Elise Hepner's Blog, page 25

Vacation Plans...Because I Plan On Vacation

Most people go on vacation without a plan or schedule...that is not me because I am, without a doubt, insane. As you're reading this right now I'm lounging on a beach or most likely a covered sundeck with the family. What have I planned to do this whole blissful seven days I'm gone from my den of sin?
Read Succubus Revealed by Richelle Mead because I've been saving it until after my edits for Not So Pure for my editor are turned in and ready to go. As of now, those bad boys are taken care of.Brainstorm/write a chapter or two of new novella that didn't get eaten by the flashdrive insanity of 2011Get farther in A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin Finish The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood. How I missed these characters and I didn't even know there was going to be a sequel to Oryx and Crake! Nothing can whisk me away like an Atwood novel and I will always read anything she writes.Jotting down notes for all the delicious, tasty plot bunnies that will be surfacing with all the creativity being near the water unleashes. Makes me wish I still kept a journal.

A New Kind of Rapunzel

Today is the day! A glorious feast of celebratory goodness because my new Exotica novella from Ellora's Cave is for sale--right now. (I think I've been spending too much time at the Renn Faire lately because in my head that announcement was done in a rough, loud herald's voice with several trumpets bleating in the background). But, I digress--Roped Emotions is a novella that I had a lot of fun working on from start to finish. Not at one single point did I hate its guts, which is a little rare for me. At some stage or another I want to press the delete button until a work in progress ceases to exist. But this one captured my heart from the very beginning.

Whether it was the bondage, the exploratory, open characters, or the proud way my heroine slashed through her emotional problems, this novella will always hold a special place. Because of that I'm going to share a larger excerpt than I normally would showcase here. Without further ado, here's the blurb for Roped Emotions:


Rapunzel is trapped by the harsh, inescapable reality of her prison, so she builds vivid sexual fantasies where she has full control and no one can take it away. If nothing else, at least she has command over her thoughts.
When Prince Samuel climbs into her tower it's a small, satisfying excuse to break the rules—until his gentle touch coaxes her trust. But it's not enough. No longer can she keep her dark, sexual secrets inside. Rapunzel yearns for rough, passionate sex—a way to unlock her sensual freedom for good.
Vulnerable but unable to turn back, Rapunzel leads Prince Samuel on an intimate journey to define their sexual limits, while twisting their definitions of control forever.
And here is the extra special excerpt of goodness:
"What in Christ's name…?"
I must be hearing echoes from the town nearby, where Mother sells her herbs and braided goods. No one ventures this far toward my tower because Mother's gone to great lengths to see that they don't—bear traps are her new favorite method of discouragement. Once one life is claimed, I imagine word spreads fairly quickly to stay away from the area. Why, then, are there hoofbeats that make my head pulse with a slight pain?
There's no understandable excuse I can delude myself with any longer. Before I can focus on the consequences, I swing my head out the window into the oppressive, humid summer air. Just the very top of his head is visible, his hair brushing past his cheekbones, glowing from the sunshine and shot through with gold. Never have I seen a color so close to my own before—not that I see many people.
For a few moments I can't quite come to terms with his presence and it's not for a lack of staring that my pulse inevitably echoes inside my head like an overbeaten drum. This is my chance. Mother won't be back for quite some time with her wares. He's circling the tower, slouched over a horse that looks a bit like a nag. Certainly not a proper horse for a man with such fine clothes in gorgeous colors and sumptuous fabrics.
There's no going back from this moment. It's a certainty that makes my teeth chatter in a wash of cold fear, despite the heat, and my hands clasp around my middle as I try to hold myself together. He hasn't looked up yet, more intent on studying the free-standing structure than noticing my shadow plastered across the grass. My mind is desperately working out what I'll cry out to him. Even as my throat closes with an infusion of happiness that makes me rock on my feet.
"Excuse me?" A tentative question I'm not sure he will hear because it can't be any louder than a frightened whisper. "Sir, you're really not supposed to be here."
Somehow, I've managed to make this part louder because he glances up—and his slack-jawed expression is a blow to my chest. He possesses the most gorgeous cobalt-blue eyes. Underneath my ribs, the pain grows until taking a full breath is hard. Mother is right, he hasn't even overcome his shock as my heavy plait of hair rests down the stone side of my prison. He's not to be trusted.
What am I thinking? He won't even come near me to aid my escape and his eyes are swamped in confusion—and there's a flash of unreadable emotion that I refuse to question. He must leave here now and I must somehow convince him to bring no one back with him. I won't be paraded around for anyone's amusement. This man has made a mistake coming here.
Yet there's still a part of me that grips the windowsill until my palms are numb and that clings to the hope that he will at least acknowledge me. So long since I've had any kind of normal conversation. One that didn't revolve around my hair, my rules or my mother's day. Won't he say anything? I'm as trapped by his thick silence as I am by the beauty of his face.
"Please, you must go and tell no one about what you've seen. You shouldn't have ignored the traps. They are there for a reason."
I don't know how I've gotten that all out, because my main focus lies on the foreign stirrings of heat in my cheeks as the pulsing sensation twists lower in my abdomen. What is happening to me? With a certainty that surprises me, I find myself clenching my thighs together, only to have the subtle touch of flesh on flesh be more than I can bear. He has yet to take his gaze from mine and a shudder slips up my spine.
"How long have you been here?" His voice carries the strain I hold back and I'm slightly put at ease that at least we are on similar ground. "Who did this to you?"
"For a man who is about to leave, I don't believe it matters."

The words barely tumble out of my mouth before I clamp my hand over my lips. I hadn't meant to be so harsh and instantly regret it. He is so handsome—and these sudden urges, they are overwhelming and confusing to the point where I wish to completely remove the problem. My lips part in an apology and I watch a jovial grin span from ear to ear as he laughs at me until I can't hear anything but the frantic beat of my heart.
Who is this man? Now he stares at me with a playfulness that washes a wave of goose bumps across my flesh. He doesn't seem offended, merely amused at my suggestion that he leave. To further that fact, he quickly dismounts and ties his horse to a nearby tree branch. While I can only stare at the way his tight riding boots and breeches hug his muscular body from his calves all the way up to his perfectly rounded buttocks.
Though I'd learned of desire from my mother—and all its wicked principles—I never expected it to rear its head in my lonely, simple world.
However, now my life spirals out of control quickly enough that I tilt back against the wall to my left and watch with trembling hands. This mysterious man climbs the wall of my tower as if it had been built to be climbed so easily—without any aid from my hair. One strong, sun-kissed hand and booted foot at a time. When he offers up his hand to me to pull him over the side, what choice do I have? Even a man that strong would eventually grow tired and plummet to his death—and I want him tucked close to my body, not on the ground.
"I was beginning to wonder what it took to get some assistance."
He softly grunts and clasps my hand hard enough that I gasp as I shift my weight to pull him over the side. Muscles I didn't know existed inside me burn with sharp pain from disuse because of my isolation. His touch radiates heat all along my arm. If it wasn't for his precarious situation, I would fight to pull away on instinct—but as it is, he manages to throw himself into my home with as much grace as a charging boar—and he trips, falling on top of me and sending us to the hard stone floor.
His surprisingly soft hand brushes the hair out of my face and lingers, gently stroking down my cheek. Should I be frightened? Probably. At the moment I can't bear the thought that my first sincerely gentle touch from a man would be anything but special. His sharp leather scent surrounds my tingling skin.

"Isn't this a day for surprises?" His gaze cuts through all the fear inside me and his mouth holds the subtle curve of a half smile. "I should move myself off you, this isn't proper at all when we've barely been introduced."
Yet he doesn't move an inch.
A realization whips through my mind and would have left me on the floor if I wasn't already pinned there by a gorgeous man who touches me with such reverence I might weep. When will this happen again? After this twisted, meandering path of fate, there is no doubt I will be alone again—and I want a loving memory to cling to at night when my old fears tighten my chest until I can't breathe. This is a choice I can make for myself. And I won't live the rest of my ordinary, sheltered life not knowing true passion when it burns across my skin.
"They call me Rapunzel."
"Samuel."
His inviting smile lights up my whole world.
I want him. A hard bulge against my stomach tells me that he is of the same inclination. It is a few seconds before I can gain control of my clipped, excited breath and come to terms with the possibilities that lie on top of me. My heart knocks against my breastbone—so hard I think I might break into pieces.
"Stay," I whisper softly into his palm and lightly kiss it. "Please, stay."
"You're sure?"
"Yes." I smile and draw him down for a kiss in case he wishes to speak anymore.
His hands weave through a section of my hair and instinctively I pull away, unable to meet his eyes. A heavy weight pulls low in my abdomen. Heat flashes underneath my cheeks and it's got nothing to do with my nerves as a stranger touches me more intimately than anyone's ever touched me. He wouldn't do this if I was grotesque in his eyes. There's no mocking to his touch or words—yet I'm still shamed by a feature I cannot change.
"Look at me," he softly commands and my line of sight automatically rises toward his gentleness as his hand cups my chin. "Do I have the look of man who's regretting my choice to be above you?"
"No."
If I'm truly sincere his eyes are patient, kind and searching me in a way that most men would no longer have time for while they are so close to winning their prize. His fingers stroke the side of my face and it's a chore to hold myself poised underneath him while my body writhes with heat unlike anything I've ever known. Even without the carnal knowledge of what's happening to my body I'm aware that women must not act so eager to be taken as I am right now. Yet his eyes never wander from my face as his hands languidly trace my curves. My own fingers trip down the soft clothes at his back.
Despite his oiled leather scent there's an underscore of sweetness that makes me lick my lips. Perhaps with him I can take a chance. An expectant look from him is my only gauge as my fingers trace his lower back and then down to cup his buttocks. He's simply perfect—more than I could hope for in this moment. A little noise comes from his lips as his secretive smile makes me shudder and his erection tightly presses against my wet pussy.
My writhing makes him moan against my mouth as he takes me for another gentle, passionate kiss. His hard flesh underneath my fingers is an exciting erotic thrill for a woman who's never managed to set foot out of a tower. And there's' nothing in his reaction that encourages me to stop. I'm suddenly limitless, moving myself against him with wanton abandon as his hand curves to my breast, tweaking my nipple underneath my clothing.
"You must let me know if I move too quickly for you." He softly speaks against my neck while his calloused fingers undress me with gentle confidence. "Your skin is so soft and smooth, like pale, fragile glass that I can run my lips and tongue over until you vibrate for me."
Before I can respond, his tongue draws low between my exposed breasts and my breath sticks in my throat. How does he manage to undress me so quickly? Though I suppose my simple cotton shift isn't much to contend with in comparison with his multilayered, rich garments. All thought of removing his wardrobe leaves me when his warm mouth takes my nipple between the tight, soft bite of his teeth. My back bows against his solid build wrapped around me, though his touch creates a heady stir inside my blood that makes me weightless.
His kisses wind downward as I'm forced to relinquish my hold on his flesh. But it's no burden when his mouth leaves me trembling because of the pure devotion in his touch. When he looks up toward me I'm baffled by his bald sincerity. This man has nothing to hide from me and it's the sexiest trait I've ever known as his hands ease away my dress, leaving me bare before him. For whatever faults my life has held—this man is a true gift.
In fact, I've never viewed this as anything special until stretched beneath him, his gaze raking me from head to foot, I'm aware of my magnificence in his eyes. Before I'd dared never hope for this moment—but as if he knows my thoughts he stands and quickly removes all those layers until I'm made aware that his tan isn't strictly along his chest and face. There's no stopping my body's pure, tantalizing reaction to the sculpted lines of his body. An infusion of delicious arousal works through me at the sight of his hard cock jutting out from his lean hips. Together I think we could make all the magic I must cling to in order to make every day livable.
Within a heartbeat his muscled warmth covers my body and he's running his hands through ropes of my hair. He twirls handfuls of golden glitz before my eyes and shifts the thick strands across my damp flesh—every piece moves over me with a deliberate, soft caress—as if they're an extension of his hands stroking my thighs, hips and tight nipples. A delicate flicker of sensation that pulses and builds inside me until my fingers grasp at the stone floor for an anchor. This fullness tightens my pussy as I shudder—a pressure drawing low underneath my skin. I don't think I can hold it any longer as my glowing softness tickles between my legs.
All this time he watches, measuring the pace of his strokes against me to my muffled moans. Heat washes across my cheeks but I'm too brazen to be embarrassed, because my journey has only just begun. Though I'm ignorant to most mechanics, a vague awareness of what's to happen in the end of all this makes me tightly grasp his shoulders as my mouth forms the swollen "o" of my scream of pleasure. My world is wiped away to the blackness behind my eyelids. A startling clench of every muscle in my body in time with the swollen, full flutter between my thighs as ecstasy tries to break out from my body.
When it's over I can't quite catch my breath.
I'm also being hosted by some lovely people on their blogs today!

I have an interview with Rapunzel over at That's What I'm Talking About

A fun interview over at Brownyn's Blog

A Guest Post about my typical writing day and fanatic list making at J A Saare's Blog

A Guest Post on Crymson Hart's Blog about Paranormal Novels vs. Fairytales

And a chance to win a copy of Roped Emotions on Keta's Keep

Over at Wicked Thorns and Roses

The lovely Kate is hosting an interview with me at Wicked Thorns and Roses Blog where I'm talking about what turns me off about certain characters, what it takes to get me to start writing immediately, and "The Hotness Factor".

Thanks so much for having me on your blog!

When Life Twists

I've had quite the hectic few days between flood's, hurricane's, earthquakes, and a business trip to NYC with the Hubby. We've been in NYC since Tuesday early, early morning and it was a VERY long day that day. It started out with me navigating around NYC by myself to get from the train station to our hotel--in the pouring rain. Now, I don't know if you know this, but I'm a very closeted person by nature, I worry when I can't control things and getting around a city by myself makes me wanna run around screaming like a chicken with it's head cut off. But, somehow, I managed to get around with severe calve cramps and no umbrella. By the time I was the 13 blocks to the hotel I was drenched.

This was on no sleep for more than 24 hours at this point.

So I get to the hotel and order a cocktail because I need one after that and I need to rest my little, cramping legs. I take my computer out. What do I find? My flash-drive that houses two almost completed novella's and my Steampunk novel that had 14 more pages to go before I subbed to my editor had snapped away from the base. I didn't save any of that work anywhere else--because--well, I can only blame a complete lack of sanity. So until I can figure out how to retrieve everything, as long as it isn't lost for good, I'm out over 100k worth of work that I was going to turn in Jan 1st. I have no idea if any of the components needed to bring back my information is available on the flash-drive.

That was one, long, long, long day.

My next day I slept in and spent all day exploring NYC by myself while DH worked at his office. I'm very proud of myself though I didn't go any farther than Time Square because my legs were still cramping pretty badly from the day before. However, my day got significantly better when I looked at Broadway shows to see and went into Memphis to inquire when the next showing would be. I wasn't sure what I wanted to see, but I knew I needed it to be in the afternoon because I don't feel comfortable walking around the city in the night time.

So, I walk into the box office and ask the merchandise man. He says there is a showing at 2pm, which is in ten minutes--and then he hands me a free ticket that someone gave him because their friend didn't show up at the last minute. Free Broadway show? Uh, yes please! How much better did that make my day! I sat next to the lovely people that had unknowingly provided me with my free ticket and they were wonderful, lovely people. I asked them if I could pay them back for it but they wouldn't let me.

If you haven't seen Memphis....SEE IT NOW!!!! It was one of the best Broadway shows I've ever seen in my life and I've seen quite a few including Phantom of the Opera, Spamalot, and Throughly Modern Milly. This one blew them all away and completely lifted my spirits. I now own the soundtrack and I'm listening to it as I work on my edits.

Now, here's hoping when I get home that my house isn't flooded from the torrential amount of rain that MD has been prone to getting lately.

Labor Day Weekend

DH and I celebrated Labor Day in grand style by heading to our area's Renaissance Festival both Saturday and Sunday to partake in delicious confections and do a little walking. Traversing the giant fairgrounds takes a lot out of me but it also strips away the calories from deep fried PB and J, deep fried bacon dipped in chocolate, and giant baked potato's with butter, sour cream, cheese sauce, broccoli, ham, and bacon. Some of my favorite delights to sample every year at the faire. Yes, most of the time the only reason I go is for the food and shopping.

DH and I also added to our collection of paintings in the house from The Wayt Gallery. We currently own a first print of the "Dark Angel" and an unnamed woman looking across a kingdom through a back-lit window. I'll take a picture of our new acquisition sometime soon with my phone. She's beautiful but I'm not sure how the phone's lens will capture it, hopefully well.

Now I'm going to go spend the rest of my day watching bad TV with my friend and reading A Clash of Kings. Edits for Not So Pure, my third release with Ellora's Cave and my first full length novel, are kicking my ass. So a much needed break is in order. At least before the madness of promotion begins for my novella on the 14th. It's going to be a crazy two weeks.

Oh The Crazy Inside My Head

Where to start when I've been working myself to the bone--perhaps even to the plasma? Well, lets take a look at my goals update for the end of Summer 2011 as well as some of the new...news...I have coming up.

Get one full length book published
Start Super Sekeret Project
Submit full length novel
Two novella's edited and subbed to editor
 At the beginning of my summer I wanted to submit my full length contemporary novel, Not So Pure, to my editor at Ellora's Cave. Not only did I submit it, but a few weeks ago I signed a contract for it with Ellora's Cave. So now my super awesome modern fairytale baby is going to have a home! I'm in the process of edits with it now and can't even tell you how over the moon I am after all the hard work I put into this manuscript.

As far as my super sekeret project, I have about 15k on this contemporary wonder and ideally, I would like it to be 30-45k after final edits. So I've got a bit to go before that goal is reached. Can you tell by now I have overall goals *points above to list* and little mini goals that swim around in my head? It's loud inside my mind.

With my novella's goal I currently have one novella which is Roped Emotions going on sale with Ellora's Cave Sept 14th. The second fairytale novella is almost all the way written, then I need to clean it up and ship it off to my editor. That will be my last and final goal for 2011. But that doesn't mean I'll stop making other, more tiny goals. Because I like lists....and I'm crazy.

Now for what I'm currently doing--as in, right now, this minute while my brain cracks like an egg.
I'm working on edits for Not So Pure, my modern day Snow White novel with EC
I'm finishing my first swoop of edits on my steampunk novel, Steel Magic, before sending it to my editor at EC
I'm gearing up for my promo goodness for Roped Emotions
I'm writing the ending of my alternate world Cinderella novella
I'm outlining a mythology novella
I'm outlining the ending of my super sekeret project
I'm writing blog posts for the next month
Oh, and did I mention I go on vacation two weeks from now? Can you tell it's much needed? I feel like a powerhouse of crazy sauce with how much I push myself to do all the time. But I know it will pay off in the end. I do have stories lined up until at least April!

And then there was a Hurricane

(Music video by Scorpions performing Rock You Like A Hurricane. (C) 1984 The Island Def Jam Music Group)

I figured this was a good song for the oncoming madness after the earthquake that is now going to hit my part of Maryland this weekend. I'm almost 2/3's through edits on my steampunk erotica sub for my editor at Ellora's Cave and starting a HaulAssDraft with my naughty Cinderella WIP tonight at midnight. For those who don't know a Haul Ass Draft as where you write as many words as you can in a week and compete with other writers. Whoever wins gets bragging rights, whoever loses has to say something yucky and untrue about themselves on Twitter. Like they eat toe jam.

Hurricane Irene will have a hard time bringing me down unless she takes my internet. I love's my internet. And my Twitter. *curls around the laptop* It's gonna be a long, adventurous weekend, folks. Here's hoping I get all my deadlines done.

Roped Emotions Blurb And Release Date

My Exotica fairytale novella with Ellora's Cave will be coming out Sept 14th! Yay!! Here's the blurb:

Rapunzel is trapped by the harsh, inescapable reality of her prison, so she builds vivid sexual fantasies where she has full control and no one can take it away. If nothing else, at least she has command over her thoughts.

When Prince Samuel climbs into her tower it's a small, satisfying excuse to break the rules—until his gentle touch coaxes out her trust. But it's not enough. No longer can she keep her dark, sexual secrets inside. Rapunzel yearns for rough, passionate sex—a way to unlock her sensual freedom for good.

Vulnerable but unable to turn back, Rapunzel leads Prince Samuel on an intimate journey to define their sexual limits while twisting their definitions of control forever.

Author's After Dark in Review

I'm finally recuperated enough to write this post. Well, where to start? Phew! For my first conference EVER as well as my first conference as an author AAD had everything I could have asked for in a con. There were plenty of things to do, tons of new people to meet, and you could take your own down time where you wanted too. Considering I went into the con not having slept in 48 hrs I really liked the nap time I could carve out for myself.

Panels: I was on one! For someone who's absolutely terrified of public speaking, this was an amazing experience because it was completely reader motivated so the questions were casual and not generic. It kind of felt like I was just talking on Twitter to a bunch of real people in a room. It was a lot of fun comparing how we wrote on the Erotica panel and comparing how we did sexual positioning for books with barbies or white boards--and those are just the highlights.

I was also a "reader" in a few of the panels, meaning I went to learn and question other authors. I've never gotten such personal, nice advice! I have tons of notes to share with my readers over the next coming days because of these awesome panels. Every author was super duper helpful and a panel was customized based on what people wanted to know so it didn't feel like a rehash of someone's old blog post.

Parties: It looked like a lot of people had fun with these. I didn't go to the two offered, though I did go to dinner and dress up for the themes. I wound up outside on the balcony with my new author friends talking the night away! But, from what I heard, the balls, etc were epic with lots of dancing, neat vendors, and good booze in plastic containers. (Everything was cash bar for the most part).

Swag: I came home with more than 14 books. Enough said.

Author Signing: There was a decent turn-out, a lot of people came for the highlight authors or the big names but I handed out a lot of free reads and business cards so that was neat. Luckily, I had my parents there, (yes, I was lame like that) and they went around getting the signatures I couldn't get because I was signing. Like Meljean Brook!*fangirl squee* I happened to sit next to her in my steampunk panel and dear god, I think I may have scared her I was so excited. I gushed, it was bad. It was also stalkerriffic.

A sense of utter comfort and community--well, to me, that's priceless. For the cost and the experience I would def hit this con again next year in 2012!

New Cover for Roped Emotions

I got my new cover for my Rapunzel Ellora's Cave Exotica release that I'm editing right now as I type! Isn't it preeeeeeeeettttttyyyyy? A blurb should be coming soon.