Willsin Rowe's Blog, page 12

Super Special Guest!

Today be an awesome day. Actually, an Awesommer day. Because I get a visit from one of my most favouritest people in the world, Sommer Marsden! She's not just an amazing writer; she's a friend, confidante, and a voice of reason (and silliness) from across the waves. Don't just take my word for it, though. 




*****




Sommer Marsden’s been called “…one of the top storytellers in the erotica genre” (Violet Blue), “Unapologetic” (Alison Tyler), “…the whirling dervish of erotica” (Craig J. Sorensen),and "Erotica royalty..." (Lucy Felthouse).







Her erotic novels include Boys Next Door, Restless Spirit, Big Bad, Wanderlust and Learning to Drown. Sommer currently writes erotica and erotic romance for HarperCollins (Mischief Books), Xcite Books, eXcessica, Ellora's Cave, Pretty Things Press, and Resplendence Publishing. The wine-swigging, dachshund-owning, wannabe runner author writes work that runs the gamut from bondage to zombies to humor.




Sommer's short works can be found in well over one hundred (and counting) erotic anthologies. Her short stories have also been included numerous adult and romance magazines--both in print and online. Visit sommermarsden.blogspot.com to see what’s up and drop her a line.






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So without further adoobeedoobeedoo, here she is!




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Write Like a Man

When Xcite approached me about writing a m/m series (at least 3 related books), I had a moment of panic. I hadn’t written m/m fiction since my collection Hard Lesson. Though, Hard Lessons was received so much better than I’d ever anticipated or dared to hope, it had been a while.

Imagine my surprise when one of main characters—a lion named Tryg—started talking to me. He’s rather growly if you must know. But under it all, beats a heart as golden as his fur when he’s in animal form. 

It’s not really hard to write ‘as a man’ even with me being a girl and all. The trick is to tell the love story. Because regardless of the sexual equipment we might possess, we are all, ultimately just people. And it’s easy to tell a love story when gender (or even species ;) ) is irrelevant. 

First I fell in love with my lion Tryg. Then I fell in love with sweet empath Luke—the lion hearted one who tames the beast. And then I fell in love with them as a couple. Sweet, spicy, sexy…sincere. I love this book because it’s what I adore most. A damn good love story.

XOXO

Sommer






The Giveaway Part: I will take comments from every step of my blog tour and when it all ends, I'll draw for a ten dollar ARe gift certificate and my tentacle gifties (picture on my blog). So check http://sommermarsden.blogspot.com often to see where I am! 











*****




















Lion Hearted



By Sommer Marsden


EXCERPT copyright 2012




‘Here’s your whisky, Tryg,’ Matthew said. He slid the shot glass across the scarred bar top.

‘What kind?’

‘Rot gut, what other kind do you drink?’

Tryg grunted, almost smiled, and tossed back the amber liquid. ‘How about another?’

‘You up for trouble tonight?’ Matthew looked wary, holding the whisky bottle but not pouring. What kind of bartender didn’t pour?

‘Me? Never.’ Tryg fingered the scar that bisected his eyebrow and barely avoided his left eyelid. He realised Matthew was watching, and quickly dropped his hand. ‘I’m fine, Matt. Just pour.’

‘Word is –’

‘Word is none of your business and it’s just hearsay so … Maybe you should just pour and not worry about rumours.’

Matthew pressed his lips together, nodded, poured. ‘Fine. But any problems from you, Bolo, and you’ll be banned from my bar.’

‘Got it,’ Tryg said. ‘And don’t call me Bolo.’

Matt shrugged. ‘It’s your name, as far as I heard until you started drinking here. Damn, Tryg, I thought it was your name.’

‘A bolo is a knife,’ Tryg said.

‘And you’re an enforcer.’

‘Go away.’

Matthew grinned and went to fill another order. That had been close. Tryg had been itching to clock him to teach him some manners. But he wouldn’t do that.

We thought it might be good for you to have a break from the pride …

He shook off the echoes in his head and downed the glass of whisky. About 600 more and he might feel better. He might even get his drunk on. Tryg set his glass down with a bang and Matt looked up. He was annoyed.

‘So let him be annoyed,’ he growled.

Someone bumped into him and he practically roared, the urge to shift rippling under his skin and along his spine. This was not the day to provoke him. When your pride wants to send you away for “a break” you’re pretty much over. Especially if you’re supposed to be the muscle. Again he touched his scar and it made him angrier when he realised he was doing it. Whoever was behind him had better be ready.

‘What the fuck is your problem? You can’t see where you’re –’

Something made him bite off his words. Maybe it was the flash of fear in the man’s bright blue eyes or the nervous duck of the head that caused sandy blond hair to fall across his brow. Tryg bit back another roar because he found himself even more annoyed that he found the kid attractive.

‘Move,’ he growled.

The kid moved. Tryg called him a kid because he might be 25 to Tryg’s 32. Might.

Their shoulders brushed as he tried to push past, and he felt a comingling of instincts. The urge to lash out and hurt immediately contradicted by the urge to protect. What the hell?

‘Sorry,’ the kid said.

Again, he wanted to hit him and kiss him. Tryg shook his head and moved away. He needed some air. Maybe he’d had too much to drink.

Or not enough brain cells in your damn head…

He forced his way through the small bar. As he passed the first booth he heard Ozric. ‘What the fuck? You’re still here?’

‘You’re not on the road yet, Bolo?’ someone else piped in.

Tryg tried to drown out the voices. These were the guys who’d gotten him to the point of being asked to take an indefinite road trip. Ozric and his crew had issues with Tryg. Issues about his ways, his job, and who he chose to fuck.

‘Just keep going. Just keep walking,’ he told himself. He wanted to return to his pride after his mission was complete and be welcome. Even if his pride included assholes like Ozric and Ronnie and Dane.

‘We don’t need your kind anyway.’ This time it was Ronnie who spoke. He was short and sort of out of shape. Were they forced to live in their animal forms, he’d be the first to succumb to starvation and die. He was a shit hunter and a worse person. ‘It’s not like you help expand our numbers.’ He snorted, hefted a beer, looking smug and amused.

That was when Tryg snapped, his body rippling from the surge of adrenaline and rage. The toxic soup of hormones that ushered in a shift boiled under his skin and he felt his feet turn to rush the group instead of keep on a steady course toward the door.

The roar ripped up and out of him, but he heard it more than felt it. His fingers clenched, then went warm from his joints softening to reconfigure. He felt a canine tooth slide against his tongue and tasted blood. It was fine. He wanted to taste blood.

‘Remember what I said, Bolo!’ Matt called from the bar. Tryg caught a flash of his wide eyes and his fingers delving under the bar where a dart gun was kept. One shot from that thing and almost any shifter in the bar went down like 50 pounds of shit in a 10-pound sack. The only creature to ever manage to stay conscious had been a visiting shifter –a Kodiak bear.

The Bolo reference only made him angrier and he moved fast. Faster than was normal even for him. His nails had just bitten into the soft wood of the table, ready to tear the top off and maybe use it to beat the fuck out of the morons sitting there – but then a hand settled on his shoulder.

Two things happened. His brain said “attack”. His body said “relax”.

What the hell?

He turned to find that boy. Those water blue eyes wide but intent. ‘Easy,’ the kid said.

Tryg considered taking a swing anyway. Attempted to tell his brain to raise his fist to clock this kid and teach him a lesson. His body betrayed him. Under all the confusion, that made him nervous.

‘Are you insane?’ Tryg rumbled, but felt his muscles relax further, his claws contract, his muzzle reform. He felt a loosening in his solar plexus and a syrupy kind of peace.

Maybe Matt had hit him with that tranq gun, after all.

It's finally here! The latest offering from the dynamite ...

It's finally here! The latest offering from the dynamite duo of Katie Salidas and Willsin Rowe (hey, I know them!)












Amazon Link








Blurb:



Billionaire CEO of Blakely Incorporated, Natasha runs her empire with an eagle eye for every detail. She’s an obsessive, compulsive, micromanaging hard-ass, consumed by the need to control every aspect of her life and her business. 


But underneath that seemingly strong façade, Natasha is a swirling mess of anger, anxiety and sexual addiction. Only her therapist, Dr. Benson, knows how close she is to burning out...or exploding. He insists on a radical form of treatment – Submission Therapy – knowing that it’s her only hope. 

Skeptical but intrigued, Natasha agrees to attend the first session. What she finds there is an erotically-charged environment that will forgive none of her habitual bad behavior. And a steely-eyed man who seems to read her every desire - even the ones she won’t admit to herself.

Will Natasha learn what it means to submit? Or will she allow her brittle pride to rob her of what she truly needs?




Excerpt:

Master Sweet rested his hand back in my hair. “Natasha, it’s time to begin.”

He fisted that hand again, reigniting the heat in my scalp, while his other swept down my calf and stopped at my red-black two-toned peek-a-boo toe Louboutin pumps. 

“What size do you wear, Natasha?” He drew the shoes off one at a time.

“Six.” 

“Yet you have size eight feet.”

“Guys exaggerate their dicks, girls shrink their feet.” 

He turned his already-tight fist, pulling a sharp breath into my lungs. “That kind of language is a privilege. One you’ve not earned.”

I couldn’t speak through the tension in my body, and I couldn’t nod without risking searing pain. Thankfully Master Sweet eased his grip just enough to allow my voice back.

“Yes.”

“You will address me as Master Sweet, or simply Master.”

“Yes, simply Master.” I tensed up, ready for him to squeeze again. Instead he shocked me by pushing forward, overbalancing me until I was on hands and knees, my cheek buried in the carpet. His pelvis nudged up against my ass, and he was definitely packing something hard in there.

He took a long, deep breath in. “I do so enjoy these early stages.”

“Yes, Master,” said the toadying redhead.

He brought his free hand back down to my feet. He appeared to still be addressing his off-sider. “Look at the deep lines her shoes have carved. The rich redness of constriction.”

“Yes, Master.”

His breath seemed to falter for a moment. “It will be exquisite to see this all over her body.”

All over my body? What exactly was that supposed to mean? I should have known better. Never agree to a deal without the terms being spelled out in a contract. Business 101. “Listen, Mister Sweets. Unconventional sex therapy is one thing, but no one is putting any kind of marks on my body. Are we clear?” I threw his condescending words back at him.

“Do you understand what it means to submit?” 

His callous tone caught me off guard, but I quickly recovered.

“I have underlings for that.”

“So you see submission as a form of weakness.”

“Absolutely. I bow to no one.”

“You do now. “ The finality of his words was chilling.

A Little Heat From Down South

As the elevator doors closed behind my friend, I had a jolt of apprehension. Some one-on-one time with a handsome exotic man sounded great in theory. In reality, though, it actually was kinda scary. I assumed the plant company did background checks, but who knows what the hell he did in Australia before coming here? I mean, guys don’t get arms like that from needlepoint. He could be anyone. Or anything.

So why did I feel a tingling in my panties?

I crossed my legs and watched him mosey through the other offices. My breath was patchy, but I couldn’t tell if it was lust, fear, or a delicious cocktail of the two. 

I dropped my gaze to the file I was supposed to have finished last week. A short knock on my open door announced his arrival.

“G’day, Ms. Clair.”

I paid extra attention to his smooth, drawling voice, and finally understood why Eva, and pretty much everyone, thought he was slow. It was like his vowels were made of taffy.

I spotted my cellphone, sitting all the way over on the filing cabinet. Not wanting to appear rude, I glanced up and smiled as I met his eyes.

From across the office he was gorgeous, but up close he was even better. He looked like a short-haired surfer who’d stolen someone else’s clothes off the line. Probably while fleeing a jealous husband. I pinched my thumb as I pictured it.

“Hello, Barry. You’re here late.”

“Oh, yeah, been flat out like a lizard drinkin’. I’m just here to check your bush.”

“Excuse me?”

He nodded at the corner of my desk, where my poor, neglected plant clung gamely to its existence. The thought of this big hunk of man working here in the tiny space of my office suddenly made breathing difficult. He looked like he knew how to fill a space.

Cover Art Options

I've been thinking. A little while back I posted that I needed to streamline my operations, a part of which meant I was cutting back on the amount of cover art I would take on.



Well, I've had a bit of a re-think on that.



Arguably the most time-intensive part of creating covers, at least for me, is the selection of images. While I have a form to fill out, and authors are usually very good at explaining what they're after, it can still take quite a while (hours, sometimes) to find an appropriate model or models.



So I've decided to offer authors a budget cover option.



If an author is willing to supply high-resolution images for me to work with, I am offering a 50% reduction in cover art pricing.



Regular Pricing for covers (US$)

1 image - $50

2 images - $65

3 images - $80



Budget Option Pricing ($US)

1 image - $25

2 images - $32.50

3 images - $40



So you get a custom-made cover for around the same price as one of the pre-made template covers that many other places offer.



Please feel free to contact me at willsinrowe@ymail.com for any enquiries.

Slowpoke

It’s Friday night, and expert business accountant Tamsin Clair is trapped in tax season hell. Snowed under with her incompetent boss’s late invoices, she dreams of a life with less stress and more meaning.




Gorgeous Aussie plant technician Barry McCracken doesn't much enjoy his Friday night workload either. But he always looks forward to his little chats with the super-hot accountant he respectfully calls “Ms. Clair”.




Barry’s broad accent and relaxed speech has most Americans believing he’s a little mentally-challenged, affectionately earning him the nickname "Slowpoke".




Tamsin knows better. Left alone in the office together, the two find they have much more in common than just crazy work hours.




But can Tamsin trust the hunky Aussie with her secret...a secret that is guaranteed to change how he feels about her?












WARNING: This title contains graphic language, sexual situations, Australian slang and a healthy disregard for the taxation system!









EXCERPT: 






He drew in a sharp breath and closed his eyes, his lips kinked up at the side in a way that made me want to suck them off his face. When he looked at me again there was no playfulness in his eyes. It’d morphed instantly into hunger.

He closed the small gap between us in a heartbeat and his hands slammed down either side of my hips. I think I might have squealed as he pressed his nose against mine.

For all the ferocity in his eyes, the kiss, when it came, was slow, deliberate and so, so hot. He cradled my mouth in his and gradually worked me open, his tongue curling around mine like a fast-growing vine. I felt all the strength he held in check as he angled my head back using nothing but his lips.

I hummed tunelessly as I curled my legs around him. He felt solid as a tree and I pulled my hips forward until I felt his wood nestling right in where I needed it. Even the rustle of falling papers couldn’t break the mood for me.

His fingers were surprisingly nimble for their size. He easily persuaded my blouse open, and I really wasn’t sure what happened to it after that. I took care of the bra myself.

The silken touch of Bazz’s mouth against my throat coaxed a moan from my chest. I stabbed my fingers into his short hair and held onto him as if I was drunk.

Without realizing I’d moved, I suddenly found my bare back pushed against the mess of papers covering my desk. Bazz nuzzled against my neck a little longer before finding his way to my nipple. His breath curled around the sensitive bud and I felt a tingle through my body. I arched my back and tickled his lips.

“Yes,” I hummed, and almost jumped as Bazz pushed a sharp laugh across my skin.

“Pushy, pushy. My dad warned me about American chicks.”

Free Book!

That's right, folks.



I've decided in my infinite generosity to make my recent anthology, "Lightning", free. So far you can get if for gratis at Smashwords, but soon Amazon will be following suit. And hopefully all them other places whut sells it.



If you're interested in getting a taste of Willsin, you could do worse than heading over here and snaffling a copy!

Don't Blame It On The Moonlight...

Blame It On The Wolves!




Today, my ol' buddy from Las Vegas, Katie Salidas, is back again. She's been a very busy gal lately, not only co-writing a few stories with yours truly, but also pumping out a sexy paranormal novella. I'm one of the fortunate who has already read it, and if I wore glasses, they'd be well and truly steamed up! Goodness, that Fallon is a naughty, naughty girl. In exactly the right way! So anywho, after I read the story I decided I'd like to know more about the creation of it. And here's how it went...




*****




WR: Welcome back again, Katie. This is approximately your umpteenth appearance here at Willsin’s World! But in case there’s anyone out there who hasn’t “met” you before, please tell us absolutely everything about yourself.




KS: If I told you everything then where would the mystery be? Hmmm? Actually, I’m just saying that to cover up the fact that I really feel silly talking about myself. No one wants to hear the hum drum stuff like I’m a Mommy, and a Wife, and a Girl Scout Troop Leader, and as I as recently called “the Alcoholic Homemaker.” No I’m not an alcoholic, I just like to make home made things like extracts and liqueurs that require alcohol as a base. In my spare time, I like to write about crazy paranormal creatures in my spare time. That’s the fun bit that people want to know. Forget the boring daily life stuff.  




WR: Tease! I wanna see pics of you pole-dancing after sampling your home-made moonshine! But until then...back to busines...



Now, at time of writing you have four Immortalis titles (plus an Omnibus edition) out there in the wide world, all featuring Alyssa the newbie vampire. But this new title, Moonlight, is a bit of a side-step in that it features a brand new narrator. What was it that prompted you to tell us Fallon’s story?




KS: Actually, it was my readers who prompted Fallon’s story. She was never meant to be a main character, but my readers loved her so much. They kept asking me, “what happens to Fallon? Will she ever become a vampire? Will she fall for the handsome Aiden (the wolf)? I aim to please, so I began brainstorming her story. 




WR: Well, I’ve made no secret that I’m a big fan of Fallon. She has a very smart mouth that could really do with some hard kissing. Preferably by me (but don’t tell my wife!) Anyway, I’m sure that your hard-core fans already know that you also have several erotica and romance titles out there, too. With Moonlight you’ve managed very successfully to bring together your two main genres. The sexy times in this book are amazing, and they’re integral in that they never take the focus from Fallon’s journey. Are you expecting any shocked reader feedback with this title?




KS: I wondered that myself; if readers would accept the new sexier story as part of the Immortalis series. You never know what the response will be until the ink dries. Thankfully, Moonlight has met with a wonderful reception. The reviews I have received have all been positive. The one complaint I have gotten is that the story, being a novella, is too short. They want more. They want a full-length novel featuring our wolf-mates. And that will be in the works. =)




WR: Well, I must say I agree. This book is complete in and of itself, but the nature of the story is quite immediate, and therefore very open to further exploration. So does that mean we can expect Moonlight to spin out into a stand-alone sister series? Or are you happy to keep this as a one-off?




KS: Right now I have nothing on paper. But, as I said in the last question, readers have already been asking for more. I aim to please, so that means I’ll probably have to make this a sister-series. Gotta keep my readers happy!




WR: Well that’s excellent to hear. So in addition to Fallon, can we expect some other characters to flex their story-telling (and sexy-time) muscles in the near future? Will we get to see more of Nicholas, the dark horse? Personally, I love the idea of seeing the world through Santino’s eyes!




KS: Yes, I have the first two scenes of Nicholas’s book already written. The problem with him is finding that “perfect” mate. I’m actually planning a contest in the near future for my readers. I’ll tease it here first. 




I’m going to be putting the call out to all of my female readers. One of those lucky ladies will get the opportunity to be immortalized in print by becoming Nicholas’s mate. That contest will happen sometime in October and details will be available on http://katiesalidas.com 




As for Santino, his story will be a while. He’s a harder egg to crack. But as always, if my readers want it, I’ll deliver. 




WR: Well, I have a bit of a man-crush on Santino, I must admit. His dual nature, having to live with being the very type of creature he hunted for two millenia; his pride and strength, which all amounted to nothing when he realized he was little more than a tool in the eyes of those he served. That kind of story has great appeal to me. I can imagine there would be more than one reader out there who’d like to see what kind of woman could salve his wounds and save his soul.




But enough of that! I’m still catching my breath from all the naughtiness and action (in every sense!) that Fallon got up to in Moonlight! Please share with our readers a little bit of the old “blurb and excerpt” magic, so that they, too, may sup from the bowl of awesomeness!




*****














Blurb:





Good girls don’t wear fur, or fight over men, and they certainly don’t run around naked, howling at the moon.




But then, no-one ever called Fallon a good girl.




As a human unofficially mated to an Alpha werewolf, Fallon is being pressured to “become”...or be gone.




Her mate Aiden, the interim leader of the Olde Town Pack, is in a position that demands he either choose a wolf mate...or leave the pack forever. No matter how hot the sex with Fallon is, he can’t ignore centuries of tradition.




Become a wolf or not. If only the choice were that simple. Fallon’s options are further clouded by the overt presence of other females desperate to be the Alpha’s mate. And when these bitches get serious, it’s not just claws that come out. If Fallon wants to keep her man and take the title she’ll have to exert a little dominance of her own.




Excerpt:




Someone knocked on the door, a soft almost tapping sound. It was my turn to growl, only this time it was out of frustration. I wasn’t ready to end our moment. 

“I’m busy.” Aiden shouted to the door. 

“Sorry, boss.” Diana said. “Micah is here and the rest of the council are meeting in the conference room.”

“Bad timing,” I grumbled.

“We’ll have to continue this later.” Aiden’s shoulders sagged. 

 “Do you want me to join you in council?”

“No. I need to give them the good news though. That should get them off my back. For now, you get that sexy ass into a shower and be ready for me to ravage you again later.” He stood and retrieved his boxers and pants.

“Is that all I am to you?” I joked as I sat up on the desk.  “Your little play thing.”

“No, that’s just one of the perks.” He stole one last kiss and headed for the door. “I won’t be long. I promise.”

“You better not.”

He walked out, passed Diana and headed down the hallway. She stood in the doorway and once Aiden had walked out of sight turned to me and sneered. I sat proudly on top of Aiden’s desk, naked from the waist down, and crossed my legs. 

“You think you’re untouchable, don’t you?” Diana spat at me.

“You’re treading a very thin line, lady.”

“Tough words for a human. I could shred you right here.”

“So do it. What are you waiting for? Oh, right… Aiden would have your head for that.”

“Accidents happen.” An evil glint shone in her eye and a smile spread across her face. 

I wasn’t going to let her scare me. I glared back at her.  “They do, don’t they? I’d feel terrible if my fist just accidentally found your face. Cut the crap. You don’t want me for an enemy.” As soon as I became Female Alpha, I planned to make her life hell.

“Why, because your fucking the boss?” She rolled her eyes. “Oh yes, I heard. Half the pack heard you. You’re quite the little slut, aren’t you? Just walking into the boss’s office and screwing him as loud as you can for all to hear. Bet you feel like you’re something hot, don’t you?”

I folded my arms in front of me. 

“Lemme tell you a little secret. No one wants a human mating with the Alpha. The council won’t allow it, and I won’t stand for it.” 

I smiled. “Well that’s just fine by me. I won’t remain a human for long.”

She scoffed. “Not everyone survives the transition. There are ways to swing the odds either way.”

“Are you threatening me?”

“Why? Are you scared?” She sashayed toward me. Her smug expression sent my blood boiling. 

I gritted my teeth to stop me from saying anything else. I knew what she was doing, trying to get me to snap and she was dangerously close. I was no match for her yet, so I couldn’t challenge her to a fight, but once I transitioned, she would slowly and painfully eat every last word.

“I’m going to tell you one last time.” Her voice went deadly quiet.  “Leave Aiden and this pack… for your own safety.” 

I couldn’t help the shiver of fear that threatened to reveal itself. I turned away hoping to keep it hidden and give off the vibe that she was not worth my attention. “Get it through your head. Aiden and I are already mates,” I said with as much conviction as I could muster.

“You’ll never be his true mate.”

Something slammed hard into the back of my head. Before I could register the pain the world went dark and I felt myself freefalling into nothingness.

Willsin Interviews Katie

I decided it was time to find out more about my co-author, and Las Vegas's favourite vampire chick, Katie Salidas. And what better way than through discussion of our first co-writing project, Patience?


*****

Q: When I came to you with the rough (VERY rough) first draft of “Patience”, I basically begged you to help me make it work. What was it about that uncut stone that made you believe we could polish it into a gem?

A: See now Willsin, you don’t give yourself enough credit. When you came to me with the idea of Patience it wasn’t all that rough. I could clearly see the gem of a story it was and instantly became excited about the idea. The things that woman could teach him with a tictac!!!! Who wouldn’t want to jump on that story?

Q: All your previous titles have been self-published. What differences have you noticed this time around, going with an established publisher in Excessica?

A: Honestly, as a self-publisher, I am used to doing all the work myself. It’s hard for me to give up a little bit of control. I’m kind of OCD in that respect. But it does have its benefits. Working with you and with Excessica has been smoother. It’s nice to work with a publisher that has the know-how and the ability to push books out quickly and efficiently. The true benefit though is the wider reach they have. That’s a very nice thing.

Q: Until “Patience”, all your fiction works, including erotica, have featured vampires. Do you feel like this work might surprise some of your existing fan base?

A: Initially, yes. Most people are used to associating me with paranormal, but I don’t think that will pose any real problem. Once they get a taste of what we have in store for them, not only will they be ready for our next short erotic piece, but they’ll be checking you out to see what other treats you have in store too, Willsin.

Q: You have a rapidly growing horse – sorry, baby – in your family now. I know he’s having a massive impact on your time. So how do you still find the time to write and edit?

A: LoL. You know, I was joking with someone the other day about my boy. When we go to a restaurant, the wait staff don’t offer me a highchair for him. He’s so big they mistake him for a toddler. I have to warn them not to give him crayons either. “He’s only 8 months old, he’ll just try to eat them.”
He does take up quite a bit of time, and so does my daughter. She’s 8 years old. This summer has been a slow period for me. Most of my writing, editing, critiquing, revising, marketing, and cover art shopping all has to be done between the hours of 9pm (when the kids are in bed) and whenever I pass out at my computer. Baby boy still isn’t sleeping through the night, so the sleep I do get is broken and only a couple hours at a time. It’s rough, but I love my family and I love writing so I am making it work as best as possible.
You want to know the secret….
Mainlining caffeine! LoL!

Q: The main pressure point in “Patience” is the younger man/older woman pairing. So with that in mind, are there any pretty young men out there in the wide world who you’d like the chance to...educate?

A: Oh dear. I always feel so dirty thinking about those hot young studs in Hollywood right now. Taylor Lautner is the first that comes to mind and though he’s of age, he’s more than 10 years younger than me. I feel like such a bad girl even thinking about it. =) But, if given the chance… I’d play teacher.

*****

I tells ya, it was a whole lot of fun writing this story with Katie. And the really fun thing now is that we're just getting started. Stay tuned for our upcoming October 5 release, "Slowpoke".

Guest Post - Gregory Allen

Today, Willsin's World (and Coffee-Fueled Erotica) are conducting a blog exchange. The first Katie & Willsin book, Patience, is appearing at Gregory Allen's blog, and we're handing our places over to Gregory. Take it away, GA!

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I feel daily amazed that, thanks to my publishers, Pink Flamingo and OC Press, my books are bought and (I assume) read and (I hope) enjoyed. For writers of erotica, writers of kinky erotica, and writers of female domination erotica, hearing from readers seems to be successively more rare. Which can be frustrating, but I value the privacy of my readers. What you write says something about you and what you enjoy reading says something about you, and understandably, not everyone wants that information about themselves all over the internet. (Otherwise readers would have to invent thinly-disguised pen names for themselves.)

When Bottoms in Love was due out, OC Press asked me if I knew anyone I wanted to review it. I immediately thought of Willsin Rowe, who I knew from Facebook, through a few lengthy discussions about some mundane subjects. (He, Jeremy Edwards, and I covered Rick Springfield's use of the word "moot," in "Jessie's Girl," likely as well as anyone ever has, as an example.) I'd also read his thoughtful review of Sharazade's collection of short stories, Transported: Erotic Travel Tales, so I was thrilled when he agreed.

I tend to play when I write. I'm on the surface of my stories, vicariously enjoying the sensations of my characters and their interactions with each other. I'm sometimes far into the revision process before the core values of my characters appear to me, sometimes not even then. For me, Bottoms in Love was a fun, kinky story. Carter's whiny reaction when he loses the coin flip and "has to" dominate his wife amused me. I don't think any man in real life or in the world of fiction has ever tried to make receiving a blowjob seem like such a selfless act. That is what I usually think of when I think of Carter.

Until I read this in Willsin Rowe's review: "Carter's desire to be a good husband complements his natural submissive tendencies." That nearly brought me to tears because it was so true of Carter and I hadn't even taken notice of it. Not only is Carter a good husband, but even more importantly, he has a desire to be a good husband. For all my failings and all my flaws, as a person, as a lover, and as a friend, that desire Carter possesses to be good is, I like to think, reflective of something good in me that it arose in my writing of him, and, I think, it's reflective of something good in Willsin Rowe that he noticed.

When Willsin offered me a spot on his blog, I wanted to write about how much his review of Bottoms in Love meant to me, as a proper thank you.

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Willsin's Review - Bottoms In Love by Gregory Allen

This slick story by Gregory Allen intrigued me as soon as I heard about it. Thankfully, the author delivers a package which lives up to the promise of the premise. It comes down to a question that's simple to ask, but that has many layers: what is a couple to do when they're both submissive?

For Carter and Lindsey, the answer is to take turns as dominant. Their roles on any given night are determined by the flip of a coin. The obviating nature of the selection process brought to mind Luke Rhinehart's classic "The Dice Man".

Lindsey and Carter seem to have a brilliantly symbiotic relationship. Even when dominating, they're arguably submitting. Indeed, the author tackles the issue of what domination truly is by giving us characters so averse to dominating. By accepting the role as dominant, as predicated by fate and the expectations of their partner, is that person actually being submissive?

As a male myself, I found that Carter's more pronounced reticence rang true. As it should be, the physical side is only a part of the dominance factor in the relationship. Consent is clearly given here, and the rough physicality is, in fact, beautifully layered. But it cannot be escaped that, for good reasons, society takes a very dim view of a man raising his hand to a woman. Carter's desire to be a good husband complements his natural submissive tendencies, all of which creates a poignant internal battle when it's his turn to dominate.

Though Lindsey is also a reluctant dom, it's interesting that she appears to have a greater ability to dissociate. I found this element actually served to normalize the relationship. It implied a slight power imbalance in the couple's relationship. This imbalance also shows up in glimpses when Lindsey acts as submissive; occasional small flashes of insolence or giddiness which Carter chooses not to punish.

But for me, there is a small passage which sums up the nature of this story perfectly. Carter, having given Lindsey her pleasure, expresses doubt over his effectiveness as a dom. He confesses that he only does to Lindsey what he would wish her to do to him.

Her reply, in context, expresses the heart of the story: "That's exactly how I do it."

Patience Blog Tour - Next Stop!

Today we're all up in Sommer's grille. Won't you head on over and check it all out?