Are you thinking about Valentine's Day yet? Holy cow, it's right around the corner! In honor of that holiday, I thought it would be appropriate to talk about one of my favorite albums, Heart. Yes, I said albums, and in case you don't believe me, here's a bad selfie of me holding the record jacket. Go to Amazon to see a better picture and check out the awesome big hair look the group has going on. Lots of hairspray went into the making of that photo.

Reviews of this album on Amazon are mixed. Some people think the group lost their original sound and went all corporate. Maybe they did, maybe they wanted to try something different. I like the tunes and in particular, If Looks Could Kill. If you're mad at your honey or just feel like belting out a loud song at the top of your lungs, fire this one up and have at it!

Enjoy this video. There are plenty more on You Tube and the harmonies in the studio versions are better but I like the energy in this live one.

Brrrrr! Enough winter already. My latest story, Her Wild Protector (coming soon!) takes place during the warm weather. In this scene, two friends are sitting outside enjoying the sunshine and ogling a hot guy. Wish I was there right now!



Enjoy the excerpt and hop on over to the next author on the list.  
http://sneak-peek-sunday.blogspot.com/

Her Wild Protector

© Copyright 2013 Naomi Bellina

“So then I said…hey, are you listening to me?” Lola asked, waving her hand in front of Tara’s face.

“Yes, I’m listening. You said Alice ate someone’s month-old sandwich she stole from the lunchroom refrigerator and got sick.”

“You don’t seem especially interested in my fascinating story. Your eyes are meandering around like your brain is somewhere far away. Are you thinking about anything particular? Something you want to share?”

Tara didn’t. She was thinking about nothing and enjoying it immensely. She listened to Lola with only half her concentration.

Her friend didn’t wait for an answer and resumed her narrative. Tara took the opportunity to focus on a man who had caught a bit of her attention. He had dark hair that was just a little longer than was the fashion, but it looked good on him. Sunglasses hid his eyes, but the rest of his face was attractive, if one enjoyed the rugged, dangerous look. Tara did. Pretty boys made her nervous. She could never be with a man who spent more time on grooming than she did. This one looked like he woke up with the same sexy dark shadow on his chin that he now sported. She crossed her legs, a twinge of heat causing her heart to beat faster.

Dark and Dangerous sat with several other men and women who were dressed like they had just come from their office, the same as her group. His rigid posture suggested military training and his facial expression was serious. Unlike the others in his group, he did not appear to be having a good time. She couldn’t tell for sure, but it looked as if he was drinking bottled water. What was he doing at happy hour?


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Naomi Bellina WildAboutRomance

 How would you like to do something to help others AND get a great deal on a book at the same time? I have a sexy, sassy story, Take Me Like a Hurricane, in the anthology Coming Together; Through the Storm.  The proceeds from this book go to Mercy Corps, a group that aids with relief during natural disasters. 

We're using the storm theme to help victims of the recent typhoon in the Philippines. What a great way to extend a little love during this upcoming Valentine Day season! Send money for a good cause and enjoy a book you can read aloud to your sweetheart. Doesn't that sound romantic? I've just started reading it and love the stories already. Oh, it IS erotic fiction, so be prepared. Mwa-ha-ha!


Here's a tasty little excerpt from my story to enjoy:

It didn't dawn on her until she stepped out of the shower that she hadn't packed any pajamas. Of course, she expected to be sleeping alone so it didn't much matter. What to do now? The thought of parading in front of Jonathon stark naked gave her a chill. What would he do?

Whatever it was, it might be fun. It would be fun. He had a passionate nature, of that she was sure. But no, she couldn't give this poor man any more stress. He said he didn't have a girlfriend but who knew what else was going on in his life. She didn't need to throw herself at him. She poked her head around the door.

“Jonathon, could I borrow one of your t-shirts to sleep in? I forgot my pajamas.”

“Of course,” he said, gentleman that he was.

He put one in her outstretched hand and their fingers touched. There was that spark again. Surely he felt it too.

Hmmm. The shirt didn't come down too far past her ass, but it just covered the vital parts. She debated wearing underwear but couldn't bear the thought. Her body would be tucked away under the sheet anyway. She glanced at Jonathan as she walked over to her bed. He watched her. Not an obvious stare, but she knew he was looking.

“Roger, move,” she said, giving the Retriever a shove. He snuffled and stretched out further.

“Move.” She pushed him again.

“I don't think he's going to budge,” Jonathon said. “Why don't you take my bed while I shower and I'll try to dislodge him when I come out.”

Lesa sat on top of the blanket, then pulled out the sheet and settled in under. Jonathon had some movie playing on the television and she turned the volume up a little louder. A comedy. Good to know he liked those.

Where did that thought come from, she wondered? What did she care what he liked? He was only here to take care of his family and would be gone soon. She smelled Jonathon's scent on the pillow. Slightly sweaty but with a hint of a spicy aroma, the same one she'd noticed when they danced.

Her pulse sped up. Too long. It had been far too long since she'd smelled a man, since she'd buried her nose into his skin, or had tasted his salty sweat.

Jonathon came out of the bathroom and her heart beat faster. He was wearing his new shorts but no shirt. She noticed he hadn't bought underwear and strongly suspected he was going commando. He smiled at her as he towel-dried his hair. It looked delightfully sexy all mussed up.

“What is that smell? It's not the hotel shampoo, is it?” she asked.

“I guess it's my soap. I might forget to pack just about everything else but I always keep a bar of soap in my travel bag. I don't like what the hotels put out.”

No big surprise there.

As though reading her mind, he smiled at her again “I'm sure you think I'm the most fussy man straight man you've ever met. I really am not. There are certain things I like to have that make life a lot easier. Good soap, clean sheets and air conditioning are a few. Don't you have things you can't do without, things that give you such pleasure you miss them when they're gone?” he asked, heading over to the other bed.

She stopped herself in time before she blurted out sex.

“Okay Roger, you have to scoot now,” Jonathon said, giving the big dog a push.

Roger grunted and held fast.

“I could shove him off the bed, if you'd like, but I don't think he'll be very happy,” Jonathon said.

“Oh, just leave him be. He's quiet and relaxed. I'll manage to sleep around him.”

Lesa started to get up.

“Don't move. You look nice and cozy. How about I poor us a glass of wine? Sorry, a plastic cup of wine.”

“That would be nice.” Yes, it would. They would drink their wine and fall asleep. Sound asleep.

Not going to happen. He handed her the cup and the minute his fingers brushed against hers again she knew she had to have him. Apparently, he felt the same vibe. His eyes turned dark as the night sky and his nostrils flared. They locked gazes for a moment then he turned away.

“I'll just sit over here in the chair,” he said.

“No you won't. Come here.”

“I don't think that's a good idea.” He sat in the rolling chair by the desk.

Lesa got out of the bed and walked towards him. Even from across the room she heard his sharp intake of breath. The t-shirt really was very short and she didn't bother pulling it down. Her nipples were standing straight up, poking through the thin fabric.

Putting her hands on the arms of his chair, she leaned in close, an inch away from his face.

“Don't you find me attractive?”


http://www.eroticanthology.com/throughthestorm.htm

Has anyone heard of Triberr? I'm testing it today to see if I can get it to work. I first heard about this nifty tool from Marketing for Romance Writers. My initial reaction was "Oh great, one more thing to drive me crazy." Then my friend, Brenda Sparks started using it and assured me my brain would not ooze out my ears if I gave it a try. Okay Brenda, here's hoping. I have to use my brain this week! 

Turning towards the other bed, she saw Jonathon sprawled out, Chelsea the cat burrowed in next to him. She blinked her eyes a few times to clear them and observe him more closely. 

Stubble covered his cheeks but even without that, his features were deliciously rugged. A nose that had been broken at least once, a firm, square jaw, and if she remembered correctly, blue eyes that flashed when he was angry. Which he'd been most of the time since she'd met him.

His facial features certainly did not go along with his prissy, snobbish attitude nor with  the expensive dress shirt and slacks he still wore. His looks suggested a man who should be out on the range, roping cows. Did men still rope cows? Why was she fantasizing about cowboys anyway?

This is from Take Me Like a Hurricane in the anthology Coming Together; Through the Storm.  The proceeds from this book go to Mercy Corps, a group that aids with relief during natural disasters. If you like erotic fiction, you'll love this book! I've just started reading it and am delighted with the stories already.

http://www.eroticanthology.com/throughthestorm.htm

A succubus, a werewolf and a freaky human girl walk into a bar...and what a bar it is! If I found a place like this I would never leave. I've just finished season one of Lost Girl on Netflix and can't wait to get going on season two. 

You can read the series description here on Wikipedia, so I'll just tell you what I love about this show. First of all, there are Light and Dark Fae, so we have the classic battle between good and evil. Not all the Light ones are so pure and some of the Dark ones aren't so bad. Much the same as in real life.

Next, we have a strong heroine who gets energy from sex. She goes after what she needs and takes it. Yes, it's the woman doing the taking. As it should be.  :-)  Bo is a conscientious Succubus, however, and once she figures out how to control her power, she doesn't abuse it. She and her human sidekick, Kenzi, join forces to form a paranormal detective team. Bo is a bit lacking in power, in my opinion, but she makes up for that in smarts.  When not trying to discover Bo's origins or keeping peace between the bickering Fae, the two women are fun to watch as they solve tricky cases. Kenzi got on my nerves for awhile, as did the initial debate about Bo choosing sides, but once the story got rolling it became easier to watch.

Then we come to Dyson, the oh-so-yummy werewolf-shifter detective. He falls in love with Bo and she with him, but of course their romance is fraught with problems. Strange problems at that. The sex scenes are delightfully hot and primitive. I would like more. Just sayin', if season four is being made right now. More hot sex, please.

Other interesting Fae characters pop in and out and every one is superb. The story moves fast, so keep up or rewind if you missed something. 

Available at Amazon if you must own the series. 

Tuesday Treat is now *drum roll* Romancing the ____ (the blank will be filled in with various cool subjects). Same great stuff, just a different title. I'll be 'romancing' different things every week and to start this year, my body needs a little love.

It finally got cold enough to wear jeans (I know, I'm in Florida, don't hate me) and when I put them on, holy crap, they'd shrunk! Do you believe that? Hanging in my closet, they got a size smaller. And today, I went bra shopping and nearly had a cow. How could the garment industry be so wrong with their sizing?

Okay, time to face facts. I've put on a few pounds. I need  to ditch those bad eating habits I wallowed in last month and show my body some love. To help me get the excess weight off, I found a great new product. The Aquazinger! Visit the Zing Anything website and check out all their goodies. There's a citrus zinger, a salad zinger and even a vodka zinger. These bottles are designed to infuse water, dressing, vodka, whatever, with fruits, veggies, herbs, etc. The food gets squished up in the bottom of the bottle and a strainer allows the juice to infuse the liquid but keeps the seeds and pulp from wandering in. 

What a cool idea! Another one of those I wish I'd thought up. My Aquazinger ( I chose pink but really wanted purple) came with suggested food combinations. So far I like the cucumber/lime combo the best. I couldn't taste the apple much but did enjoy putting a fresh basil leaf in with a lemon. The plan is to drink more water, which is always good, and to feel more satisfied because I'm getting a burst of flavor with each sip. Less junk, more hydration. Sounds like a plan to me!

Visit Zing Anything  here:  http://zinganything.com/shop

Anybody else having a hard time getting back into the swing of things? December always knocks me far off course with too many schedule changes, too much food and not enough exercise. This year, however, I did keep up with my writing and managed to get a fair amount of words scribbled, so I give myself a big pat on the back. *pat-pat* Does that count as exercise? 

For my six paragraphs this Sunday I'd like to introduce you to Lesa and Jonathon, two people stuck together in a hotel room after a hurricane. There's a dog and cat involved also, just to make things really interesting. This is from the soon-to-be-released anthology Coming Together Through the Storm and will benefit victims of the typhoon in the Philippines. 

Enjoy, and hop on over to the next author on the list.  
http://sneak-peek-sunday.blogspot.com/

Take Me Like a Hurricane

© Copyright 2013 Naomi Bellina

It didn't dawn on her until she stepped out of the shower that she hadn't packed any pajamas. Of course, she expected to be sleeping alone so it didn't much matter. What to do now? The thought of parading in front of Jonathon stark naked gave her a chill. What would he do?

Whatever it was, it might be fun. It would be fun. He had a passionate nature, of that she was sure. But no, she couldn't give this poor man any more stress. He said he didn't have a girlfriend but who knew what else was going on in his life. She didn't need to throw herself at him. She poked her head around the door.

“Jonathon, could I borrow one of your t-shirts to sleep in? I forgot my pajamas.”

“Of course,” he said, gentleman that he was.

He put one in her outstretched hand and their fingers touched. There was that spark again. Surely he felt it too.

Hmmm. The shirt didn't come down too far past her ass, but it just covered the vital parts. She debated wearing underwear but couldn't bear the thought. Her body would be tucked away under the sheet anyway. She glanced at Jonathan as she walked over to her bed. He watched her. Not an obvious stare, but she knew he was looking.


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