Happy New Year!

May New Year bring opportunities 

for happiness and prosperity

to everyone all the year through!

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas

Baking and Making Goodies for the Holidays

I surely come by it naturally, this passion for baking goodies around the holidays. I'm making two pineapple upside down cakes, Yule time holiday fudge, peanut butter cookies, mulled apple cider, peppermint bark candy, star lollies, and plum pudding! Oh yes, I will be waddling down the hall once the holidays are over. No way to avoid it, because as you probably know, the best treats are taste tested during cooking to make sure they are just right. lol

Give the recipe below a try over the holidays and let me know if it was a hit with your family and friends. :)

Yule Time Fudge
1 teaspoon plus 1/4 cup butter, divided
2-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
2/3 cup milk
12 ounces white baking chocolate, chopped
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1/4 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

Line a 9-in. square pan with foil and grease the foil with 1 teaspoon butter; set aside. In a large heavy saucepan, combine the confectioners' sugar, milk and remaining butter. Cook and stir over medium heat until combined. Bring to a boil; boil for 5 minutes without stirring. Reduce heat to low; stir in white chocolate. Cook and stir until chocolate is melted. Remove from the heat; stir in extract. Fold in the almonds, cherries, and cranberries. Immediately spread into prepared pan. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until set. Using foil, lift fudge out of pan. Discard foil; cut fudge into 1-in. squares. Store in the refrigerator.

I want to thank all my readers and fans for their support this year, and wish everyone a very Merry Christmas, Season's Greetings, and an especially awesome New Year 2013!

May you enjoy good health, prosperity, love, and peace this coming new year.
Brightest blessings, Cass

Winner of Yule Tides Contest is...

The winner of my Yule Tides contest is...

N.J!

Congrats, N.J!

Thanks to my pal Ali for picking a number between 1 and 4 for me.

Also thanks to everyone who left a comment and entered.

Yule Tides Release Day!

My ebook Yule Tides is coming out later today for the Nook and for the Kindle! Weeee! Mermaid nookie rulz! lol

In honor of this very special day, I'm having a contest! 

Leave a comment on my blog and let me know which of my characters from my backlist of ebooks is your favorite,
(and if you've never read my books, let me know which book sounds the most interesting), and you're entered to win this prize pack of goodies:   

• a lovely blue and white dolphin cameo pin

• a jeweled writing pen

• a $10 Amazon eGift card

• kewl bookmarks

• A neat blue feather hair clip and...

• a lovely plated sterling silver 
genuine oyster pearl and white topaz necklace 

Contest ends December 18, 2012 at midnight! So leave your comment now and enter to win!

Must be 18+ to enter. Winner selected at random. The odds of winning depend upon the number of participants. Contest void where prohibited by law.  I strive to make my prize winners happy! However, as with all my contests, it is the participant’s responsibility to check the blog to see if their name is announced as a winner, and/or to respond to winning notification emails in order to claim your prize. Not responsible for lost/stolen mail.  

*Winner must reply to email message within 30 days of contest's winner announcement to receive prizes. Failure to reply within the given time will result in a forfeit and cause a second chance drawing and a new winner picked from pool of correct entries.
 

Yule Tides Sneak Preview Reading!

I'll be back at the Dunes of Romany Tuesday, December 11, 2012 at 7:00PM SLT (10pm Eastern) and will be reading from my upcoming ebook release, Yule Tides!

Fun lovin' mermaids shake their tails and strut their stuff in land lubber nightclubs as they celebrating the season with comedic results...and seriously hawt passion.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Romany/161/45/22

It should be fun!

I sure hope to see you there. *waves a fin*

Now, wet your appetite with a short excerpt from Yule Tides!

YULE TIDES

by Cassandra Curtis ©2012

 

-->

Something tugged at Merilee’s back fin, spinning her round. Shark knife in her right hand, she prepared to defend herself as she’d been taught. But instead of a fearsome predator, she saw her cousin Nótt seated upon her black sea pony, Hrímfaxi.

“Did I startle you cousin? Were you lost in thoughts of home?”

Merilee shook her head, unwilling to admit she’d been distracted by a pair of humans she’d spotted near the cove; the couple’s hurried movements fueled by need and desire. Unable to look away, Merilee had held her breath, a silent voyeur in the water. Their passion sparked a desire in her unlike anything she’d ever known. What would it be like, wrapping legs around a man’s waist? To experience the undeniable attraction she had for humans, and succumb to the raw power of the mating instinct?

Nótt pointed toward the distant city lights. “See how they glow, cousin? The land welcomes us, Merilee. Come with us tonight.”

Temptation warred with caution. Her cousins were adventurous, often challenging each other, pushing the limits of courage and endurance. Her aunt called it folly, this lust for humans and their vices.

The last time she’d walked on land, Merilee’s parents had still been alive. Her older sister had stopped by for a visit and talked her into a day of shoe shopping at the mall near Copenhagen’s harbor. A bit of frivolous fun that harmed none...gods she missed the carefree life she’d had. Her beloved home waters seemed so far away.

“Are you coming with us tonight or not?” Her cousin asked again.

Merilee patted the sea pony’s forehead and debated whether it was worth the risk. If Aunt Helga found out, there would be trouble. Uncle’s wife disapproved of anything resembling human pleasures.

“I’ll even loan you my shiny azure dress with the black see through lace and my fuck me blue pumps,” Nótt promised. Merilee’s weakness for shoes was common knowledge among her cousins.

“Nótt! Aunt Helga would be so mad, hearing you use human curse words!”

“Should I care what that old sea witch thinks? Say you’ll come with us and play?”

The offer enticed Merilee. She did love dressing up and it had been so long. Her favorite silver high heels made her sea legs look curved and her body long and sexy. Aunt Helga had confiscated the shoes, saying human contraband had no place in her home.

 “Hose too?” Merilee dared to add.

“I have an extra pair still sealed in the package that you can have. But I need an answer now, before Aunt Helga notices we’re gone and sends someone to search for us,” Nótt warned in a breathy whisper.

“Yes. I’ll go with you.” As the words left her lips, the wind kicked up, and a cold shiver raced beneath her skin. Merilee hoped it wasn’t an omen of things to come.

“Meet us at the old fisherman’s shack when the moon is high over the cove, and don’t be late.”

“I’ll be there.” Merilee promised, and then bunched her muscles, somersaulted above the water. With a final wave of her blue and green tail, she disappeared beneath the lapping waves.

*  *  *

Merilee peered into the dark shack, wondering if she was early or if her cousins had already left. She’d had to sneak past her aunt, who had fallen asleep in a cozy, padded clamshell on the terrace of their underwater home. Forced to move one snore at a time, she’d clutched her waterproof pouch to her chest and swum fast as she could.

“Psst! Nótt, where are you?” She bumped her knee and run her hands over a wooden table.

A light sputtered to life. Startled, she jumped in fright, only to look into eyes as black as the deepest depths of the ocean.

 Soren stood in the doorway holding an oil lamp. He’d already dressed and combed back his dark, wet hair.

When Nótt had mentioned others going with them, she’d pictured her fun-loving, plump cousin Gertie, and maybe Aunt Helga’s niece, Sonja. Not the family bodyguard.

“Your cousins sent me to fetch you.” He set the lamp on a shelf and handed her a diver’s bag. She removed the package of panty hose and the shoes, and then bent to open the pouch she’d brought with her.

Soren turned to stare out a broken window while she hurried, toweling herself dry and sliding the hose over her feet. It wasn’t that she or her people were modest about something so natural as their unclothed bodies, but more about his training as a sentry.

 “We have to drive a different way into the city since the Flagler Memorial Bridge is closed for renovation.”

Merilee nodded, pulling the dress over her head and smoothing the shimmering fabric over her curves. She angled her feet into the high heel pumps and let out a squeal of delight, strutting across the shack and back again.

“My legs are great in these shoes!” The click of her stiletto heels on the wooden floor caused Soren to turn away from the window. “Look at my feet! Aren’t they cute?”

“You can admire yourself later.” He must have realized how harsh he’d sounded, adding, “I don’t like staying here longer than we have to, Merilee. There will be better opportunities to dance once we reach the city. Bring your bags, I’ll throw them in the trunk.”

Did Soren ever relax? Merilee noted the way he took in everything around them with a single glance, on constant alert.

“I’m surprised you agreed to come with us. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you have fun.” She shoved the wet towel into her zip pouch and blew out the lamp.

“Chaperoning three giggly mermaids nightclubbing with humans isn’t my idea of fun. I’m only here to keep you and your cousins out of trouble.” The rumbled growl of Soren’s tone reinforced his irritation with the task as they walked toward a nearby car.

“Then why didn’t you tell Aunt Helga?”

“Just get in the car.” He opened the rear passenger door, his expression closed.

Merilee greeted her cousins and got into the back seat with Nótt. Using the least bit of sea magic, she opened her senses, concentrating on the mental communication her people all shared, and narrowed her focus so only her cousin Nótt could ‘hear’.

Why did you invite Soren?

Soren is the only one of us who has a car, duh. Or did you want to walk several miles in heels? We couldn’t cross the bridge, there are humans working on it day and night. Trust me, your feet would hurt after the first few blocks.

Merilee knew her cousin was right, but that didn’t stop her from expressing her opinion. He’s a total downer and you know it.

Nótt’s lack of a reply spoke volumes. Gertie took the opportunity to half turn in her seat and squeeze Merilee’s hand.

“Oh, I’m so glad you came with us! This will be such fun, you’ll see. The nightclub is sea themed and they have rainbow sparkling lights in a fake grotto.” She leaned closer and whispered, “for cuddling and kissing.”

“Let’s not forget about the stripper pole,” Nótt grinned, a wicked gleam in her eyes.

Merilee noticed Soren’s face in the car’s mirror and watched with curiosity as his muscles tensed. She shook off the odd sensation his reaction caused in her stomach and smiled at Gertie, asking, “What’s a stripper pole?”

“Wait. You’ll see.” Gertie wiggled her eyebrows.

Yule Tides • Coming Soon! 12/12/12

Drop by for a Cool Smutketeer Celebration!

Drop by December 5th 
and watch for my very special
holiday mermaid ornament giveaway 

plus fun stuff from:

T.J. Michaels, Mandy Roth, Michelle Pillow, 
and Shiloh Walker!

http://www.smutketeers.com/

Tail Smackin' Fun!

It takes a very 'special' Santa

to grant a mermaid's wish and dream come true.  

This December, curl up with some tail smacking fun!

Merilee Bára Strand loves high heels, sexy stockings, and dancing the night away at some of Florida's hippest clubs. The one thing missing from her life though, is a man to share it with, and she does mean M-a-n. No way was she going to be stuck in the sea, tied to a tail-chasing merman. When she meets club owner Niels Maxwell, she decides Santa has granted her wish. Now if only her family's pesky bodyguard would give her the space she needs to seal the deal.

Soren Dane was once fully human, but the sea took him and gifted him with more. In return for saving his life, he guards the Norse Sea God Aegir's royal descendants. He never imagined his duty would cross paths with a sexy, albeit naive and foolhardy, blond mermaid determined to escape her palace under the sea and find a human mate.

No stranger to hazardous waters, Soren knows protecting Merilee from herself could destroy any chance he has to change her mind, and show her he's more than man enough to love.

Reading at The Dunes of Romany

I managed to snap these pics from my reading event in SL at the lovely lavender fields at the Dunes of Romany.

It was a small gathering around a campfire, me wearing my Stacie Purcell avatar and relating funny behind the scenes action from the story. And ya'll just know I chose some of the naughtiest parts in Naughty Little Secrets to read to my audience. *wink*

I'll be back at the Dunes of Romany on December 11, 2012 at 7:00PM SLT (10pm Eastern) and will be reading from my upcoming ebook release, Yule Tides!
Fun lovin' mermaids shake their tails and strut their stuff in land lubber nightclubs as they celebrating the season with comedic results...and seriously hawt passion.
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Romany/161/45/22

It should be fun!
I sure hope to see you there. *waves a fin*

To All My Friends And Readers ~

Image courtesy Cea - Flikr Creative Commons

Wishing one and all a Happy Thanksgiving!

Cassandra

What Are You Doing Black Friday?

After the last couple of times I went shopping on Black Friday, (parking lot wars, rumble in the mall jungle, and cold rain without an umbrella to my name) I decided any Black Friday shopping would be done online. But then I thought to myself what would be more fun would be to kick back, go into Second Life, and read excerpts from my novella Naughty Little Secrets. Visit with readers and just chillax. Afterward, maybe fix a Hot Brown and then do a little online shopping. Sounds a lot better than getting in the mess at Walmart, Target, or the Mall.

Say, how would you like to share a Hot Brown with me? Click the picture above for info on my next Cassandra's Story Hour and check out the recipe below for a tasty Hot Brown. Enjoy!

The Yummiest Turkey Leftovers Sandwich You'll Ever Have

The Hot Brown (view image)

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons butter


6 tablespoons all-purpose flour


3 cups milk


1/2 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese


1 egg, room temperature and beaten


Salt and black pepper to taste


1/2 cup prepared whipped cream


8 slices toasted white bread, crust trimmed off


1 pound cooked turkey breast, thin sliced


Grated Parmesan cheese for topping


8 bacon slices, fried crisp
 


Preparation:
 

Making the Sauce:

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Gradually whisk in flour until smooth and without lumps. Now stir in milk until sauce comes to a gentle boil, whisk then remove from heat. Add Parmesan cheese and stir until melted and blended.

Using a small bowl, beat the egg. Slowly add 1 cup of the heated sauce, 1/3 cup at a time to the egg, and keep stirring. Now slowly add in your egg mixture to the remaining sauce, whisking until well blended; add salt and pepper to taste. Fold in the whipped cream.

For each Hot Brown sandwich, place two slices of toasted bread in an individual sized serving, oven safe ceramic or metal dish. Pile on plenty of that sliced, leftover turkey breast. Pour plenty of the sauce mixture over the turkey. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Place entire dish in the oven under a broiler, approximately 5-7 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly. Remove from broiler, cross two pieces of cooked crispy bacon over the top, and serve.

Makes 4 servings of two open-faced sandwiches.
  

Hot eBook Fun - MetalMark by Ella Drake

MetalMark by Ella Drake

I love SFR (Science Fiction Romance) having cut my teeth on authors like Ursula K. LeGuin, C.J. Cherryh, Sharon Green, Carole Nelson Douglas, Saranne Dawson, Linnea Sinclair, and Tara K. Harper. So I have certain expectations when I read SFR. But since I’m a relative newcomer to Steampunk and Gaslight romances, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I opened MetalMark by author Ella Drake.

The hero of her story is a futuristic prince née figurehead named Lye, whose world, Brutus, is steam-powered. Known as Lye the Keeper, he’s under the parasitical thumb of the universe’s bad guys, The Syndicate. With Brutus under occupation by Syndicate overseers and his people enslaved with the insectoid MetalMarks, he’s left with no option but to give in to their demands and hope to help his people by way of a seat on the The Syndicate’s council.

In a very fun turn of events, help comes to the rescue in the form of one Jazzelina Eval, an infamous space pirate queen. Jazz makes a deal with a black marketeer to kidnap the handsome prince, but once she gets a look at him, she decides to keep him for herself.

Plenty of intrigue, romance, and swashbuckling futuristic derring-do, MetalMark rates high marks as a sexy and fun ebook.

Disclosure: While I did win this ebook in a contest, that doesn’t change my opinion of the skilled story craft of the author, or enjoyable nature of this novel.

Available from Lyrical Press

Developing A New Hero

At this point he doesn't have a name, but then he doesn't need one yet, lol Rawr. ;)

Too bad he's not real. What would you name him? And nope, Lunch is not a name. lol

Shell Spell Bottle Broom winner

The winner of my Shell Bottle Spell Broom Contest is...

Rob Graham! 

Congratulations, Rob!

Thank you for liking my FB page. Please email me or contact me via my website's contact form with your snail mail info so I can send out your prize.

Don't forget, you must contact me within 30 days for the prize is forfeit and a second chance winner will be drawn.

Happy Halloween!

Today is the last day of my P3 (Paranormal Party Palooza). Thank you to everyone who has participated and helped share the fun. I have one last item to give away and it's quite cool, if I do say so myself.

The Shell Bottle Spell Broom Pen
crafted by Storm Eldermoon of Eclectic Enchantments

To win this one of a kind lovely, all you have to do to enter is LIKE my Facebook page if you don't already. The winner will be picked at random from among all my Cassandra Curtis Author page fans. The link for my author page is on my website and also here on my sidebar.

The Halloween Shell Spell contest ends midnight this Friday, November 2, and the winner will be announced this weekend!

Good Luck and Happy Halloween!

Remember When 80's contest winner

The winner of my Remember When 80's Halloween contest is... ::drumroll please::

 

Tawnya Peltonen!

Congratulations, Tawnya!

Please contact me via email, FaceBook direct message (not on my wall), Twitter direct message (not in my feedstream), or my contact form on my website with your name and snail mail address, so I can send your prizes!

You have 30 days from today in which to contact me and claim your prize. Failure to do so 

within the time allotted will cause prizes to be forfeit and a second chance drawing to occur.

Paranormal Party Palooza Rolls On

All Hallow's Eve is just a handful of days away, and I feel re-energized and excited. I love to see the neighborhood kids in their costumes, their sack or plastic pumpkin ready for the great candy giveaway. I always give the parents a bit of candy too, because we're all little kids inside, remembering our own adventures in trick or treating. I don't ever want to lose that fun feeling and I don't want the parents feeling left out.

With that in mind, I would love to hear some of your favorite Halloween memories from when you were growing up or one with your kids. If you leave a favorite Halloween comment, you'll be entered to win the yummy treat pictured below.

In addition, the winner will also receive the paperback pictured here as well.


Contest ends Tuesday, October 30, 2012 at midnight. Good luck.



Must be 18+ to enter. Winner selected at random. The odds of winning depend upon the number of participants. Contest void where prohibited by law.  I strive to make my prize winners happy! However, as with all my contests, it is the participant’s responsibility to check the blog to see if their name is announced as a winner, and/or to respond to winning notification emails in order to claim your prize. Not responsible for lost/stolen mail.  

*Winner must reply to email message within 30 days of contest's winner announcement to receive prizes. Failure to reply within the given time will result in a forfeit and cause a second chance drawing and a new winner picked from pool of correct entries.

Samhain: The Turn of The Wheel

You may not know it, but Samhain (pronounced Sow-ven, Sah-vin, or Sow-en depending on what flavor of Gaelic you're using) is like New Year's Eve in the Celtic pagan tradition.

It's a time to ring out the past year, and let go of things that aren't working in your life, releasing old hurts and bad habits.

Samhain is also the time to honor the people we've loved and lost, and to celebrate a "turn of the wheel" and look forward to the birth of new creations, new plans, and new possibilities.

SAMHAIN Ritual
By MotherHerb
©1980; Used with permission courtesy Motherherb and Motherherb's Cottage.

Prepare yourself first by taking a lustral bath. Use bath salts or specially prepared soap if you prefer to shower. As you cleanse your body, imagine all the impurities within and without, sliding away down into the drain.

Gather any items you wish to use in ritual including photos of deceased loved ones. Prepare the altar (a black candle to represent the death of the God, an apple (which you will later cut crosswise with your white handled knife to reveal the pentagram at its center); make sure you have at least a couple of inches of sand inside the censer or cauldron and light the charcoal tablet. Once its edges start to turn white, place a pinch of cut and dried herbs or powdered herbs into the recessed-cup tablet. (I use ground and powdered apple leaves).

Cast your circle and light your candle. Call to the God and Goddess. Call the elements. Then say:

 
As light fades into night,
I honor the God, horned hunter of the sun,
Who passes into shadow.

Cut the apple crosswise and hold aloft, saying:

Maiden to Mother to Crone,
I honor the Goddess, in all her forms.
I know that from her, the God will be reborn.

Take a bite out of the apple, then say:

I taste of life freely given, and in doing so, honor those
Who have touched my life and passed before.

I usually touch the photos of deceased loved ones I placed on the altar, and recall special memories. I do not believe in trying to call them or drag their spirits into this plane of existence. That’s considered rude! Simply honor and remember them. Remember too, that this is the Wiccan and Wicce New Year and it is time to release old hurts, worries, and problems.

A New Year awakens. The circle is reborn.
Let that which troubles me, flee.
As I will, so shall it be.

At this point, you may do other works of magic, if necessary or end the ritual by thanking the God and Goddess, the elements, extinguishing the candle and releasing the circle. Celebrate the Simple Feast. Mulled Cider and Crescent Cakes or other harvest food and drink are appropriate, and by all means, finish that apple!

Merry Meet and Merry Part and Merry Meet Again!

The Paranormal Cool Quiz Winner is...

Congratulations, Debbie G!

You've won a neat swag bag of stuff, including this awesome little mermaid cameo pin.  

Watch your inbox for your winning email announcement!

The correct answers to the quiz were:

B, A, C, B

Thanks for playing! Check back for more fun and games at When Midnight Comes.

Winner of My P3 Newsletter Contest is...

Congratulations to joyeline88!

Your name was drawn as the winner of my Paranormal Party Palooza (P3) Newsletter contest prize* pack!  Watch your email for information on how to receive your awesome prizes, which includes a bronze dragon ear cuff and more!

The month isn't over yet and I still have more fun and prizes coming, so drop back by and see what I'm cooking up next...

Cass



*Winner must reply to email message within 30 days of contest's winner announcement to receive prizes. Failure to reply within the given time will result in a forfeit and cause a second chance drawing and a new winner picked from the membership roll of Cassandra's Newsletter Group.

Paranormal Cool Quiz!

Want to test your paranormal knowledge and win a neat mermaid pin if you're picked?

All you have to do is email me at cass @ cassandra curtis .com (no spaces) with your answers. Contest ends Friday, October 26, 2012 at noon and I'll pick one winner from all entries received and announce the winner that night! Ready? Set? Go!!!!

Choose one of the multiple choice answers below that you think fits best.

1. The Shifting Tides series by Cassandra Curtis has these types of characters.

a.) faeries and trolls
b.) mermaids and selkies
c.) werewolves and vampires

2. In the novella The Midnight Effect, where does the hero Javier, live?

a.) in the side of a mountain
b.) in Arizona
c.) on an island

3. Which Cassandra Curtis book has a faery lord hero?

a.) I Put A Spell On You
b.) The Deal Breaker
c.) Cup of Fate

4.) In the ebook Black Magic Woman, the heroine Renata Jones has psychic ability, but which one does she have?

a.) moves objects with her mind
b.) sees auras
c.) predicts the future

Good luck!


Must be 18+ to enter. The odds of winning depend upon the number of participants. Contest void where prohibited by law. I strive to make my prize winners happy! However, as with all my contests, it is the participant’s responsibility to check the blog to see if their name is announced as a winner, and/or to respond to winning notification emails in order to claim your prize. Not responsible for lost/stolen mail.  

Love With A Dragon Contest Winner is...

Tina Green!

Your name was drawn from the 'witches hat'! Congratulations!

Please contact me with your snail mail information so I can send out your fabulous prize.

 

This and That...

Wanted to remind my readers that the Love With A Dragon Contest ends tonight at midnight, so if you haven't left a comment and answered the question on my last blog post, you have today to do so, 'cause tomorrow I'll pull a name outta the mystical magickal witches hat. :-)

Also there is still some time to enter my Newsletter group P3 contest. To enter, simply join my newsletter group, set it for active membership (individual, digest, or special notices) and you're set.

For those readers of my blog who are also writers, I'm giving a workshop on November 3 in SL as part of the NaNoWriMo events in SL. The subject will be Plotting Scenes. I hope ya'll will check it out.

Friend and former MMC co-owner Cora Zane has a new ebook out. Part of her Silver Werekind series, Chasing Moonlight is Blaze and Shelby's story.

Blaze Logan can't figure out why Shelby keeps avoiding him, especially since he's sure the raven-haired beauty is his mate. When she breaks one date too many, he goes to her cabin to call her out, only to find her in the throes of a painful transformation.

Shelby's secret is out. Unable to control her inner wolf, she is at the mercy of the moon. Determined to help her gain control no matter what it takes, Blaze is going to have to act fast in order to help her. She’s chasing moonlight, and the full moon is only days away.

 Read an excerpt here: http://www.cobblestone-press.com/catalog/excerpt/chasingmoonlight.htm



I've been waiting for this one and gosh, just look at that cover!  Doesn't that hero look like he's related to the hunky blond acting Hemsworth brothers?

More fun and games, contests, sneak peeks and excerpts next week, plus winner announcements, so stop back by and say hi.

 

Love With A Dragon (excerpt and contest!)

Imagine a world with high deserts and cliffs, caverns and sagebrush. Now imagine in every cavern, every mountaintop are huge, spacious aeries; each having a stone railing wide enough so that an adult dragon could perch there and see panoramic vistas stretching as far as the city lights of the human populated Newtown, an urban area very reminiscent of late twentieth century Los Angeles.

Ever since the first colony ship landed on their planet over a hundred years ago, they sensed the newcomers would be a threat to their way of life. They hid their nature, shapeshifting and blending in with these strange invaders to their homeworld. Watching the humans, interacting with them so closely, confidant in their ability to fool them while they spied on them, the Dragonkind convinced themselves they could move through Newtown's populace without incidence and hide their own homesteads.

So it was inevitable that one of these humans would eventually stumble upon a frightening discovery, seeing a dragon from old Earth myth soar in flight. Thinking the creature some kind of flying alien lizard, potentially dangerous and possibly in greater numbers, the colony's militia was notified. The creature was shot down and human soldiers were sent out to hunt for more of these 'dragons' in the name of public safety, and thus starting a twenty-five year long war. Peace came hard fought, with no real winners.

Open Season takes place over twenty years after the treaty between humans and Dragonkind. Tentative friendships emerge and pacts are made between the dominant dragons and a few curious and brave human submissives (called fawns by the Dragons) in Newtown's club district. Tensions arise when the Dragon's ritual mating hunt is challenged and humans are allowed for the first time to watch and even participate.

I wanted to explore bdsm in a different light and what better way than in a futuristic and alien world where the real answer to the question of why is hidden beneath the lies we tell ourselves.

Blurb:

A submissive-in-training, Season knows the boundaries, but that doesn’t stop her from crossing them, or from falling in love with her master and wanting more. When the ban against life-mating between humans and Dragonkind is lifted, she jumps at the chance to enter the ritual hunt and claim her master as mate. Despite the dangers and risks, she knows their love is worth it, even if her masterful dragon doesn’t.

Quinn knew accepting the position as General of the Dragon Army came with risks and that his enemies would look for any weakness they could use against him. But he never realized how fast lust could turn to love, or desire to need.

When an old foe from the war notices Quinn’s growing attraction and deeper involvement with Season, Quinn is caught between two difficult choices—pretend indifference to the woman he’s grown to love, or enter the Solstice Hunt and risk everything to claim his human mate.

EXCERPT: Adult language and situations. Must be 18+ to read.

Open Season by Cassandra Curtis
©2012 Cassandra Curtis. All rights reserved.

The constant, overwhelming drive to claim and mark her as a mate had been the impetus causing him to withdraw, at least temporarily, from her company. Season's eagerness to please made her an excellent bottom, but she was human and he knew better than to take her fully in the ways of his kind. She wouldn't understand what claiming meant to him and what it would mean for her—not that the dragon council of elders would allow a human to enter the sacred mating hunt.

Besides, a solitary existence had served him well over the years. If, at odd times he ached for the closeness of a life mate, he hid it, scorning the emotion and the temptation. Seeking out submissive humans, playing D/s games, and telling himself he was satisfied had become routine.

He stood on the warehouse roof across the street and watched Season exit the building alone. Stupid girl! Why hadn't she waited for Nalita? Didn't she understand her very tempting and precarious situation? The warehouse district was a rough area, despite the cops who made the circuit, driving past in their police cruisers.

A woman needed protection, some deterrent for the thieves and thugs, prowling the streets at night. Season wore an impossibly short bronze miniskirt and chocolate leather ankle boots, her hips swaying the slightest bit as she made her way to her car, stepping over the slushy puddles left from a recent snowstorm. Her long blond hair was tied in a ponytail, her shimmery brown sweater dipped low, exposing the creamy curves of her breasts. She'd come to Nalita's ready to play—without him.

What did you expect? Season is a submissive-in-training. It wasn't her place to call and invite him. That wasn't how their arrangement worked. He was the one in control. If he'd wanted to go with her to Nalita's party, he should have called her and told her. That was the problem. She expected more from their relationship, and he'd become the nervous fawn. How could he call himself a Dom and yet be—? No, he wouldn't even say it. He wasn't…afraid.


“Master Dragonairre, a word with you, sir.”

Startled from his thoughts, Quinn turned to see his second, Jace, standing behind him. The roar of an engine divided his attention. Season drove away. “What?” He replied, his tone brusque.

“Sir, the guild asked to speak with you regarding the upcoming solstice festivities.” His second stood firm despite the withering glance Quinn cast his way.

“What do they want now?”

“I believe it has something to do with the official hunt, sir.”

“Very well. Perhaps they've come to their senses.”

“I hope so, sir. Our war with the humans is ancient history. The guild should allow them to enter the hunt.”

“Jace, for those of us who lived through that dark time, the bitterness still lingers in our memories. We have to move past it in order to secure our future, yes, but it'll take time for the clans who fought so hard and lost so much.” Damn, that sounded like part of a campaign speech, even though it was true. Bad enough his position granted him a vote.

He despised most of the supercilious bastards on the guild's council. The politicians chose to ignore him when it suited them, but all too often, it was his vote that was the deciding factor.

Whether the humans only acted as observers, or full participants in the hunt, he knew the decision would mean sweeping changes to his people's way of life…and his own. The opportunity to call Season his life mate should be worth any price—except her safety. He'd do anything, including push her away, to keep her safe from harm.

If he showed too much care for her welfare, or treated her any differently than other fawns he'd trained in the past, his enemies would know. The war had already placed a high a burden on him,
and cost him dearly. Ignoring Season pained him, but losing her through an act of revenge or retribution for something he'd done in the war, twisted his guts in knots.

Quinn stretched, back arched, his shoulders pulled forward in preparation for the change. Dense connective tissue twined together, forming elongated fingers on the underside of his arms.
Leathery crimson membrane grew between the new cartilage and bone. Stretched from wing tip to tip, the span neared twenty feet long.

He lowered onto his haunches and gazed one last time at the building across the street. Smoke unfurled from his flared nostrils as he saw Nalita lock the heavy double doors and chain them tight. She turned, a stun-stick in her hand. Good girl. The weapon was a nasty piece of work, hard to obtain unless you had connections inside the police force or within the upper echelon of black marketers—both of which Nalita had.

“I take it we're not driving?” Jace dropped to his knees, as similar bat-like wings sprouted from his back. His clothes dissolved beneath shiny blue and gold scales, absorbed into his very DNA matrix.

“Not this time. We fly!” Quinn stepped off the roof and soared into the emerging dawn of an amethyst streaked sky.

Contest time!

One lucky reader will win a goodie swag bag along with a very special prize pictured below. To enter, leave a comment and tell me the name of Quinn's second in command. If you're correct and your name is drawn, you'll win!

Silvertone ear cuff (small to medium sz)

Contest ends midnight, Sunday, October 21, 2012 and the winner announced that week. Remember to check back to see if you've won. Good Luck!


Must be 18+ to enter. The odds of winning depend upon the number of participants. Contest void where prohibited by law. I strive to make my prize winners happy! However, as with all my contests, it is the participant’s responsibility to check the blog to see if their name is announced as a winner, and/or to respond to winning notification emails in order to claim your prize. Not responsible for lost/stolen mail.

Newsletter Group Contest

This month, all active* members of my newsletter group will be entered into a very specific drawing available only to active* newsletter members!

A winner will be drawn on October 25th and alerted via email, so please watch your inbox (and spam folder) and make sure you have notices sent to digest* or individual*, so you don't miss any winning email notifications.

The winner will get:

Bronze toned ear cuff (size small-med)

• a Dragon ear cuff (wicked cool)
• an I Love Dolphins button
• a fun purple and blue bat hook bookmark
• Halloween pencils
• a mermaid cameo pin
• a $10 gift card for Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble (winner's choice)
• a free tarot reading with `Lady Cass' (via Facebook messaging or in Second Life if you have an acct. there)

Mermaid bar pin

Don't belong to my low volume newsletter group? To join, click on the Cassandra's Newsletter Group link on the left sidebar under Cassandra's Links. Easy peasy. Good luck!

*Active membership means you must be a member of my newsletter group, in good standing, and with notices sent to one of three categories: individual, digest, or special notices.

Spell Broom Pen Winner is...

I grabbed a Bear (lol) to pull a name from the witches hat. 

The winner of the neat spell broom pen 

pictured above is... *drumroll please*

Jennifer Colgan

Congratulations, Jennifer! 

Please email me with your snail mail address so 

I can send this lovely besom flying your way.

Thank you to everyone who entered. 
If you didn't win, check back later this week because 
I've got more fun prizes and contest, excerpts and wickedly 
witchy and wonderful things on the way.

Upcoming SL Event

Second Life Tarot Event
10-16-2012

Free Tarot Reading with Lady Cass Tuesday, October 16, 2012 at 2pm SLT (Pacific time)

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Romany/68/141/22

Join RL paranormal and erotic romance author Cassandra Curtis for tarot reading fun, part of Cassandra's Paranormal Party this October. Dance, read, shop, and explore Romany, just one of the amazing sims in Second Life.

While at the Gypsy Hideaway Camp, get a FREE tarot reading on Tuesday, October 16, from 2 pm to 4 pm SLT with Lady Cass and discover the future or look back at a past life. Who knows what you might discover? For entertainment purposes only.

Cassandra's Story Hour Event

If you have an account in SL (aka Second Life), drop by one of my upcoming storytelling events and listen as I read "in voice" from one of my most popular tales.

Tuesday, October 9, 2012 (Today)

1pm SLT (pacific time)

The Midnight Effect as read by author Cassandra Curtis.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

11AM SLT (pacific time)

The Midnight Effect as read by author Cassandra Curtis.

These events are 'in voice' so please bring your headphones. 

Location for both events: Bookstacks Pub in Awen (SL)

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Awen/136/127/25

Sit and Read A Spell Excerpt and Contest

One of the first ebooks I penned was I Put A Spell On You. The story was about a guy who used to spend the summers with his grandparents and of the girl next door he fell in love with and would watch through his bedroom window. It was a story about unrequited love and passionate desire. Of how you never forget your first love and sometimes wonder if there's a chance you can go back and make it work.

But something was missing. Sure I had strong characters, and the required amount of conflict. But it needed a spark to give it magic.

The minute I realized the missing element was magic, the story came together in a single week. I made the heroine a witch, even better, a hereditary witch with a witchy sister and witchy parents. The heroine would own a magic and herbal shop with her sister. I wanted to make this a rom com in addition to erotic, so I thought about it and gave the witch her cat and used him as a comedic device.

While writing one of the final scenes, the group CCR came on the oldies station and I thought the song playing would make the perfect title. The excerpt below is from my little witchy story, I Put A Spell On You.


I Put A Spell On You
by Cassandra Curtis

“I could use some help here, Mia.” Tess Warner balanced on her tiptoes and tried once more to shove the box back on the top shelf.

“Sorry, didn’t see you struggling there.”

The sisters finished unpacking the crate and stocking the shelves
.
“I don’t suppose you’ve seen my ladder?” Tess glanced around.

“Nope. Maybe you should go borrow Sebastian’s.”

“I’d rather eat a cow.”

“That’s pretty bad—you being a vegetarian and all.” Mia bit back a laugh. Tess would only take so much teasing.

“Don’t even think it.” Finished with the new stock, Tess rearranged the potion bottles so that they were back in alphabetical order. “I decided to put the past behind us and go say hello yesterday, but he was too involved staring down Cheerleader Tina’s cleavage.”

“Why, if I didn’t know better I’d say you sounded jealous. It’s been over ten years since high school. Tina Talinsky can’t help showing off her new boob job. Heck, even I stared and I’m straight!”

“Har, har. Well, I can’t stand that overblown walking ego. He only masquerades as a human being.”

“Oh, come on. You had a thing for him once—admit it.”

“Never. He may think he’s God’s gift to women, but I asked the Goddess to return the gift.”

“And she did. Right back to you.” Mia smiled at her sister. Tess had gotten a full measure of their great-grandma Elwena’s pixie heritage. Only five foot one in boots, Tess always complained about getting screwed in the gene pool. Short blonde curls covered her head in disarray. Her cornflower blue eyes were large for her heart-shaped face and dainty chin. But it was her slightly canted ears that drew whispers.

“Very funny. I remember those summers—even if you don’t.” Finished with the potion bottles, she started straightening the willow wood besoms in the oak barrel.

“I know he razzed you a lot, but you didn’t see what I saw when he teased you.”

Tess turned, hand on hip. “And what was that?”

“The bulge in his jeans!” Mia dodged the broom Tess used to swat at her. Both women giggled like schoolgirls.

“Oh, I did more than see it—I felt it, remember?”

“That’s right, the infamous kiss.”

“You’re just jealous.” Tess placed the wood besom back in the barrel.

“I still can’t understand why you slapped him.”

“That’s because you’re a hussy, sister mine.”

“Guilty as charged and loving every minute of it.”

“Does Jake know?” Tess asked, laughing.

A chime rang at the front door. They had a customer. Mia nodded to Tess and walked to the front of the store and the pastry counter. She doubted their early morning visitor came for the beeswax candles or dragon’s blood. Her jaw dropped open when she realized who it was in their store.

“Oh my…” She trailed off, eyeing the broad expanse of smooth muscles and tanned flesh. If it weren’t for Jake, her new husband, she would be sorely tempted. She envied her sister.

“Mia Warner all grown up and breathtakingly beautiful.”

“Sebastian Matthews. Wondered when you would make it over here. I saw you moving in last week. Welcome back.”

“Thanks. How have you been?”

“Not bad. But the last name isn’t Warner anymore. Got married this May.” She proudly flashed her diamond-encrusted wedding band.

“Congratulations. Who’s the lucky guy? Anyone I’d remember?”

“Nope. My husband bought the old Erikson house last year. Jake is a writer—paranormal thrillers.”

“Don’t tell me, he came in here to do a little witchy research and saw you. Probably forgot to take notes.” Sebastian grinned, glancing around.

“Looking for someone?”

“Your sister.”

“A wise man would put his shirt back on first.”

“And cover my best asset?”

Mia tilted her head, and checked out his firm little ass.

“Ah, I stand corrected.” He winked at her and started to put on the T-shirt, but a familiar voice stopped him. He looked over the bunched neckline to his left.

Mia smiled—let the games begin.

“I’m sorry, but you need shoes and a shirt to be serviced.”

“Is that a promise?” He pulled the shirt over his head, covering his pecs, and rippled abs.

The minute the sentence flew out her mouth, Tess realized someone could mistake her meaning. She flushed as the man twisted her comment into a double entendre and wondered if he’d hold her to her word. A shiver snaked down her spine at the wanton thought. His skin was taut, golden perfection, the muscles rock hard.

When the half-naked customer finished pulling on his T-shirt, she got a good look at his face and swore under her breath. Sebastian Matthews—figures. No one else had the chutzpah to use sexual banter like a weapon and trade blows with her.

“You filled out nice, Tess.”

“Wish I could say the same for you,” she lied. Damn, it wasn’t fair. The cute boy had grown into one hell of a gorgeous man. Sun-streaked brown hair fell in thick waves an inch or two shy of brushing the collar of his T-shirt. On the surface, his dark blue eyes twinkled, reflecting humor. A deeper look revealed mesmerizing secrets and barely restrained sexual hunger. Bedroom eyes.

“Sounds like a challenge, Ms. Warner. Want to play show and tell? I could show you how much I’ve grown.”

“And I could tell you to shove it where the sun don’t shine, pretty boy.”

“Hmm…have to think about that one, sweetheart. Didn’t know you were game for that sort of thing.”

Her sister tried to smother her snort of laughter. Warmth crept up her neck and cheeks. She’d love to wipe that smirk off his face. Maybe a little saltpeter… She used to be better at this—taking him down a notch, putting him in his place. He seemed to enjoy embarrassing and shocking her…making her blush.

“Sorry about your grandparents, by the way. They were lovely people.” There—formal, businesslike and polite.

“Yes, unlike me.” He winked at Mia, continuing, “I miss both of them. But we weren’t talking about my grandparents, were we? You changed the subject, Tess. And that’s against the rules.”

“The rules? You actually play by a set of rules, Mr. Matthews?”

His lips curved in a slow, predatory smile. She refused to spar with him anymore today. Time for her to regroup. “I have to make some calls. It’s been nice, but I have a business to run. I’m sure you understand.”

She turned to her sister. “Mia, try to interest Mr. Matthews in purchasing some honeybuns. He needs to bulk up on carbs.” Her lips quirked. “He’s a little scrawny.” Satisfied with her parting shot, she casually walked to the back storeroom, a tiny grin on her face.

###

Did you read the excerpt? 

If you did then you should know what Tess was straightening in the oak barrels. Leave a comment with your guess and if you're correct and your name is drawn, you'll win the prize pictured here. 

Contest ends midnight, Sunday, October 14, 2012 and the winner announced that week. Remember to check back to see if you've won. Good Luck!





Must be 18+ to enter. The odds of winning depend upon the number of participants. Contest void where prohibited by law. I strive to make my prize winners happy! However, as with all my contests, it is the participant’s responsibility to check the blog to see if their name is announced as a winner, and/or to respond to winning notification emails in order to claim your prize. Not responsible for lost/stolen mail.