Camden & Constantine & Xio

THE WARM UP

Originally published in the USA Today Bestselling HOT ON ICE: A Hockey Romance Anthology, this edition contains a bonus chapter!

Subzero. That’s what folks around the league call Constantine Zimin, hockey’s best defenseman. He’s unflappable. Stoic, even. No cracks in all that ice, not until he meets Suji Meriwether. The pediatric nurse has no time for bad-boy jocks who want to use her patients as props. But as soon as they meet, temperatures rise and their defenses fall.

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CAMDEN

Sometimes there’s a moment when you know you’ve screwed up. For Camden Skinner, it’s the night a dead pop star walks into his pub.

As one-half of Skin, an agency which specializes in cleaning up behind the ultra-rich and infamous, Cam has gotten used to getting his hands dirty. A little too used to it. After the young singer at the center of a client’s controversy is found dead, Cam decides he’s out. He walks away from Skin in search of a simpler life. Maybe even a shot at redemption.

Redemption arrives in the form of Yara Bujold.

The singer’s meteoric rise to the top surprised no one more than Yara herself. All she ever wanted was to make music. Caught up in the dark underbelly of the industry, Yara is forced to fake her own death. But she can’t hide forever.

Yara tracks down one of the principals at Skin, the very people that helped to tear her down. She’ll force Camden Skinner to make it right, whatever it takes. What she doesn’t expect is remorse from the man that helped to ruin her. And she certainly doesn’t expect to lose herself in him.

Cam finds himself sucked right back into a world he’d hoped never to step foot in again, but he can’t walk away. He has to fix this. Not only for himself, but for her. For Yara. Because she might just be everything he didn’t know he needed. She just might be everything. 

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XIO AXELROD is a USA TODAY best-seller and award-winning author of love stories, contemporary romance and (what she likes to call) strange, twisted tales. She also writes erotica and women’s fiction. Xio grew up in the music industry and began recording at a young age. When she isn’t writing stories, she can be found in the studio, writing songs, or performing on international stages (under a different, super-secret name, of courseJ). She lives in Philadelphia with one full-time husband and one part-time cat. We'll be listing your website a bit later.

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THE Q&A

ANGI: Country or Rock n Roll?

XIO: Rock n Roll

ANGI: Favorite date night…fancy or at home?

XIO: Mr. X is a homebody, so we usually order takeaway and rent a movie or binge something on Netflix. On the rare occasion he does want to go out, we usually try a new restaurant.

ANGI: Would you put yourself in a Fairy Tale or Action Adventure?

XIO: An action-filled fairy tale. Think Once Upon a Time, lol. I need a little angst before I can enjoy my happy-ever-after.

ANGI: What’s your favorite cartoon character?

XIO: That’s a toss-up between Sebastien the Crab (The Little Mermaid) and Viktor Nikiforov (Yuri On Ice). They’re both hopeless romantics, both problem solvers, and yet at polar opposites of the same spectrum.

ANGI: LOVE THIS !!!

ANGI: Daffy Duck or Donald Duck?

XIO: This will sound strange, but I’ve never watched either, lol. Daffy sounds more fun, though.

ANGI: What’s your favorite thing about your book’s hero?

XIO: I love the way Camden never lost sight of who he was. Even in the midst of his success, it never sat easily on his shoulders. He’s loyal, though, and his love for his brother – his desire not to let him down – had kept him in this dark place for too long. I love his big heart, and the way he defends the people he loves.

ANGI: High Heels or Hiking Boots?

XIO: I’d have to go with the boots, though they’d probably be kitten heels and made for dancing.

ANGI: What’s your favorite movie of all time?

XIO: That’s a tough one. I don’t think I have a single favourite. Sense & Sensibility (with Emma Thompson) is up there, as is The Fifth Element. The Professional. Amelie. Yeah, I can’t pick one.

ANGI: Got a favorite song? What makes it special?

XIO: You’re killing me today, lol. There’s no way I could ever pick a favourite song. I do love the single for Camden, though. It’s called “Stranger”, and it’s one of my favourite songs that I’ve ever written. It talks about accepting yourself, flaws and all. Tells you not to let your mistakes define you, and instead to use them as a learning tool.

ANGI: What’s your perfect day?

XIO: I’d be on the beach, 80 degrees farenheit with a slight breeze, a mojito in one hand and my e-reader in the other. Or a notebook, if I get the urge to write. Music in my ears, Mr. X by my side. That’s perfection.

ANGI: Soup or Salad?

XIO: Salad. I’m kind of addicted to them.

ANGI: Champagne or Soda?

XIO: Champagne, I don’t really drink soda.

ANGI: Geek or Jock?

XIO: Geek, if I had to choose. Intelligence is the sexiest feature a person can have.

ANGI: Favorite inspiration

XIO: I’m constantly inspired by people, music, film, other authors and their works. My current muse inspires me greatly, an actor named Henrik Holm. I’ve adopted his whole family as my own, lol.

ANGI: The most daring thing you’ve ever done… Care to share?

XIO: When I was twenty-two, I sold my guitar, my CDs, and most of my belongings and bought a one-way ticket to the UK. Without telling anyone. That was one of the best years of my life.

ANGI’s GOTTA ASK:  Please share a picture of your favorite shoes and tell us why they’re special?

XIO’s GOTTA ANSWER:  My Jambu sandals in red. They’re *super* comfortable and oh, so cute. I love them so much, I got a second pair in grey metallic. Mr. X is six-foot-four. I’m five-eight, so they make me feel like less of a hobbit when I’m standing next to him, lol.

UP NEXT for XIO:

CALUM ME MAYBE

The Calum Series, #2

PREVIOUS RELEASES by XIO:

STARLIGHT

Falling Stars, #2

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THE CALUM

The Calum Series, #1

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FALLING STARS

Falling Stars, #1

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XIO is giving away a signed cover card from CAMDEN (signed by Xio & Stuart Reardon)

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XIO WANTS TO KNOW: What makes you fall in love with a hero or heroine?

Too steamy for the penalty box... Period One

The New Orleans Cajun Rage professional hockey team just won the Cup. No one thought they'd do it: they were a team of shoulda beens, never coulda beens and a star or two. They'd only been in the Crescent City for three years before this year's Cinderella run that had them skating off the ice with the championship. Over the following summer, each player gets to keep the Cup for a day. Nobody knows why, but whoever has the Cup falls in love. 

18 romances with smoking hot heroes--both on and off the ice

Thanks for joining us for Period One: Xio Axelrod, Christi Barth, Andie J. Christopher, & Avery Flynn

Period Two : USA Today Bestseller Robin Covington, Kim Golden, Lena Hart, & USA Today Bestseller Desiree Holt 

Period Three: Robin Kaye, Katie Kenyhercz, USA Today Bestseller Kimberly Kincaid, & USA Today Bestseller Heather Long

Overtime: Nana Malone, Kate Meader, Virginia Nelson, Susan Scott Shelley, and Misty D. Waters.

the Winning Goal: Publisher's Weekly Bestseller Angi Morgan 

20% of all royalties from sales of Hot on Ice 

will go to Homes for our Troops.

HOT ON ICE LAUNCH PARTY   pre-Order @ .99 for a limited time

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THE WARM UP

Xio Axelrod

Subzero. That's what folks around the league call Constantine Zimin, hockey's best defenseman. He's unflappable. Stoic, even. No cracks in all that ice, not until he meets Suji Meriwether. The pediatric nurse has no time for bad-boy jocks who want to use her patients as props. But as soon as they meet, temperatures rise and their defenses fall.

"The sexiest thing about Zim is his focus. On the ice, he is mesmerizing to watch. And when he's off the ice, and he turns all of that focus and intensity on you, it makes you feel like the center of the universe."

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CHECK MY HEART

Christi Barth

Kurt Lundquist can't resist the beautiful & compassionate nurse who eased his brother's last days, despite knowing she doesn't want any reminders of her 'death duty'. Lisette does want the hot but oh-so-sad hockey star. Can she lift him out of his grief - and will she want to once she learns his terrible secret?

“The sexiest thing about Kurt Lundquist is...well, it has to be a tie between those massively muscled skater's thighs - and his laser beam focus.”


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FULL CONTACT

Andie J. Christopher

Leftwinger Anders Sorenson has never met the perfect woman before breaking up a fight at Dahlia Clarno's bar. Dahlia's  hot, she doesn't care about his fame, and she has no idea about the bounty his teammates have on his virginity--she's the total package for a vacation fling.

“The sexiest thing about Anders Sorensen is that he's so hard to get.”

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BLADE

Avery Flynn

Bad girl Gillie Pike has gone straight, but someone with a lot of money wants to bring her out of retirement to steal the Cup and make sure it's found in star goalie Flynn Kazakov's possession. They call him Crazy-kov for a reason and nothing makes him more nuts than his best friend's sexy little sister who swears she's the only one who can keep him out of jail and on the ice.

“The sexist thing about Flynn Kazakov from Blade is the drop-dead sexy level of confidence he has. Seriously. I could have gone with his hot bod, or his quick brain, or his smart ass sense of humor but it's his well-earned confidence that melts Gillie's panties.”


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18 ORIGINAL STORIES ~ 1 AMAZING TEAM

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LET'S PLAY FILL IN THE BLANK

The sexiest thing about a hockey hero is his _______.

Xio Axelrod..Fearless on Friday the 13th!

Have you ever started a conversation with a total stranger? I do it all the time. And two years ago, I approached someone sitting near the hotel elevators and asked if she would mind being interviewed for Get Lost In A Story?  Take a minute to watch it and then you'll know how to pronounce her name:) Jan Interviews Xio at RWA 2014 in San Antonio.

Xio Axelrod is an award-winning author of love stories, contemporary romance and (what she likes to call) strange, twisted tales. She also writes erotica and women’s fiction. Xio grew up in the music industry and began recording at a young age. When she isn’t writing stories, she can be found in the studio, writing songs, or performing on international stages (under a different, super-secret name, of courseJ). She lives in Philadelphia with one full-time husband and one part-time cat.

Val Saunders and Sam Newman are two Hollywood actors at opposite ends of their careers. Hers is skyrocketing while his, well, never really took off. Fate brings them together when they’re cast as lovers on a steamy new television series. The on-screen chemistry between them is off the charts and when it spills over into a real life attraction, they find themselves in a situation..

Read an excerpt...HERE

Buy here: Amazon, iBooks, Kobo, Nook,  All Romance,  Audible, iTunes

Jan Schliesman: Since today is Friday the 13^th, tell us if you are superstitious about anything? Are you a fan of any of the Friday the 13^th horror movies?

Xio Axelrod: Mr. X and I actually met on a Friday the 13^th, so we got married on a Friday the 13^th. For me, it’s a lucky day. J I’m not terribly superstitious, though I tend to hold onto birthday cards and gifts until my actual birthday. I must have gotten it in my head a long time ago that opening them before the actual date was bad luck. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen one of two of the Jason Voorhees films, but I can’t say I’m a fan. I prefer my horror to be less slasher and more cerebral. Okay, now I sound like a snob, lol, but I like psychological horror/thriller. I recently watched “It Follows”. That was super creepy!

Jan: How often do you Get Lost In A Story?

Xio: Hopefully, every time I open a new book (or write one.) A few months ago, I started listening to audiobooks. They make it even easier to get sucked in. I’ve lost many sleepless nights to my Kindle and my headphones.

Jan: Do you write under your real name or a pen name?

Xio: My main pen name is a combination of my nickname and my married name. I think it’s pretty memorable.

Jan: Tell us about your recent trip to Europe.

Xio: Back when I did music full-time, I’d spend two months out of every year in England. When I started my writing career two years ago, I took a year off from music to learn the publishing

business. This was my first trip back since 2014, and I had really missed it. I spent a few days in Scotland as well. That was more of a research jaunt, something to help me with my Calum Series, which is set there. My favourite moment was probably stepping up onto Hadrians Wall. Talk about surreal!

Jan: What do you love most about your latest release?

Xio: Falling Stars, while not my latest release, was the story that got everything started for me. It began life as a serial on my blog. If it weren’t for the readers that connected with Sam and Val, and demanded that I publish their tale, I wouldn’t be a romance writer today. What I love most about the book is the marriage of realism and fantasy. I prefer my romances to be grounded, but I also love to get swept away by the love story. I think I’ve accomplished that with this book, and its sequel, Starlight. I hope I have.

Jan: Any writing rituals you follow? Celebrate a certain way when it’s completed?

Xio: I need music. I can’t write in silence and I can’t write with the sounds of everyday life around me. I live in the heart of Philadelphia, so there’s always a car horn, a jackhammer, or the sound of passing children in the air. “Quiet” is relative. I need music to focus. I haven’t figured out how to celebrate a release yet. Each one is so nerve-wracking. I suppose I celebrate by getting some much-needed sleep. LOL

Jan: It was love at first sight when I met my hubby. How about you?

Xio: Mr. X and I met online, before Match.com, eHarmony, or any of those other dating sites. We were actually both in an HTML help group, looking for tips on building our respective websites. The moderator never showed up, so we ended up with twenty-eight other people, exchanging what little we knew. From that, the conversation devolved into pop culture and dirty jokes. We hung out as a group for a month or two, almost every day. Out of those thirty people, six couples formed. I think the first pair got married two weeks after that first “class”.

Jan: What are you currently reading?

Xio: I just finished Him by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy. Five stars, hands down. I’m a sucker for friends-to-lovers stories, and I loved this book so much! Such wonderful angst, and such a beautiful resolution. I’m about to dive into the sequel, Us.

Jan’s GOTTA ASK: 

Xio’s GOTTA ANSWER: Are you taking orders? J My favourite flavour of Haagen Dazs is Coffee Yogurt. When it comes to ice cream, I either go for vanilla or for something crazy like sea salt, caramel, fudge bites, and chili pepper, or some other exotic concoction. We have a wonderful, old-fashioned ice cream parlour here in Philly called The Franklin Fountain. The have yummy flavours like grape, pumpkin, and teaberry.

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THANKS SO MUCH, XIO, for sharing part of your writing world with us!  Xio is giving away a copy of Falling Stars so be sure to scroll to the Rafflecopter at the bottom of the page for your chance to enter!

UP NEXT: Book two in the Calum Series, Calum Me Maybe,will be released in June 2016.

PREVIOUS RELEASES: Falling Stars is book one in the series and book two, Starlight, is also available. Together, they complete a standalone story. Book one in the Calum Series, The Calum is also out.

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