Do you have that fun place on the Internet to visit when you need a break, a little mind candy spot? Mine is Etsy, "an e-commerce website focused on handmade or vintage items and supplies, as well as unique factory-manufactured items..." according to Wikipedia.

I can spend hours on Etsy and sometimes, I do. When I want an item, I'd like it to be handmade and one of a kind, if possible. Take the laptop sleeve you see here. I bought an older, used tablet that's a real oddball size. I tried to find a protective cover in the stores, but no luck. Then I found this one on Etsy. Is it not the coolest thing you've ever seen? Not only is it gorgeous, the thick crochet pattern protects the tablet. I'm pretty sure I'm the only kid on my block to own one.

When my honey complained about taking so many vitamins, I suggested he get a pill organizer, an idea he rejected as being for old folks. Not so on Etsy. Here's a wooden one with the sun, moon and stars, and another with a dragon design. You won't find these at WalMart in the geriatric section. 

Take a trip to Etsy and look for just about anything. Happy shopping! 

To see my tablet sleeve and more cool handmade items, visit Anastasiashop here.
http://etsy.me/1mHTBCC

I got a draft stopper for my door from SewNiceDesigns, very cool Halloween masks from MasquerademaskStudio, and many other fabulous items.

A case of mistaken identity results in a night of great sex for Dane and Tina. She wants to continue the relationship, he doesn't. Not because he doesn't want her, bad, but because she's his best friend's sister. Dating your bud's sister is just wrong, let alone doing some of the things he did with Tina and still wants to do. 

I love short, witty erotic romance and Whipped is all that and more. A couple of hot love scenes and the building romance between the hero and heroine make this book a fabulous read, while the backdrop of a wedding and all the accompanying craziness adds to the fun. You'll love how Dane and Tina meet!

If the rest of the books in this Brought to His Knees collection are as good as this one by Sabrina York, I'll be spending many happy nights reading. Make sure to scroll to the end of my post for the contest. Sparkling tiara and chocolate, anyone?
 


Whipped
By Sabrina York

Dane Coulter is mourning the loss of his best friend, fellow Special Ops buddy, Cody. Oh, Cody didn’t die. It’s worse. He’s getting married. Cody is, in Dane’s opinion, whipped.

Dane swears he will never suffer the same fate. But when he meets a woman who can take all his dominant loving and beg for more, he realizes he may have met his match. It’s a damn shame she’s the one woman in the world his man-code deems untouchable…his best friend’s sister.

Read an Excerpt (18+ Only, Please—this is steamy stuff)

He was bigger than he’d been in high school. Bigger, taller and just…more. His muscles, lacquered by a tight black tee shirt, bulged. Tattoos danced over his biceps. The planes of his face were angled. High cheekbones, dark brows, long blade of a nose all the same, but sharper. His eyes hadn’t had those shadows back then either, that predatory glint. His hair—his thick mop of curls—was gone, shaved off, revealing the perfect shape of his head. His chin, however, wasn’t shaved. It was covered by a smattering of dark fuzz. A scar on his cheek, rather than detracting from his looks, made him even more fascinating, dangerous.

And he smelled…delicious. As he moved, his cologne, a clean enticing scent, enveloped her in a cloud.

Oh, he was dangerous all right.

She didn’t care.

The slight buzz from the margaritas at the bachelorette party, the sexual sizzle ignited by the strippers who’d burst in on their party wearing camo fatigues with rip-away crotches, all contributed to her bravado.

In real life she would never hook arms with some random guy and sashay by his side to his room. But hell. This was Dane. The man of her fantasies. And, judging from the hunger in his expression as he looked down at her, the heat that passed between them where they touched, he wanted her.

Thank God she wasn’t still the dorky teen with braces she’d been when they’d last met.

She looked amazing tonight. He happened to wander by and notice her. No one else was around. And he wanted her.

It was as though, somehow, magically, all the stars had aligned.

There was no way--no way—she would miss this opportunity.

Excitement danced low in her gut as he swiped his room key and led her into his suite. It was a nice suite—not as sumptuous as Angie’s, but nice all the same—with a small sitting area and an enormous king bed. The windows looked out on the sparkling lights of the City that Never Slept. Or one of them.

“Can I get you a drink?” he asked, taking off his watch and dropping it on the table by the door. It drew her attention to his forearms, thick and muscled and sprinkled with dark hairs. They were roped with thick veins. She’d always had a thing for bulky forearms. And she’d always had a thing for Dane. The combination was irresistible.

She tipped her head to the side and blew a bubble with her gum. “Margarita?”

He waved at the glossy wood armoire against the wall. “I have a mini bar. It’ll have to be shots. What’s your poison?”

“Tequila then.” Might as well keep a good thing going.

He hunkered down and searched through the fridge, pulling out a tiny bottle of tequila for her and whiskey for him. He cracked them open and dumped them unceremoniously into two glasses and handed her hers. No ice or anything.

Good thing it didn’t matter to her, or she’d be pissed at his cavalier attitude. The drink was lubricant, a time filler. They were dancing around a seduction, and they both knew it.

Or…not.

Apparently seduction was not necessary. Because Dane took a swig of his drink and said, with no preface whatsoever, “So do you have any no-nos?”

She gaped at him. “No-nos?”

“Anything you won’t do? Because I’ll be frank. I like a little kink.”

Holy God.

First of all, the heat scorching her was mind-numbing. Literally. Mind. Numbing. Those brash words from Dane’s gorgeous lips and she nearly lost her balance.

Second of all—he liked kink.

So, in fact, did she. Nothing super dark, but a little slap and tickle for sure.

“Um…” She took a sip of her drink. She shuddered as the harsh bite of liquor burned through her. It clashed with the flavor of her gum. “What kind of kink are we talking about?”

He strode to his suitcase and fished around, pulling out a long leather strap with two loops on the ends. Her eyes fixated on it. She shuddered.

“I want to tie you up,” he said, his voice low, taunting, as though he expected her to squeak like a mouse and scuttle from the room.

The. Fuck.

“Hmm. I think I can handle that.”

“I’ll probably smack your bottom.”

Also good. She tried not to flinch in anticipation. His hand on her ass? Gawd.

“I won’t hurt you, though. I’m not into that. And of course, I’ll use protection.” He held up a pack of condoms.

Well da-ham. He’d come prepared. A smile curled on her lips.

“Billy said your fee’s been paid.” His brow quirked.

The smile froze on Tina’s face. A combination of horror and rage and something else altogether snarled through her, as she realized how right she’d been. Not only did he not recognize her—after knowing her her entire life, for pity sake—he thought she was a hooker.

Granted, she did kind of look like a hooker, with makeup plastered on as if with a trowel. But still…

She glanced at him from beneath the impossibly long lashes The Master had glued to her lids. Not her style, but she liked the way they looked. The way they made her feel…like someone else. Someone sultry and daring. Someone Dane would want.

To tie up and spank.

Aside from that, the temptation to have him, taste him, fuck him, ran rampant in her. For years she’d fantasized about her older brother’s best friend. All through puberty and long after that. Every man she’d met, dated or been with had been gauged against Dane Coulter. None of them had measured up.

Ah yes, the temptation to have him was overwhelming.

Not to mention how much fun it would be watching him shit a brick tomorrow, when he realized who she really was.

Too delicious to pass up, really. The whole package.

He stood there in the middle of the room, holding the strap in one hand and the condoms in the other, waiting for her reply. Though he was all Dom, she couldn’t help but notice a hint of tension in him, as though he was, on some level, afraid she’d say no and waltz away.

He wanted her. And he wanted her bad. It was the heat in his eyes that gave him away, the way they flicked over her and burned with hunger. Yeah. Irresistible.

Sure. She could be a hooker for the evening.


About Sabrina York

Her Royal Hotness, Sabrina York, is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of hot, humorous stories for smart and sexy readers. Her titles range from sweet & sexy to scorching erotic romance.  Connect with her on twitter @sabrina_york, on Facebook or on Pintrest. Check out Sabrina’s books and read an excerpt on Amazon or wherever e-books are sold. Visit her webpage at www.sabrinayork.com to check out her books, excerpts and contests. Free Teaser Book: http://sabrinayork.com/home-2/sabrina-yorks-teaser-book/ And don’t forget to enter to win the royal tiara!

FOLLOW SABRINA

Like my Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/sabrinayork
Like my Facebook Author Page https://www.facebook.com/SabrinaYorkBooks 
Follow me on Twitter @sabrina_york https://twitter.com/sabrina_york
Follow me on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5817917.Sabrina_York
Check out my Pintrest boards (prepare to spend the day): http://www.pinterest.com/sabrinayork/boards/

Who Doesn’t Want a Man Brought to His Knees by Love? Eleven Scorching Stories for 99¢

 Brought to his Knees Box Set

The Alpha male. Strong. In control. Letting no one and nothing rule him…until he meets the one, and all bets are off. The world tilts, the bed rocks, and suddenly that tough guy finds himself Brought to His Knees—in more ways than one. This collection of ten hot to erotic novellas and one short erotic novel will take you on journeys of lust, love, and adventure, leave you breathless and quite possibly in need of a cold shower. Enter with anticipation. Finish satisfied…

I was thrilled when my latest venture, the Hot Alpha SEALs Megaset, hit the New York Times and USA Today Bestseller lists and I am very excited about my next release, a collection of steamy stories about men brought to their knees by love. Check out a taste of my story, and read on for more teasers from the collection.

BROUGHT TO HIS KNEES—Available August 19th

Amazon: Check Sabrina’s Amazon Page for this and all her releases: http://www.amazon.com/Sabrina-York/e/B00856PDEO

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Brought-His-Knees-M-Griffin-ebook/dp/B00MQH71KW 
B&N - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/brought-to-his-knees-am-griffin/1119993064?ean=2940045653121
Itunes - https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/brought-to-his-knees/id902008990?mt=11&ign-mpt=uo%3D4
KOBO: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/brought-to-his-knees
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-broughttohisknees-1581282-362.html

Check out the teaser video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbYYLpmDk6c


Review Now on Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22796872-brought-to-his-knees

More about Brought To His Knees

Dark Wolf Enterprises by A.M. Griffin: Murder, mayhem and imprinting with a hot wolf shifter… And they say being an accountant is boring.

Building Bridges by Amy Ruttan: A vet tech and a lone wolf rancher ride out a sudden storm, but can they weather the emotions they stir up in each other...

Three Strikes by Anya Richards: Two lonely men. One secret affair. Irresistible passion that will push them both to the breaking point, and beyond.

A Cowboy’s Seduction by Cynthia D’Alba: One exhausted cowboy + One uptight account x A tropical resort = A hot seduction. But who is seducing whom?

Born to Sin by Danica Avet: A tomboy in love makes a desperate attempt to seduce her best friend and succeeds beyond her wildest dreams. But this Alpha male isn’t easily tamed and has secrets that could very well tear them apart.

The Sound of Your Name by Felice Fox: Their silent erotic encounters change his luck and awaken his soul, but secrets and cowboy superstitions can only keep them apart.

Beneath the Pages by Jennifer Kacey: One wicked night with her did nothing but whet his appetite. Now he’ll settle for nothing less than her complete submission.

Cruising for Love by Lynne Silver: A vacation cruise comes with surprises—like the BDSM theme and her high school love, the one man she can’t resist.

Whipped by Sabrina York: A scalding attraction. An irresistible passion. A pity she’s the one woman he can never have…

Chief Sin by Sayde Grace: A taste of Sin isn’t enough. Instead she wants all of him, including the heart she once broke.

Make Me Surrender by Tina Donahue: When it comes to two of the hottest guys in town, she has a proposition…to win their attention, passion, hearts.

I can't help it, I love to make fun of Fifty Shades. Shame on me, I haven't even read the books! I've read and heard enough to get the idea of the story, however, and will probably go see the movie just to watch my honey's reaction. And mine. Now that the trailer is out, my curiosity is really piqued. But the best thing about this movie trailer? The comments following it.

I love humor and OMG would I like to meet some of the folks who shared their thoughts. This is funny stuff! When you need to take a break and laugh for a few minutes, head over to You Tube and read what the world is saying. There aren't really fifty pages of comments last time I checked but you never know. Write your thoughts  on the site and we'll see what happens.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfZWFDs0LxA

Mathew Kadish gathered some of the best comments and put them here:  http://matthewkadish.com/50-shades-grey-official-trailer-funniest-youtube-comments/

Or, if you really want a stunning rendition of Fifty Shades, check out this reading by Gilbert Gottfried. You will laugh your ass off. Seriously, hang on to your butt cheeks.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5K1RcKJVbHA

Now, enough of this silliness. Back to work, for all of us!

A Victorian Meal from Sherlock’s Scandal by Suz deMello (#MFRWAuthor #Sherlock #spanking)

In Sherlock’s Scandal, Sherlock and Irene dine on roulades of salmon on braised greens, followed by a syllabub, and drank Champagne. Did I imagine a realistic meal?

The Champagne, certainly. Wine has been made in the Champagne region of France since the country was known as Gaul—i.e., since the Roman era. However, the development of the bubbly drink we now prize came rather later. The monk Dom Perignon, whose name still adorns bottles of the finest Champagne, lived from 1638-1715. But according to Wikipedia, his main focus was ridding the wine of the bubbles, which are the natural result of the fermentation process. The drink we know today was developed in the nineteenth century by the house of Veuve Cliquot, which was joined by  Krug (1843), Pommery (1858) and Bollinger (1829).

The fish, also. The Billingsgate market alone sold 136,000 tons of fish annually (http://www.victorianlondon.org/food/feeding.htm) including salmon. The salmon would likely have come from “the firths and bays of Scotland,” that country having been long famed for its fine salmon. The greens upon which the roulades were served may have come from Covent Garden, “the great vegetable market of the metropolis.”

The dessert, syllabub, had been known in England at least from the sixteenth century. It’s a pudding of various consistencies—I’ve seen it thick enough to eat with a spoon, or a thinner concoction poured over fruit or cake.

If they had enough money, the average Londoner ate well even though food inspections were intermittent. However, some of the grub they fancied are somewhat foreign to our palates.

A few examples: Bloaters, a street food, was a cold, smoked herring that was eaten whole, gills and eyes included. Calves’ foot jelly—a dish my British mother made until we all rose up in protest—was also popular. Some of the tastier dishes available on the street include meat pies—pasties, which you might want to wash down with ginger beer, a perennial favorite that’s still available.

Here’s a little about Sherlock’s Scandal:
 
A bored Sherlock is a dangerous Sherlock. His twin vices of cocaine and sex could prove his undoing, until he meets his match in elusive, enigmatic Irene Adler. Hiding her heart, Irene deserts Sherlock in the midst of their affair. He schemes to win her back, but the lady won’t come easily to hand. Instead, she forces him to compete for honor, glory and love.

 

Find it here:

http://www.ellorascave.com/sherlock-s-scandal.html
http://tinyurl.com/deMelloSherlock​

About the author:

Best-selling, award-winning author Suz deMello, a.k.a Sue Swift, has written seventeen romance novels in several subgenres, including erotica, comedy, historical, paranormal, mystery and suspense, plus a number of short stories and non-fiction articles on writing. A freelance editor, she’s held the positions of managing editor and senior editor, working for such firms Total-E-Bound, Liquid Silver Books and Ai Press. She also takes private clients. Her books have been favorably reviewed in Publishers Weekly, Kirkus and Booklist, won a contest or two, attained the finals of the RITA and hit several bestseller lists. A former trial attorney, her passion is world travel. She’s left the US over a dozen times, including lengthy stints working overseas. She’s now writing a vampire tale and planning her next trip.
find Suzie’s books here: http://www.tinyurl.com/SuzDeMello (publisher’s site)

https://www.amazon.com/author/suzdemello
https://www.amazon.com/author/sueswift