Elise Hepner's Blog, page 23
November 4, 2011
Fairy tale Hotties
Today I'm talking about Fairy tale hunks over at C. M. Torren's Blog. Hunks from movies, some bad, some good, but they were all tolerable because of a hot man with a charming personality. Come see my top 4 and see if you agree with me.
November 2, 2011
Self-Publishing Tips from AAD 2011
Here are some (very belated) self-publishing tips that I learned from a panel at AAD 2011 in August. Some of these apply to erotica but the majority of them are good tips for any genre or any author who e-pubs traditionally or self-pubs.
Don't put your eggs in one basket. If your going to self-publish, do several books before you determine whether or not it's right for you. More books, more chances of results and a better underlying understanding an author can have about whether or not they are getting sales or reaching their core audience.Find a niche and stick to it.Use Createspace even if no one buys it. In the end, the profits work in an authors favor that way.Pick a strange or unique category on Amazon when tagging so a book isn't swallowed up by everything else out there.Stick to lower pricing, shop around in length and determine price from there. 2.99 or lower on Amazon sells well.If you can, or you want to, cross-promo with a e-publisher or traditional publisher.Don't cut corners in anything: editing, promo, story or cover. Be the best you can to make a good first impression.Platform doesn't matter in terms of genre, it's all about the voice or raunch level that will set an author apart from the crowd. Make sure there are particular levels of either in whatever you write so a reader can have their expectations met with every book. This doesn't mean write the same book, just pay attention to certain things you enjoy writing and include them in different ways in all the books. A reader had to pick up a book because something got their attention, right?Find an editor you trust. That goes without saying though.
Don't put your eggs in one basket. If your going to self-publish, do several books before you determine whether or not it's right for you. More books, more chances of results and a better underlying understanding an author can have about whether or not they are getting sales or reaching their core audience.Find a niche and stick to it.Use Createspace even if no one buys it. In the end, the profits work in an authors favor that way.Pick a strange or unique category on Amazon when tagging so a book isn't swallowed up by everything else out there.Stick to lower pricing, shop around in length and determine price from there. 2.99 or lower on Amazon sells well.If you can, or you want to, cross-promo with a e-publisher or traditional publisher.Don't cut corners in anything: editing, promo, story or cover. Be the best you can to make a good first impression.Platform doesn't matter in terms of genre, it's all about the voice or raunch level that will set an author apart from the crowd. Make sure there are particular levels of either in whatever you write so a reader can have their expectations met with every book. This doesn't mean write the same book, just pay attention to certain things you enjoy writing and include them in different ways in all the books. A reader had to pick up a book because something got their attention, right?Find an editor you trust. That goes without saying though.
November 1, 2011
Not So Pure Has A Cover
My little book that could has a shiny, pretty, wonderful little cover! Yay! It'll be coming out in three days. Eeek! Hope everyone likes it. Thanks to my awesome cover artist at Ellora's Cave!
October 26, 2011
Stephanie Draven's Dark Sins and Desert Sands With A Chance to Win A Nook
Today I have one of my favorite writers of all time on my blog! *squee* I'm so excited! Her books are original, fun, intelligent, and sexy, sexy, sexy--without further ado, I give you, Stephanie Draven! And the crowd goes wild! Go buy her books--go now! Also, at the end of the post there is an opportunity to win a Nook or a $75 dollar giftcard for reviewing one of Stephanie's books. Which is easy, peasy, pumpkin pie at the rate I devour them.
Blurb: Escaping a hellish Syrian prison, U.S. serviceman Ray Stavrakis emerged with uncanny mind-control powers and an eerie ability to morph into a mythical Minotaur. As a half man, half bull, Ray had legendary power, but only one woman could prove his innocence. The woman who'd driven him to the brink of insanity with her cool-eyed interrogation and her hot-blooded sensuality.
But Vegas psychologist Layla Bahset had no memory of Ray or her past. Only a feeling of being stalked by a nonhuman predator. Was it Ray…whose eyes condemned her soul even as his hands ignited her body? Or was another evil force at work? But nothing could stop Layla from remembering what she was…and what her evil creator had planned for her and her soldier lover….
Excerpt:
It wasn't difficult for Ray to find Layla Bahset's office. She hadn't gone to any trouble to hide her identity. She was listed right there in the Las Vegas phone book like she was just an ordinary woman and not evil incarnate. This had probably been a mistake—to come directly to his interrogator's office in the middle of the day. They'd have him on the security cameras and someone might be able to identify him. But unless he planned to stalk Layla Bahset down the street, like he'd done with the guard in Aleppo, this was the easiest way to handle things.
"Hola," the woman at the desk purred, eyeing him with unabashed interest while her fingers arranged a vase of flowers. "My name is Isabel. And aren't you just trouble in a tight black T-shirt…"
She was a glamazon with cinnamon-brown eyes, Latin curves in all the right places, and a smile that could cause a war or two. Ray felt himself flush under her magnetic charm. She was sexy as hell and it'd been a long time since anyone looked at him with anything other than malice, but Ray couldn't let himself be distracted by flirtation. He'd come here for Layla Bahset.
He'd come here for justice. He'd come here to clear his name. Nothing less would satisfy.
"So, will the doc see me, or not?" Ray asked.
"Lucky for you, Dr. Bahset's a workaholic. I'm sure she'll squeeze you in, Papi."
Were they already to the nickname stage? "Thanks, Cha-cha," Ray returned, swiping a piece of candy from her desk. He popped it in his mouth hoping the sugar would steady him, but the intense sweetness put him even further on edge.
Dr. Bahset's office door was half open, and he took a moment to watch her. Was it just Ray's imagination, or had he been in prison so long that every woman looked like a goddess today? Layla Bahset was as flawless as he remembered her, and Ray found that comforting. If a wisp of her black hair had escaped the confines of her severely upswept coiffure, it might've given him pause. If her lips had been slightly chapped instead of delicately glossed, he might've hesitated. But she was perfect.
Beneath the demure white blouse and dark skirt, there wasn't a single crack in the facade through which her humanity might have shone through.
Yet here she was, in the flesh.
It all happened in slow motion—fractional increments of time. He stepped into her office and locked the door, hearing the satisfying sound of the bolt sliding into place. Layla Bahset looked up, her emerald eyes disarmingly and deceptively warm. He remembered those eyes, as green as the Nile and as timeless as the pyramids. Eyes so penetrating and pitiless that his throat had constricted with every question she'd asked. Now he made himself just as hard and pitiless. His boots rapidly closed the distance between them and her smile faded. His coat caught the edge of a low end table and overturned it just as she rose to her feet to call for help.
Then he had her.
Kicking her chair out of the way, he slammed her against the bookshelf and felt her go boneless with fear. Rage blinded him as he wrapped his hands around her throat and he struggled not to let the beast in him take over. He reminded himself that he wasn't here to choke her; he just needed to keep her from screaming. He let her exhale and felt the heat of her breath on his face.
Her palms flattened against his chest to fend him off but the rest of her was surprisingly warm and yielding. He could actually feel the heat of her through his shirt. She smelled like something sweet and fragile, like a desert blossom. Like something he could trample and destroy.
Damn. It had been a mistake to touch her. More than two years had passed since he'd touched anything so soft, and the intimacy of skin against skin might be his undoing. Her eyes were closed, lips trembling. He could almost taste the salt of her fear-induced perspiration. It should've given him a feeling of satisfaction or mastery, but it only made him hungry for her. Urges he no longer knew he had clawed their way to the surface. With his blood running hot and his knee between hers, he nearly forgot what he'd come here for.
"Look at me, damn it," he growled close to her ear until her pulse quickened beneath his fingertips and her eyelashes fluttered open. "I bet you thought you'd never see me again, did you? Take a good look and hope it's not your last."
Her eyes frantically searched his face as if for something she might recognize, and it infuriated him. Her face was burned into his memory. Her questions were branded in his flesh. That she could have forgotten him was unthinkable. He let his eyes blaze a path to the edge of her mind, but he was so angry he could barely focus on controlling her. The top button of her white blouse had come undone, baring her collarbone, and he wanted to press his mouth into the hollow of it.
After everything she'd done to him, she was finally at his mercy. He could have her. He could show her his strength and power now that he wasn't in chains. The desire to take her was so strong that it actually shook him out of his stupor.
He wasn't that kind of monster, after all.
He let his grip relax, fingers splayed over her shoulder as she took a desperate breath. "You're not going to scream, okay?" She nodded and in spite of his admittedly tenuous hold over her mind, she didn't scream. She didn't claw at him either. Instead, she did the most astonishing thing. Her delicate hand slipped over the taut sinews of his forearm in a caress. "Let me help you," she whispered.
He couldn't remember the last time another human being had touched him in gentleness, and the intensity of it was unbearable. Unbearable. He was an escaped creature of the black dungeon.
Perhaps he wasn't meant for the sounds, scents, or gentle sensations of the world anymore. Perhaps he knew only pain now. Her touch left him unbalanced. Unsteady. He had to pull away. "Sit down at your desk," he commanded, but he wasn't sure if it was his power that compelled her or just the fear.
"I want to help you," she repeated, settling into her chair.
"You didn't help me when I was in Syria," he snarled. "You just asked me all those questions, and they'd swirl in my head like you were some kind of sorceress. Like you'd bewitched me. And when I wouldn't answer, you'd send me back to have my hands and feet beaten until they bled. Of course, that was before you tried to make me think you actually cared about me…"
She shook her head as if she didn't know what he was talking about and it made him even angrier. "Oh, give it a second and you'll remember me. You see, everything has a price, sweetheart, and your bill has just come due."
Buy: AmazonBarnes and NobleHarlequin
Review Contest Write and post an honest review of any of my books on either Amazon.com, B&N, or Goodreads between now and December 1st 2011, and you will be eligible to win your choice of either a 1st generation Nook e-reader or a $75 gift certificate to B&N or Amazon.com, just in time for the holiday season.
To win:
1. Write a text review of one of my books for either Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, or Goodreads.com
2. Post the link to your review(s) at: http://simplifyurl.com/unh
3. That's it.A winner will be chosen at random, not based on the content of the review, so please be honest and thoughtful.The Disclaimers:
Only reviews posted between September 15 and December 1 2011 are eligible. On December 2, 2011, one winner will be chosen. You can review more than one book and on more than one site for extra entries in the contest–just be sure to post the link to your review(s) at http://simplifyurl.com/unhThis contest will be held in tandem on my other website, StephanieDray.com. You can enter the contest on either website. No purchase necessary. (Libraries are wonderful!)Any review that violates the policies of the sites listed above will be disqualified. Do not spam these sites with
inappropriate comments only meant to win this contest or you will be reported for abuse.
Contest is void where prohibited.
BIO
Stephanie Draven is currently a denizen of Baltimore, that city of ravens and purple night skies. She lives there with her favorite nocturnal creatures–three scheming cats and a deliciously wicked husband. And when she is not busy with dark domestic rituals, she writes her books.
Stephanie has always been a storyteller. In elementary school, she channeled Scheherazade, weaving a series of stories to charm children into sitting with her each day at the lunch table. When she was a little older, Stephanie scared all the girls at her sleepovers with ghost stories.
She should have known she was born to hold an audience in her thrall, but Stephanie resisted her writerly urges and graduated from college with a B.A. in Government. Then she went to Law School, where she learned how to convincingly tell the tallest tales of all!
A longtime lover of ancient lore, Stephanie enjoys re-imagining myths for the modern age. She doesn't believe that true love is ever simple or without struggle so her work tends to explore the sacred within the profane, the light under the loss and the virtue hidden in vice. She counts it amongst her greatest pleasures when, from her books, her readers learn something new about the world or about themselves.
Stephanie also writes historical fiction as Stephanie Dray and has a series of forthcoming novels from Berkley Books featuring Cleopatra's daughter.
www.stephaniedraven.com
Blurb: Escaping a hellish Syrian prison, U.S. serviceman Ray Stavrakis emerged with uncanny mind-control powers and an eerie ability to morph into a mythical Minotaur. As a half man, half bull, Ray had legendary power, but only one woman could prove his innocence. The woman who'd driven him to the brink of insanity with her cool-eyed interrogation and her hot-blooded sensuality.
But Vegas psychologist Layla Bahset had no memory of Ray or her past. Only a feeling of being stalked by a nonhuman predator. Was it Ray…whose eyes condemned her soul even as his hands ignited her body? Or was another evil force at work? But nothing could stop Layla from remembering what she was…and what her evil creator had planned for her and her soldier lover….
Excerpt:
It wasn't difficult for Ray to find Layla Bahset's office. She hadn't gone to any trouble to hide her identity. She was listed right there in the Las Vegas phone book like she was just an ordinary woman and not evil incarnate. This had probably been a mistake—to come directly to his interrogator's office in the middle of the day. They'd have him on the security cameras and someone might be able to identify him. But unless he planned to stalk Layla Bahset down the street, like he'd done with the guard in Aleppo, this was the easiest way to handle things.
"Hola," the woman at the desk purred, eyeing him with unabashed interest while her fingers arranged a vase of flowers. "My name is Isabel. And aren't you just trouble in a tight black T-shirt…"
She was a glamazon with cinnamon-brown eyes, Latin curves in all the right places, and a smile that could cause a war or two. Ray felt himself flush under her magnetic charm. She was sexy as hell and it'd been a long time since anyone looked at him with anything other than malice, but Ray couldn't let himself be distracted by flirtation. He'd come here for Layla Bahset.
He'd come here for justice. He'd come here to clear his name. Nothing less would satisfy.
"So, will the doc see me, or not?" Ray asked.
"Lucky for you, Dr. Bahset's a workaholic. I'm sure she'll squeeze you in, Papi."
Were they already to the nickname stage? "Thanks, Cha-cha," Ray returned, swiping a piece of candy from her desk. He popped it in his mouth hoping the sugar would steady him, but the intense sweetness put him even further on edge.
Dr. Bahset's office door was half open, and he took a moment to watch her. Was it just Ray's imagination, or had he been in prison so long that every woman looked like a goddess today? Layla Bahset was as flawless as he remembered her, and Ray found that comforting. If a wisp of her black hair had escaped the confines of her severely upswept coiffure, it might've given him pause. If her lips had been slightly chapped instead of delicately glossed, he might've hesitated. But she was perfect.
Beneath the demure white blouse and dark skirt, there wasn't a single crack in the facade through which her humanity might have shone through.
Yet here she was, in the flesh.
It all happened in slow motion—fractional increments of time. He stepped into her office and locked the door, hearing the satisfying sound of the bolt sliding into place. Layla Bahset looked up, her emerald eyes disarmingly and deceptively warm. He remembered those eyes, as green as the Nile and as timeless as the pyramids. Eyes so penetrating and pitiless that his throat had constricted with every question she'd asked. Now he made himself just as hard and pitiless. His boots rapidly closed the distance between them and her smile faded. His coat caught the edge of a low end table and overturned it just as she rose to her feet to call for help.
Then he had her.
Kicking her chair out of the way, he slammed her against the bookshelf and felt her go boneless with fear. Rage blinded him as he wrapped his hands around her throat and he struggled not to let the beast in him take over. He reminded himself that he wasn't here to choke her; he just needed to keep her from screaming. He let her exhale and felt the heat of her breath on his face.
Her palms flattened against his chest to fend him off but the rest of her was surprisingly warm and yielding. He could actually feel the heat of her through his shirt. She smelled like something sweet and fragile, like a desert blossom. Like something he could trample and destroy.
Damn. It had been a mistake to touch her. More than two years had passed since he'd touched anything so soft, and the intimacy of skin against skin might be his undoing. Her eyes were closed, lips trembling. He could almost taste the salt of her fear-induced perspiration. It should've given him a feeling of satisfaction or mastery, but it only made him hungry for her. Urges he no longer knew he had clawed their way to the surface. With his blood running hot and his knee between hers, he nearly forgot what he'd come here for.
"Look at me, damn it," he growled close to her ear until her pulse quickened beneath his fingertips and her eyelashes fluttered open. "I bet you thought you'd never see me again, did you? Take a good look and hope it's not your last."
Her eyes frantically searched his face as if for something she might recognize, and it infuriated him. Her face was burned into his memory. Her questions were branded in his flesh. That she could have forgotten him was unthinkable. He let his eyes blaze a path to the edge of her mind, but he was so angry he could barely focus on controlling her. The top button of her white blouse had come undone, baring her collarbone, and he wanted to press his mouth into the hollow of it.
After everything she'd done to him, she was finally at his mercy. He could have her. He could show her his strength and power now that he wasn't in chains. The desire to take her was so strong that it actually shook him out of his stupor.
He wasn't that kind of monster, after all.
He let his grip relax, fingers splayed over her shoulder as she took a desperate breath. "You're not going to scream, okay?" She nodded and in spite of his admittedly tenuous hold over her mind, she didn't scream. She didn't claw at him either. Instead, she did the most astonishing thing. Her delicate hand slipped over the taut sinews of his forearm in a caress. "Let me help you," she whispered.
He couldn't remember the last time another human being had touched him in gentleness, and the intensity of it was unbearable. Unbearable. He was an escaped creature of the black dungeon.
Perhaps he wasn't meant for the sounds, scents, or gentle sensations of the world anymore. Perhaps he knew only pain now. Her touch left him unbalanced. Unsteady. He had to pull away. "Sit down at your desk," he commanded, but he wasn't sure if it was his power that compelled her or just the fear.
"I want to help you," she repeated, settling into her chair.
"You didn't help me when I was in Syria," he snarled. "You just asked me all those questions, and they'd swirl in my head like you were some kind of sorceress. Like you'd bewitched me. And when I wouldn't answer, you'd send me back to have my hands and feet beaten until they bled. Of course, that was before you tried to make me think you actually cared about me…"
She shook her head as if she didn't know what he was talking about and it made him even angrier. "Oh, give it a second and you'll remember me. You see, everything has a price, sweetheart, and your bill has just come due."
Buy: AmazonBarnes and NobleHarlequin
Review Contest Write and post an honest review of any of my books on either Amazon.com, B&N, or Goodreads between now and December 1st 2011, and you will be eligible to win your choice of either a 1st generation Nook e-reader or a $75 gift certificate to B&N or Amazon.com, just in time for the holiday season.
To win:
1. Write a text review of one of my books for either Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, or Goodreads.com
2. Post the link to your review(s) at: http://simplifyurl.com/unh
3. That's it.A winner will be chosen at random, not based on the content of the review, so please be honest and thoughtful.The Disclaimers:
Only reviews posted between September 15 and December 1 2011 are eligible. On December 2, 2011, one winner will be chosen. You can review more than one book and on more than one site for extra entries in the contest–just be sure to post the link to your review(s) at http://simplifyurl.com/unhThis contest will be held in tandem on my other website, StephanieDray.com. You can enter the contest on either website. No purchase necessary. (Libraries are wonderful!)Any review that violates the policies of the sites listed above will be disqualified. Do not spam these sites with
inappropriate comments only meant to win this contest or you will be reported for abuse.
Contest is void where prohibited.
BIO
Stephanie Draven is currently a denizen of Baltimore, that city of ravens and purple night skies. She lives there with her favorite nocturnal creatures–three scheming cats and a deliciously wicked husband. And when she is not busy with dark domestic rituals, she writes her books.
Stephanie has always been a storyteller. In elementary school, she channeled Scheherazade, weaving a series of stories to charm children into sitting with her each day at the lunch table. When she was a little older, Stephanie scared all the girls at her sleepovers with ghost stories.
She should have known she was born to hold an audience in her thrall, but Stephanie resisted her writerly urges and graduated from college with a B.A. in Government. Then she went to Law School, where she learned how to convincingly tell the tallest tales of all!
A longtime lover of ancient lore, Stephanie enjoys re-imagining myths for the modern age. She doesn't believe that true love is ever simple or without struggle so her work tends to explore the sacred within the profane, the light under the loss and the virtue hidden in vice. She counts it amongst her greatest pleasures when, from her books, her readers learn something new about the world or about themselves.
Stephanie also writes historical fiction as Stephanie Dray and has a series of forthcoming novels from Berkley Books featuring Cleopatra's daughter.
www.stephaniedraven.com
October 25, 2011
Unhealthy Crushes
These are my current obsessions that are way to unhealthy for me to be lusting after...and yet, I just can't help myself. Behold, the weirdness of my mind.
Damon Salvatore: Hello, psycho, confused vampire much?
Dexter Morgan: I think serial killer says it all.
The Maid from American Horror Story (The Young One): This chick is a ghost!
[image error]
Sweets from Bones: He never knows what he wants and he'd psychoanalyze the crap out of me.
Damon Salvatore: Hello, psycho, confused vampire much?
Dexter Morgan: I think serial killer says it all.
The Maid from American Horror Story (The Young One): This chick is a ghost!
[image error]
Sweets from Bones: He never knows what he wants and he'd psychoanalyze the crap out of me.
October 19, 2011
Positive Thinking
Lately, I've gotten a lot of rejections. One might say, a copious amount of rejections. For stories that I thought were shoe-in's at a pub I've all ready hit jackpot gold with---and yeah, sometimes it doesn't work out. It's been a rough month for me and writing. We've gotten into fights, I've felt beat up by it, and even wondered if I'd heal from it's personalized brand of pain. But all it takes is one dust-off for me to remember that it'll all work out. It has to work out, because there's no other option for me.
Besides, now I've turned those R's into a different project entirely and they've been recycled into smutty goodness. So it's not like writing them was a waste of time. No matter what people tell you, R's still hurt. They never stop hurting because they're the boogey men coming for you in the dead of night. You never know they're coming--all you can do it pick up your sword and hack away.
And now that I've exhausted my metaphors for the day I'm going to take a few deep breaths, have a cup of tea, and think about my next project. Because moving on is the best way to avoid the inner bruises. I'll make it through this, I always do.
Besides, now I've turned those R's into a different project entirely and they've been recycled into smutty goodness. So it's not like writing them was a waste of time. No matter what people tell you, R's still hurt. They never stop hurting because they're the boogey men coming for you in the dead of night. You never know they're coming--all you can do it pick up your sword and hack away.
And now that I've exhausted my metaphors for the day I'm going to take a few deep breaths, have a cup of tea, and think about my next project. Because moving on is the best way to avoid the inner bruises. I'll make it through this, I always do.
October 18, 2011
Tell All
Today I'm over at Rebecca Leigh's Blog answering questions about myself and trying to virtually hide behind my computer monitor because I'm secretly shy in real life. Go check out the smutty goodness. Oh, and fun fact, Rebecca was actually one of my first writing friends to grace this blog and my writing life. She's awesome, check out her stuff!
Thanks Guys!
Thanks Guys!
October 15, 2011
New Horizons
Right now I kinda feel like I'm talking on the world...in a good way, if that's possible. I have a whole lot of different projects in the works and a few new directions I'm thinking about going in with them. Never fear, I'm still writing sexy, dirty, delicious things, but I'm expanding with lengths, romance, and various other doodads. I'm really aiming to push myself both as a writer and as a storyteller.
It's going to be an interesting 2012. Some of the things I'll be doing include: new stories with Excessica starting in February, longer novels for Ellora's Cave, and maybe checking out another publisher. We'll see, but I have too many ideas in the pipe line to not consider expanding my horizons. I have a series that still needs to be written and I need to find time with the voices in my head to pen it. I might actually be busier in 2012 than I was in 2011, which is a little crazy to contemplate. But I'll make a name for myself, hell or high water.
It's going to be an interesting 2012. Some of the things I'll be doing include: new stories with Excessica starting in February, longer novels for Ellora's Cave, and maybe checking out another publisher. We'll see, but I have too many ideas in the pipe line to not consider expanding my horizons. I have a series that still needs to be written and I need to find time with the voices in my head to pen it. I might actually be busier in 2012 than I was in 2011, which is a little crazy to contemplate. But I'll make a name for myself, hell or high water.
Stacey Kennedy is Here with Bind Me Goodness Talking BDSM
Hey Stacey, Thanks for stopping by with your sizzling hot story!
Imagine if you had the chance to live out the one fantasy you always wanted to have. Would you do it? That's what Marley faces when she decides to enter the world of BDSM. A fantasy she has thought of for years, but one she never imagined doing. On her twenty-fifth birthday, her best friends and her make a pact to take that final step to make sure their every desire is fulfilled before they all settle down.
It all leads her to Castle Dolce Vita and into the presence of Master Reed. A man determined to welcome her into BDSM and help her enjoy every minute of it. But she might get even more than she signed up for.So could you walk through the door of a sex club to meet the man you've always dreamed of? Thanks, Elise for sharing your space with me today and letting me show off my new release, BIND ME ~ Pact of Seduction Book One. Come find me on Facebook and Twitter. I love to chat!!
[image error]
uBlurbFour best friends embrace their fantasies and make a pact of seduction to live out their deepest and darkest desires. The women place their lives in the hands of fate and one short straw declares Marley will be the first to awaken her secret wishes.
Reed, a Dom at sex club Castle Dolce Vita, has lived the BDSM lifestyle for a while, but has yet to find a submissive that suits him. That is until he meets Marley, a woman seeking to indulge her fantasies.
As Reed guides her through a night of pleasure, Marley brings more to him than a perfect submissive–she stirs emotions in him long ago lost. By binding Marley, he runs up against his own limits, and now he has to choose between his self-protective barriers or surrendering to the wildfire Marley has reignited in his heart.
Publisher's Note: This book contains explicit sexual situations, graphic language, and material that some readers may find objectionable: BDSM theme and elements, including spanking. BUY LINK
Teaser:Stone walls didn't give the air of a warm room, nor did the cold cement on the floor, but it set the mood perfectly for the BDSM scene. Reed circled his submissive as she stood atop a wooden box in the center of the bare room.
Zoie was good and obedient. The nipple clamps pinched her areolae hard, just as Reed wanted. He tugged on one to induce a mild amount of pain, and Zoie whimpered, yet not in a way that made him hesitate—she sounded too desperate. Reed had enough confidence to know she needed more than he could give her.Not every sub Reed played with could tolerate the pain Zoie managed. He enjoyed pushing her limits because she could take the overload. He added two weights to the chain that connected the nipple clamps. Zoie's gaze burned with desire as she hissed.
"I think I'll leave you waiting for a while." Reed strode toward the other side of the room. He grabbed the plastic bottle off the metal tray containing the sex toys, and drank the lukewarm water as his gaze scanned the small space. The old American country estate, Castle Dolce Vita, catered not only to BDSM but to all desires.
By day he was a criminal lawyer, but on evenings and weekends, the BDSM floor had become his home since his lifestyle submissive, Samantha, left him two years ago. He'd loved; he'd lost. He wouldn't make the same mistake again.
Just as he placed the bottle back on the tray, the door to the room opened. "You were looking for me."Reed glanced over his shoulder to find his good friend and roommate Kole drenched in sweat and running a hand through his blond hair to wipe off the perspiration. Kole punished harder than Reed. Reed used floggers and crops, among other toys, but he refused to make the sub bleed or leave bruises, while Kole delighted in granting such pleasures.
Kole took a quick glance at Zoie before he looked back to Reed with curiosity in his eyes. "What did you want?"Reed understood his friend's inquisitiveness—it wasn't often he called Kole into a scene. "She's outgrown me, and I think you'd be better suited to her.""Sounds interesting." Kole all but purred. "Tell me about her.""She's got a high tolerance for pain, and I can tell she needs, craves more, but you know it's not my thing.""But it's mine." Kole grinned.Reed held no jealousy, mainly because he'd never had the connection with Zoie to warrant it. If he needed to put his submissive with another dom to satisfy her, he would. No questions asked."Well, well. Let's go have a look, shall we." Kole stepped over to Zoie. Her breathing hitched when he ran his hand over her hip. He gave her ass a light slap, and Zoie squealed.Reed settled near her, expected her to focus on him. When she didn't, he issued a demand. "Zoie, look at me." He grasped her jaw and squeezed firmly. "Tonight was our last night together."She shook her head. He tightened his grip, putting a stop to her disobedience. "Kole will take you on. You're safe with him. I would not give you to just anyone."Zoie's gaze flickered over to Kole, and excitement lit her eyes. Reed squeezed her jaw again, drawing her attention back to him. "You've been a good girl, and I've enjoyed my time with you. I offer you Kole as a reward for how much you've pleased me." He kissed her cheek. "Be a good girl for Kole too.""I will, Sir," Zoie responded.
Reed stepped away just as Kole slapped Zoie's ass with another light hit. Her eyes closed, and she moaned. The reaction from her confirmed Reed had done the right thing. He grinned at Kole, and Kole smiled back.He turned on his heels and proceeded to leave the room. As he opened the door, he heard Zoie's screams echo against the stone walls. Kole laughed. "I'm going to enjoy you, sweet Zoie."
The door closed behind Reed, and silence fell around him as he made his way toward the restaurant. He was satisfied he'd done right by Zoie. However, a thought stayed in his mind: what now, and more importantly…who?
He passed through the dining room in the castle, entered the restaurant, and emptiness greeted him. At this late hour, the only other person here was the barkeep. He took a seat on the stool in front of the black marble countertop where the laptop was located, and the bartender handed him his usual choice of beverage, a cold beer.
Reed took a long swig before he clicked the mouse on the laptop to venture into the BDSM forum. He scrolled down the messages and was not surprised at what he found. Woman looking for dom. Slave ready and willing.
Minutes drew on as he read through them, one by one, and nothing jumped out as an interest. Frustrated, he raised his beer to his mouth again, and as the liquid filled his throat, his gaze landed on something that spiked his curiosity.The seduction pact! Indulge my fantasy!
He placed his beer back on the bar and clicked on the message. First he saw the words but didn't pay the note any attention because the picture of the woman captured him and stirred his cock.
Her green eyes stood out against the dark, wavy curls of hair surrounding her face. He glanced over to her stats. Five-eight. His cock grew heavier. Reed stood at six-one. He was always looking down on women at an uncomfortable angle. If this woman had heels on, she'd be close to eye level with him, and the thought aroused him.
He scrolled back up to her message to see what the sexy woman had to say.One woman needing a dom to fulfill her desires of BDSM. Limits unknown but will try new things to discover herself and satisfy the man who controls her.
Reed's heart pounded. He wanted to be the one to introduce her to BDSM. His reaction surprised him.He clicked the claimed button at the top of the screen to indicate she had been contacted by a dom and was now off limits. Then he reached into his pocket to grab his cell phone, and after he entered the last number, he placed the phone to his ear.
It rang twice, and then a string of curse words followed by shuffling filled his ear. Reed had expected to receive voice mail. He had not anticipated someone would answer at this late hour. "Hello?More rustling sounded before a trembling voice answered, "Hello."In the background, Reed could hear a couple of women giggling, and he wondered if he had the right telephone number. "I'm looking to speak with Marley Adams. Is she around?""Um…er…" The woman cleared her throat. "This is her.""I'm Reed Matheson. I've seen your profile on the castle's forum and am interested in arranging a night with you."He was met with silence and pulled the receiver away to look at the screen, curious if she had hung up, but the lit screen indicated she hadn't. He returned the phone to his ear. "Are you still there?""Yes."Reed waited a good thirty seconds before he concluded something was amiss and wondered if maybe this was a joke. "I'm not in the mood to be trifled with. I'd recommend the next time you ladies want to play a game, you choose another method to do it. Good night.""No, don't go."The desperation in her voice stopped him. Clearly something else was going on here. If this wasn't women being drunk and playing around, what could be Marley's hesitation? Then it dawned on him. "Is the problem because you're not alone?""Yes."Another round of hushed giggles sounded. "Right. Then I take it you don't want to discuss this with your friends there?""Exactly." Marley sighed.
That sigh of hers sent a rush of blood straight to his cock. Her voice held a wonderful sensual tone that appealed to him and confirmed he had made the right decision to contact her.
His reaction intrigued him. When had he been so interested in a submissive? Not since his ex-girlfriend and that knowledge sent a ping of pain to his heart, which he flatly ignored.He wanted to be the one to guide Marley. Something about her made his stomach clench, and the thought of not having her maddened him.
Now understanding that she'd paused because she craved privacy, Reed took another approach. He scrolled back up to Marley's information, clicked on her e-mail address to open a new message, and attached his profile. "We'll keep this short then. I've sent my details to the e-mail address you've provided on the forum. Have a look, and we'll go from there."He heard shuffling again, some whispered arguing, before Marley gasped. "Oh…um…you're…"Reed chuckled. He didn't mind that his looks left her speechless. Hell, hers had done the same to him. "Do you approve?""He's gorgeous," a woman said, not Marley.The sound of a slap followed by Marley's grumble informed him she'd just issued someone a punishment for speaking so loud. "I'm interested," was all she said.That was enough for him. "Read through the castle's rules and follow them accordingly. It'll take you around twelve days to get all the documentation you require, so let's meet two weeks from tonight. Come to the restaurant at the Castle Dolce Vita at seven p.m. When you arrive, you will ask for and always address me as Master Reed. Understood?""Mm hmm."Her response made him tighten his jaw. "You will answer me with words, not sounds.""Okay…sorry. I'll be there."He would rid her of that behavior. He preferred that his submissives to speak forthrightly and for their responses to be clear. "Very well. I look forward to seeing you then."A long pause followed before Marley whispered, "Me too."
Imagine if you had the chance to live out the one fantasy you always wanted to have. Would you do it? That's what Marley faces when she decides to enter the world of BDSM. A fantasy she has thought of for years, but one she never imagined doing. On her twenty-fifth birthday, her best friends and her make a pact to take that final step to make sure their every desire is fulfilled before they all settle down.
It all leads her to Castle Dolce Vita and into the presence of Master Reed. A man determined to welcome her into BDSM and help her enjoy every minute of it. But she might get even more than she signed up for.So could you walk through the door of a sex club to meet the man you've always dreamed of? Thanks, Elise for sharing your space with me today and letting me show off my new release, BIND ME ~ Pact of Seduction Book One. Come find me on Facebook and Twitter. I love to chat!!
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uBlurbFour best friends embrace their fantasies and make a pact of seduction to live out their deepest and darkest desires. The women place their lives in the hands of fate and one short straw declares Marley will be the first to awaken her secret wishes.
Reed, a Dom at sex club Castle Dolce Vita, has lived the BDSM lifestyle for a while, but has yet to find a submissive that suits him. That is until he meets Marley, a woman seeking to indulge her fantasies.
As Reed guides her through a night of pleasure, Marley brings more to him than a perfect submissive–she stirs emotions in him long ago lost. By binding Marley, he runs up against his own limits, and now he has to choose between his self-protective barriers or surrendering to the wildfire Marley has reignited in his heart.
Publisher's Note: This book contains explicit sexual situations, graphic language, and material that some readers may find objectionable: BDSM theme and elements, including spanking. BUY LINK
Teaser:Stone walls didn't give the air of a warm room, nor did the cold cement on the floor, but it set the mood perfectly for the BDSM scene. Reed circled his submissive as she stood atop a wooden box in the center of the bare room.
Zoie was good and obedient. The nipple clamps pinched her areolae hard, just as Reed wanted. He tugged on one to induce a mild amount of pain, and Zoie whimpered, yet not in a way that made him hesitate—she sounded too desperate. Reed had enough confidence to know she needed more than he could give her.Not every sub Reed played with could tolerate the pain Zoie managed. He enjoyed pushing her limits because she could take the overload. He added two weights to the chain that connected the nipple clamps. Zoie's gaze burned with desire as she hissed.
"I think I'll leave you waiting for a while." Reed strode toward the other side of the room. He grabbed the plastic bottle off the metal tray containing the sex toys, and drank the lukewarm water as his gaze scanned the small space. The old American country estate, Castle Dolce Vita, catered not only to BDSM but to all desires.
By day he was a criminal lawyer, but on evenings and weekends, the BDSM floor had become his home since his lifestyle submissive, Samantha, left him two years ago. He'd loved; he'd lost. He wouldn't make the same mistake again.
Just as he placed the bottle back on the tray, the door to the room opened. "You were looking for me."Reed glanced over his shoulder to find his good friend and roommate Kole drenched in sweat and running a hand through his blond hair to wipe off the perspiration. Kole punished harder than Reed. Reed used floggers and crops, among other toys, but he refused to make the sub bleed or leave bruises, while Kole delighted in granting such pleasures.
Kole took a quick glance at Zoie before he looked back to Reed with curiosity in his eyes. "What did you want?"Reed understood his friend's inquisitiveness—it wasn't often he called Kole into a scene. "She's outgrown me, and I think you'd be better suited to her.""Sounds interesting." Kole all but purred. "Tell me about her.""She's got a high tolerance for pain, and I can tell she needs, craves more, but you know it's not my thing.""But it's mine." Kole grinned.Reed held no jealousy, mainly because he'd never had the connection with Zoie to warrant it. If he needed to put his submissive with another dom to satisfy her, he would. No questions asked."Well, well. Let's go have a look, shall we." Kole stepped over to Zoie. Her breathing hitched when he ran his hand over her hip. He gave her ass a light slap, and Zoie squealed.Reed settled near her, expected her to focus on him. When she didn't, he issued a demand. "Zoie, look at me." He grasped her jaw and squeezed firmly. "Tonight was our last night together."She shook her head. He tightened his grip, putting a stop to her disobedience. "Kole will take you on. You're safe with him. I would not give you to just anyone."Zoie's gaze flickered over to Kole, and excitement lit her eyes. Reed squeezed her jaw again, drawing her attention back to him. "You've been a good girl, and I've enjoyed my time with you. I offer you Kole as a reward for how much you've pleased me." He kissed her cheek. "Be a good girl for Kole too.""I will, Sir," Zoie responded.
Reed stepped away just as Kole slapped Zoie's ass with another light hit. Her eyes closed, and she moaned. The reaction from her confirmed Reed had done the right thing. He grinned at Kole, and Kole smiled back.He turned on his heels and proceeded to leave the room. As he opened the door, he heard Zoie's screams echo against the stone walls. Kole laughed. "I'm going to enjoy you, sweet Zoie."
The door closed behind Reed, and silence fell around him as he made his way toward the restaurant. He was satisfied he'd done right by Zoie. However, a thought stayed in his mind: what now, and more importantly…who?
He passed through the dining room in the castle, entered the restaurant, and emptiness greeted him. At this late hour, the only other person here was the barkeep. He took a seat on the stool in front of the black marble countertop where the laptop was located, and the bartender handed him his usual choice of beverage, a cold beer.
Reed took a long swig before he clicked the mouse on the laptop to venture into the BDSM forum. He scrolled down the messages and was not surprised at what he found. Woman looking for dom. Slave ready and willing.
Minutes drew on as he read through them, one by one, and nothing jumped out as an interest. Frustrated, he raised his beer to his mouth again, and as the liquid filled his throat, his gaze landed on something that spiked his curiosity.The seduction pact! Indulge my fantasy!
He placed his beer back on the bar and clicked on the message. First he saw the words but didn't pay the note any attention because the picture of the woman captured him and stirred his cock.
Her green eyes stood out against the dark, wavy curls of hair surrounding her face. He glanced over to her stats. Five-eight. His cock grew heavier. Reed stood at six-one. He was always looking down on women at an uncomfortable angle. If this woman had heels on, she'd be close to eye level with him, and the thought aroused him.
He scrolled back up to her message to see what the sexy woman had to say.One woman needing a dom to fulfill her desires of BDSM. Limits unknown but will try new things to discover herself and satisfy the man who controls her.
Reed's heart pounded. He wanted to be the one to introduce her to BDSM. His reaction surprised him.He clicked the claimed button at the top of the screen to indicate she had been contacted by a dom and was now off limits. Then he reached into his pocket to grab his cell phone, and after he entered the last number, he placed the phone to his ear.
It rang twice, and then a string of curse words followed by shuffling filled his ear. Reed had expected to receive voice mail. He had not anticipated someone would answer at this late hour. "Hello?More rustling sounded before a trembling voice answered, "Hello."In the background, Reed could hear a couple of women giggling, and he wondered if he had the right telephone number. "I'm looking to speak with Marley Adams. Is she around?""Um…er…" The woman cleared her throat. "This is her.""I'm Reed Matheson. I've seen your profile on the castle's forum and am interested in arranging a night with you."He was met with silence and pulled the receiver away to look at the screen, curious if she had hung up, but the lit screen indicated she hadn't. He returned the phone to his ear. "Are you still there?""Yes."Reed waited a good thirty seconds before he concluded something was amiss and wondered if maybe this was a joke. "I'm not in the mood to be trifled with. I'd recommend the next time you ladies want to play a game, you choose another method to do it. Good night.""No, don't go."The desperation in her voice stopped him. Clearly something else was going on here. If this wasn't women being drunk and playing around, what could be Marley's hesitation? Then it dawned on him. "Is the problem because you're not alone?""Yes."Another round of hushed giggles sounded. "Right. Then I take it you don't want to discuss this with your friends there?""Exactly." Marley sighed.
That sigh of hers sent a rush of blood straight to his cock. Her voice held a wonderful sensual tone that appealed to him and confirmed he had made the right decision to contact her.
His reaction intrigued him. When had he been so interested in a submissive? Not since his ex-girlfriend and that knowledge sent a ping of pain to his heart, which he flatly ignored.He wanted to be the one to guide Marley. Something about her made his stomach clench, and the thought of not having her maddened him.
Now understanding that she'd paused because she craved privacy, Reed took another approach. He scrolled back up to Marley's information, clicked on her e-mail address to open a new message, and attached his profile. "We'll keep this short then. I've sent my details to the e-mail address you've provided on the forum. Have a look, and we'll go from there."He heard shuffling again, some whispered arguing, before Marley gasped. "Oh…um…you're…"Reed chuckled. He didn't mind that his looks left her speechless. Hell, hers had done the same to him. "Do you approve?""He's gorgeous," a woman said, not Marley.The sound of a slap followed by Marley's grumble informed him she'd just issued someone a punishment for speaking so loud. "I'm interested," was all she said.That was enough for him. "Read through the castle's rules and follow them accordingly. It'll take you around twelve days to get all the documentation you require, so let's meet two weeks from tonight. Come to the restaurant at the Castle Dolce Vita at seven p.m. When you arrive, you will ask for and always address me as Master Reed. Understood?""Mm hmm."Her response made him tighten his jaw. "You will answer me with words, not sounds.""Okay…sorry. I'll be there."He would rid her of that behavior. He preferred that his submissives to speak forthrightly and for their responses to be clear. "Very well. I look forward to seeing you then."A long pause followed before Marley whispered, "Me too."
October 14, 2011
10 Reasons You Know You're a Workaholic
You say you'll do something at least eight times a day--only to sit at your desk and make more pages instead leaving the chore until tomorrow--and then the next day.Once you've settled up a manuscript and sent it off for submission it's on to the next idea, like, that hour. No time for celebration or pride, got to get cracking on that idea list that just keeps growing like a plant that won't die.The post-it's and little scraps of paper tacked to your cork-board and all over your desk start to multiply until you can't keep up with when you wrote what, but at least you're getting six or seven of them done a day. Until you write at least two more every day to add to the pile. Soon kitties will be swimming in them.You forget to eatYou say you'll get a cup of tea--or have made that cup of tea--five hours ago.You can't sleep anymore without thinking of your to-do list before bed and the instant you wake up in the morning and when you dream, it's of manuscripts not getting done in time.You can't read anymore because every time you pick up a book you think about how you should be writing pages on your own WIP and get guilt-brain.Not even wine will fix your stress levelYou almost catch yourself calling your husband your hero's nameYou make lists like this to both deal with your stress level, admit you have a problem, and fill up a blog post---which is also stressing you out.
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