Top Ten Love Songs (according to me!)

When I thought about what I wanted to write this week, I eventually narrowed it down to music. I love music. I listen to it all the time. If you’ve ever taken one of those tests where you determine your learning style, I’m told mine is musical. I would have thought it was literary given the writing and all…but no.

Now in terms of top ten…this is just ten selected. Who could possible say these are the top ten? It is so subjective. I have over 30 GB of music….and it was hard to just pick ten to even talk about.

I’m guessing you might be able to tell a bit about me from the selected tunes. I did try to pick some things from various genres I like. They are in no particular order. I’m hoping I didn’t date myself too much 

1. “Every Time I Think of You” – The Babys

I heard this on the radio earlier in the week and I thought to myself…mmm I’ve always liked that song. When I got home, I downloaded it on iTunes and it’s been in heavy rotation all week at my house (no doubt to the continuing dismay of my neighbors). It’s a great song and also not a ballad. I suppose you could characterize it as a power ballad. While there is anything wrong with ballads, I find this appealing, in part, because of the aggressiveness of it.

2. “Wonderful Tonight” – Eric Clapton

I have loved this song for years and years. Now ignoring the biographical backstory of its author, it just simply is a moving tribute. A man loves a woman. Everything she is, is beautiful to him. Does it get any more lovely and straightforward?

3. “Truly Madly Deeply” – Savage Garden

The lyrics of this song are like a poem. I can play it over and over without getting tired of it. It’s bold, big, and breathtaking. It is about being in wonderful places with someone special and perhaps how everywhere is special if you are with the right person.

4. “Accidentally in Love” – Counting Crows

This song is simply fun. It is a more playful take on the concept of falling in love. It calls to the more quirky, less sappy side of me.

5. “Strawberry Wine” – Deanna Carter

This song is all about young love, first love. It is so very different from my experience as I was somewhat of a late bloomer. I think that is why I find it so appealing.

6. “She Came From Fort Worth” – Kathy Mattea

Kathy Mattea is truly a gifted song writer. Her songs usually tell stories and this one is no exception. I like the sound of it but perhaps also the lyric reminds me of myself. After all, I moved from New York to Hawaii in pursuit of true love.

7. “Head Over Feet” – Alanis Morissette

Jagged Little Pill came out during a time of heavy social activity in my life. This song in particular became a huge favorite of mine because it seemed to encapsulate my feeling of falling into infatuation over and over again that I was experiencing at the time.

8. “I Honestly Love You” – Olivia Newton-John

This song is totally a cliché type song, but still heartfelt. I was a huge ONJ fan as a kid (still am I guess) and I really like her rendition. As a bonus, I can sing along with Olivia a lot more easily than I can with Whitney.

9. “Anymore” – Travis Tritt

Not everything about love is wonderful warm feelings and emotional connection. This is about unrequited love. I imagine someone desperately, secretly in love and afraid to share it. Revealing something so vulnerable is a truly frightening thing to do. Opening yourself to rejection is never easy.

10. “I Don’t Believe You” – P!nk

This is another sad one. It’s a love song, but a love song about heartbreak and disbelief. Since P!nk got back together with her husband, when I listen to this song I can’t help but think she was right when she penned this one.

So take a moment and sample some of my suggestions. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. What are some of your favorite love songs? Feel free to comment and let me know your nominees.

To go with my love song theme, I picked an excerpt this is a bit more romantic. The following is from The ABCs of Erotica – B is for Beach.

Excerpt -

Erica loved the beach. She especially loved it at night when the moonlight reflected off the water and the sound of crashing waves broke on the shore. There was no one else on the beach but the two of them, and the solitude was lovely. During the day, the beach was hot, crowded. But now, with the moon and stars it was a place of dreams. She’d fantasized many times about being on the beach with a lover, alone together in the darkness, the water drowning out their cries of ecstasy. She shook her head ruefully. She was getting ahead of herself.

A gust of wind swept up, and Erica shivered a bit. Ben stopped, running his hands over her chilled arms and then leaned forward, pressing his lips against hers. Liquid pleasure filled her and Erica strained closer, bringing her hands to his shoulders. Finally, the moment was here. She’d waited all evening to feel his lips. Again and again, Ben kissed her urgently. He slid his tongue into her mouth, rubbing against the inside of her lower lip while Erica pressed herself fully against him. They embraced for a moment more and then pulled apart and continued down the sand.

Erica moved closer to the edge of the water and a wave broke over her feet, soaking the hem of her long, gauzy skirt. She laughed as the cold, swirling water retreated. Ben grasped her hand, pulling her back toward the dry sand which clung to her feet. They collapsed onto a small, raised dune, and Ben reached down and brushed away the sand. His fingertips brushed lightly over the tops of her feet, sweeping the grains away. She leaned toward Ben and his lips met hers again, kissing ardently. Closer and closer, Erica wrapped her arms around him and he sank back into the sand, taking her with him. She felt her bonds slip away. This man knew her. She could be exactly who she was.

Erica pressed close against Ben, but the barrier of their clothes was intolerable to her. Button by button, Erica opened his shirt and slid her hands inside. Her palms pressed against the smooth skin of his warm chest, touching, caressing. She fingered his nipples, tracing around the edges and rubbing across the puckered texture. Her hands moved up to his shoulders, and Ben sat up so Erica could push his shirt and jacket down his arms. She nipped his shoulder with her teeth and slid her tongue over the mark, pressing her lips against his skin.

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Malia Mallory Talks Sex and Food – Aphrodisiacs and More!

It’s common knowledge that food and sex go hand-in-hand, isn’t it? We as humans have appetites for both. Eating for sensual purposes generally fall into one of two categories. The first category is foods that are thought to be aphrodisiacs. In the second category are foods that you might actually incorporate into your sexy time.

Can food be an aphrodisiac? A lovely meal in an enjoyable setting with some inspiring company can certainly put a person in the mood. Just don’t let the meal be too heavy. Here, it is the experience, more than the food itself, which inspires romantic thoughts.

Some foods are rumored to have a more direct effect on the libido. Oysters and chocolate are two foods that top this list. There is evidence that certain nutritional qualities of these foods might have an impact. For instance, oysters contain zinc, which can have an impact on testosterone and sperm production. Chocolate contains compounds that affect the brain in positive ways. In general, it is no secret that a good, healthy diet leads to better overall health. Better health tends to equate with better sex.

Let’s turn to the use of food during sex. Not only does eating chocolate make you feel good, it can be fun. A very soft milk chocolate bar can be used on one’s partner and followed up with a tongue. Chocolate syrup also works, but can be overly sweet and large amounts. I highly recommend whipped cream. The kind in the spray can has the positive quality of being easily aimed and can even be applied in patterns. It is also rather light so an overabundance isn’t usually a problem. Fruit makes a lovely body decoration to be nibbled off and I’m sure you can think of something to do with bananas or carrots…or even cucumbers!

There are even BDSM aspects to the utilization of food during sex. Figging would fall into this category. This involves the use of the ginger root. Fresh ginger root is peeled and then pared into the desired shape. When inserted, the ginger produces a subtle burning sensation that grows over time. This practice is often accompanied by a spanking or caning.

There is really no limit to how to use food during sex, except the limits of your own imagination.

Have you ever incorporated food into your sex life? What foods arouse you?

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Baby, I’m Back … on Bookstrand

Hello readers! You may have a vague recollection of a big kerfuffle at Bookstrand last year. During the uproar, Bookstrand threw all the indie authors off their site – regardless as to whether they had violated any content guidelines or not.

Recently, I had the opportunity to list my work on Bookstrand again. This time through a publishing house (eXcessica). I thought about it for a while, but in the end, the more outlets the better, right? So, I’m back … on Bookstrand and readers can once again find my work there.

Take a peek!

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Malia Mallory Discusses – What is Sensation Play?

Sensation play can involve the deprivation of sense imputs such as wearing a blindfold. It can also involve the stimulation of the senses by using feathers or tickling. In His Need, Her Desire, the sensation play is primarily temperature play, the application of hot and cold, though a blindfold is involved too!

Marcus, our hero, utilizes wax and ice to create a series of sensual sensations for his partner, Tabitha. Wax play, like all such activities, needs to be safe, sane and consensual. Different waxes melt at different temperatures, so care must be taken not to burn the recipient. The application of the wax can produce in an artistic result on the skin, particularly if multiple colors are used.

Ice play is often utilized with wax for contrast. Ice can also be uniquely shaped for use. The melting slipperiness can lead to some interesting situations! Ice is often one of the easy entry points into sensation play.

Thank you for stopping by! Please take a peek at the blurb and excerpt for His Need, Her Desire below.

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His Need, Her Desire Blurb

Tabitha Quinn didn’t come to Hawaii to be spanked. But when vacationing businessman Marcus Granger saves her from drowning, they begin an affair that moves from the beach to the bedroom and straight into an experience Tabitha’s never had before: dark-haired, blue-eyed Marcus is a dominant, and spanking is just the beginning. The sex is intense, the emotion even more so, until they both must decide if this is a holiday fling or the real thing.

His Need, Her Desire Excerpt

Tabitha’s smile grew wide. She held out her hand. “Really, I can’t thank you enough for your help.”

He held her hand in a firm grasp a shade longer than necessary, but Tabitha didn’t mind. She enjoyed looking at him. Though he had probably shaved that morning, an attractive shadow highlighted his chin and strong jawline.

“I’m glad I was in the right place.”

Tabitha released his hand. “So, where’s your sister?”

“My sister? How did you know?”

Tabitha bit her lip. “I’m sorry to say that I eavesdropped a bit. I was sitting near you at dinner last evening.”

“Eavesdropping? That seems extremely naughty.”

Tabitha was caught off guard by the tone of his voice. He was teasing, and yet, there was a thread of authority running through his words. Tabitha tried to suppress a shiver. “Well, sometimes I just can’t help myself.”

Marcus appeared disarmed by her honesty. “Are you traveling with anyone?”

Tabitha gave him a playful look. “Why do you ask?”

Marcus smiled. “Because I’m interested in knowing the answer, of course.”

“Well, if you’re thinking about ditching my body at sea, I’ve got six family members waiting for me in my hotel room upstairs. If you’re thinking about asking me to dinner, there is no reason why you shouldn’t.” Tabitha amazed herself. Where is this coming from? This man brought something out in her. She’d bet those broad shoulders and sexy smile had enticed many a woman.

He laughed. “You have nothing to worry about. I never use force, unless of course, it is desired.”

“Oh?” The truth burst into her mind. It suddenly became clear that he was fishing around a bit. There had been several hints here and there, but it seemed like he might be looking for a certain sort of woman. No, he couldn’t be. I’m imagining things.

“It’s true. I would be pleased if you joined me for dinner this evening.”

Tabitha did a mental fist pump in her mind. Woohoo! Dinner with Gorgeous Guy. “What did you have in mind?”

“Would you be averse to allowing me to surprise you?”

Tabitha hesitated then plunged ahead. “Not at all. It’s clear you have excellent taste.”

Marcus raised an eyebrow. “What makes you say that?”

“Well, we both dined at the same restaurant last night, and I thought it was terrific.”

“Ah, well, my meal was less than pleasant unfortunately.” His tone indicated the subject was off-limits.

“Perhaps it was the company and not the food?”

Marcus laughed. “You are undoubtedly right and surprisingly honest.”

“My mother would say that my tongue is quicker than my brain.”

The corners of Marcus’s mouth lifted. “I’ve always been a fan of quick tongues.”

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His Need, Her Desire is available for preview and purchase on the following sites.

Malia Mallory’s March Madness Event – All Titles 99 cents – March 27 Only

Readers! I have a treat for you! In honor of the arrivial of spring, I’m having my own March Madness Event. Today (March 27) ONLY – I’m marking all my books down to 99 cents at major retailers. This means Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, AllRomance and Bookstrand.

Click below on the retailer icon!

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Note: I don’t have control over pricing anthologies that I’m included in, so you will not find those all priced at 99 cents. However, a few like the Big Book of Smut 1 & 2 are free. In addition, I wasn’t able to include all retailers in the event but on Smashwords, Diesel, Sony and iTunes you will find some of my work priced at 99 cents.

Malia Mallory Shares from K is for Kinky for #SneakPeekSunday #WIP

Welcome to Sneak Peek Sunday! Today I have for you a snippet from my work in progress, K is for Kinky. This is the next installment in The ABCs of Erotica.

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Steve drew her close and kissed her. “You taste like margaritas.”

“Well, I did have one.”

“Just one?”

“Yes, just one. Why?”

Steve snaked his hand up to her breast. “I wouldn’t want to be accused of taking advantage of you.”

Rachel crawled into his lap and straddled him, pressing close. “You can take advantage of me with a clear conscience.”

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Don’t forget to visit http://www.sneakpeeksunday.blogspot.com/ to find the other participating authors.

Malia Mallory Shares from Clockwork Caning for the Last #SixSunday #steampunk

Hi Readers! It’s time once again for Six Sentence Sunday. Unfortunately, it is the last one being sponsored by the organizers. For your reading pleasure today, I’m presenting a selection from a work in progress Clockwork Caning, a steampunk erotica novella.

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Nigel gave a bark of laughter. “Are you my maiden aunt? Kiss me on the mouth and use your tongue.”

Eloise’s confusion was evident. She leaned toward him again and tentatively pressed her soft lips to his. After moment, he felt the tip of her tongue touch the seam of his lips and he obligingly opened his mouth and met her tongue with his.

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Don’t forget to visit http://www.sixsunday.com to find a huge list of excerpts from other authors.

Malia Mallory Giving Vol. 1 of The ABCs of Erotica Away!

Welcome and Happy New Year! I’ve decided to make a special offer to all newsletter subscribers from now until January 15. I will give a free copy of The ABCs of Erotica – Volume 1: A-C to anyone who signs up here!

If you are already a subscriber, don’t worry I won’t leave you out. If you are a current subscriber, just drop me an email and I’ll send you the code too (malia_mallory at hotmail dot com).

This book contains the first three stories in The ABCs of Erotica. It is an eclectic mix. A is for Anal is a short teaser story (that contains the same characters from R is for Revenge). B is for Beach is a more romantic interlude. C is for Cock Ring is a femdom BDSM story.

I promise I won’t overwhelm your inbox. Newsletters have been going out so far at about six week intervals.

I’d love to let you know about my latest releases, freebies, promotions and contests so I hope you’ll join me.

http://www.maliamallory.com/Join_My_Mailing_List.php

Sexy Santa Story – Santa’s Backdoor Baby 99 Cents for Holidays #SixSunday #kindle #nook

Hi Readers! It’s time once again for Six Sentence Sunday. Santa’s Backdoor Baby is currently available for just 99 cents for Kindle and Nook! Treat yourself to a little naughtiness!

Want a free copy of “B is for Beach” from The ABCs of Erotica? Sign up for my mailing list here.

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When they returned to the car, she sat quietly a moment. She could see him illuminated just a bit in the lights of the parking lot. They’d parked a distanced from the entrance and no other cars were close. She couldn’t help herself; she placed her hand on his lap, reaching, feeling. She soon found the slight bulge of his package and gave it a light squeeze.
“Mmm, are you trying to tell me something?” he teased.

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Santa’s Backdoor Baby Blurb

Holly is home from college for the holidays and working as Santa’s elf at the local mall. She’s embraced her intensely blossoming sexuality and is looking for adventure. When fellow elf Jack asks Holly to have dinner with him and she agrees, the sparks are flying already. After dinner, it’s time for dessert!

Co-worker Nick plays Santa and as he gets to know Holly, Santa wants to play, too. After seeing Holly and Jack together, he just can’t resist taking her for himself. Nick makes Holly realize she has a new passion for backdoor play. In the end, Holly entices both Santa and the elf and finds a very hot way to please them both—at the same time!

The full story is available for sample or purchase at the links below – just click! It’s just 99 cents for Kindle and Nook.

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Don’t forget to visit http://www.sixsunday.com to find a huge list of excerpts from other authors.

Malia Mallory Welcomes Guest Blogger Lucy Felthouse!

 Full on Filth by Lucy Felthouse

The things I’ve written have variety. Whether it be word count, genre, pairings or heat level, I always seem to pen different things. It’s not done intentionally, it’s just that I tend to write whatever stories come into my head, unless I’m writing for a specific call for submissions which requires certain word count. What’s also different is that sometimes my erotica is just that, erotica. And sometimes it’s romantic, too. Otherwise known as erotic romance.

I started out penning pure erotica, or full on filth and only started including romance a year or so down the line. But now I love to write both, depending on how the mood takes me.

My latest releases are definitely what you’d call full on filth. And actually, they were both intended to be that way. A Taste of London was written specifically for Ellora’s Cave’s For Men range, which is why I intentionally made it dirtier, sexier and left out the romance. That’s not to say that the line doesn’t allow romance, because that’s not true. It’s just that it focuses on male fantasy and I thought that would be a good excuse to send a couple of young men on an adventure which just happened to be crammed with sexual encounters. It is very naughty, but if a woman wants to read an erotic story without romance, then there’s no reason she shouldn’t choose this one!

Raising the Bar, which is published by Decadent Publishing’s The Edge line, is also pure erotica. Again, romance is allowed in The Edge series, but I just wanted to write a really filthy story. This time, it’s aimed at both men and women, though if I’m honest, I think women will prefer it because there’s a seriously sexy man involved! There’s also a sunny foreign setting and a temporary feel to the whole thing, which allows the characters to throw caution to the wind much more when it comes to getting down and dirty in the bedroom.

So, if you like your stories with full on filth, then A Taste of London and Raising the Bar will definitely heat up your eReader. But if you’re looking for romance, then head to my website and check out some of my other stories—there’s something for everyone, pretty much!

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Ryan Stonebridge and his friend Kristian Hurst are heading off on the trip of a lifetime. They’re spending their gap year traveling the world and expect lots of sun, sights and sex. The guys have a couple of days in the English capital before catching the Eurostar to Paris. Unfortunately, a family emergency means that Kristian has to head back home for a while, leaving Ryan to continue the trip alone.

Luckily for Ryan, he’s an attractive guy and there is no shortage of gorgeous women available to help take his mind off Kristian’s family drama.

More info, excerpt and buy links: http://lucyfelthouse.co.uk/published-works/a-taste-of-london/

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When Kayleigh takes a gap year before starting University, she decides she’s going to stay away from guys and just concentrate on having fun and experiencing life. That means going through a lot of batteries, but she’s happy and satisfied.

That is, until she gets to Spain on her travels and meets her new co-worker, Luciano. The scorching hot Spaniard soon has Kayleigh’s knickers in a twist— literally—and the time they spend together seriously raises the bar for her sex life. How will any other man ever compare?

More info, excerpt and buy links: http://lucyfelthouse.co.uk/published-works/raising-the-bar/

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Lucy is a graduate of the University of Derby, where she studied Creative Writing. During her first year, she was dared to write an erotic story – so she did. It went down a storm and she’s never looked back. Lucy has had stories published by Cleis Press, Constable and Robinson, Decadent Publishing, Ellora’s Cave, Evernight Publishing, House of Erotica, Ravenous Romance, Resplendence Publishing, Secret Cravings Publishing, Sweetmeats Press and Xcite Books. She is also the editor of Uniform Behaviour, Seducing the Myth, Smut by the Sea and Smut in the City. Find out more at http://www.lucyfelthouse.co.uk. Join her on Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to her newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/gMQb9