Summer Kickoff Blog Hop: Sensual Reads, CataRomance, Single Title

Greetings one and all!
Before we get started today, let me first thank the ladies at Sensual Reads and CataRomance, Single Title and CataNetwork Reviews for creating such a fantastic way to start of the summer, and a special congratulations on the revamp and updates to your sites.

The reviewers at Sensual Reads bestowed the best news an author can have not that long ago about Ink Master, Ellora's Cave Taboo,
http://sensualreads.com/?page_id=8812, tied winner for Best BDSM for 2011! It was a delight and an honor and it's thrilling to be part of their relaunch blog hop.

Now that you're here, I hope you'll stay for a little while, have a look around at my new blog and previous blog posts, but more so, that you'll have fun during the blog hop. You'll discover there are dozens of excellent authors and blog groups participating and there are plenty of prizes in store.

For more information about the Summer Kick Off Blog Hop, try these links: http://sensualreads.com/
http://cataromance.com/ or http://singletitles.com/

Celebrating the CataNetwork relaunch are the following authors:

1.	Alice Anderson	22.	Heather for Rebecca Sinclair (INT)
2.	Leila Brown	23.	A.J. Llewellyn
3.	Cynthia Eden	24.	Dominique Eastwick
4.	Emily Heisler	25.	Cinsearae S.
5.	Elise Hepner	26.	Helen Hardt
6.	Sascha Illyvich	27.	The Wiccan Haus Series
7.	Ali Atwood	28.	Jessica Frost
8.	C.H. Admirand	29.	Amber Kallyn
9.	Tory Richards	30.	Ann Montclair
10.	Deborah Macgillivray	31.	Jude Liebermann
11.	Linda Kage	32.	Leslie C. Ferdinand
12.	Avril Ashton	33.	Nara Malone
13.	Novelist Johnny Ray	34.	Vijaya Schartz
14.	Amy Romine, Suspense for the Romantic Heart	35.	Frances Stockton
15.	Cassandra Carr	36.	Sara Daniel Romance Author (INT)
16.	Lee Ralaine	37.	Kacey Hammell
17.	Adriana Kraft	38.	Author Fierce Dolan - Writing Utopia
18.	ttq, pat potter, lynn kerstan, anne stuart, maggie	39.	Natasha Blackthorne
19.	Sue Swift/Suz deMello	40.	Sierra Dafoe
20.	S. Dora	41.	Nancy DiMauro
21.	Nancy Gideon	42.	Karen Kennedy Samoranos

My understanding is that each author or site has their own blog post, check them out, enjoy and participate in the contests offered. You're sure to have a great time, find new authors for your summer reading list, and what better time to read than at the beach or lounging in the mountains or sitting on your porch with a margarita and some 'you time' away from the hustle and bustle of every day life.

As this is the Summer Kickoff Blog Hop, I thought what better topic to post about than summer reading! This year, especially with the dawn of interest in all things BDSM related with thanks to E. L. James' Fifty Shades of Grey series, it seems that adult women are becoming invested and interested in what's been called Mommy Porn. Now this term can be seen in a negative light, or it can be seen in a positive one. What's wrong with women enjoying a well-written, sensually charged, sexy book and not being ashamed to admit it?

While I'm a huge fan of the Kindle, and any ebook reader for that matter, the primary reason for my enjoying my Fire is entertainment and a place to take many books with me during summer travels. Car trips, a big family vacation, day trips to the zoo, visiting family and friends, all provide opportunities to read. After all, Stephen King himself has said, " “If you don't have time to read, you don't have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.”

I've had many great jobs in my life, from working in hospital pharmacy delivering necessary medications for patients, taking care of animals as a Vet Tech, and teaching Social Studies to sixth and seventh graders in Baltimore, MD, but nothing has been as rewarding as writing. Now that I'm published with Ellora's Cave, with eight books and more coming soon, it's been a dream come true.

With thanks to reviewers like Sensual Reads, my hotter romances, Quarterback Blitz, Field of Play, and Ink Master have gotten excellent reviews and my latest m/m for Ellora's Cave Spectrum has also gotten great nods from reviewers and readers alike. But I've always believed reading is the key to good writing.

So now that we've got that taken care of, let's talk summer reading! What books are on your summer reading list and why? What authors are your go-to 'must have' books for your Kindle, Nook, or beach bag?

I've honestly not decided if I'll read Fifty Shades of Grey and the subsequent books, not because I have anything against the author, I actually congratulate E.L. James on her success and wish her well, but there are many authors of BDSM Erotic Romance and Erotica for women that I also admire and intend to read over the summer. Books by Joey W. Hill, the original Story of O, research books for my hotter BDSM works, and books on magic and illusion are on tap for me this summer. Every book is for fun and every book is a learning experience. Also, if you like D/s works of Erotica or Erotic romance, there's an excellent article in the latest Romantic Times Booklovers Reviews magazine featuring authors of the BDSM subgenre and recommended reads.

There are also books by some of my favorite authors, Karen Rose, J.R.Ward's next Fallen Angel book, any and all Romantic Suspense that I can find, and sensual Historical Romances are on my reading list. Hopefully, I'll have time to read them all.

Of course it would be lovely if you'd add one of my books to your summer reading list. If interested in learning more about them, check out my author page at Ellora's Cave: http://www.jasminejade.com/m-527-frances-stockton.aspx

All books are available from Barnes and Noble, Amazon.com, All Romance Ebooks, Sony and several third party vendors.
Seductive Persuasion, Rhiannon's Pride (books 1&2 of my Historical/Paranormal Panthera series for Ellora's Cave Blush, formerly Cerridwen Press) are available in trade paperback and ebook formats.

Likewise, Quarterback Blitz, Ellora's Cave Sophisticate, is also available in print and ebook.
Other titles in the Panthera series include Sea Captain's Ghost and Arrington's Claim, are in ebook/digital formats at all venues mentioned above.

Field of Play, Ink Master and Playing Doctor, all EC Romantica titles, are available in ebook/digital.

But as much as it would be nice, I hope you'll go back up to the top of this page and check out all the books by all the authors participating in the blog hop. It's time to kick off summer in a huge way.

On that note, here's your opportunity to win either your choice of an Amazon.com giftcard sent to you via email or an Ellora's Cave giftcard sent to you via email or two digital copies of any book mentioned in the list above. This contest prize is open to all participants with access to Amazon, Ellora's Cave, or if you're blog hopping from around the globe, perhaps the two digital copies of my books will do the trick?

Okay, right here on my blog, comment and let me know what books are on your summer reading list! The list does not have to include one of my books, be honest, have fun, share what intrigues you most. Sometimes the greatest summer reads are the unexpected ones.

It's that easy to be entered into the random drawing. The contest winner's name will posted at the close of the contest. Contest dates: 6-5-2012 until 6-10-2012 (ll:59pm EST). Be sure to leave your email address so I can contact you!

If you're on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, or Pinterest follow or friend me at: http://www.facebook.com/#!/frances.stockton
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You can also check out my website and web blog, http://www.francesstockton.com/blog/ for updates on upcoming releases. And, big news is coming soon! Stay tuned.

Have fun, leave a comment right here on this blog, let me know what books are on your summer reading list, and you're entered in the random drawing.

Until next time,
Frances Stockton