Author Kay Phoenix

A few weeks ago, I took a 3-day weekend to travel to one of my favorite places in the world...The Grand Canyon.  My sister had never seen it, so it seemed only logical to go. A person must see it.

We stayed two nights in a fifty year old hotel called the Red Feather Lodge in Tusayan, Arizona, right outside of the National Park border.  We even saw some wild elk rambling through town. 

We also took a side trip to Meteor Crater right outside of Flagstaff, and spent the night there (in Flagstaff, not in the crater).  If you've never heard of Meteor Crater, you should read about it. 

The last morning of our mini-vacation, we stopped into a place I know and love called Bearizona.  It's a first class wildlife facility in the tiny Route 66 town of Williams, Arizona. 

It was a great, somewhat exhausting, 3 day weekend and I can't wait to get on the road again....I just can't wait to get on the road again....

***

Title: Steele and Stone

Author/pen name:  Kay Phoenix

Genre:  Contemporary Romance

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Date of Publication:  November 2, 2016

ASIN:  B01LYUQ75N

Number of pages: 133

Word Count:  42,000

Blurb:

Elle Thompson was raised in Denver. She paints. She hikes. She knows how to avoid cougar attacks.

The only cougars Michael Williams usually worries about are the ones that wear leopard print leggings on 5th Avenue.

But, when his acquisition firm sets its sights on Elle's family business, his tidy life goes awry. As things unravel, so do all his preconceived notions of love and what makes a perfect partner.

Buy links:

Excerpt:

“So, how are you feeling today?” a familiar voice asked behind him. He didn’t have to turn to know who it was, but he turned anyway, temporarily forgetting about his sunburn until he saw the shocked expression on her face.

“Whoa! No sunblock either? I had some, you could have asked,” she giggled. “That’ll peel for sure.”

Blue! Brilliant, shimmering blue eyes. He hadn’t seen her eyes during their hike, as they’d been hidden behind sunglasses the whole time, and he’d always been a sucker for blue eyes. Her blonde hair hung long, loose and wavy as she leaned casually against the doorframe.

“I see you’ve already made yourself quite at home,” she said. “Randall told me he let you use the conference room.”

“What are you doing here?” he asked in a tone that sounded a bit too firm.

“Oh, no ‘How are you?’ or ‘Nice to see you?’” She tilted her head to the side, causing a loose curl to graze her breast.

He turned back to the coffee. “I didn’t mean to sound rude. You just surprised me.”

Author bio:

Ms. Phoenix is a rare bird herself...a lifelong resident of Las Vegas, Nevada. She belonged to Las Vegas Romance Writers and served on the board for ten years. She was also a member of Romance Writers of America with PAN status.

Prior to writing, Kay was a Graphic Artist for fifteen years in the casino industry and holds degrees in both Graphic Arts and Psychology. Currently she works in an elementary school library. In her spare time she enjoys hiking, traveling and photography. 

Kay has been blessed to be able to travel many places, which inspired her to host a weekly author spotlight called “Midweek Escapes” on her blog. It features guest author’s favorite vacation destinations, their travel tips, and, of course, information about their book releases and occasional giveaways.

Author website and social media links:

Website:

www.KayPhoenix.com

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKayPhoenix/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/KayPhoenix_

Author Kay Phoenix

I came up with the idea for Steele and Stone while hiking the Bristlecone Trail at Mt. Charleston near Las Vegas, NV.  Hiking gives me lots of time to think, as I’m not distracted by my child or dogs, or the ever present cell phone/modern technology that I know I use too much.  While hiking, it’s just one foot in front of the other, surrounded by gorgeous scenery and lots of quiet time to think. 

I wish I was a better hiker, one that went more often and was in better shape, like Elle is in the story.  I began thinking about Elle as a character, and wondered what her reaction would be if she had to, kind of, be a tour guide for a man that wasn’t as used to being in the mountains. 

Then, I remembered a scene from my own childhood, when I was about 3 or 4, hiking with my father when we came upon a mountain lion.  When my dad tells the story, he usually points out all the wrinkles he now has and blames most of them on that day. Being an Army medic fresh back from Vietnam, he went right into soldier mode, picked me up, and we hightailed it out of the enemy’s vicinity.  In hindsight, running from a predator isn’t the best thing to do.  But, we’re still here, intact.  The cat didn’t chase us. 

Funny enough, the only thing I remember of the incident was thinking “Oooo, pretty kitty”.

Thus, the opening scene of my book was born that day, hiking the Bristlecone Trail on Mt. Charleston outside Las Vegas, NV, and everything else was the character’s faults.  They took the reins, which was fine by me.  I provided their setting.

Come to think of it… it’s time to go on another hike!

***

Title: Steele and Stone

Author/pen name:  Kay Phoenix

Genre:  Contemporary Romance

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Date of Publication:  November 2, 2016

ASIN:  B01LYUQ75N

Number of pages: 133

Word Count:  42,000

Blurb:

Elle Thompson was raised in Denver. She paints. She hikes. She knows how to avoid cougar attacks.

The only cougars Michael Williams usually worries about are the ones that wear leopard print leggings on 5th Avenue.

But, when his acquisition firm sets its sights on Elle's family business, his tidy life goes awry. As things unravel, so do all his preconceived notions of love and what makes a perfect partner.

Buy links:

https://www.amazon.com/Steele-Stone-Daring-Hearts-Phoenix-ebook/dp/B01LYUQ75N/

Excerpt:

“So, how are you feeling today?” a familiar voice asked behind him. He didn’t have to turn to know who it was, but he turned anyway, temporarily forgetting about his sunburn until he saw the shocked expression on her face.

“Whoa! No sunblock either? I had some, you could have asked,” she giggled. “That’ll peel for sure.”

Blue! Brilliant, shimmering blue eyes. He hadn’t seen her eyes during their hike, as they’d been hidden behind sunglasses the whole time, and he’d always been a sucker for blue eyes. Her blonde hair hung long, loose and wavy as she leaned casually against the doorframe.

“I see you’ve already made yourself quite at home,” she said. “Randall told me he let you use the conference room.”

“What are you doing here?” he asked in a tone that sounded a bit too firm.

“Oh, no ‘How are you?’ or ‘Nice to see you?’” She tilted her head to the side, causing a loose curl to graze her breast.

He turned back to the coffee. “I didn’t mean to sound rude. You just surprised me.”

Author bio:

Ms. Phoenix is a rare bird herself...a lifelong resident of Las Vegas, Nevada. She belongs to Las Vegas Romance Writers and has served on the board for several years. She is also a member of Romance Writers of America with PAN status.

Prior to writing, Kay was a Graphic Artist for fifteen years in the casino industry and holds degrees in both Graphic Arts and Psychology. In her spare time she enjoys hiking, traveling and photography. She is also involved in several Las Vegas non-profits.

Kay has been blessed to be able to travel many places, which inspired her to host a weekly author spotlight called “Midweek Escapes” on her blog. It features guest author’s favorite vacation destinations, their travel tips, and, of course, information about their book releases and occasional giveaways.

Author website and social media links:

Website:

www.KayPhoenix.com

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKayPhoenix/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/KayPhoenix_

My Sexy Saturday #MSS176

You guys, you GUYS! I'm excited to announce that I'm in a forthcoming anthology that will release on FEBRUARY 28!  Here's a little bit about it:

Love hits the jackpot in these six seductive tales, each set in a different decade in the hottest, wildest, most sinful of cities - Las Vegas. In Elizabeth Spaur’s Miss Atomic Bomb, a beauty pageant brings a cowboy and city girl together. A desperate singer finds new hope with a not-so-jaded casino owner in B.A. McIntosh Home at Last. In Lynn Crain’s, Hooked on a Feeling, two Vietnam vets get a second chance at love while facing enemies at home. A rodeo star falls hard for a showgirl in Diane Deeds’s Total Eclipse of the Heart. In Kay Phoenix’s An Unexpected Knight, a hero on a mighty steed captures the heroine’s heart. A good girl learns that being bad can be very, very good in Tami Cowden’s It Happen One Vegas Night. Mobsters and G-men, cowboys and showgirls, singers and dancers, and even a knight in shining armor all find that Sin City is not just a place to have fun – but also a great place to fall in love. 

Decades of Love

***

This week's "My Sexy Saturday" theme is "My Sexy Wild".  Though it isn't exactly wild, what's wild is that Kyle showed back up in her life after a ten year absence. In this snippet from my novella "An Unexpected Knight" in the forthcoming anthology, "Decades of Love", Sarah and Kyle awkwardly try to reconnect...

They opened the door and stepped into the brisk September night. It was still about 65°, even though it was almost midnight. Las Vegas was funny that way. Sometimes, there seemed to be no transitional seasons, only winter or summer. Hot or cold.

“I’m over there.” She indicated, pointing to the third row. When they got to her little, blue Ford Escort, she turned to Kyle. “Thanks again. I guess I’ll be seeing you tomorrow. Get some rest. The Black Night has important work to do tomorrow.” She smiled. “By the way, congratulations. That’s a great role to land.”

She reached in her bag for her keys when he caught her in a hug and pulled her to him. He squeezed her tight against him and for longer than was necessary for a friendly hug, rocking her back and forth. 

"An Unexpected Knight" novella in "Decades of Love"

An Unexpected Knight

Sarah never expected to see Kyle again, let alone to have to work with him.

Kyle became a Knight, not guessing “the one that got away” would be the one he’d rely on each evening.

But, magic can still happen in King Arthur’s arena.

***Available NOW! for PRE-Order***

My Sexy Saturday ( http://www.mysexysaturday.blogspot.com/ ) has provided a great place for authors to showcase snippets of their works. 7 words, 7 sentences, or 7 paragraphs.

Author Kay Phoenix

Thanks for indulging me to post on my own blog feature.  Truly, I feel a bit strange doing it.  Also, I wanted to try out the questionnaire I wrote, to make sure the questions were cohesive and inclusive of anything an author would want to include.  I may make a couple changes. 

  That stated, I'll make you a deal.  If you post a reply, I'll pick one of you (or all, if I'm feeling generous), to receive one of my previously published e-books in .pdf form.  Deal?  Ok.

One of my all-time favorite vacations was a few years ago when my sister and I went to the The Resort at Pedregal in Cabo San Lucas for their annual Food and Wine Festival.  It was pure heaven!  When you arrive at the resort, the entrance is through a FIRE LIT TUNNEL.  I mean, you know you’re in for a grand time when you drive through a fire-lit tunnel to get to the resort.

Our room was amazing.  There was a plunge pool right outside the sliding glass door, and every afternoon at 4pm, chips, homemade guacamole and two Coronas showed up, as if by magic.

As my sister was actually there for work (she worked for a popular food magazine and was covering the event), we were able to attend a variety of culinary events and training.  We even took an excursion to a local farm where we picked fresh produce to make into delightful culinary treats.

Everyone that worked at the resort were top-notch, and you got the sense that they truly took pride in giving you the best guest experience possible.  We even talked privately with a few who told us that they held a high sense of pride to work at the resort, as jobs there are highly sought after.

Our last night there,, the Festival put on an amazing multi course dinner and fireworks show, celebrating their anniversary. To sum up our entire visit in one word…MAGICAL! From our first drive through the tunnel, to the magical afternoon chips and salsa that appeared in our room, to watching a fireworks display over the beach while holding sparklers.  Pure magic!

I highly recommend the Capella Pedregal resort to anyone.  It is a bit pricey (but worth it), and would make an ideal honeymoon destination or special anniversary trip.  The resort is stunning and the staff will make you feel pampered and well taken care of.  

Title: Steele and Stone

Series and Book #:  The Daring Hearts series, Book 1

Author/pen name:  Kay Phoenix

Genre:  Contemporary Romance

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Date of Publication:  November 2, 2016

ASIN:  B01LYUQ75N

Number of pages: 133

Word Count:  42,000

Blurb:

Elle Thompson was raised in Denver. She paints. She hikes. She knows how to avoid cougar attacks.

The only cougars Michael Williams usually worries about are the ones that wear leopard print leggings on 5th Avenue.

But, when his acquisition firm sets its sights on Elle's family business, his tidy life goes awry. As things unravel, so do all his preconceived notions of love and what makes a perfect partner.

Buy link:

https://www.amazon.com/Steele-Stone-Daring-Hearts-Phoenix-ebook/dp/B01LYUQ75N/

Excerpt:

“So, how are you feeling today?” a familiar voice asked behind him. He didn’t have to turn to know who it was, but he turned anyway, temporarily forgetting about his sunburn until he saw the shocked expression on her face.

“Whoa! No sunblock either? I had some, you could have asked,” she giggled. “That’ll peel for sure.”

Blue! Brilliant, shimmering blue eyes. He hadn’t seen her eyes during their hike, as they’d been hidden behind sunglasses the whole time, and he’d always been a sucker for blue eyes. Her blonde hair hung long, loose and wavy as she leaned casually against the doorframe.

“I see you’ve already made yourself quite at home,” she said. “Randall told me he let you use the conference room.”

“What are you doing here?” he asked in a tone that sounded a bit too firm.

“Oh, no ‘How are you?’ or ‘Nice to see you?’” She tilted her head to the side, causing a loose curl to graze her breast.

He turned back to the coffee. “I didn’t mean to sound rude. You just surprised me.”

Author bio:

Ms. Phoenix is a rare bird herself...a lifelong resident of Las Vegas, Nevada. She belongs to Las Vegas Romance Writers and has served on the board for several years. She is also a member of Romance Writers of America with PAN status.

Prior to writing, Kay was a Graphic Artist for fifteen years in the casino industry and holds degrees in both Graphic Arts and Psychology. In her spare time she enjoys hiking, traveling and photography. She is also involved in several Las Vegas non-profits, and is the current Chairman of a popular, long-running, local art show.

Kay has been blessed to be able to travel many places, which inspired her to host a weekly author spotlight called “Midweek Escapes” on her blog. It features guest author’s favorite vacation destinations, their travel tips, and, of course, information about their book releases and occasional giveaways.

Author website and social media links:

www.KayPhoenix.com

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKayPhoenix/

https://twitter.com/KayPhoenix_

My Sexy Saturday #MSS174

This week's "My Sexy Saturday" theme is "Rainy Afternoon".  Though it isn't raining, it's their first date and they spent a lazy afternoon in the Denver Art Museum, then took a rest on a bench out front. In this snippet from my newly released book, "Steele and Stone", Elle reads Michael's palm... 

“Let me see something.” She turned his palm up and began tracing her index finger up and down the lines in the middle of it.

“You’re a palm reader, too?”

“Not really, but I do know a little about it. See this line here? That’s your lifeline. No, it doesn’t mean how long you will live. It means your life’s purpose. Basically, whether or not you are focused or scattered. You are focused, but you already knew that. See how solid it is? And this one, this is your money line. I think we both know what that one says.”

“What does it say?”

“It says you’re dirt poor and miserable, you always will be, and there isn’t a charitable, kind bone in your body. You’re an insufferable jerk, for sure." She met his eyes and grinned. “Only kidding.”

Elle Thompson was raised in Denver. She paints. She hikes. She knows how to avoid cougar attacks.

The only cougars Michael Williams usually worries about are the ones that wear leopard print leggings on 5th Avenue.

But, when his acquisition firm sets its sights on Elle's family business, his tidy life goes awry. As things unravel, so do all his preconceived notions of love and what makes a perfect partner.

***Available NOW!***

My Sexy Saturday ( http://www.mysexysaturday.blogspot.com/ ) has provided a great place for authors to showcase snippets of their works. 7 words, 7 sentences, or 7 paragraphs.

My Sexy Saturday #MSS173

This week's "My Sexy Saturday" theme is "Sexy Becomes Her".  Confidence and intelligence can make a woman sexy! Well, in this snippet from my newly released book, "Steele and Stone", Elle asks Michael a question that ultimately causes him to re-evaluate everything he's been doing.  

“Yes, here you are, rubbing my calves and telling me all about the muscles and ligaments in my legs. Are you happy at your job?”

“Happy? I suppose I am. It pays well, and I have a pretty good life in New York, all things considered.”

“But…”

“But well…like you said, here I am telling you I wanted to be a chiropractor.”

She sat up. “I think it’s time I go to bed.”

He stood up with her.

“Do you want to go to lunch tomorrow?” he asked abruptly.

Elle Thompson was raised in Denver. She paints. She hikes. She knows how to avoid cougar attacks.

The only cougars Michael Williams usually worries about are the ones that wear leopard print leggings on 5th Avenue.

But, when his acquisition firm sets its sights on Elle's family business, his tidy life goes awry. As things unravel, so do all his preconceived notions of love and what makes a perfect partner.

***Available NOW!***

***ALSO A GIVEAWAY!!!***

My Sexy Saturday ( http://www.mysexysaturday.blogspot.com/ ) has provided a great place for authors to showcase snippets of their works. 7 words, 7 sentences, or 7 paragraphs.

My Sexy Saturday #MSS172

This week's "My Sexy Saturday" theme is "My Sexy Stranger".  My novella "An Unexpected Knight" will be featured in the upcoming Anthology "Decades of Love" by Sin City Romance Writers group coming out on February 28, 2017.  It features a rekindled childhood romance, in a most Vegas/medieval setting of the fictitious Camelot hotel (based upon the Excalibur, of course).   

Here is the blurb for my story:

An Unexpected Knight

Sarah never expected to see Kyle again, let alone to have to work with him.

Kyle became a Knight, not guessing “the one that got away” would be the one he’d rely on each evening.

But, magic can still happen in King Arthur’s arena.

Love hits the jackpot in these six seductive tales, each set in a different 

decade in the hottest, wildest, most sinful of cities - Las Vegas.  In Elizabeth Spaur’s 

Miss Atomic Bomb, a beauty pageant brings a cowboyand city girl together.  

A desperate singer finds new hope with a not-so-jaded casino owner in 

B.A. McIntosh’s Home at Last.  In Lynn Crain’s, Hooked on a Feeling,  two Vietnam 

vets get a second chance at love while facing enemies at home.  A rodeo star falls 

hard for a showgirl in Diane Deeds’s Total Eclipse of the Heart.  In Kay Phoenix’s 

An Unexpected Knight, a hero on a mighty steed captures the heroine’s heart. 

A good girl learns that being bad can be very, very good in Tami Cowden’s 

It Happened One Vegas Night.

   

Mobsters and G-men, cowboys and showgirls, singers and dancers, 

and even a knight in shining armor all find that Sin City is not just a place to 

have fun – but  also a great place to fall in love. 

BUY LINK COMING SOON! STAY TUNED!

      My Sexy Saturday ( http://www.mysexysaturday.blogspot.com/ ) has provided a great place for authors to showcase snippets of their works.  7 words, 7 sentences, or 7 paragraphs.

My Sexy Saturday #MSS166

This week's "My Sexy Saturday" theme is "My sexy EX".  Huh?  What's sexy about an ex?  Well, in this snippet from my newly released book, "Steele and Stone", Michael has an encounter with his ex. What makes it sexy to me, is that he isn't a jerk to her, regardless of what she did to him in the past.  I think the way a man treats his ex says a lot about his character. 

He parked the Volt in his own driveway then walked the couple blocks to the diner. As he rounded the corner he was surprised to see that Sandra was already there. She sat at an outside table, her back to him, the sun glinting off her shiny, shoulder-length brown hair. Her hands were folded in front of her and her head was lowered, he presumed she was checking her cell phone.

He was somewhat alarmed to not feel the urge to turn around and leave at the sight of her. Instead, he walked to her and she turned. Her face was shrouded with a worry he’d never seen, and she forced a smile.

“Hello Sandra,” he said, taking the chair across from her. He scooted it in and nodded.

***Available NOW!***

      My Sexy Saturday ( http://www.mysexysaturday.blogspot.com/ ) has provided a great place for authors to showcase snippets of their works.  7 words, 7 sentences, or 7 paragraphs.

My Sexy Saturday #MSS165

This week's "My Sexy Saturday" theme is "Adventure".  In this snippet from the beginning of my soon to be released book, "Steele and Stone", Michael experiences a bit of excitement on a hike...

Flashing dot patterns passed in front of his eyes, and he wasn’t sure if it had to do with the cat to the side of the trail in front of him or the sexy feline under his left arm. They were closing in on the big cat fast. If he was going to die, he wasn’t prepared in the least. He thought of all the things he still wanted to do with his life: climb Mount Kilimanjaro, see Mount Vesuvius, scuba dive in the Great Barrier Reef, and visit the Louvre. He might never do any of it, it seemed. Not in this lifetime, anyways. If he got out of there, he’d make it a point to do one big trip a year.

***Available for PRE-ORDER!***

***Release date NOVEMBER 2, 2016***

      My Sexy Saturday ( http://www.mysexysaturday.blogspot.com/ ) has provided a great place for authors to showcase snippets of their works.  7 words, 7 sentences, or 7 paragraphs.

My Sexy Saturday #MSS164

This week's "My Sexy Saturday" theme is "Sexy Rising".  In this snippet from my soon to be released book, "Steele and Stone", Michael wakes up from an ...interesting dream.

The hotel phone was ringing. He shook his head and reached for it.

“Hello?” he answered, his voice raspy.

“Good morning Mr. Williams, this is your six a.m. wake up call,” said a male voice before the line went dead.

“Uh, thanks,” grumbled Michael and hung up the phone and lay back on the bed, his erection throbbing against the sheet. He rubbed his hands through his hair and over his face before glancing again at the clock.

***Available for PRE-ORDER!***

***Release date NOVEMBER 2, 2016***

      My Sexy Saturday ( http://www.mysexysaturday.blogspot.com/ ) has provided a great place for authors to showcase snippets of their works.  7 words, 7 sentences, or 7 paragraphs.