Feed Your Reader: A soldier, a submarine, and a one-night stand

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A submarine, a one-night-stand, and a forbidden workplace romance…

Kurt Garland is at a crossroads: sign for another two years as a submariner or leave and rejoin civilian life. With only weeks to make up his mind, he’s torn between the financial stability and mateship of life in the Navy, and the freedom and balance outside of the military. With big life decisions on the line, Kurt needs space to think, so a one-night-stand with a sexy stranger is all he can commit to. Until his sexy stranger shows up on his submarine…

Getting accepted into the Submarine Corps was an enormous career goal for Rainy Miller, and she has no intention of screwing it up. A Marine Technician for the last eight years in the surface fleet, Rainy craves the new challenges of a submariner. With her training complete, she’s about to join a boat for the first time, and her career relies on a good impression. When her one night stand shows up in the galley, she has to shut it down, walk away, pretend it never happened. But all submariners know that secrets don’t stay secret for long on a sub.

“the writing style was amazing and this book came together perfectly” – Aresha’s Book Corner

“Shona is a new author for me, so I am definitely looking forward to reading more from her” – Jennifer, Goodreads

Available today!

Exclusive Excerpt: Diving Into Trouble by Shona Husk

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A submarine, a one-night-stand, and a forbidden workplace romance…


This was turning from potential hook-up into a possible date rather too quickly. He wanted to scrabble around and find something to grab onto as the ground shifted and tilted, yet a date would be nice. He hadn’t been on a real date in a while. But even as he smiled and watched the play of light on her cheek and lips, he knew it wouldn’t last.

They’d break up before he sailed. That’s what he did; the long-distance thing never worked out. He’d seen too many failed relationships on the boat. Joining the navy had scuttled his dating life and reduced it down to mini relationships of three months tops. He’d pretty much resigned himself to not having a serious relationship until he rejoined civvie street.

His looming decision raised its head. He was running out of time. He had to sign on for another two years or get out. He’d stayed in last time, and started seriously saving, putting away money for when he got out. This time he wasn’t so sure he wanted to do another two years, nor was he sure about being a civilian again since it hadn’t gone so well the first time. But when Rainy looked at him she wasn’t seeing a sailor, she was seeing a cook. Because he’d told a half-truth. He liked the idea of testing out being a civilian again.

She released her glass and turned her hand so their fingers touched. Her skin was cool and dewy and her touch sent a shiver along his skin.

And what happens after the pizza?’ It was possibly the wrong question to ask, but since she was the one putting out the suggestion he wanted to know how far she was willing to go.

She stood and for a heartbeat he thought he’d gone too far, then she walked around the table and sat next to him. ‘That depends on two things.’

Two?’ His heart was beating harder than it should be, echoing the beat of the music.

Firstly, do you remember my name?’

Of course he did. ‘Rainy. Your eyes are like the sky on a rainy day.’ A beautiful soft blue-grey. He wanted to take that back as soon as the words had fallen off his tongue. It was too obvious and too much of a pick-up line.

She laughed and shook her head. ‘I’ve heard that so many times before.’

Yet she leaned closer. Close enough that he caught the faint scent of perfume. Something like spring flowers. He hadn’t expected that, for some reason he’d expected her to smell like grease and fuel. Then her hand landed on his knee, and there was a definite glint in her eyes.

That was when he realised he wasn’t the one doing the picking up. Rainy was.

He swallowed as a rush of pure lust shot through his blood.

That was sexy. As his jeans tightened around his groin, he was hoping he passed whatever the next thing was. ‘And two is?’ He was sure his voice was a little rougher, like he’d spent the night drinking and singing karaoke.

How well do you kiss?’


31643Kurt Garland is at a crossroads: sign for another two years as a submariner or leave and rejoin civilian life. With only weeks to make up his mind, he’s torn between the financial stability and mateship of life in the Navy, and the freedom and balance outside of the military. With big life decisions on the line, Kurt needs space to think, so a one-night-stand with a sexy stranger is all he can commit to. Until his sexy stranger shows up on his submarine…

Getting accepted into the Submarine Corps was an enormous career goal for Rainy Miller, and she has no intention of screwing it up. A Marine Technician for the last eight years in the surface fleet, Rainy craves the new challenges of a submariner. With her training complete, she’s about to join a boat for the first time, and her career relies on a good impression. When her one night stand shows up in the galley, she has to shut it down, walk away, pretend it never happened. But all submariners know that secrets don’t stay secret for long on a sub

Preorder now: Amazon AU, Amazon US, Amazon UK, Nook, Kobo, Google, iBooks, Booktopia

Romances Celebrating Pride

Google Play is currently running a promotion on LGBTQI romances that include some fantastic Escape titles. If you’d like to celebrate Mardi Gras with some queer romance, may we humbly suggest the following?

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A gripping,  blood-drenched saga about twin brothers, the men they love, and the enduring truth that true love never dies  — no matter how many times you kill it.

From Goodreads: “If you love your fiction dark, bloody, and breathtaking, you will love this book.”

From Daniel:

Bonds of Blood isn’t just your average series of gay love stories. Gritty, blood-thirsty and passionate, it brings into the light the love that has until now been hidden in the shadows. I love writing in this genre, adding my own voice for the mostly female readers of gay romance to discover.


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From the author of the romantic horror debut Beckoning Blood comes the gripping sequel that mixes blood, sex, and magic.

From Goodreads: “graphic in its presentation; impassioned in its friendship; burning with the immortality of love.”


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Falling for her best friend was never going to make life easy.

From Goodreads: “a quick, light, airy read that I would recommend to any rock star readers”


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An all-access pass to Sex, Love, and Rock ‘N Roll. Because what happens on tour doesn’t always stay on tour

From Goodreads: “an intimate exploration of the M/M dynamic but … this story is also about the journeys we take on the path to finding ourselves”

Valentine’s Day Sale!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

To show their love, Google Play Books has chosen four of our titles to promote. So if you’re looking for a romantic read, may we suggest the following titles, at promotional prices?

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The journey from friends to lovers starts with a very brave first step. Or a catalytic event. Sometimes both.

“delivered a fresh friendship to lover’s trope with a mix of personal growth, humor and self-discovery” (Kimberley, Goodreads)

Yes, please!


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What happens when fairytales get the romantic suspense treatment? A cross-genre mash-up with enchanting results!

“a short and quirky novella that mixes up the fairytale and crime genre and honestly its just a lot of fun to read” (Jess, Goodreads)

Buy me now!


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They might be one of the hottest up-and-coming bands in Australia, but the members of Selling the Sun have a lot to learn about life, love, sex, and each other.

“a quick, light, airy read that I would recommend to any rock star readers” (Miranda, Goodreads)

Get on my e-reader!


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From one of Australia’s hottest new authors comes a story about an international scandal, a billionaire, and a fearless reporter who might just save the day…

“high energy, intense, suspenseful, incredibly romantic (like bone melting romantic)” (Brooke, Goodreads)

Gimme gimme gimme!

(please note: Detained is also available at this promotional price on Amazon and iBooks as part of promotional events with those e-tailers!)

Feed Your Reader: A M/M romance and a Bound bind-up!

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A diva who lives for the spotlight, a sailor deeply in the closet, a love that will change them both.


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From hot author Nicole Flockton comes three steamy stories of powerful men discovering what they need the most…

Method Writing: Ballet Dancing

by Shona Husk

I like research. I enjoy learning new things. Sometimes though reading or even talking to others isn’t enough. Sometimes the only way to get a feel for it is to get out there and give it a go.

So in October last year I decided I’d give ballet a try. I did ballet in grade one, jazz ballet around grade six, and belly dancing my twenties, so it wasn’t as though I had never danced before. Yet somehow I had forgotten what hard work it was (I had also forgotten everything about ballet except first and third position and good toes/naughty toes–in my adult beginner class my toes were never called naughty even though they were…).

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I’d also forgotten how much fun it was–way better than turning up at the gym. I was getting fitter (ab and thigh work out as well as cardio) and learning something. I think dancing is now my preferred work out. Well, aside from karate 🙂

In both cases though there is footwork and posture and names and routines to learn (and after years of sinking my weight and keeping my knees soft it is really hard to turn out and keep my legs straight). I’m getting there, though I don’t think I will ever be graceful.

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So how does this help my writing?

Experiencing new things sparks new ideas. And the people watching is amazing, really. New things means new people to watch and it’s always interesting to see how people pick up a new skill–the drop out rate was surprisingly high. Some people came all done up in leotards and skirts for their first class…some of us just wore our gym leggings.

Even though I had spoken to a professional dancer (hi Tamsyn!) while writing In the Spotlight–and I spent far too long watching things like world ballet day on YouTube (it’s a thing, check it out) and watching interviews with dancers….watching dancers…  OK I spend a lot of time on You Tube–there is nothing like actually giving it a go. Being in a class and hearing the corrections, being singled out, trying to memorize the routine and then keep in time with the music while drawing in your stomach, pointing your toes–but remember not to be wooden! It’s different to watching. It’s more fun. And I’m getting better. When I started I thought I’d just do one 5 weeks basics course, but it’s been close to a year.

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Giving something a try adds a layer to the story. While no one wants to read about all the research, there are little bits that can slide in and make the scene more real. As a bonus you might get a new hobby 🙂


29604A diva who lives for the spotlight, a sailor deeply in the closet, a love that will change them both

Ripley Malone is returning to Perth in triumph. A principal ballet dancer in a production that has critics raving, he is an unqualified success, and all the small-minded  people that made his life hell can kiss his lycra-covered ass. But behind the makeup and the glitter and the costumes, Ripley is beginning to tire, tire of the competition, the drive, the endless parade of meaningless lovers.

For Pierce Lovell, joining the Navy was a way out of rural Victoria, but becoming a submariner comes with its own set of challenges. The close living quarters and long months away are awkward enough without adding any extra tension around his sexuality. The fear is probably in his head, but he isn’t taking any chances with his career. He gets by on anonymous one-night-stands every time they come to shore and keeps his heart well-shielded. But one night with Ripley opens the tantalising possibility of more.

Through a mistake Ripley is injured. He can’t dance. His wings are clipped and he crashes down and hits the earth hard. Pierce knows their affair can’t possibly end in anything but heartache, but he can’t stay away. As Ripley heals and reassesses his life, he is determined not to make the same mistakes again. That means letting someone see the vulnerable side of him. But vulnerability for Pierce could cost him everything

Hot Toddies: Shona Husk

NSFW content: please note that our ‘hot toddies’ series contains explicit language and (very) adult situations.

Here in Australia, the weather is getting colder. We’re dragging out the blankets and brewing up the cocoa, but it’s not doing the job. We need something hot.

Luckily, Escape artists have come to the rescue. They’ve provided some of the most scorching scenes from their books for us to enjoy. As the cold winds blow outside, we’ll be heating up with some ‘hot toddies’.

Winter is coming. And so our are heroes and heroines.


From Out of Time by Shona Husk

Mike was partially lying down, his face dangerously close to her bust.

This had the potential to go bad … but so far it felt more like he was happy to go along with what she wanted. On one hand that was good, on the other it left her wondering if she was what he really wanted. Then he looked at her and she got even more confused.

In the glow from the TV she knew he was half watching her. His hand was on her leg, thumb brushing her skin. If she moved away she’d end up rolling onto the floor, and if she moved closer she’d end up rolling under him. That seemed like a much better option.

Ava moved a little and angled her body towards him. His hand slid up her thigh, then he pulled her closer so she was lying against him. TV show forgotten, he kissed her. Softly at first, as if he was expecting her to change her mind.

His beard tickled her skin, but she loved the rough feel of it. The softness of his lips and the cold of the metal. She ran her tongue over the ring then gave it a tug with her teeth. He’d liked that last time. He hadn’t admitted or denied having more.

Since his shirt was undone she was pretty sure his nipples weren’t pierced. She’d have noticed that. She smoothed her hand over his chest to double-check, pausing to brush his nipple.

Nothing. Which left lower …

He smiled against her lips as if he knew exactly what she was doing. She let her hand drift down his belly. Her heartbeat quickened. He didn’t stop her when she reached the waistband of his shorts; her fingers accidentally brushed his erection. She almost jerked her hand away. She hadn’t expected him to be hard.

The kisses deepened, stealing her breath and leaving her wanting more. His hand slid over her ribs, the tips of his fingers brushing the underside of her breast.

Yes. She needed to feel his touch.

He moved, nuzzling her neck, his leg partially over hers as his hand slid under her singlet. The hard length of his shaft pressed along her thigh, tempting her to go further. But if she went further, at what point would he expect more and not want to accept no?

She must have flinched or given some clue about her thoughts away because he paused.

‘You still trying to guess?’ His fingertips glided over her skin.

That was a good excuse and she’d go with that for the moment. She really didn’t want to have the I’m a virgin conversation. She knew what happened and had been partially naked with a guy. She’d had oral sex, but that had always been her line. She pushed down the memories of her ex not being happy about that.

This was different. Mike was different.

‘Yeah.’ Had he really pierced his penis? If he had, she wanted to see.

‘I’ll let you in on a secret.’ He moved closer, his lips brushing her ear. ‘I don’t have another piercing.’

‘Really?’ So she’d been wondering about it for no reason?

‘I was never going to put an extra hole in my dick, but chicks seem to like the idea.’

She had. And she’d been curious. Most girls probably had their hands in his pants before realising. How many girls? She glanced at him and he took another kiss.

He almost seemed content to lie with her on the sofa.

She wanted to go back to how it had been. Where she was relaxed and happy to feel his hands all over her.

While he didn’t pull away, she felt the distance widen. Should she say something? Ask something?

‘Do a lot of chicks,’ she used his words, ‘like the idea?’

She felt his sigh against her neck and shivered.

‘I fell off the rails last year. It was surprisingly easy to do.’ His hand had stopped moving. ‘I like this.’ He plucked at her singlet. ‘Whatever this is.’

She didn’t know exactly what this was either. She wasn’t ready to put a name on it. He was about to go away and by his own admission he knew how to misbehave.

‘I like it too …’ She should say something, that she didn’t want to rush … anything.

‘Good.’ He kissed her again. ‘You can check about the dick ring if you don’t believe me.’

That was a less than subtle offer. ‘And if I do believe you?’

He shrugged. ‘Another time.’

He’d given her the invitation but wasn’t expecting her to use it. She slid her hand lower even though she did believe him. ‘And how do you know I don’t have a piercing?’

He lifted her singlet and took a peek. His hands had already been everywhere. He didn’t need look. ‘Nothing in your belly button or nipples—I’d have found them already. I doubt you have your clit pierced.’

‘Do I look too boring?’

‘You aren’t boring. If you were boring you’d be watching TV instead of trying to slide your hand into my pants by stealth.’

Damn it. ‘Too obvious?’

He undid the button and the fly of his shorts for an answer. ‘Better?’

He wasn’t wearing any underwear. The head of his shaft was just visible. Her mouth dried as all moisture was redirected to her knickers. She’d put on nice ones, just in case, and now she was glad she had.

Her fingers grazed the hot smooth head. Touching him made her want more. It was pheromones and lust, chemicals. She knew that, but it didn’t stop her from wanting. While she knew the theory and knew what an orgasm felt like, she wanted to put the two together.

While the desire was there, she couldn’t.

She stroked his length, sure that he was bigger than her ex, not sure if she could untangle herself from this without ruining what was happening between them.

His hand was between her legs, under the cuff of her shorts, brushing the lace of her knickers. She swallowed, wanting him to do more than just tease.

No doubt he felt the same way.

She didn’t want to lead him on. ‘Mike.’

His head snapped up as if she’d pinched him. ‘Yeah?’

Instead of lust there was a wariness in his eyes. In the soft glow they were almost black, not brown.

Now she wished she hadn’t said anything. Too late now. His fingers were dangerously close to breaching her panty defence. She rolled her hips and eased her legs a fraction further apart. He took the offer, his fingertip sliding along the edge, but he was still watching her.

‘I didn’t come here to jump into your bed.’ With her fingers still wrapped around his shaft, that statement didn’t quite ring true.

‘Good thing we aren’t in bed.’ He smiled.


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The fabulous New Adult series from Shona Husk continues: he wants to shut out the world; she wants to invite it in…

December Recipes: No-Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Slice

by Shona Husk

It’s hot in Australia during Christmas so the last thing you really want to be doing is baking. This recipe is super quick and only uses one pot… it’s no bake peanut butter chocolate slice!

As the name suggests there is no baking, just the painful 2-3hrs as you wait for it to set in the fridge. On the plus side you can lick the pot as there are no raw eggs!

Here is the original recipe: http://www.barefeetinthekitchen.com/2013/03/no-bake-chocolate-peanut-butter-coconut-bites-recipe.html

I changed some of the cup measurements to weights because you can stick the saucepan on the scales and add to the pot (plus have you ever tried to put peanut butter in a cup and then scrape it out? Not fun. Ditto for the honey.).

Melt these together:

  • 1 cup peanut butter (250g, crunchy or smooth it doesn’t seem to matter. Maybe live dangerously and try almond butter?)
  • 1/2 cup honey (150g)
  • 1/2 cup unrefined coconut oil (80g)

Stir these into the saucepan with the melted stuff:

  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 1 cup desiccated coconut
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts, whatever you have in the pantry)
  • 1 1/4 cups dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips (220g dark chocolate)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Press into a slice tin or whatever pan you have handy and put in the fridge. Lining the pan with baking paper will make it easier to get out.

Wait.

Wait.

Wait.

No you can’t cut a slice off the edge…okay you know you want to…

Wait.

Wait.

Wait.

Okay! Now you can cut it into small pieces. Small because this slice is rich.

Enjoy!


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Shona Husk’s sexy new adult series about emerging rock band Selling the Sun concludes this month with a story about a woman who doesn’t want to connect, a man who’s forgotten how and the friendships that save our lives.

Feed Your Reader – Rock ‘N’ Roll All Night

Spend the night with a rock god – or six…

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From Australia to the world…

Chicago. The last stop of their wildly successful US tour sees Australia’s biggest rock band The Screaming Tuesdays in sultry, summertime Chicago to play two sold-out shows. But the stage is not where the action is, and no one knows what goes on behind the scenes…

Featuring:

KM Golland
Eden Summers
Lexxie Couper
Zaide Bishop
Shona Husk
Rhian Cahill

Rock Stars, Up Close

by Shona Husk

Something amazing happened last week. I usually win my money back on a scratchy, but I don’t win big. So when @TweetPerth ran a competition to win tickets and a meet and greet with Def Leppard, I retweeted without holding my breath.

When I was told I’d won, I was astounded.

I texted hubby—apparently his work colleagues had never seen him so excited. Hubby is just a bit of a Def Leppard fan.

After a mad dash for babysitting, hubby and I trekked off to Red Hill Amphitheatre (I have no idea how we would have found the venue pre-smart phone days).

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We had to be there super early for the meet and greet, so we got the bonus of seeing all the sound checks. 

Live (yay!) and Baby Animals (also yay!) were the support acts. I may have let out a whoop at the end of Live’s sound check song and I got a fist pump in return.

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The venue was really nice and serene as we and the other lucky few had the venue to ourselves, then we watched the gates open, and I swear it was like the zombie apocalypse as people rushed in to get a good spot near the stage. Being there super early we had that sorted.

Baby Animals and Live were great. I loved Baby Animals when I was in high school and hadn’t seen Live in years, so I was pretty excited to be there.

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Def Leppard were awesome—I was surprised how many words I remembered. Can’t remember what I did last week, songs from 20 years ago, no worries….

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But what about the meet and greet you ask?

Well that is an interesting story.

The meet and greet was before the concert and we all lined up (at a rough guess about 40 of us, including 9 competition winners). The competition winners were quickly culled from the herd and moved to the back. Why? So we didn’t accidentally get given a VIP tote bag with exclusive Def Leppard VIP merchandise (autographed photo, drum sticks and guitar picks), and a commemorative Def Leppard VIP laminate & lanyard. When someone asked why we weren’t getting the gift, the straight up answer from the host was because we hadn’t paid for the ticket. As you can imagine there was grumblings about being second class citizens and not being worthy.

Although it was disappointing to be treated differently, meeting the band was still super exciting (hubby can cross that off his bucket list). They were charming and we got a picture taken with them. I’m sure they didn’t know a competition winner from a paying fan. And after talking with the other winners, most of them were fans who couldn’t afford the price of the meet and greet.

Here’s the sad part. Afterward as we all grabbed a drink and our good spot close to the stage, you know what the winners were talking about—how they hadn’t received the gift bag and had no memento of the meet and greet except the photo with the band.

That was a lesson in public relations. You don’t want your fans talking like that. You want them hyped about meeting the band and talking about how awesome it was. And it was awesome, one of things that hubby and I could have never done if not for the win. It would have left a sweeter taste if they had poured the same sugar on the winners (too much of a pun?) You all smiled. I know you did 😉

So a big thank you to @TweetPerthfor the tickets!

For Baby Animals for opening a rocking night.

Live for being awesome—and the new singer, Chris Shinn who was super friendly with the crowd.

Def Leppard for taking to time to meet the fans before the show and for rounding out a great night out.

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Real rock stars are awesome – but fictional rock bands need your love too. For some fantastic Australian rock stories, check out Shona’s Face the Music series. The series kicks off with Out of Rhythm.

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They might be one of the hottest up-and-coming bands in Australia, but the members of Selling the Sun have a lot to learn about life, love, sex, and each other.