but he started me thinking.

So, what do you think? Is the cover misleading?

UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!

I'll admit it, I don't have much to say today on my blog. I've had a terribly busy week in a half where everything just sort of piled on and today I've GOTTA get some R&R for my sanity. :) But, there's always a bit left in me for celebrating!

Today I’m celebrating some things all writers sometimes forget and take for granted. Many unpublished authors may find it amazing that a published author could ever take for granted the excitement of a new release coming out. It can happen, believe me. Today I’m dropping a little whoot for the new cover I just received for UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER, the next book in my HOT ZONE series. UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER comes out October 9 at Samhain Publishing www.samhainpublishing.com. Here’s a blurb and an tiny excerpt to get your blood pumpin’!!!

UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER (Book 2 in the HOT ZONE series)
By Denise A. Agnew
Available October 9 at Samhain Publishing www.samhainpublishing.com

She’s archaeology, he’s Special Ops, and both of them teeter on the edge of stepping into the HOT ZONE. She wants the adventure of a lifetime and isn’t willing to sacrifice it for any man…
Archaeologist Fredricka “Freddie” Bodine returns to her hometown for her twentieth high school reunion, unaware that her old crush, Keith Wallace, has blown back into town. A single memory is etched deeply on her brain—the high school prom where she shared an emotionally revealing dance with him. They’d both left town after graduation, feelings unresolved and teen angst firmly in place. All he wants is to keep the girl he loved and lost safe, even if she hates him for it…Keith doesn’t want her to travel to Los Diablos, an area near ancient ruins where his sister was killed years ago. As they grapple with family pressures and the exploding passion between them, their battle of wills may just lead them to the truth living in both their hearts.

Excerpt: Warning...contents may be a little hot to the touch.

“Freddie?”

She almost came out of her skin. She whirled to the left. Standing at the very end of the aisle, Keith Wallace stared at her with a furrowed brow.

“Oh—um, hi.” Her voice cracked and she cleared her throat. “I didn’t know you were here. Or even in town.”

“I didn’t know you were in town.” His voice, deep and overlaid with a sexy huskiness, had always melted her insides like the most delicious combination of peanut butter and chocolate and stirred feelings she didn’t want to have.

As he sauntered toward her, she sighed. The gods could not be so cruel. Or maybe they could. The changes in him had only increased his attractiveness. Boy, oh boy, howdy, he’d matured like a fine Merlot, rich with nuances that made her mouth go dry and her heart do a silly two-step. At thirty-eight he defined disgustingly gorgeous man with a capital G.
When she’d left this town twenty years ago, she’d never considered that he’d still have this effect on her. She recalled his attractiveness at eighteen, mature for his age, brooding and intense. At eighteen she’d wanted to date happy-go-lucky guys with uncomplicated backgrounds. Sure couldn’t say that about Keith. Still, nature had matured his physique in all the right ways.

At six feet and probably two inches, he made her five feet five inches feel small. The navy blue T-shirt stretched over his broad chest and wide shoulders. Muscles rippled in his biceps and forearms. Jeans defined his hips and muscular thighs and made his legs look miles longer. His work boots looked well used and scuffed. Always rugged, his face had matured into angles and planes that screamed danger and forbidden sensuality. His mahogany hair wasn’t the tousled boy anymore, but clipped military short. Without strands flopping over his face, nothing hid the thoroughly masculine lines that screamed the proverbial dark and dangerous.
Her heart did a flop, a flip, and started thumping away so hard she felt the pulse in her ears.

Okay. So that reaction hadn’t changed in twenty years either.

When Keith hovered over her, staring down with those dark chocolate eyes, his frown showed genuine concern.

“What brings you here?” she asked.

“Came to pick up a book for my mom. Ernestine said you were here.” He crossed his arms, and then nodded at her huge book. “I heard you cursing. What’s wrong?”

Embarrassment heated her face. “It’s nothing significant.”

He came closer. “Oh yeah?” His lips quirked, and rare humor danced in his eyes. He glanced at the book lying open on the desk. “Sure it’s nothing?”

Freddie frowned. “I never was good at lying to you. This is—was—my favorite book in the library.”

“Was?”

“I used to check it out every once in a while when I was a kid.”

He moved nearer yet, leaning his hand on the side panel of the desk to look at the book. “A ripped page?”

She closed the book cover so he could see the photo on the front. “Archaeological sites in Mexico. Tikal. Or what my archaeology professor at Western used to say, Chicken Itza.”

He laughed, the low, rumbling sound sending vibrations through her stomach. She clenched her legs together in reaction. Holy, holy crap. A hot pulsing gathered in her loins. Talk about a record time to get turned on. Her mouth watered as her gaze traveled quickly over his chest.

**
Until next time, enjoy your day. :)

Denise A. Agnew