Saskia Walker's Blog, page 141

Coming soon: FORBIDDEN RITUAL

Hot off the presses, cover and copy for my June Spice Brief! This really hits the spot for the story. :)

Forbidden Ritual, Saskia Walker. Coming on June 1st.

High-powered executive Imogen prides herself on being an independent woman who doesn't need a man. She only yields when she's with Giles, a younger colleague who shares her taste for domination and submission. He revels in watching her lose control, while she enjoys his powerful nature and an edge of pain to heighten her pleasure.

Imogen is satisfied with their secret arrangement until Giles asks her try shibari, a form of rope bondage—the ultimate ritual in submission and display of trust. His request pushes Imogen beyond her comfort zone, forcing her to explore her boundaries and her relationship with Giles. He's already her master in the bedroom, when she allows it. But can she let herself take their bond to the next level?

Award of Excellence - THE HARLOT is a finalist!

The Colorado Romance Writers chapter of the RWA have announced their 2012 Award of Excellence Finalists, and I'm totally thrilled and honoured because THE HARLOT is listed!


My title is in top company, some great erotic romance reads there. Woohoo! :D

Looking for saucy reads? Check these out!

Hey folks, I'm knee deep in notes for THE JEZEBEL right now -- no new publications from me to report while I'm working on this one -- but two of my writing pals have sexy shorts out that you might want to mosey on over to check out. :)

First up, a contemporary from Sasha White:

ROCK MY WORLD by Sasha White is a short story featuring Gina and Caleb from Sexy Devil.

Gina and Caleb love being married, but sometimes the adults need time away to play adult games, and Gina's debut at a Vancouver art gallery provides just the excuse they need.

In White's short story ROCK MY WORLD a weekend getaway with amorous intentions, an art show, and a magical entanglement all collide for a fun and sexy romp with a surprising twist.

Go here for an excerpt and buy links.

And a new historical in the Ladies Sewing Circle series from Portia Da Costa:

Mrs Mary Brigstock started out by being the most reserved, and sometimes slightly disapproving member of the circle, but under the influence of her more daring friends, she's finally come out of her shell and is now as risque and sexy as the rest of the group. Happily, she loves her dear husband very much, and he's more than pleased to reap the benefits of her new erotic liberation and indulge with her in sensual experimentation. Eager to explore new pleasures, the Brigstocks launch themselves into the world of saucy sexual spanking... with the expert help of Benedict, a young and handsome discipline specialist, who shares his wealth of knowledge with the eager older couple.

Go here for an excerpt and buy links.

Happy reading!

Some photos from our most recent Edinburgh visit

Hey folks, we're back from a short research trip to Edinburgh. Here are a few photos, together with some notes about how the images tie in to my Taskill Witches books (the first is out now, and all three are coming in mass market paperback in 2013 on the HQN line.)

One of the main places I wanted to revisit was the Tollbooth on Cannongate. This is a jail that was built in the late 1500's and part of it now serves as a pub while the bulk of the building houses the People's Story Museum. This collection focuses on the everyday folk of Edinburgh over the centuries. Whilst small in comparison to the main museums in Edinburgh, it's a terrific collection and gives a real sense of life over the centuries.
Cannongate Tollbooth from the outside.

An inner spiral staircase. (Thankfully they have regular stairs and disabled access as well as the pretties. ;)

Part of an old cell is maintained just as it was in the 1770s. The first time I saw this, it inspired me to include a cell scene in one my Taskill witch stories. That became chapter two of THE HARLOT, which is set in Dundee Tollbooth earlier in the 1700s. Check these piccies out!

Objects from law and order in the 1700s are shown below, including shackles, a neck brace, and the rather disturbing thing that looks like a pitch fork with a closure was used to capture criminals on the run, presumably around the neck from behind. Eeek.

Here we have an official notice enforcing the law against throwing stones at the executioner and prisoners during an execution.
This raises all sorts of questions. Were the stone throwers in favour of the criminal, or aiding the deliverance of justice by showing their anger at the wrongdoer, or did they enjoy it as empowering entertainment? A mixture of all of the above, I suspect! In my reading on the Scottish witch trials I discovered that in one instance the villagers stoned an accused woman then trampled her body to death beneath a wooden door, such was the fear and persecution surrounding "evil" witchcraft. I used these images in part to describe the death of the Taskill's mother, which was also the moment when the three siblings (Jessie, Lennox, and Maisie,) were torn apart.

In the upper galleries at the People's Story there are many flags and banners that show how important the workmen's guilds were. In order to gain a voice and rights, different tradesman gathered together. Here is a flag from the brush makers of Edinburgh, for example. In THE LIBERTINE, one of the sub plots follows the hero, Lennox Taskill, trying to establish his men as the official cart and carriage makers of Saint Andrews. Many of the local townsmen are against his application because of the rumours that Lennox and his people practice witchcraft.

Here I am caught studying a display of a Cooper's workshop - coopers are the barrel makers. A very important part of Scotland's heritage, having barrels to put the whisky in. ;)

This whisky shop is opposite the tollbooth and the little black terrier stands up and greets anyone who looks in. So cute!

So much of Edinburgh's past is visible to the casual visitor, it's an incredible city. So many doorways caught my eye. This is the doorway of the Museum of Edinburgh, also on Cannongate. The museum is an old and authentic building, giving you a direct feeling of life in the 16th to 18th centuries, with lots of great stuff to see. Of particular interest was a display relating to fire in the city, and the incredible bustling population there. In the 1770's it was one of the most crowded cities in Europe, and the threat of fire was devastating. Given the witch burnings, it makes you think! I've got a scene involving fire and the fear it evoked in crowded Edinburgh streets towards the end of THE LIBERTINE.

Culture is everywhere in Edinburgh. This is the statue of poet, Robert Ferguson, and a photo of me hoping his talent will rub off if I walk in his footsteps. Well, you have to, don't you. :) Go here to read more about Ferguson.

This signpost is outside the Writer's Museum, a museum I hadn't visited before. It's an amazing manor house just off the Royal Mile and exhibits items from three Scottish writers, Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson. The Stevenson collection was particularly extensive and fascinating. It was also lovely to see a lock of "Chloris's" white blonde hair in the Burns' collection. Chloris was the poetic name for Jean Lorimer, (she of the "lintwhite locks" in many of the songs he wrote) and it is the name I used for my heroine in THE LIBERTINE. It was a popular 18th century name and I fell in love with it so my gentle, blonde haired heroine had to be Chloris.

We also made time to taxi over to visit the National Portrait Museum, which houses another terrific collection. It's been extensively refurbished since my last visit and really is a masterpiece museum. I always find looking at costume and setting from art done during the period I'm writing about resonates with me much more than a written account of a historian.

Lots of good places to eat in the city, but I had to share this one which we visit every time we go. Pancho Villas serves gorgeous Mexican food. Here's the shared veggie starter and a main course of Albondigas en Chipotle (spiced meatball with mexican rice and salad) for me. Highly recommended!

This view of the rooftops going up the Royal Mile was snapped from our hotel base.
If you want to check out more of my research photos you can find them here on my Scotland gallery on my website. This latest batch will be added there soon.

Publication day: FAYE'S SPIRIT (Erogenous Zones 3) is now available!

Hi folks. We're about to shoot off for a short break in Edinburgh, part for research, part fun. I'll be tweeting while I'm away and hope to share some photos too. Meanwhile, it's publication day for FAYE'S SPIRIT.

Faye's story is the third and final instalment in the Erogenous Zones series, and it's out in ebook format from Total-E-Bound today. Here's the cover copy and an excerpt:

One outrageous weekend with two men, that's what Faye Evans dreams of, but when she meets Jai and Garth—and their live in ghost—she gets much more than she bargained for.

Faye Evans is a woman on a mission. Both her older sisters have had ménage à trois relationships and now Faye too harbours a desire to sample the pleasures of two men, if only for a single wild weekend. The opportunity arises when architect Garth Connor calls her in to investigate the ghostly presence in his business premises. Both Garth and his business partner, Jai Nilson, are gorgeous hunks, and Faye can't help being attracted to them.

Garth and Jai are friends and colleagues but their relationship is competitive. When the mischievous ghost medium walks into their life and shows interests in them both, the edge between them sharpens. While Jai often walks on the wild side, Garth has never shared a woman before, but his desire for Faye makes him rise to the challenge. Especially when Jai quickly picks up on Faye's secret wishes and pushes things along, orchestrating their interactions until the simmering eroticism between them demands hardcore action.

But Faye's fling isn't as straightforward as she'd anticipated. She soon worries that she's endangered Garth and Jai's friendship by getting involved, and even more so when the shadow of a secret, long held grudge between the two men falls over their threesome and their growing affection. To top it all, dealing with the resident ghost only adds to the emotional entanglement, making Faye feel she wants to end it and run. But are Garth and Jai about to let her get away?

Available now from Total-E-Bound, coming later from other e-retailers and in print.

EXCERPT:

Did her psychic powers run to reading minds, Jai wondered, or was she just attuned to the erotic suggestion between them? It wasn't something he'd considered. This was one sexy lady.

It was time to edge things forward.

"I'm curious. You thought we were partners in a relationship. Did you really think we were gay?"

"Yes, I'm curious about that as well," Garth said, "do we really look like a gay couple to you?"

Faye's mouth twitched at one corner. "Actually, I didn't think you were gay. More like bisexual." She lifted her glass and sipped from it again, eyeing them over the edge as she did so.

Jai knew an aroused woman when he saw one, and she was enjoying this. "Go on."

She shrugged, and her eyelids lowered as she focused on her glass in the table. Still the smile hovered around her mouth.

"Tell us why you thought that," Jai encouraged. "More to the point, tell us why that interested you so much."

Her eyelids flashed up and she stared across at him, her lips parted as she addressed the undertone in his questioning.

She was about to spill. He was sure he was on the right path and he had this hunch about what was going on in her mind.

"You're a forthright woman," he added. "You told Garth here he hadn't done his research on this place." Jai nodded his head in Garth's direction.

She chuckled softly, and he noticed her breathing pattern had altered, because her chest rose and fell rapidly. The rise of her breasts beneath her silky dress caught his attention. In her cleavage, the skin shone in the light from the overhead spots.

"Oh, it's just because I know someone who is involved with two men." She looked across at them for their response.

Jai's interest was already piqued, and now it was growing.

"What, you mean they have someone on the side?" Garth asked.

Sometimes his old friend could be slow on the pickup. Jai blamed that on Garth's strict upbringing. It left him bewilderingly innocent of the kinky goings on in the world. He fiddled with his wine glass, wanting to edge it on, but knowing Garth needed to grow into this comfortably if it was going to move forward at all. "My guess is Faye means her friend has two men at the same time, am I correct?"

Her pupils had dilated. She nodded.

"Tell us more, I'm fascinated." The fact she was interested in it and had deliberately mentioned it turned him on. He enjoyed women who were open about their needs and desires when it came to bedroom matters. Of course Garth might not be able to handle it this time either, if she actually said it aloud, but that was a risk he was going to have to take to find out more juicy details.

She took a deep breath, but then faltered and seemed to freeze before she spoke. She glanced left, past them, into the darkness of the hallway beyond the kitchen.

That's when Jai felt it, exactly what he'd felt on several occasions before. The atmosphere changed, tightened somehow, as if an external force shot tension through the air. He felt a presence at his back and the smell of that cheap perfume. Their resident ghost was somewhere in the vicinity.

Faye looked back at them. "Keep talking to me," she said beneath her breath. "Don't stop."

Go here to download!

Italian readers?

Are there any Italian readers out there, or do you know an Italian who might want to give my books a try? I have some copies to give away! Contact me via the email link in the right hand menu if you would like to try my books. First come first served!

Total-e updated

Check out the new look over at Total-E-Bound!

Total-E-Bound Publishing updates their website on Valentine's Day with a fresh, new, stylish look, and offers more functionality, which they hope will improve the buying and download experience for all of their customers. Total-E-Bound constantly strive to improve their services and provide readers with better features, and have listened to comments and requests and included them in the site upgrade.

Claire Siemaszkiewicz, CEO of Total-E-Bound is excited to provide readers and authors with a fresh new look for Total-E-Bound Publishing "We've taken on board requests and comments from both readers and authors and made changes that we believe will enhance their experience at Total-E-Bound. We're a technology driven company and like to stay at the forefront of our industry. Total-E-Bound Publishing has gone from strength to strength over the last five years and continues to grow with the development of the ePublishing industry. It's a very exciting time for us."

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hoping you have a LOVE filled day.
Saskia
xXx

Walk on the Wild Side with Portia Da Costa

The ever prolific Portia da Costa has a new Walk on the Wild Side Release for readers, a title called IN SEBASTIAN'S HANDS. This one is a mini anthology comprising three BDSM stories about the same couple. Each story is a snapshot of Sebastian and Megan, at a different stage in their relationship.

In LIFE, THE UNIVERSE AND SEBASTIAN, they meet at a fancy dress party, and it isn't long before Megan discovers her handsome new friend's sexual peccadilloes... and the fact that she seems to enjoy being spanked!

In IT'S TIME, the couple have been together a while, and are confident in each other and the erotic games they love to play. One evening, it dawns on them they're ready to take their relationship to a brand new level.

In THE ROSES IN YOUR CHEEKS, we find that Megan and Sebastian are a happily married couple, but that doesn't mean they've settled down to a life of vanilla sex. During a weekend at a posh country inn, they're up to their usual naughty BDSM tricks.

Approximately 12,000 words.

You can find an excerpt and buy links here.

New publication: EROTICA FANTASTICA

In the immortal words of Monty Python... and now for something completely different...

Well, kind of. :) I've gathered together four of my more unusual short stories in a little e-anthology. These are all previously published in various journals and anthologies, but it's the first time they've been brought together like this. If you are interested in fantasy erotica -- myth, adult fairy tales, erotic steampunk and gothic horror, this might be your cup of tea. :) If you are thinking of downloading it, please do check you haven't already read these elsewhere.

Right, on to the detals...

Four tales of love, lust, and destiny, set in fantasy worlds.

Heart of the Daedalus:
Nina Ashford stalks the Romney Marshes to find the whereabouts of The Dadealus, a machine she designed. In this steampunk erotic romance Nina finds her machine and she also finds the man who stole her designs, Dominic Bartleby, who has lured here there to offer her a deal.

The Tender Trap:
A dark and sensual green man tale. The young maiden, Tara, sleepwalks at night, following destiny's call to the subterranean life force that beckons to her from the graveyard beyond the woods.

The True Folly of Icarus:
Why did Icarus fly to close to the sun? In this erotic re-imagining of Icarus's fatal flight, a steamy ménage a trois with two nymphs in the forest plays a crucial part in the tale of Icarus and his flight.

Where The Heart Is:
Rhiannon finds herself irresistibly drawn to the moor in this gothic horror erotic romance. Haunted by dreams of a strange man who lives on the moor, Rhiannon walks the land, studying its legends and history. When she is injured and stranded, a strange creature comes to her in the night. Rhiannon finds herself torn between fear and arousal--and discovers the true nature of her dark connection to the moor.

Around 16,000 words in total. Please note: this collection features content that may offend some readers, including explicit adult scenes with graphic m/f and f/m/f sex and some bloodlust. These stories were previously published in Steamlust, Visionary Tongue, Seducing The Myth and Dream Lover, respectively.

Available from:
Smashwords
All Romance Ebooks
Kindle US
Kindle UK
Coming to other online ebook retailers soon.

Also... if urban fantasy with a gothic edge is your cuppa, do check out the new novel from Madelynne Ellis, BLOOD MOON. Go here to find out more. Or if contemporary BDSM romance is more your thing, Portia Da Costa has a new book out called INTIMATE EXPOSURE. Find out more here.



Happy reading! :)