Rock the Blog: Creating a Permanent Blog Post Template in Blogger

Rock the Blog is a "How To" for bloggers.

Since I'm based in Blogger most posts will revolve around the Blogger platform though some ideas may apply to Wordpress as well.



So for my first Rock the Blog I'm chatting about something that was a huge time saver for me and really has helped me out as a blogger...

How to create a Permanent Blog Post Template in Blogger!

Whenever I create a "New Post" it automatically comes up with the "After" view instead of a blank post where you have to build from scratch each time. 

When We Met (Fools Gold #13) by Susan Mallery

Angel Whittaker earned his scars the hard way, but the scars that can't be seen are the ones that haunt him the most. Since he moved to Fool's Gold, California, he's cobbled together a life for himself as a bodyguard trainer. If he's not exactly happy, at least his heart is safe.

Working with pro-football superstars taught tough-talking PR woman Taryn Crawford one thing—she can go toe to toe with any man. But then dark, dangerous former Special Ops Angel targets her for seduction…and challenges her to resist his tempting kisses.

Even in four-inch heels, Taryn never backs down. Unless, somehow, Angel can convince her that surrender might feel even better than victory.

Type: Contemporary Romance
Heat: 2.5 out of 5
Rating: 4 out of 5

Amazon | All Romance | Book Depository | BAM | Goodreads

Can I just move to Fools Gold now? Please??! Lordy but Mallery can weave together a wonderful romance that leaves a girl wistful and completely sated. *nods* And When We Met was no exception as girly, yet tough as nails, Taryn and the oh so sexy Angel take each other on and find true love. *swoons*

Cat Thursday--Cat got your tongue?

Welcome to the weekly meme hosted by The True Book Addict that celebrates the wonders and sometime hilarity of cats!

Join us by posting a favorite LOL cat pic you may have come across, famous cat art or even share with us pics of your own beloved cat(s). It's all for the love of kitteh!

Cat got your tongue? Heh. I just love kitteh tongues. They're so cute!

And maybe a wee bit goofy too...

Interview w/ Elisabeth Staab--man candy, F-bombs and...Punky Brewster!

Party girl Alexia Blackburn is only hanging around the vampire compound until her best friend—the queen—has her baby. After that, nothing is going to stop Alexia from getting back to daylight, safety, and feeling like a normal human being. But leaving the vampire world has one big catch...

Head of vampire security Lee Goram has hated and distrusted humans for centuries. Feeding on vampire blood has kept him strong...but now it's killing him—and he's horrified to discover that Alexia may hold the key to his cure. He'd rather die defending his king than admit his weakness, but time is running out for the great vampire warrior...

Coming June 3rd, 2014

Amazon | All Romance | Goodreads

Morning Elisabeth and welcome to the blog! It's so nice right out I thought we'd chill out on the deck, have a little fruit salad, take in the view *whispers* I'm having a home office built and there may be some choice man candy viewing *looks around innocently* I mean, erm, the building process is really quite fascinating. *nods* Yes. Uh, lets go with that. So...new release coming up! Woot! Can't wait to hear about it!

That’s totally awesome, thank you for having me! I’m so excited to be here to talk about Hunter by Night. Are you gonna eat your pineapple? Hey, those workers sure are working hard.  

What were we talking about?

Wicked Nights Giveaway Hop!

Wicked Nights. Oh, yeah. We LOVE those naughty...steamy... oh-so-wicked reads. Check out all of our favorite scorching hot books, heroes and heroines. There will be more naughty giveaways at every stop so be sure to check them all out!

Woot! We love those steamy reads at herding cats. The steamier the better! For this hop stop we're giving away an ecopy of Eden Summers' sexy rockers in Blind Attraction (thanks Eden!) and an ecopy of Tessa Bailey's His Risk to Take (kindle ecopy) and an ecopy of Tonya Burrows Wilde Nights in Paradise (kindle ecopy). These ladies write some lickable heroes like you just wouldn't believe and holy cow the steamy scenes will totally make you pant. *nods*

So, I wanna hear about YOUR favorite lickable hero and what makes *him* so tasty! Or your favorite wicked read and what makes it so damn steamy! Have you read any of these ladies?

So leave a comment, enter the giveaway widget and don't forget to enter for the grand prize too!

Giving In (Surrender Trilogy #2) by Maya Banks

"Giving In totally made me ::shiver:: and in such a deliciously good way." ~herding cats & burning soup

Kylie sees the way Jensen looks at her. The dark promise in his eyes. That rough edge of dominance she knows he possesses. But dominance is the one thing that frightens her above all else. She and her brother barely survived a childhood steeped in violence and abuse. She could never give up total control and submit to a man. Especially a man like Jensen. Could she?

Jensen sees the shadows in Kylie’s eyes. Knows he has to tread very carefully or risk losing any chance he has with her. All he wants is the opportunity to show her that dominance doesn’t equal pain, bondage or discipline. That emotional surrender is the most powerful of all, and that to submit—fully to him—will fulfill the aching void in her heart in a way nothing else ever will.

Type: Erotic Romance
Heat: 3.5 out of 5
Rating: 4 out of 5

Amazon | All Romance | Book Depository | BAM | Goodreads

While I wasn't wild about the cover of this one what was inside the pages of Giving In totally made me ::shiver:: and in such a deliciously good way.

The gist is that Jensen and Kylie work together. And they drive each other mad...in different ways. Jensen has been totally flummoxed and enthralled by the closed-off prickly Kylie and Kylie...well, Jensen just sets her on edge and pushes all her buttons. And not in a sexy fun way until a work dinner ends with a horrible flashback that sets the two on a heartbreaking, sweet and sexy new path as they deal with undeniable attraction, losses and all of the things from their pasts that have left them both so very damaged.

Tuesday Jams--MKTO

Sooo. My friend Sharonda over at Salacious Reads does this Meme-- Tuesday Jams-- where you share a song or band or what-have-you that's been on your LOVE list lately. 

If you want to join in check out her blog!

I'm a bit eclectic with my listens. Just like I am with pretty much everything else.

This week...MKTO Classic. It just makes me smile.

New Releases-- May 2014!

On Tuesday's I'm going to start trying to do a combo post of Free & 99cent ebooks as well as New Releases for that week. Hopefully yall like the set up :)

Since I just did a freebie/99cent-er post a few days ago (HERE) today I'm just catching up on New Releases from May up to this point. I'll add a couple more as a few self publish ones go live throughout the day. If you know of one I missed feel free to add it in the comments!

Quote-tastic (54) & Review--Bound to be a Groom by Megan Mulry

Join us every Monday and share a favorite quote that's grabbed ya for one reason or another. 

Everyone's welcome to join in. Authors, bloggers, readers. The more the merrier!

Just grab the button and toss up your post :) 

Don't have a blog? No worries, just leave your favorites in the comment section.

Today I'm featuring a "naughty" historical. It's a menage with f/f and m/m elements and was pretty steamy. I just loved Anna's (and gah what a fabulous name! lol) response to this. So made me smile.

A Beautiful Distraction (Hard Feelings #3) by Kelsie Leverich

"One of those achingly beautiful stories that had me completely wrapped up and absorbed from page one." ~herding cats & burning soup

First Sergeant Rafe Murano did everything to the extreme. He trained harder, he fought harder, and, unfortunately, he loved harder. And falling for the wrong woman nearly destroyed him.

Home from a deployment, and without his missions to consume him, Murano is ravaged by memories of his heartbreak. So he drinks until he’s numb and drowns himself in meaningless one-night stands. But they only take the edge off…

Until he meets Fallon.

Haunted by her past, Fallon Kelly knows all too well about the desperate desire for an escape. So when she sees the tatted-up bad boy who’s one punch away from a ride in the back of a squad car, she offers a distraction—one that quickly becomes an addiction.

Little does she know, this bad boy can love so hard, it can break her…

Type: Contemporary Romance
Heat: 3 out of 5
Rating: 4 out of 5
Cover: Amazing. Love it!

Amazon | All Romance | Book Depository | BAM | Goodreads

I'm completely falling for Kelsie Leverich and the world she's created with this series. A Beautiful Distraction one of those achingly beautiful stories that had me completely wrapped up and absorbed from page one as a broken and barely holding it together Rafe finds salvation in the arms of an Ice Queen that's tough as nails and desperately needs someone to break down her walls.

Tasty Delights meets Randomly Random...

Tasty Delights and Dazzling Disasters is all about playing in the kitchen and having some fun.

I'll share my delights or my disasters. Yall feel free to join in and create your own posts, share your favorite recipes, what have you. 

Sooo. I cooked for this Tasty Delights...but not really a recipe this time. More a chat. We're going a bit...randomly random and easily distracted for this one I guess. lol

See. I'm trying to be good. *flails* I really am. I'm on day 6 of using My Fitness Pal to track calories and exercise. Meh. I so don't love doing that but hopefully it's helping. (update! ahhh it is, it is! I did my weigh in this AM and down 2.5 pounds. Not bad!) It's surprising to see calorie count on some things. Anyways. It's got me playing in the kitchen and trying healthier meals. Like...

Mistress by Amanda Quick

After a year of grand adventures touring the classical ruins of Italy and Greece, Iphiginia Bright returned to England to discover that the real excitement was at home. It seems that her Aunt Zoe has fallen victim to a sinister blackmailer and only Iphiginia can hope to stop the culprit before he can do more harm. Her plan is inspired: Imitating history's most legendary beauties--Cleopatra, Helen of Troy, Aphrodite--the former schoolmistress will remake herself, and descend upon London Society as the dazzling mistress of Marcus Valerius Cloud, the infamous Earl of Masters.

Rumors hint that the Earl has disappeared at the blackmailer's hands, and by posing as his unknown mistress, Iphiginia is convinced she can ferret out the villain. Overnight, Iphiginia is transformed into a vision with a host of eager admirers, including one she does not expect -- the Earl of Masters himself, who strides into a shimmering ballroom one evening to cooly reclaim his "mistress". He is everything they say he is... arrogant, attractive, devastatingly seductive, and Iphiginia can't help but be enthralled. But when Marcus agrees to play along with her charade, she doesn't know that the determined earl has plans of his own: to tease and tempt her, until the beautiful deceiver becomes more than his mistress in name only.

Type: Historical Romance
Heat: 2.5 out of 5
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Amazon | All Romance | Book Depository | Goodreads

I just love Amanda Quick. She's one of my comfort authors and the first I binge read when I started reading a few years back. They've got it all. A bit of mystery and danger, a bit of romance and humor, unique characters that are a little quirky and entirely lovable. They're just fun, light reads and Mistress definitely hit the spot with all of the above.

Cat Thursday-- Oh. We're going Grumpy

Welcome to the weekly meme hosted by The True Book Addict that celebrates the wonders and sometime hilarity of cats!

Join us by posting a favorite LOL cat pic you may have come across, famous cat art or even share with us pics of your own beloved cat(s). It's all for the love of kitteh!

  

Because...she makes me ::snort::

Some Grumpy Cat.

FREE & 99cent Ebooks!

Trying something new. Yall tell me if you like it or not. I do FREE & 99cent posts over on the blog's FB page now and again but I know not everyone sees those or follows there. How would this set up work for yall? All will be 99cents or FREE at time of posting. (double check before you buy!) No real schedule for posting them but might try for once a week like I used to do a long while back.

Anyways. Let me know what you think. For now they'll just be linked to Amazon or All Romance which are the two sites I use.   ~Anna

Risky Game (Out of Bounds #3) by Tracy Solheim

Baltimore Blaze tight end Brody Janik is a natural-born football star. At twenty-seven, his record-breaking athletic performance and his cover-boy good looks have turned him into a household name. But Brody’s hiding a major secret behind his charming public persona: a health condition that may cut his career short.

PhD candidate Shannon "Shay” Everett works multiple jobs to put herself through school—including an unpaid internship with the Blaze training department.  Strapped for cash, Shay answers the call of an NFL gossip blogger to uncover personal details about the Blaze players. Sneaking into the locker room one night, she gets entangled in Brody’s secret…and swept up by his charm.

Brody isn’t sure what to make of the gawky girl with the whiskey eyes, especially when he discovers she was snooping. His first instinct is to turn her in as a snitch, but she could destroy him by sharing his secret. Instead, he decides to keep her close…perhaps closer than either of them originally intended…

Type: Contemporary Romance
Heat: 3 out of 5
Rating: 4 out of 5

Amazon | All Romance | Book Depository | BAM | Goodreads

Risky Game was all kinds of sports romance perfection! Yall know I love my sports romance and, damn me, this was just an awesome combo of the two. I was in a total reader girl *swoon* over Brody and Shay as desperation, survival and a risky secret bring the two together and romance begins to bloom. I mean. Loved it.

Interview w/ Holley Trent!-- retired sex demons, juicy gossip, JLo...

Charles Edison has spent most of his 123 years courting women for Hell. As a faithful son of the demon Gulielmus, he’s never known true affection for women. Which is funny, seeing as how he’s descended from a love god on his mother’s side. Now that he sees his brother falling head over heels, Charles wants the same for himself. He wants to belong to someone.

The Fates conspire to right old wrongs, and Charles learns the woman destined for him is one he shouldn’t want. Marion Wilder’s family has been on the supernatural Most Wanted List for twenty-five years because they were responsible for the demise of a demon. Gulielmus would kill her if he had the chance.

But Marion’s the only human woman Charles can touch without harming. She’s his one chance at having a normal life and a real family, and he would give up anything to keep her. Even his father’s favor.

Amazon | All Romance | Goodreads

Woot! Mornin' Holley! *waves like a fool from way over in NC* How goes it? Ready to spill some goods on your newest release? Cus I'm totally up for some juicy book gossip. lol

Let’s do it! Gossiping is one of my favorite drunken pastimes. (It’s five o’clock somewhere.)

Woot! I'm thinking...Australia? Maybe? *whispers* They have lovely accents. *clears throat* Ahh..back on task...now, if you had 10 seconds to hook someone what would you tell them about A Demon in Love (and omg I love the title)?

It’s got a retired sex demon (with beautiful hair) and a foul-mouthed long-haul trucker…and the trucker’s the chick.

In Want of a Wife (Bitter Springs #3) by Jo Goodman

Jane Middlebourne needs a way out. In 1891, life in New York is unforgiving for a young woman with no prospects, especially when her family wants nothing to do with her. So when Jane discovers an ad for a mail-order bride needed in Bitter Springs, Wyoming, she responds with a hopeful heart.

Rancher Morgan Longstreet is in want of a wife who will be his partner at Morning Star, someone who will work beside him and stand by him. His first impression of the fair and fragile Jane is that she is not that woman. But when she sets out to prove him wrong, the secrets he cannot share put into jeopardy every happiness they hope to find….

Type: Historical Romance--America 1890s
Heat: 3 out of 5
Rating: 4 out of 5

Amazon | All Romance | Book Depository | BAM | Goodreads

In Want of a Wife was so one of those reads I just didn't want to give up! Seriously yall I was glued to my book the whole time as Jane leaves her life on the east coast to marry a man who placed an ad for a wife. One she's written to but never met until now.

Tuesday Jams--Justin Timberlake

Sooo. My friend Sharonda over at Salacious Reads does this Meme-- Tuesday Jams-- where you share a song or band or what-have-you that's been on your LOVE list lately. 

If you want to join in check out her blog!

I'm a bit eclectic with my listens. Just like I am with pretty much everything else.

So today...Justin Timberlake. Because I can. I'm loving Not a Bad Thing. Gah. So good.
And some fun ones too...

Cover Reveal: Blondie's Hero by Lily-Ann Johnson

Morning kittens! Today we're doing a little spotlight and helping with a cover reveal for a lady I've gotten to know over the past year. She's a good one and writing her first book. Woot! Anywho. Give her a nice big welcome and check out the excerpt for Blondie's Hero!  ~Anna

Mary-Alice Roberts (Blondie) owns one of the busiest Marine Bars on the East Coast. Getting dumped Via Text message is just the start of her problem. She also needs an experienced Bartender who can fill in right away.

Marine Staff Sargent, Jake Peterson is medically retired, and need a job to keep his mind busy and not live in the past. The bartending job at Tuefel Hundens sounds like the perfect solution.

When Blondie's ex, decides to blame Jake for his misfortune and retaliates by harassing Blondie and causing her business trouble.

Will Jake be the Hero Blondie needs and save her? Or will revealing his actual wealth cause Blondie to doubt everything he ever told her?

Due out--June 2014

Quote-tastic (53)--Just not gettin' the hang of it...

Join us every Monday and share a favorite quote that's grabbed ya for one reason or another. 

Everyone's welcome to join in. Authors, bloggers, readers. The more the merrier!

Just grab the button and toss up your post :) 

Don't have a blog? No worries, just leave your favorites in the comment section.

Today is a new to me author--review will be up later today. So in this one we have what amounts to a mail order bride and the American West in it's wee days. It was a great read and I'm so gonna be reading more from Goodman. Anyways. In this scene the hero and heroine have been cornered by two of the town's boys who are rather chatty and cheeky and just too cute. I loved all of the scenes with them :) This little reply from him totally had me smirking.

Seductive Shadows (Shadows #1) by Marni Mann

Charlie is a passionate, sensually-inspired art student, desperately seeking an escape from the abusive past that haunts her and a tragic accident that emptied her heart. Scarred and unable to love, her yearning for physical pleasure leads her into a tantalizing, dangerous world of power and seduction. The anonymity of the deal offers security; the money brings financial freedom and the madam is the mother figure she longs for.

But the thrill of the mansion and its arousing dominance quickly fades when she meets renowned-yet-mysterious Cameron Hardy, whose intense baby blue eyes send a nervous flutter through her core. Cameron is sexy, and not in a subtle way. He stimulates Charlie’s art, her intellect and her desires. Just as he begins to break through her emotional boundaries, she discovers a devastating connection between her past and her scandalous work at the mansion, shattering everything she thought to be true.

Type: Dark Romance? Going for ertoica?

Heat: 3 out of 5

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

Amazon | All Romance | Goodreads

Hrm. So I'm mixed on Seductive Shadows. It was one I liked but didn't love. Enjoyed parts and was left going what the ever living fuck? over others. Loved the premise but not all the carry through and in the end was just left feeling kinda torn as a single choice late one night changes everything for Charlie and puts her life at risk.

Randomly Random---Sheath that Schlong...and *flits hand* whatnot.

"Condoms?" Livy asked.

"What?"

"Con.Doms. Remember those?" She pointed at her crotch. "No one gets in here without one."
                                                                               ~Bite Me, Shelly Laurenston

Yes. Condoms in romance...abound. I mean. Every time you turn around someone's protecting their pecker and suiting up. 

Interview w/ Kieran Kramer--wait...she ran with the bulls??!

The last person True Maybank expected to run into while picking up her wedding gown was country music superstar Harrison Gamble. Years ago, when they were small-town teens in Biscuit Creek, South Carolina, they shared a forbidden night of passion. Now that she’s about to settle down, True’s love affair with the handsome crooner is a thing of the past. Or is it? From the moment he says hello, she has to fight swooning like an adoring fan.

Today he’s rich, famous, and on every woman’s hot list. But back in the day, Harrison wasn’t good enough for debutante True. Since then she’s had her fair share of marital prospects, including the perfect Southern gentleman she’s about to settle down with. Is Harrison the only one to realize the mistake True’s about to make? Can the society girl and the sexy singer make music together—this time around?

Amazon | All Romance | Book Depository | BAM | Goodreads

*waves* Welcome back to herding cats Kieran! Did you know you were my first ever interview way back in 2012?? I'm so excited to have you joining us again today to chat about your latest release and first foray into contemporary romance! It looks so good!

Thanks for the warm welcome, and I’m so honored that I was your first ever interview! It’s great to be back here with you!!!

So, if you had 10 seconds to hook and have them all excited about Sweet Talk Me what would you tell them?

Cat Thursday-- Shaved...erm...pussy.

Welcome to the weekly meme hosted by The True Book Addict that celebrates the wonders and sometime hilarity of cats!

Join us by posting a favorite LOL cat pic you may have come across, famous cat art or even share with us pics of your own beloved cat(s). It's all for the love of kitteh!

Sorry! Sorry! I couldn't resist!

2014 Historical Romance Reading Challenge--May LINK UP!

It's MAY's LINK UP! Yall know what to do!

So, what's on the schedule for the month?

New to you authors? Re-reading an old favorite?

Don't forget we have a FB group for the challenge if you'd like to JOIN.

Challenge Recap!

2014 Erotic Romance Reading Challenge--May LINK UP!

Woot! It's Month FIVE!! Welcome to May ladies!