I get offered this question every now and again and each time it’s given to me, I sort of freeze. There’s an obvious surge in the creatures who used to be more horror than objects of lust, people exploring some of their own personal fantasies and while we think about strong men or sexy cowboys, why not toss in a vampire or a werewolf here and there?
Sure, there have been books and movies that glorify them, turning them into these masses of men who can protect, love, and other things, but essentially, I think it comes down to the deep desire in us all to flirt with danger and death.
In my latest release, Hadyn Heat (Book One – The Urge), it explores the deepest urges of a man who is also a wolf. More so, the story begins with Hadyn not just exploring his urges, but also testing danger. He knows just how series it is to enjoy the company of a human woman, but he does it anyway. And the same could be said for the woman, Sarah, as when she’s faced with a giant wolf, she doesn’t panic… she lusts for the wolf. Something tells her to let her guard down and enjoy the risk of it all. Sure, Hadyn as a wolf could have torn Sarah to shreds, but Sarah was okay with that risk because the reward that came instead of death was the most pleasure filled experience of her life.
When women are saved by the strong and sexy cowboys, there are done usually with a shootout where the hero takes out the bad guy and rides off into the sunset. The same holds true for the darker creatures we long for. The werewolf can change into a wolf and defeat the bad guys and then turn back into man with a hint of sweat and blood and take the woman away.
We love this kind of writing, and style of writing. The action, the drama, and in the background, the passion and heat of it all swarming like a nest of angry bees. I wrote Hadyn Heat to test the boundaries of a man coping with becoming himself. A man who was a wolf. A man who enjoyed his urges – whether they be for man or woman. And finally, as the story progresses, a man who realizes what consequences are and instead of running from them, he dives into them, knowing that his life is on the line. It’s all symbolic to me, the meaning of life into a work of fiction… who we are, what we want, and the things we will do to become that person. I just prefer to toss in a tall, sexy wolf here and there… and be honest, you know you enjoy it.
As a man and as a wolf, Hadyn has been trying to control his urges.
After catching the scent of a beautiful woman named Sarah, Hadyn finds her and loses all control of his urges.
The pleasure was great, but the mistake was greater, for an evil man has been lurking for a long time, hoping to take control of the world. After kidnapping Sarah, the destructive man named Valon now can finalize his own plan: to have Hadyn mate with his daughter.
He uses Sarah and her lust for Hadyn to draw him in.
The urges grow worse for Hadyn and it seems nobody can stop him, not even his roommate and secret lover, another male wolf named Taylor.
The fate of Hadyn, Sarah, his pack, and the world are in the balance… but can he control his desperate sexual urges long enough to save it all?
The Calydons are a race of ancient immortals cursed with a dark side. Each Calydon is destined to meet his soul mate, to be so drawn to her that he is unable to resist bonding with her through the rituals of his race…
…but their destiny is to destroy each other and all they care about the moment their bond is complete.
Quinn Masters will stop at nothing to rescue his rogue teammate. To save his blood brother and ensure his brand of justice triumphs, Quinn will break every rule of his kind and partner with the sensuous, courageous woman destined to be his ultimate destruction.
Haunted by a brutal past, Illusionist Grace Matthews will risk everything to save her kidnapped sister, including putting her life in the sinfully capable hands of an immortal warrior whose ravaging kisses and intense passion propel her ruthlessly toward a fateful destiny she can’t afford to believe in.
My thoughts:
Quinn Masters is one tough son-of–a-gun, but his world just came crashing down around him. All his trainees are dead, one of his weapons is missing, he almost died and it looks like one of his closest teammates may be responsible for it. But just when he thought things couldn’t get any worse his sheva (mate) shows up. This has to be one of the worst days of his life. But Quinn never backs down from a challenge and no one is going to stand in his way of finding his teammate, not even his mate.
Grace will not stop until she has found her sister. She is willing to do anything, even take on one of the most dangerous Calydon warriors, Quinn Masters. But he may just be her last hope.
What Grace finds in Quinn will far surpass anything she could have ever imagined. But first they will have to survive Quinn’s teammates, finding her sister, the mating and each other.
I have to say a huge thank you to Stephanie Rowe for allowing me to read her book.
This was a great 1st book in Stephanie Rowe’s new series: The Order of the Blade. I enjoyed the world that Stephanie created with the Calydon Warriors. The Warriors are all a rough, tough, and take their jobs very, very serious. But it takes one small woman to break through their tough outer shells to make them realize that you can change destiny.
I really loved Quinn & Grace. They are such a fun couple. They love, they fight, and ultimately have a chance to change their world.
I am very much looking forward to the next two books in this series Darkness Seduced (April 15, 2012) and Darkness Surrendered (May 15, 2012).
Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome Faye Roberts to the blog today to talk about her new book Kiss and Make Up.
Welcome Faye.
Faye: Hi there! Thank you so much for having me on your blog today!
Q1) Can you please share with us a little about yourself
Faye: Of course. I write for Entangled Publishing under the name Faye Robertson and for Samhain, Noble Romance and Lyrical Press as Serenity Woods. Kiss and Make Upis the second book I’ve had with Entangled Publishing. The first was a Christmas novella called Holly’s First Noel. I work full time at the moment as a PA to four deputy principals at a high school, and I’m married with a teenage son.
Q2) Have you always wanted to be an author?
Faye: Oh yes, since I was eight! I wrote a story at school based on the sci-fi series Blake’s Seven. I remember telling everyone on my table that they had to have a cliffhanger at the end of each chapter. Mine was “They looked at each other.” It sounded more climactic to me then than it does now!
Q3) Can you share with us your typical writing day. Is there anything you have to have while writing?
Faye: Chocolate and wine helps! My main writing time is between 6pm and 7.30pm ish. I sneak other moments whenever I can. It’s the only time I get at the computer as I work full time, so I have to cram editing, rewriting, new writing and social networking into that time. I’ve learned to type very quickly!
Q4) Most challenging or rewarding part of writing?
Faye: Most challenging is definitely the edits – they can be so, so hard. But I learn heaps every time my writing comes back scrawled with red ink! Most rewarding is when someone produces a cover based on my story – I cried when I got the first one, and I love that moment when they turn up through the email. Such fun!
Q5) Can you please tell us about your latest book?
Faye:Kiss and Make Up is one of the four launch books for Entangled’s new Indulgence category romance line. And I’m so excited to be a part of it! It’s about Tabby, a makeup artist, who falls in love with Eli Black, a stuntman, and it’s set in Wellington, New Zealand.
Q6) How did you come with the idea for this story?
Faye: I came up with the idea for Kiss and Make Up while watching the extra features on Lord of the Rings. And Eli is based on Craig Parker, who plays Haldir.
Q7) Can you share with us your current work in progress?
Faye: Yes, I’m writing another Indulgence based on the marriage of convenience trope, with a twist. The hero owns a chain of hotels, and the heroine runs the crèche in one of them. It’s going really well so far, so fingers crossed!
Q8) Who are some of your favorite authors?
Faye: All of the other Indulgence authors! LOL! And I love reading my writing friend’s work, Ruthie Knox. She’s so funny and witty – her Ride With Me is a must buy if you haven’t read it. Generally though, I like anything from courtroom dramas by writers such as John Grisham to thrillers such as those by Nicci French to historicals like Barbara Erskine’s.
Q9) Do you feel that any of your favorite authors have inspired your writing style?
Faye: I learn something from every writer I read – even if it’s how not to write! But seriously, sometimes I learn new ways to describe scenery or even love scenes. I loved Laura Kaye’s North of Need for example – her love scenes are fantastic, as are all of Maya Banks’.
Q10) What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
Faye: I’m working my way through the other Indulgences, and there are more coming out this month! Including the wonderful Annie Seaton’s – I’ve read hers in manuscript form and it’s fab, but I’m looking forward to buying it and reading it again!
Q11) Is there anything else you would like to add?
Faye: Just a huge thank you for having me here! You can find out more about me here:
And if anyone would like to win a copy of Kiss and Make Up, please answer me this question – what would be the one item of makeup you couldn’t live without? Most of my heroines use lipbalm, and I couldn’t live without it either! What’s yours?
With only a month left of filming on location in New Zealand, the last thing stuntman Eli Black is looking for is a relationship. He made a promise to his brother before he died that his next stop would be Hollywood. But Eli’s will is put to the test when he meets the sexy new makeup artist, Tabby.
Tabby Rogers is heading off to London to a prestigious makeup artist school, and after her ex ruined her previous plans to attend, she’s determined that nothing will stand in her way again. But a steamy, no-strings-attached affair with gorgeous Eli is too tempting to pass up.
The sparks burn hotter than imaginable, but as responsibilities pull at them from opposite ends of the globe, it quickly becomes clear that something’s got to give. Must Tabby sacrifice her hard-won career for love? Or will Eli forever be the one who got away?
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There are any number of reasons why us writers choose to pen a romance – fun, a desperate need to tell stories, a need for more alpha males in our lives, money…Leia and I had all those and one extra one. So many of the romances out there are well, romantic. The men are ten feet tall with ten inch dicks and pretty much always get it right. And we women like that don’t we? Having a man who can almost read our minds, who knows just the right spot to nibble, lick or smack?
In BDSM romances the Dom or dominant male seems to become even more idealized. He is often the experienced one who can take his woman to the height of a world-shuddering orgasm with the precision application of ropes, cuffs, floggers and maybe a few more exotic pieces of equipment like candles, feathers or pieces of ginger used in a very naughty way.
A lot of women have a desire for some aspect of BDSM. It’s a fact supported by many surveys over the years. And although we all pretty much know that fiction is fiction, there does seem to be an extra potent effect when women first realize their desires may have a real life possibility of being forfilled. That they may not be freaks. That there may be a man out there who shares their desires for something kinky. I’ve seen a lot of women ready to kneel at the feet of almost the first real man who answers to the dominant label.
The problem is, even Doms are human. They aren’t perfect. They do make mistakes, and they do have to start somewhere.
Both Leia and I saw the need for a real story and since one of our friends had the same idea, was ready to let us tell her story, and hell, she even had a silly side to her that made writing the story fun, we went with it.
So here it is. 31 Flavors is the story of one married couple’s first foray into the land of BDSM. It’s not perfect. Sid’s husband Nick, is not infallible, and some of their mistakes may make you chuckle out loud. The comedy in the book , as well as the steamy sex seems to be grabbing our readers, and that’s good. Because as one reviewer has said,
“Wow… just wow! This novel is brilliantly written, it is well balanced with humor (at some parts hilarious), saucy sex scenes and genuine life drama.
There were times while reading that I thought “OMG that’s so true”, and there were times that just wanted to jump into the novel and give Sidney a hug and say, “never ever doubt who you are”. I was captured from the get go…”
We hope you enjoy reading it as well as perhaps ending the novel with some new insights on what can make a marriage hum.
There are some things in life you have to try before you know how they will affect you.
After 5 years of awful sex, I was ready. Bondage and spanking had always featured in my fantasies, and one day, I convinced my husband to try them. That day was a turning point.
Ice cream comes in many flavors and that’s us too – not vanilla, maybe not Rocky Road either. We can be a combination or make up our own and no one has the right to judge us.
But there will always be one question that tears at my soul: Will my husband, Nick, ever be happy with what I crave?
About Us: 31 Flavors is a book that is heavily based on a true love story. Although the sex scenes are obviously fictionalized, much of it really happened. This isn’t just another erotic BDSM story. We both felt (Leia and Cari) there was a place for a novel where the readers might draw parallels with their own lives — a story where idealistic, perfect people did not exist, where mistakes are made, and in particular, where the top or Dom is not some godlike creation and the submissive or bottom is just your average girl-next-door.
Cari Silverwood: Cari writes stories that leap from the page and blast you from your bed. Heroines who will come rescue you and heroes who will drag you back to bed by your hair and ravish you endlessly. Did she mention there was sex and adventure in her stories?
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The Demon King still lives, stronger than ever, devouring souls in search of immortality. Against him stands the scholar Taron, a newly-minted warrior of Lemuria, and Willow, a woman of unearthly loveliness, born of mist. . .
Spellbound
Taron must pass through the waterfall of molten gold that shields the secret portal to his beloved land. His brilliant mind and the speaking sword called CrystalFire are his weapons against evil. But nothing can protect him from the power of love. Willow, whom he once knew as a sprite who could dance in his hand, has been changed by a master stroke of magic into the form of a beautiful, highly sensual woman, desiring a thousand pleasures that she insists he alone can give her.
Innocent and eager, Willow arouses his deepest needs and sexual hunger–and his love. He will risk all to save her, even if it means a battle to the death with the ultimate foe. . .
My thoughts:
Two of the most unlikely heroes, but well-loved characters hold the future of the world in their hands. If they fail the world as they know it will end. If they succeeded they will live to fight yet another day.
Taron is a scholar who has never thought he was missing anything in life. That was until he learned that he was really not living and his life was turned upside down. Taron has been sent out on a mission to help with a battle against evil. The last thing he expects to find is that this is the final battle of good vs. evil and he is the one that determines that fate of the world. But even more surprising is who will be the one fighting next to him.
When Willow wakes up to find she is no longer trapped in the mind of Bumper. But in the arms of the man she has longed for since she first laid eyes on him, she is overwhelmed by all the feeling and changes in her short life. But when Taron tells her of his mission, Willow knows she must help Taron whether he likes it or not.
What happens along the way will change Taron & Willows life forever.
What a great way to end this series. Although I am hoping that Kate will maybe write some more about our favorite Demonslayers. If you have read the first three Demonslayer books you will love Crystalfire. If you haven’t started this series I would highly suggest you get started and read the first three books before Crystalfire is released in April. Amazon has a 3 book bundle just for you to get started on the Demonslayer books click HERE.
To Kate: HUGE THANK YOU for sending me Crystalfire to read and review. XOXO
Who among us has not seen those dreaded words in the margin of a manuscript? It sounds so easy. “Show, don’t tell. ”
Those of us who are, shall we say, of more mature years, are programmed to tell. Our parents and grandparents told us stories. Charles Dickens and Jane Austen and Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie and Dostoyevsky all told their stories. And they were very good stories indeed.
But the times have changed. The shift in reader expectations from passive to active involvement in stories began, I believe, with motion pictures in the early decades of the twentieth century. Movies pulled people into their stories in a way print never had. For the first time stories were made visual. Of course, plays existed before. But only a minute proportion of the population ever went to the theater. With the advent of movies, suddenly drama was available to everyone.
Then came television. Living other people’s stories was no longer a once-a-week movie experience, it became a nightly event. Drama came into people’s living rooms and captured an audience far beyond that of most books. Plots moved fast. They had to. There was only a half hour or hour time slot in which to draw[L1] the audience into the story. The story was visual. The actions observable. Emotions were shown, not described. No imagination was necessary on the part of the viewer. It was all there to see and to hear and to identify with.
Video games came next. Action at the speed of light with the players in charge of the story.
A result of all this recent history is that we as writers must adapt to a very different set of reader expectations than our predecessors. Today’s readers expect to see the story. And a natural corollary of this is that they want their stories to move faster, to be shorter. Where the 90,000 to 110,000 word novel used to be the norm, now shorter works are more in demand.
Stories [L2]must pull readers quickly into the experiences of the characters. From the first page they must feel what our characters feel, see what they see. Hear, smell, taste, touch, vicariously what our characters see, hear, smell, taste, touch. The use of all five senses is vital to helping readers live our stories.
I rely heavily on the five senses in my stories. In The Memory of Roses, the scent of that flower is a connecting link between the two love stories and forms a continuous thread from the beginning to the end of the novel. In Delighting In Your Company, the ghost hero sings and whistles the tune, Greensleeves from the first pages to the last. Abigail’s Christmasis replete with the sights, sounds and scents of Christmas. Using the five senses is one of the easier ways of showing.
We cannot simply say that a character is sad, happy, nervous, tense, anxious. We must show what the character is doing that physically expresses the emotion he/she is feeling. This is not always easy. But this is what “Show, don’t tell” means.
Here are two ways to tell whether we’ve slipped into telling where we should be showing.
The first and most obvious is the use of the words “feel” “feeling” and “felt”. If any of these words is present in a sentence, we’re probably not showing, we’re telling. A computer search of the manuscript for these words will let us know immediately where we need to revise.
Amy felt deeply saddened as she looked around her father’s empty study.
Clearly, this is telling. What actions could we have Amy do that would show the reader she is sad? If she were an actress with no lines to speak in this scene, what could she do to let us know how she feels?
She could sigh. She could brush her hand across his desk and shake her head. If she is deeply distressed she could cry. She put her head in her hands. Her body might slump. We need to tap into the physical actions, the behaviors that indicate sorrow.
Another area where it is easy to fall into “telling” rather than “showing” is the point in the story at which we describe what our hero or heroine looks like.
Telling: Amy had short auburn hair that never looked quite combed.
Showing: Amy ran a brush through her short auburn hair and shrugged. She knew it never looked combed but she really didn’t care.
Telling: Andy had well-muscled shoulders and a broad chest.
Showing: Amy leaned against Andy, taking comfort from his strong arms and the solidity of his chest.
Telling: Amy set about cooking breakfast for the kids.
Showing: The bacon began to sizzle. Amy turned to the stove, cracked four farm-fresh eggs into the hot bacon fat and watched as the edges began to brown. Three pajama clad boys tumbled into the kitchen. Amy smiled. Nothing like the smell of bacon and eggs to rouse the troops .
Hearing, seeing and smelling were all a part of the above example. When we draw on the five senses in a scene we always come closer to showing.
Any time we name an emotion we are telling rather than showing. Almost any time we use a word with an “ly” ending (gladly, sadly, grudgingly, happily, etc. etc) we are telling, not showing. I regularly do a computer search for ly. Sometimes I leave the word. But usually I try to find an observable action that will express the behavior indicated by the “ly”.
Show, don’t tell means that we must live inside our character’s minds and have them behave in ways that demonstrate their feelings and thoughts, their reactions to the situations in which we place them. Above all we must make it possible for our readers to become involved in what’s happening in our stories, to be a part of our hero’s journey.
Blair McDowell wrote her first short story when she was eleven and hasn’t stopped writing
since. After many years producing non-fiction professional books in her field, Blair decided to
exercise her rich imagination and write novels of mystery and romance set in places she knows and loves, peopled with characters drawn from her experiences in those locales.
One of her favorite places in the world is Greece, the setting for ‘The Memory of Roses’, Blair McDowell’s latest novel. While in Greece Blair was inspired by the ancient culture, friendly people and the picturesque settings, and the plot for the ‘Memory of Roses’ was born.
Blair has a home on a remote island in the Caribbean where the local lore of the ‘Jumbie’ (‘the dead who walk’) formed the basis for her novel of that name.
The setting for Blair McDowell’s book, ‘Sonata’, is the spectacular city of Vancouver with its
vibrant multicultural population and its rich musical life. In ‘Sonata’, Blair McDowell’s love of
music comes into play, and is intricately woven into this story of mystery and romance.
Blair is a member of the Romance Writers of America, Romance Writers of America (Greater
Vancouver Chapter), and the Romance Writers of America (Women’s Fiction).
The Greek island of Corfu unearths the enduring love stories of two generations of the
McQuaid family. First, renowned archaeologist Ian McQuaid meets the love of his life while
recuperating from an illness contracted during a dig in Crete. Even though he is married, his wife had not been a passionate partner for many years, and the appearance of the stunning Maria Calbrese was a miracle sent to him at the lowest point in his life.
Then a generation later, Ian’s daughter Brit travels to Corfu after his death. He left Brit a note
disclosing that he owned a villa on Corfu, and that when he was there he had fallen in love with a
woman named Maria while still married to Brit’s mother. He asked Brit to deliver a package to Maria, who he thought lived somewhere in Venice. Determined to fulfill her father’s requests and return quickly to the US, Brit’s plan is soon derailed. She meets archaeologist Dr. Andreas Leandros who looks like the Greek gods of ancient times, and her own damaged heart begins to come alive.
What does the mysterious package contain, and how will Brit find Maria as requested by her
father? Will finding her change Brit’s life? Will she manage to preserve her bond with Andreas, or will she return to the US to live out her life without him?
Excerpt:
It was on June eleventh that he met her. He had gone to Adriatika for his evening meal. It was a
week night and he had lingered over his late afternoon swim. By the time he arrived, the few other diners were well into their meals.
“What have you for me tonight, my friend?” he asked.
“Ah! You are in luck. We have Rabbit Steffado and I’ve kept a portion back for you.”
Ian settled into his chair at his regular table and opened his book. He’d long had the habit of
reading in restaurants until his food arrived. It kept him from feeling lonely.
He heard a commotion at the door and glanced up from his book to see a stunning young woman in conversation with Yiannis.
“Of course you are not too late, Signorina,” Yiannis was saying as he showed her to a table. “We
always look forward to your return in June. Did you have a pleasant journey from Venice?”
“Pleasant enough, Yiannis. I hope you have some of your Rabbit Steffado for me tonight. I’ve been looking forward to it for months.”
“Alas, I am afraid the last portion was just ordered by someone else,” he said, nodding in the
general direction of Ian’s table. “But I have a very nice fish if you’re interested.”
“Hmm. I’ll think about it. Meanwhile, if you could bring me a pitcher of your good house wine…”
“Of course.”
Ian went back to reading his book. Suddenly he sensed that he wasn’t alone. He looked up to see
the woman who’d just entered the restaurant standing at his table, a brimming pitcher of wine in her hand. She was tall and full breasted, her long ebony hair swung loosely to her shoulders and her eyes were dark and lively. Her face could have come from a Botticelli painting, beautifully oval, classically Italian. She wore a low necked blouse that seemed to fall off one shoulder and a full skirt that emphasized her small waist.
He realized with a shock that she was speaking to him in English and that he hadn’t heard a word
she had said.
“I beg your pardon?”
“I said I assume you speak English since you’re reading a book in that language. If you’d rather, we could speak in Italian. My Greek is a bit primitive.”
Confused, Ian managed to stutter, “English will be fine.”
“Good. I have a proposition for you.” She smiled.
Ian thought whatever it is the answer is yes. He merely nodded.
“You,” she resumed accusingly, “you have ordered the last portion of Rabbit Steffado. I’ve been
looking forward to Rabbit Steffado for months. I propose that we should enjoy that rabbit together. There is always enough for two in Yiannis’ portions. Meanwhile we can order some of Catarina’s eggplant and a salad to start and,” here she held up the pitcher, “I already have the wine.” She waited expectantly.
Ian threw back his head and laughed for the first time in months. “Please,” he said, getting up
quickly and pulling out a chair for her, “Be my guest. I’m Ian McQuaid.”
Over the eggplant she told him she was from Venice and that her name was Maria. “I always spend six weeks here at this time of the year. And this is my favorite restaurant on Corfu. I always came here on my first night back.”
They worked their way through the appetizers laughing and chatting about their experiences on
Corfu as if they were old friends.
The rabbit arrived at the table, steaming and aromatic in its rich sauce. Maria ladled it on to their
plates. “So what brings you to Corfu?”
Ian somehow didn’t want to admit his recent illness to this young woman who was the picture of
health and vitality. “I was working on Crete and I decided to take some time off. A friend suggested Corfu.”
“What do you do on Crete?”
“I’m an archaeologist. My special area is Bronze-Age societies, the Minoans in particular. Knossos, on Crete, is one of the best preserved Minoan sites in the world. I’ve been working there off and on for some years.”
“You’re an American aren’t you? Your accent isn’t British.”
“Yes. I’m a professor at Stanford University in California. But I spend half of every year in Greece.”
They continued to chat and laugh their way through the rest of meal.
Ian could hardly take his eyes off of her. She was so utterly alive. Her mobile face telegraphed her every thought and mood. When she laughed at his stories her whole face lit up. When she was serious,her eyes held the reflective calm of a mountain lake. He found her utterly entrancing. By the time they’d finished dessert he was wondering how he could prolong the evening, how he could arrange to see her again.
Then he reminded himself that he was still married, that he’d no right to become involved with
this young vibrant creature sitting at his table. And that surely she would have no interest in him, a middle-aged man graying at the temples and many years her senior. Regretfully, when Catarina began closing the shutters, he moved to pay the bill. “Please allow me,” he said. “You’ve given me so much pleasure tonight.”
She nodded and rose to leave.
Outside the restaurant, she paused confused, and looked around. “Where’s your car?”
“Actually, I don’t have one. I haven’t found much need for one here. I walk everyplace. The house I’m renting is just up the hill a mile or so.”
“Please let me drive you home,” she said. “I insist. It is small payment for that lovely dinner.”
Ten minutes longer with her, Ian thought. Ten minutes more of her lovely voice and beautiful
face. “Of course,” he responded.
She drove efficiently and competently. He watched the shadows and light fall on her face as she
navigated the curves of the narrow, winding country road.
“Turn here,” he instructed as they reached the open gates to the property. She came to a stop at
the circle in front of the villa. The fountain was splashing, its dolphins alive in the moonlight.
“What a beautiful spot.” She said. They sat in silence for a moment, neither quite willing to end the evening.
“You could come in for a brandy,” he suggested.
They got as far as the front door. Later they could neither of them remember who moved first.
They were in each other’s arms, tearing at their clothing, stumbling up the steps toward the bedroom. Frustrated with their slow progress Ian swept her up into his arms and carried her to his bed, covering her with his body. They made love wordlessly, frantically, as if their very lives depended on their being together in this way at this moment.
When the storm had passed, Ian tried to speak. “I had no right to do this,” he said. “I’m married.”
“Of course you are,” she replied. “No man as attractive as you could be single. Not at your age. I
came to you willingly, I asked for no commitment. We have here and now. We have tonight. Let’s not ask for more.”
Books-n-Kisses is pleased to let Elise Whyles take over the blog today.
Finding a happy place with a writing partner.
When I came up with the idea of a series about mythical beings I never believed it would ever get as large as it did. I was thinking four books maybe, but I knew I couldn’t do it alone.
So I approached my writer friend CiaraLake, who was interested. Together we sat down and brainstormed and worked out the details on the idea I’d given birth to. Was it all easy sailing, no. I wish it were.
When you have two distinct personalities and writing voices working together there are always going to be bumps in the road no matter how close the writers are. Countless hours were spent discussing things like who was writing what? When were the books due in? Who would we submit them to? What exactly was each author responsible for?
Not all easy to answer questions. We’d discuss something, get it worked out and move on only to find ourselves having to revisit the topic because we’d missed the mark in some fashion. Communication in writing is a key element in my opinion. We’ve done a lot together, worked hard on this series and we’ve had a blast.
At the same time we missed the boat on several things – and found out after the fact there were things which didn’t sit well with one or both of us. Back to the drawing board lol, so we hashed it out. Debated, discussed, asked for outside input, and reach a decision we’re both happy with.
There are moments when I think an author needs to be aware of their motivations, their goals. In a single career there’s never any question about this because we’re all aware of where we want to go. When you have a partnership with a co-author then you have to rely on contracts, communication, and an open discussion to help guide you.
Our journey to the ‘happy-place’ has been long, with a few minor bumps, but over all we’ve had fun, and we’re both learning. Doesn’t mean we both always are happy – but that’s life and art. Sometimes you just have to compromise on the small stuff to keep the bigger picture in vivid Technicolor.
Among us walk immortal beings – cursed to hide within the shadows they live along side us as they have for centuries. Using, feeding, living off the mortals so reviled for their weakness – yet there are some who will be awakened and immortality will be given.
Now, an ancient evil stirs – rising to threaten not only the Immortal Realms but the mortal world. A cursed vampire General stirs, plotting his revenge on those who have forsaken him…but he’s forgotten about the innocent, who like him have been punished.
There are those who are Forsaken.
It could be anyone among us…
The first book, Forsaken Heart by Elise Whyles is set to release in April 2012.
The second book Curse of a Dargon’s Claim by Ciara Lake will release shortly after.
Hi Kelly! Thank you for featuring us on your blog and introducing us to your followers. First we’d like to share our latest release Rainie’s Lake with the readers and then let everyone know how we began writing together, and a little bit about our back list books. BTW, there’ll be a drawing for one lucky commenter. See details below!
Rainie’s Lake is our first paranormal erotic romance. We’ve been told to warn the readers to have a box of tissues handy! Rainie has received 5 star reviews. You can read the reviews on Amazon.
Taking a long over due vacation, Art Instructor, Dylan Bishop is eager to start his trip to the cabin in the mountains. When he saw the photo online with the rental ad, he knew this was his destination. Being drawn to the lake nestled behind the cabin with a private dock, Dylan hopes to regain his inspiration to paint.
His vacation takes an erotic turn when he meets Rainie Marks on a foggy morning by the dock. She is the most beautiful woman he has ever seen. However, there is sadness and a mystery about her. Finding his inspiration, he sketches her one evening and unable to resist the passion that has sparked between them, Rainie and Dylan share a sensual night together.
When Rainie tells him the truth about her past and the lake, the mystery she hides unfolds. The key to everything is the lake. Will Dylan be able to help her put the past to rest?
Read an excerpt and enjoy a characters interview here!
Now fans have told us how we met again is the start of a romantic story and we should write a book. Who knows maybe we will. *both of us smiles*
Steve Tindle and Brenda Woody were high school friends in Georgia who reconnected, on a social network, after 30 years of leading separate lives. During their re-acquaintance, they found their past and interests were similar; they had written poems, songs, and both had the desire to be published. Their combined experiences and fantasies inspired their first erotic novel Best Lover in Town, published June 2010 by Charles River Press. The rights for BLT were reverted to Brenda and Steve July 2011. Best Lover in Town was re-edited and re-released with a new cover.
Best Lover in Town
Janet Anderson is searching for sexual magic in the man who can match her in the bed. Janet suspects all this and more lies within her handsome boss, Nathan Lovett. During a work-related visit to Janet’s home, Nathan and Janet give in to an attraction beyond their control, and soon find themselves immersed in a pleasurable night of uninhibited sex and heated passion. To their dismay, their luscious interlude is interrupted, and Nathan must leave on a plane to a far away place; their whirlwind coupling on hold.
Three years pass, and with Nathan gone, Janet’s co-worker and best friend, Madison, urges Janet to end her mourning and explore other possibilities. Janet attends parties and events to fill the void left by Nathan, meeting four other men. Though she experiences new sexual delights and discovers more about herself; her suitors fall flat, and Janet is left longing for the touch of her Nathan. Will the best lover in town return to finish what he started?
Brenda moved to Dallas in 2009 to be closer to Steve, start a new chapter of her life and work on future books. Their second book Temptation Triggers, an anthology of seven erotic short stories, was released June 2011.
The publisher asked us to write a short story to be featured in an upcoming anthology. He liked the story so much he asked us to write more and dedicated the book to our work.
Temptation Triggers
Temptation Triggers captures the wickedness of sexual fantasy, the mystery of unexplored territory and the fulfillment of open communication. Among these thought-provoking stories, two friends find themselves drawn into a dark erotic world, a woman encounters a mysterious man and a mature couple discovers hush-hush desires about each other. With different styles of writing, Temptation Triggers reveals erotica that is passionate and spellbinding.
Triangle of Secrets, Book One, a ménage M/M/F story, was published October 2011. This was our first ménage. We enjoyed writing Triangles so much we are working on six installments featuring various relationships; F/M/F, M/F/M, F/F/F and so on. Steve is looking forward to completing the F/F/F! LOL
Triangle of Secrets, Book One, is the story of three ordinary people trying to make their way in the corporate world and keeping their personal lives out of it. Morgan, the Vice President of a prestigious company, dates her best friend and co-worker, Derek, to hide her secret affair with Scott, the much younger mail clerk. Derek appears with Morgan socially to hide the fact he is gay. He is afraid his lifestyle will hinder promotions. Scott wants out of the mailroom and will do anything his lover asks of him. What happens when Derek and Scott meet at Morgan’s house to fulfill her wildest fantasy? Will the triangle break or will it be completed?
Black & White Affair, submitted in a holiday contest 2010 and received 3rd place, was expanded and is available as a short read for $0.99.
Works in progress include Scarlett’s Cowboy and TOS, Bk 2 and 3 to be released 2012. We also have an erotic romance time travel in notes to work on.
As you can see we’ve been busy since we met up again. Our stories are penned with the perspective of both male and female point of view regarding sexual desires and pleasures. We both write the POV for male and female, and have been told by readers they can’t tell who wrote what. We compliment each other is this area. This is why it’s awesome writing as a team. We’re both open-minded and not worried at all about asking each other questions.
We’d also like to mention our new website with Author Tonya Kinzer. A Naughty Reader’s Boudoir is a place for readers and authors to meet, and chat about the naughty books they read and write. Naughty Reader’s features authors who tantalize your erotic fantasies with wicked words. For readers, we provide author interviews, contests, books to explore and blog hops. For authors, we have created advertising packages to meet anyone’s budget and help them promote their work.
Kelly, thank you again for allowing us to visit! Readers, there’ll be a drawing. All you have to do is leave a comment with your email address. That’s it! The lucky winner will receive a copy of Rainie’s Lake (eBook format winner’s choice from Smashwords). To enter use the Rafflecopter form below. Leave a comment by March 19th. We’ll draw on March 21st. Winner will be drawn through Random.org.
Books-n-Kisses is so very, very excited to have my pal Joan Swan on the blog today to talk about her HOT hero in her debut novel FEVER. And really who doesn’t like a super hot hero? Will read on to find out how Joan builds just such a man….. Take it away Joan.
Building an unforgettable hero by Joan Swan
There is no formula, no right or wrong. These are some of the elements I put into play when I built Teague, my hero in FEVER. For those of you who haven’t read—or even heard the premise of—the book, here’s the elevator pitch:
FEVER is about a man with unusual powers whose been convicted of a murder he didn’t commit and imprisoned for life. He has lost the daughter he lived for, the career as a firefighter he loved and been denied an appeal. With no hope left, he plans an escape. But his plan goes wrong when the woman he kidnaps as leverage to get his daughter back turns out to be someone else. And this woman quickly clues into the abilities he tries to hide, creating a bond neither can afford while they’re on the run from both the cops and undercover operatives who want Teague silenced. This time, permanently.
Step One: Background
The base model of the hero. The before in the before-and-after picture.
Teague’s background prior to the warehouse fire was quite fulfilling. His life as a firefighter was the most defining element in his life. This is who he as a man, at his core, beneath the violent inmate façade he is forced to take on to stay alive in prison.
As a fireman, Teague was gregarious, confident and intelligent. He is loyal to the bone; his fellow firefighters, his wife and unborn daughter come first—even before himself. He’s dependable and steadfast. After working for a decade with fire, every type of emergency and tragedy, Teague has learned how to persevere under the worst circumstances—physically and emotionally. He has developed a myriad of skills in all areas of life encompassing everything from breaking into a car to saving a life.
Step Two: Torture
Ah, my favorite part. Let’s take this seemingly awesome dude, and put him to the test! A person’s true character comes out during times of stress.
Teague loses everything. He’s falsely convicted of murder and imprisoned for life. He loses the daughter he lived for, the career he loved and is denied all possibility of appeal.
This is where boys are separated from the men… or in our case, the good guys are separated from the bad. In the face of no hope, who does this man become? This is the key element of a hero (or heroine).
In hardship, a person’s deepest traits intensify and rise to the surface. For Teague, that was his loyalty to his daughter and his perseverance, his willingness to do anything to get back to her.
FEVER is, essentially, a story about that very journey and all Teague is willing to sacrifice to reach that goal.
Step Three: Strength of Character
But sacrifice alone isn’t enough, for a hero wouldn’t be very hero-like if he lost sight of all his values while pursuing his goal.
Throughout FEVER, Teague’s values are tested. He is constantly forced to choose between what he desires and what his conscience tells him is right—with Alyssa, with his accomplices, with the police, with other members of his team and ultimately, with his daughter. And each time an obstacle forces him to choose, his internal landscape shifts, pushing him to become the best version of himself, even when that may mean losing everything he wants. Everything he lives for.
Step Four: Surrender
This is the heart-melting moment for the reader, when the hero actually becomes the hero.
Surrender for a hero (in a romance) means giving up his own needs and wants in the best interest of someone he loves.
Because FEVER is a romantic suspense with paranormal elements, Teague must surrender on several levels. He must surrender to love: In the romance, he must choose between his freedom and his love for Alyssa. He must surrender to power: In the suspense, he must choose between his need for vengeance and his need to get his daughter back. He must surrender to fate: In the paranormal, he must choose between accepting his powers, using them for good and ignoring them, continue hurting others.
A true hero must surrender in the end because the journey has changed him. He is no longer the man he was when the story began and he cannot go back to wanting what he did then or acting the way he did then.
Step Five: Make them hot.
Yes, hot, as in attractive. J But men can be attractive in a variety of different ways, not just physically. Or they can have one or two standout physically attractive features that really do it for the heroine – which in turn, usually do it for the reader.
With Teague, I used several elements of all the above to make him hot.
Physically: His body is ripped. But not randomly, because it’s convenient for a romance. He’s ripped because 1) there’s not much else to do in prison but work out and 2) being ripped keeps other inmates at a distance, which in turn keeps him safe in the prison environment. Being ripped fits with his character….and, yes, it’s an added benefit for the romance.
Emotionally: Traits ingrained as a firefighter come out more and more as the story goes on—he’s protective, respectful, dependable. Traits he’s developed as a father show up now and then—he’s sensitive, gentle, thoughtful.
Temperamentally: Teague is an intriguing mix between the harsh prisoner and the strong fireman. He’s fierce when he needs to be, but has control over his emotions. He is patient but firm, understanding yet direct.
Other traits that don’t fit into these categories that make Teague attractive as a hero—confidence, intelligence, paternal instincts and, hell, he can cook!
But when she finds herself face to face with a convicted murderer with determination for freedom and an eye on her as his get out of jail free card, Alyssa knows she’s in deep trouble…. Not just because Teague Creek is a prisoner desperate for freedom, but because his every touch makes her desperate for more.
A man with a life sentence has nothing to lose…
Teague Creek has one shot at freedom, but his plan to escape with a hostage develops a fatal flaw: Alyssa. On the run from both the law and deadly undercover operatives who know of his strange abilities, he needs to avoid trouble, but every heated kiss tells him the fire between them could be just as devastating as the flames that changed him forever.
Joan Swan is a triple RWA® Golden Heart finalist and writes sexy romantic suspense with a paranormal twist. Her debut novel with Kensington Brava, FEVER, releases February 28, 2012. Her second novel, BLAZE, follows in October, 2012.
In her day job, she works as a sonographer for one of the top ten medical facilities in the nation and lives on the California central coast in beautiful wine country with her husband and two daughters.
Kelly: “HI Orpheus & Skyla, Welcome to Books-n-Kisses. Thank you so much for agreeing to sit down and answer a few questions.”
Orpheus: Crosses his arms over his chest and leans back in his seat. “Don’t thank me. I’m not here by choice.”
Skyla: Shooting Orpheus a look. “Hush up and be nice. You can put up with a few moments of pain for a lifetime of pleasure.”
Orpheus: Leaning toward Skyla with a sly smile. “What kind of pleasure do you have in mind, Siren?”
Skyla: Rolls her eyes. “You’re impossible.”
Orpheus: “Yeah, but that’s why you love me.”
Kelly: Clears her throat. “Um, I hate to interrupt but we’re on a little bit of a time limit here. Can we get started?”
Orpheus: Frowning. “Fine by me. Sooner we get this over with, the sooner I can get the hell out of here.”
Skyla: Smiling Kelly’s way. “Ignore him. He’s in a mood. Gryphon had a bad day.”
Kelly: “Oh, no. That was one of my questions. How’s he doing?”
Orpheus: Clenches his jaw and looks away.
Skyla: “It’s a touchy subject. He has good days and bad days.”
Kelly: “I can only imagine.”
Orpheus: “I can hear you both, you know.”
Skyla: Looking his way. “I know, demon. You hear everything.”
Orpheus: Snorts.
Skyla: Glancing back at Kelly. “Maybe we should change the subject.”
Orpheus: “Good idea.”
Kelly: Chuckles and grins at Skyla. “You definitely have your hands full with that one.”
SKyla: Shaking her head. “You have no idea.”
Kelly: “Okay, question one. This is for ‘O’. Can you tell us your first impression of Skyla?
Orpheus: Glances Skyla’s way and studies her with heated eyes.
Skyla: “Uh oh. I know that look.”
Orpheus: Grinning. “This is my question, Siren. Not yours.” Looks to Kelly. “Very first impression in that concert crowd? Hot as sin. Second impression when she tried to kill me with her freakin’ arrow? Balls of steel.”
Skyla: Looking pleased. “I can live with hot balls of steel.”
Orpheus: Chuckling. “Wait ‘til I get you home, Siren.”
Kelly: Clearing her throat again. Question two: Skyla, same questions. First impression of Orpheus?
Skyla: Turning Orpheus’s assessing look back on him. “Dangerous. Good thing I have a bad boy fetish.”
Orpheus: Looking shocked. “You never told me that.”
Skyla: Rolls her eyes. “I’m with you, aren’t I, demon?”
Orpheus: “Yeah, you are. Don’t forget it, gorgeous.”
Kelly: Question three: You two make a really good team, well once you got over the ‘I don’t need anyone part.’ How do each of you feel about having someone in your corner?
Skyla: “Oh, he totally needs me more than I need him.”
Orpheus: Snorts. “Yeah, right. She lies. She was trained by the gods. That tells you a lot right there.”
Skyla: Grinning. “You know you can’t live without me, demon.”
Orpheus: “I’m not arguing that. See what I have to put up with?”
Kelly: Laughing. “Okay, okay. So not a whole lot has changed. Moving on to question four. Can you tell us a little about your latest adventure?”
Skyla: Shoots Orpheus a look before turning to Kelly. “What adventure? Mr. Argonaut over there doesn’t think I’m used to my new body yet.”
Orpheus: “You’re not. Your reflexes are still slow. You’re not going out on any adventures until you’re back to one hundred percent. And don’t call me an Argonaut.”
Skyla: “I can take you down anytime, demon.”
Orpheus: Grinning. “I don’t doubt that, Siren. And I’m ready, any time, any place. You just say when.”
Skyla: Exasperated. “Sometimes I wonder what the hell I got myself into.”
Kelly: Grinning again. “Question five. Skyla, can you tell us a little something about ‘O’ that he wouldn’t share about himself?”
Skyla: “He hates old people and dogs.”
Orpheus: “Okay, that’s just not true at all.”
Skyla: “Correction. He used to eat old people and dogs.”
Orpheus: Rolling his eyes. “I give up.”
Kelly: Trying hard not to laugh. Question six. ‘O’, can you tell us a little something about Skyla that she wouldn’t share about herself?
Orpheus: “You bet. She snores.”
Skyla: “I do not.”
Orpheus: “LOUD. Like a chainsaw. Why do you think our room is in the tallest tower at the colony? Because she’d scare the crap out of the colonists if they heard her.”
Skyla: Crosses her arms over her chest and shakes her head.
Kelly: Question seven. How do you feel about Elisabeth telling your story?
Skyla: “She did a pretty good job.”
Orpheus: “She did a great job. I got a lot of sex.”
Skyla: “It always comes down to sex with you, doesn’t it?”
Orpheus: “Pretty much. I’m a guy.”
Kelly: Question eight. Do you think that she kept it true to the real story or did she fluff it or exaggerate it at all?
Orpheus: “Well, if we’re talking fluffers—”
Skyla: “Oh, good gods. Do not go there.”
Orpheus: Looking pleased and chuckling.
Skyla: “She stayed true to the story.”
Orpheus: “Personally, I could have done without the hell part.”
Skyla: “Yeah, me too. That sucked.”
Kelly: Question nine. Did Elisabeth leave out any parts you really, really, really wanted in? Maybe more roof top scenes?
Orpheus: Grinning. “Yeah, another rooftop scene would have been great. Especially the snow part.”
Skyla: “Ignore him. I wish she would have let me take a crack at Athena.”
Orpheus: Sobering. “Don’t worry, Siren. Her day will come.”
Skyla: Looking his way with tender eyes. “And this is why I love you, demon.”
Kelly: Senses their focus is waning as they stare at each other like she’s not even in the room. “Question ten. ‘O’ have you finally come to the realization that you really are one of the good guys?
Orpheus: “No.”
Skyla: Smiling. “He’ll never admit it.”
Kelly: “Question eleven. So, what do you two see in your future? Maybe babies?
Orpheus: Chokes and nearly falls out of his chair.
Skyla: Looks around the room with a nervous expression like she didn’t hear the question.
Kelly: Waits several minutes. Then smiles. “Okay, I guess that answers the baby question. Can either of you give us any hint about Gryphon’s story?”
Orpheus: “All I know is I don’t like it.”
Skyla: “It’s awesome. Trust me.”
Orpheus: Looking Skyla’s way. “You’ve turned into one of those sappy romantics.”
Skyla: Brushing her hand over Orpheus’s jaw. “All thanks to you, demon.”
Kelly: “‘O’ & Skyla, Thank you so very much for taking time out of your busy life to talk
with me. I wanted to let you know that I loved your story and look forward to reading more about you in the future. “
Orpheus: “Great. Are we done?
Kelly: Smiling. “Yes, we’re done.”
Orpheus. Grasps Skyla’s hand and pulls her from her chair. “Awesome. The Siren promised to take me down.”
Skyla: Grinning over her shoulder as he drags her out the door. “Ah, the things I put up with.”
Kelly: *Stares after Orpheus and Skyla*: I think that went well.
Elisabeth has giving me an ARC of Enraptured to give away to one of my followers.
ORPHEUS—To most he’s an enigma, a devil-may-care rogue who does whatever he pleases whenever he wants. Now this loose cannon is part of the Eternal Guardians—elite warriors assigned to protect the human realm—whether he likes it or not.
Orpheus has just one goal: to rescue his brother from the Underworld. He’s not expecting a woman to get in the way. Especially not a Siren as gorgeous as Skyla. He has no idea she’s an assassin sent by Zeus to seduce, entrap, then ultimately destroy him.
Yet Skyla herself might have the most to lose. There’s a reason Orpheus feels so familiar to her, a reason why her body seems to crave him. Perhaps he’s not the man everyone thinks… The truth could reveal a deadly secret as old as the Eternal Guardians themselves.
To enter please feel out the Rafflecopter form below.
