Lily Harlem's Blog, page 297
October 8, 2011
Slap Shot review
Just when I thought I wasn't going to get any reviews for Slap Shot a great one turned up yesterday from Siren.
Nikki's review -
"It starts with a cheesy pick up line. No, really, I mean it's very cheesy! But Rick Lewis sets his sights on Dana, and despite her every effort to push him away, he keeps coming back, and showing Dana what she's missing by not dating.
Dana has gotten past her wild days. She's now responsible and free of her past. Maybe something in Rick reminds her of those times she'd rather forget. But Rick makes her feel things she hasn't in a very long time.
Slap Shot is another winner by Lily Harlem. The charismatic characters she creates will sweep readers into a charming, hot romance that won't let go. The third book in the Hot Ice series thrills and excites. The conflict, inner and outer, keeps the tension high as the pages turn.
I have enjoyed this book and I'll tell you, if you love contemporary romance with a lot of hot sex and an all around wonderful story, then get yourself a copy of Slap Shot. Go on, enjoy this!"
Nikki's review -
"It starts with a cheesy pick up line. No, really, I mean it's very cheesy! But Rick Lewis sets his sights on Dana, and despite her every effort to push him away, he keeps coming back, and showing Dana what she's missing by not dating.
Dana has gotten past her wild days. She's now responsible and free of her past. Maybe something in Rick reminds her of those times she'd rather forget. But Rick makes her feel things she hasn't in a very long time.
Slap Shot is another winner by Lily Harlem. The charismatic characters she creates will sweep readers into a charming, hot romance that won't let go. The third book in the Hot Ice series thrills and excites. The conflict, inner and outer, keeps the tension high as the pages turn.
I have enjoyed this book and I'll tell you, if you love contemporary romance with a lot of hot sex and an all around wonderful story, then get yourself a copy of Slap Shot. Go on, enjoy this!"
October 6, 2011
Suit or no suit?
Mmm, both are nice. Do I have to choose?
Lily x
Lily x
October 5, 2011
Thief
Today I am sharing an excerpt from Thief, a full length novel available in e-book and print. This isn't the excerpt I generally use for this book and I hope you enjoy the taste of the characters and plot.
Blurb
Kat uses her female charm and womanly attributes to pinch elite cars for her unscrupulous boss, Carlos. But when John Taylor becomes her latest hit, Kat finds herself at the receiving end of a gentle, expert seduction by a man who's not all he appears.
Despite their night of passion, Kat has no choice but to take John's car—Carlos knows where she lives. What she doesn't bargain on is so does John!
In a week of sex and danger, honesty and kink, the immoral couple become inextricably tangled in one another's lives. Emotions and desires reach boiling point as they push each other to their limits in and out of the bedroom.
Can each handle the other and will they ever be able to trust one another enough to open their hearts?
Excerpt
"Step out," he ordered from his crouched position by her ankles.Obediently, she moved her three-inch heels and let him lift the dress from the floor.He straightened, stepped past her to the sofa and laid it over the arm as if it was the most delicate fabric he'd ever handled. He walked back over and stood directly behind her again.SilenceShe waited.He was so close yet he wasn't touching her. He didn't utter a word. His body heat blasted her bare back and buttocks. The steady stream of his deep breaths washed over her neck and shoulders and tickled like a summer breeze.She went to turn, wanting to see what expression was playing on his rugged features, but the second she started to twist, pressure was applied to her shoulders as he urged her to look at the doorway to the kitchen again—the kitchen where his car keys lay on the counter, waiting for her."You have beautiful skin," he said quietly. "It's flawless—honey and silk."Kat was about to reply when a swarm of butterflies floated down her neck, kisses so delicate she had no choice but to flutter her eyes and mouth shut. She felt the increasing warmth from his body on her naked skin and his deeply male scent surrounded her like a soft cashmere blanket. An involuntary sigh trickled from her lips.His fingertips danced down the bones of her spine until they reached her bra strap. The temperature and pressure increased as he undid the small hooks. Kat felt the full weight of her breasts hang heavy. He glided the straps down her arms and she heard it fall to the floor. She dropped her head. The flesh of her breasts looked translucent, veined under the direct beam of the overhead bulb. Her nipples were milk chocolate circles, every bump and wrinkle exposed as they peaked in the cool night air.A dart of desire shot from her rib wall through the weighty flesh and collected in her nipples as she studied herself. John was back behind her, but she knew it was just looking at herself that was creating the hot circle of sensitivity—she was sure of it. It had nothing to do with him.A stubbly chin scratched gently into her temple. "You okay?" he asked, looking down at her body from the same angle she was."Yes.""Sure?" His hands slid round her waist, big fingers practically meeting over the gentle curve of her belly as his thumbs touched in the dip of her lower back. He rubbed his thumbs up and down, soothing, reassuring, and a well of tension dissolved in the hollow of her spine she hadn't even known was there. She rested backwards onto him. He felt so solid and warm, a gentle giant. Okay, so she was going to steal from him soon, spectacularly, but there was no harm in revelling in the feeling of being looked after, cherished. It was a feeling that rarely came her way."I'm fine," she whispered."Just fine?" He lifted a hand from her waist and let the thick knuckle of his thumb brush her left nipple, just once, very lightly.Instantly the little branch of her areola shot out, straining for another touch, begging for it. The weight in her breasts doubled with an unfamiliar feeling of longing. She wanted him to touch the other nipple, wanted him to cover them both with his big hard hands. Every nerve in her chest was crying out for it."Better than fine…" she managed. She watched, fascinated, as he moved his hand to her right breast and slowly took the nipple between his thumb and index finger. Very gently, he rolled it to a tense point. The skin puckered and strained farther into a slight twist.She sucked in another deep breath. The response her body was having to his touch was electric, like nothing she'd ever felt before. This was no quick drunken grope; this was her body being worshipped, indulged. John's delicate touch was making her knees weak and her stomach clench. She pressed back farther into him, glad of his support as he switched his attentions to her already excited left nipple.She should just get out of the flat; these feelings were getting too intense. This wasn't the plan. Why wasn't he behaving like the other five hits she'd had to sleep with to get their cars? Then it had been 'wham, bam, thank you, ma'am'—all over and done within minutes. A drunken post-coital sleep, and she'd been free to take whatever her light fingers desired.She spun in his arms, an excuse to leave forming in her mouth. "I…I ought to…"His dark brows knitted together."I…I…really should…should…" Kat frowned in frustration at her ineloquence; she never suffered from stuttering or a lack of excuses."What's up?" he asked as he bent an arm over his shoulder, fisted his black T-shirt and scraped it over his head in one smooth movement.It landed on the floor by her bra, instantly forgotten, as were Kat's excuses. The sight of his wide chest, carpeted with dark coils of hair which trailed to the loose waistband of his jeans had her thoughts of running fleeing to the hills.Since her head only reached his chin, she was face to face with glorious maleness, and his musky, slightly salty scent hit her full on. She had a sudden, overwhelming desire to push her straining, hungry nipples into the scratchy hair of his chest. She was desperate to know what it would feel like."Relax," he said, twining his fingers into her hair and cradling the back of her skull with his palm. "It's all good, I promise."Kat placed her palms on his shoulders and leant forward for the kiss he was sending down. Her nipples connected with downy hairs on granite muscle. She gasped in surprise; she'd expected a crispy texture, not silken smoothness.He read her gasp as encouragement and his tongue delved deeper and his hands journeyed to her hips. "Can we lose these?" he asked into her mouth, hooking thumbs into the elastic of her thong as his fingers lingered on her buttocks. "Pretty as they are, I'd rather see what's beneath."Kat spun what he'd said in her mind. She'd been so consumed with the sensations of kissing and his chest connecting with hers she'd barely thought of the next stage. "Er…yeah," she said, taking a small, tottering step backwards.John let his hands fall to his sides, let her move away, but he kept his eyes trained on hers, offering calmness and inviting trust.Kat stood in her heels, hold-up stockings and lacy thong. She looked calm on the outside but inside she was in a state of turmoil. It wasn't the prospect of having sex with John making her feel this way, it was the desires he was invoking in her. Lust was something she'd never experienced in her paltry excuse for a sex life. Sure, she could tempt, seduce, walk the walk, but actually doing the deed and enjoying it was not for her. Kat found the best pleasures were at her own hand; she had control then. She knew where and how she liked to be touched and trusted herself to control a short, hard climax every time.But right now, control was slipping away fast. He wasn't even touching her, just looking. In fact, now he'd sat on the sofa and relaxed back in the cushions with one arm stretched casually sideways and the other resting on his lap. Yet still she felt like he had power over her, even worse, she wanted him to have that power. She wanted to hand herself over to him and trust him to satisfy the tug in her belly. It was an uncharted emotion, and she was unsure how to handle it. She felt both nervous and excited at the prospect of giving her body to John."You want me to do the honours?" he asked quietly, with an amused lift of one thick, black brow.Kat shook her head, dipped her fingers into the elastic at her hips and rolled down the thong. Like string, it peeled down to her knees, and she wriggled and let it drop to the floor around her feet. She stood back up, tall and straight, awaiting his judgement. She swallowed—hard.He let out a long, low whistle as his eyes travelled lower. "That I like," he said, tugging at his bottom lip and his eyelids drooping. "Very pretty."Kat let her hand travel to the bare, hairless lips of her sex. She was freshly waxed, just the way she liked it, not a stray pubic hair in sight. She rubbed indulgently at the sensitive skin. It felt like two plump velvet cushions, neat and ordered."You gonna let me have a feel or is it just for you?" He leant forward with his elbows propped on his knees.Kat kept her fingers hovering over her slit and took three steps up to the sofa. Her knees felt weak and her heels suddenly felt too high, too unbalanced. She focused on his wide shoulders, rock-hard and square, and his biceps, tough balls of raw power. The snake tattoo on his forearm was highlighted in glorious detail under the hot bulb, its yellow eyes flashing and its red fork tongue licking towards his elbow.Once she was within reach, he placed both hands on the top curve of her hips and urged her between his bent knees. He leant forward and very slowly, very gently, placed a soft, warm kiss a fraction below her naval.
BlurbKat uses her female charm and womanly attributes to pinch elite cars for her unscrupulous boss, Carlos. But when John Taylor becomes her latest hit, Kat finds herself at the receiving end of a gentle, expert seduction by a man who's not all he appears.
Despite their night of passion, Kat has no choice but to take John's car—Carlos knows where she lives. What she doesn't bargain on is so does John!
In a week of sex and danger, honesty and kink, the immoral couple become inextricably tangled in one another's lives. Emotions and desires reach boiling point as they push each other to their limits in and out of the bedroom.
Can each handle the other and will they ever be able to trust one another enough to open their hearts?
Excerpt
"Step out," he ordered from his crouched position by her ankles.Obediently, she moved her three-inch heels and let him lift the dress from the floor.He straightened, stepped past her to the sofa and laid it over the arm as if it was the most delicate fabric he'd ever handled. He walked back over and stood directly behind her again.SilenceShe waited.He was so close yet he wasn't touching her. He didn't utter a word. His body heat blasted her bare back and buttocks. The steady stream of his deep breaths washed over her neck and shoulders and tickled like a summer breeze.She went to turn, wanting to see what expression was playing on his rugged features, but the second she started to twist, pressure was applied to her shoulders as he urged her to look at the doorway to the kitchen again—the kitchen where his car keys lay on the counter, waiting for her."You have beautiful skin," he said quietly. "It's flawless—honey and silk."Kat was about to reply when a swarm of butterflies floated down her neck, kisses so delicate she had no choice but to flutter her eyes and mouth shut. She felt the increasing warmth from his body on her naked skin and his deeply male scent surrounded her like a soft cashmere blanket. An involuntary sigh trickled from her lips.His fingertips danced down the bones of her spine until they reached her bra strap. The temperature and pressure increased as he undid the small hooks. Kat felt the full weight of her breasts hang heavy. He glided the straps down her arms and she heard it fall to the floor. She dropped her head. The flesh of her breasts looked translucent, veined under the direct beam of the overhead bulb. Her nipples were milk chocolate circles, every bump and wrinkle exposed as they peaked in the cool night air.A dart of desire shot from her rib wall through the weighty flesh and collected in her nipples as she studied herself. John was back behind her, but she knew it was just looking at herself that was creating the hot circle of sensitivity—she was sure of it. It had nothing to do with him.A stubbly chin scratched gently into her temple. "You okay?" he asked, looking down at her body from the same angle she was."Yes.""Sure?" His hands slid round her waist, big fingers practically meeting over the gentle curve of her belly as his thumbs touched in the dip of her lower back. He rubbed his thumbs up and down, soothing, reassuring, and a well of tension dissolved in the hollow of her spine she hadn't even known was there. She rested backwards onto him. He felt so solid and warm, a gentle giant. Okay, so she was going to steal from him soon, spectacularly, but there was no harm in revelling in the feeling of being looked after, cherished. It was a feeling that rarely came her way."I'm fine," she whispered."Just fine?" He lifted a hand from her waist and let the thick knuckle of his thumb brush her left nipple, just once, very lightly.Instantly the little branch of her areola shot out, straining for another touch, begging for it. The weight in her breasts doubled with an unfamiliar feeling of longing. She wanted him to touch the other nipple, wanted him to cover them both with his big hard hands. Every nerve in her chest was crying out for it."Better than fine…" she managed. She watched, fascinated, as he moved his hand to her right breast and slowly took the nipple between his thumb and index finger. Very gently, he rolled it to a tense point. The skin puckered and strained farther into a slight twist.She sucked in another deep breath. The response her body was having to his touch was electric, like nothing she'd ever felt before. This was no quick drunken grope; this was her body being worshipped, indulged. John's delicate touch was making her knees weak and her stomach clench. She pressed back farther into him, glad of his support as he switched his attentions to her already excited left nipple.She should just get out of the flat; these feelings were getting too intense. This wasn't the plan. Why wasn't he behaving like the other five hits she'd had to sleep with to get their cars? Then it had been 'wham, bam, thank you, ma'am'—all over and done within minutes. A drunken post-coital sleep, and she'd been free to take whatever her light fingers desired.She spun in his arms, an excuse to leave forming in her mouth. "I…I ought to…"His dark brows knitted together."I…I…really should…should…" Kat frowned in frustration at her ineloquence; she never suffered from stuttering or a lack of excuses."What's up?" he asked as he bent an arm over his shoulder, fisted his black T-shirt and scraped it over his head in one smooth movement.It landed on the floor by her bra, instantly forgotten, as were Kat's excuses. The sight of his wide chest, carpeted with dark coils of hair which trailed to the loose waistband of his jeans had her thoughts of running fleeing to the hills.Since her head only reached his chin, she was face to face with glorious maleness, and his musky, slightly salty scent hit her full on. She had a sudden, overwhelming desire to push her straining, hungry nipples into the scratchy hair of his chest. She was desperate to know what it would feel like."Relax," he said, twining his fingers into her hair and cradling the back of her skull with his palm. "It's all good, I promise."Kat placed her palms on his shoulders and leant forward for the kiss he was sending down. Her nipples connected with downy hairs on granite muscle. She gasped in surprise; she'd expected a crispy texture, not silken smoothness.He read her gasp as encouragement and his tongue delved deeper and his hands journeyed to her hips. "Can we lose these?" he asked into her mouth, hooking thumbs into the elastic of her thong as his fingers lingered on her buttocks. "Pretty as they are, I'd rather see what's beneath."Kat spun what he'd said in her mind. She'd been so consumed with the sensations of kissing and his chest connecting with hers she'd barely thought of the next stage. "Er…yeah," she said, taking a small, tottering step backwards.John let his hands fall to his sides, let her move away, but he kept his eyes trained on hers, offering calmness and inviting trust.Kat stood in her heels, hold-up stockings and lacy thong. She looked calm on the outside but inside she was in a state of turmoil. It wasn't the prospect of having sex with John making her feel this way, it was the desires he was invoking in her. Lust was something she'd never experienced in her paltry excuse for a sex life. Sure, she could tempt, seduce, walk the walk, but actually doing the deed and enjoying it was not for her. Kat found the best pleasures were at her own hand; she had control then. She knew where and how she liked to be touched and trusted herself to control a short, hard climax every time.But right now, control was slipping away fast. He wasn't even touching her, just looking. In fact, now he'd sat on the sofa and relaxed back in the cushions with one arm stretched casually sideways and the other resting on his lap. Yet still she felt like he had power over her, even worse, she wanted him to have that power. She wanted to hand herself over to him and trust him to satisfy the tug in her belly. It was an uncharted emotion, and she was unsure how to handle it. She felt both nervous and excited at the prospect of giving her body to John."You want me to do the honours?" he asked quietly, with an amused lift of one thick, black brow.Kat shook her head, dipped her fingers into the elastic at her hips and rolled down the thong. Like string, it peeled down to her knees, and she wriggled and let it drop to the floor around her feet. She stood back up, tall and straight, awaiting his judgement. She swallowed—hard.He let out a long, low whistle as his eyes travelled lower. "That I like," he said, tugging at his bottom lip and his eyelids drooping. "Very pretty."Kat let her hand travel to the bare, hairless lips of her sex. She was freshly waxed, just the way she liked it, not a stray pubic hair in sight. She rubbed indulgently at the sensitive skin. It felt like two plump velvet cushions, neat and ordered."You gonna let me have a feel or is it just for you?" He leant forward with his elbows propped on his knees.Kat kept her fingers hovering over her slit and took three steps up to the sofa. Her knees felt weak and her heels suddenly felt too high, too unbalanced. She focused on his wide shoulders, rock-hard and square, and his biceps, tough balls of raw power. The snake tattoo on his forearm was highlighted in glorious detail under the hot bulb, its yellow eyes flashing and its red fork tongue licking towards his elbow.Once she was within reach, he placed both hands on the top curve of her hips and urged her between his bent knees. He leant forward and very slowly, very gently, placed a soft, warm kiss a fraction below her naval.
October 4, 2011
The Writing Cave
Today I am thrilled to be hunkering down in author Cherie Noel's writing cave. Check out my interview and while you are there have a lurk in the corners and see what Cheri has been writing too.
Also I am thrilled to report Berets and Bras has had its first review.
Miz Love Love Books said this of my short, sexy, military story -
Berets and Bras… I can't say an awful lot because it's a short story and if I discuss the plot it's going to majorly spoil the fun for the reader. Not gonna happen. What Ican say, though, is it's a delightful read that feels much longer than it is. Bloody awesome when that happens. I'd LOVE to read a full-length book about these two.Nudge-nudge-wink-wink.
The voice is fantastic, the setting and what the reader discovers a total blast, and I laughed, smiled and also got hot under the collar. To write such a vivid story in few words must be difficult, but Ms Harlem managed it with flying colours.
An absolute TREAT of a book. Go forth and purchase, readers! Only $1.99!!!
…hits me right in the centre of my back. (Ouch! I felt that!)
"Give me that," I snap.
Not even a small one.
"I thought I was going fucking queer…"
"Or whatever your fucking name is."
Brilliant. That's it in a nutshell.
Also I am thrilled to report Berets and Bras has had its first review.
Miz Love Love Books said this of my short, sexy, military story -
Berets and Bras… I can't say an awful lot because it's a short story and if I discuss the plot it's going to majorly spoil the fun for the reader. Not gonna happen. What Ican say, though, is it's a delightful read that feels much longer than it is. Bloody awesome when that happens. I'd LOVE to read a full-length book about these two.Nudge-nudge-wink-wink.
The voice is fantastic, the setting and what the reader discovers a total blast, and I laughed, smiled and also got hot under the collar. To write such a vivid story in few words must be difficult, but Ms Harlem managed it with flying colours.
An absolute TREAT of a book. Go forth and purchase, readers! Only $1.99!!!
…hits me right in the centre of my back. (Ouch! I felt that!)"Give me that," I snap.
Not even a small one.
"I thought I was going fucking queer…"
"Or whatever your fucking name is."
Brilliant. That's it in a nutshell.
October 3, 2011
Please welcome Victoria Blisse
Today I am thrilled to have fellow author Victoria Blisse visiting my blog.Victoria has a new book out at Total-E-Bound called Tasty Italian and I have been grilling her all about it.
Can you tell us a little about your latest release?
Certainly! Tasty Italian is the story of how Fiona meets Carlo at her local Italian restaurant. She falls instantly in lust with the young, handsome waiter and is taken by surprise when that lust is returned. How can their relationship continue though when Carlo has to go home to his home village back in Italy.
What was the inspiration for this particular piece?
Believe it or not this story originated in a seaside town on the North East Coast of England! When I go to Scarborough in Yorkshire, my favourite town in the whole wide world, one of the places I HAVE to visit is Florio's. Florio's is a brilliant little Italian restaurant that serves the most delicious food.
There also happens to be a rather handsome waiter there but obviously he has no influence on me wanting to go there, no of course not! However he was the inspiration for Carlo in Tasty Italian!
What did you love about writing this book?
I've created a hot Italian waiter, what do you think I enjoyed? Ha. I also loved writing about the food, finding out about Italy and working out how I could get my gal and guy to kiss! It was all round fun.
Was anything especially difficult for you in this story?
Research, I'm not terribly good at it and I had to decide on a town in Italy for Carlo to come from and I had to research what it was like and how easy it was to get to. It was interesting once I got into it but I do find looking something up can be like looking for a needle in a haystack now we've got so much information at our fingertips.
Do you have any routines, quirks, peeves, when writing?
I mainly write in a morning when the house is quiet and I can concentrate also I'm one of these mad morning people and my brain just works better first thing in the morning.
I wonder if I do have any quirks, it's hard to know if you're being quirky in something where you rarely experience another person doing it! So no, I don't think I have any but you might want to ask my husband, he may disagree!
Any guilty pleasures that steal you away from your writing process?
Generally the things that take me away from my writing can't be classified as pleasures but it is no secret that I love to bake and sometimes I do bake when I know I should be writing. I can't resist! When I read a new, tasty sounding recipe I have to give it a try!
Is there anything you find particularly challenging about bringing a story to life?
I find the filling in difficult. You see ideas pop into my head. I'll have a character or two first, then I will work out when/where/how they meet and I'll have ideas for their first kiss and how things will develop from there. However, I won't know precisely the plot from start to finish and the bits I get stuck on will be the bridges between the scenes that I've already imagined in my head.
Who is your favourite character you've written to date and why?
I always find this a difficult question to answer because my characters are almost like children and I love them all very much!
Okay, but just between us, I do have a favourite. He's called Joe and he's a delicious dominant American who will be making his appearance in a Trio of books to be released by Xcite in the near future. I'm afraid I have no more details as I've only just signed the contract. I can tell you that they are Called Naughty, Naughtier and Naughtiest Rendezvous and they contain much romance, generous smatterings of humour and spankings a plenty!
Who is your favourite character, full stop? In anyone's written or unwritten story.
Oh now this is a really cruel question! However I do love Death. No, that's not as morbid as it sounds! I mean the anthropomorphic personification of Death in Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels. I adore him. He's brilliant.
Do you get hot and bothered when writing sex?
Ask my Husband! *wink, wink, nudge nudge*
Mention one element that readers will find in all your books, and why.
Well now, funny you should ask that! There is something very specific that you will find in every single Blisse you read. You will find a curvy, cuddly character. Usually it will be a rubenesque lady but there is a cuddly man in Lyrical, just to change things up a bit!
Why, you ask? Well, I got into this erotica writing biz for a few reasons and one of the major ones is that I'd gotten sick to death of reading about 'perfect' heroines with perfectly perky boobs and slim figures. I wanted to write about people like me. Because ladies with wobbly bits are sexy too!
What will people come away with after reading your books?
Now this is what I'd like to think they'd come away with, whether they do or not is completely out of my hands. I write the words, I can't make people read them in the way I want them too! I hope they will take away that everyone is sexy, that romance isn't always serious, that it can make you laugh too. I hope they will take away the desire to read more Blisse stories too!
What do you come away with after you're finished writing a book?
Short nails and a distinct caffeine buzz? Oh, is that not what you meant? I have a sense of relief, a real, deep contentment (for a few hours anyway) that my story is finally done. It's a really good feeling but I always have a hunger deep inside that pushes me on to write the next story and the next…
What book would you recommend to a new reader that isn't familiar with your work?
I offer you a series! My Getting Together Trilogy, available from Xcite is about as Blisse-typical as you can get. It's romantic, funny and full of hot sex! So start out with Getting Physical and you'll get to know my style pretty well.
What kind of stories do you like to read?
I have a soft spot for fantasy and paranormal as you might have picked up from one of my earlier answers. I'm just enjoying reading Sommer Marsden's Zombie Exterminators series, it's brill!
Are you still as passionate about writing as you were when you first started?
I suspect even more so. Before I wrote because I enjoyed it, now I write because I have to.
What is coming next?
*resists desire to make a dirty comment* Next, ah next we have an Office sex bet which ends up with lots of exhibitionistic goodness between three hot and horny characters of mine. Temporary Insanity is out on the 24th October from Total-E-Bound.
Keep an eye on http://www.victoriablisse.co.uk to find out the release day for Naughty Rendezvous (containing Joe, my favourite character) and then, when we get to December we have something sweet, sexy and Seasonal called It's Always Christmas in Lincoln. So there's plenty still to come from me this year!
Can you share a long term goal with us in relation to your work?
A fantasy of mine revolves around signed copies of my books selling for lots of money on eBay.
Thank you so much for stopping by today and letting me pick your brains about Tasty Italian. Can't wait to settle down with a steamy espresso and my Kindle and lose myself in Carlo.
Lily x
Blurb for Tasty Italian
Fiona was bored with her life but she didn't realise that simply deciding to visit the local Italian restaurant for dinner one night would change it forever. When she laid eyes on the fit, young Italian waiter she fell instantly in lust. Carlo returned that ardour but how could their relationship develop when he had to move back to his home in Italy?
Excerpt From: Tasty Italian
Fiona was knackered after another long day at work. She was hungry, it was late and she didn't want to cook. Her decision made, she walked past her car towards the red, white and green of Roberto's restaurant sign. The beautiful summer's evening and the mellow sunlight made even the urban sprawl of Manchester's city centre seem beautiful and romantic. The hint of pink heralding good weather for the next day brought out the deep rouge of the red bricked buildings that she passed and drew dark swirling patterns on the tarmac below her feet.
From the moment she walked into the restaurant she was enveloped by the warmth of exuberant cooking. She could smell it, almost taste it on the air and could hear the gentle click and clunk of pans being shaken on the hob. She was instantly comforted.
"Ah, mia bella, would you like a table?" a loud voice called and was followed by a striding man. He was round, curly-haired and red-faced. His smile stretched the length of his impressive moustache. Roberto was larger than life and Fiona adored him.
"Ah, Fiona. I have just the perfect table for you, follow me."
She followed him past tables of laughing, joking people to one in the corner, near the kitchen. He placed an open menu in front of her as she sat down.
"What would you like to drink tonight?"
"Just a glass of water, please Roberto."
"No vino? That is criminal on a Friday night."
"I've had a long day and I have to drive home. Water will really hit the spot, thank you."
"Ah, a wise lady, a wise lady indeed. My mama would have loved you."
"Why, thank you." Fiona chuckled.
He always managed to make her smile. She was completely charmed by the effervescent man and the homely interior of the restaurant. There were postcards on the walls, sweet tourist ornaments on shelves and a lovely higgledy-piggledy arrangement to the tables. It was like visiting a favourite family member. She felt comfortable dining there.
"It is busy here tonight, mia bella, but I will have Carlo look after you. He is a good lad."
Can you tell us a little about your latest release?
Certainly! Tasty Italian is the story of how Fiona meets Carlo at her local Italian restaurant. She falls instantly in lust with the young, handsome waiter and is taken by surprise when that lust is returned. How can their relationship continue though when Carlo has to go home to his home village back in Italy.
What was the inspiration for this particular piece?
Believe it or not this story originated in a seaside town on the North East Coast of England! When I go to Scarborough in Yorkshire, my favourite town in the whole wide world, one of the places I HAVE to visit is Florio's. Florio's is a brilliant little Italian restaurant that serves the most delicious food.
There also happens to be a rather handsome waiter there but obviously he has no influence on me wanting to go there, no of course not! However he was the inspiration for Carlo in Tasty Italian!
What did you love about writing this book?
I've created a hot Italian waiter, what do you think I enjoyed? Ha. I also loved writing about the food, finding out about Italy and working out how I could get my gal and guy to kiss! It was all round fun.
Was anything especially difficult for you in this story?
Research, I'm not terribly good at it and I had to decide on a town in Italy for Carlo to come from and I had to research what it was like and how easy it was to get to. It was interesting once I got into it but I do find looking something up can be like looking for a needle in a haystack now we've got so much information at our fingertips.
Do you have any routines, quirks, peeves, when writing?
I mainly write in a morning when the house is quiet and I can concentrate also I'm one of these mad morning people and my brain just works better first thing in the morning.
I wonder if I do have any quirks, it's hard to know if you're being quirky in something where you rarely experience another person doing it! So no, I don't think I have any but you might want to ask my husband, he may disagree!
Any guilty pleasures that steal you away from your writing process?
Generally the things that take me away from my writing can't be classified as pleasures but it is no secret that I love to bake and sometimes I do bake when I know I should be writing. I can't resist! When I read a new, tasty sounding recipe I have to give it a try!
Is there anything you find particularly challenging about bringing a story to life?
I find the filling in difficult. You see ideas pop into my head. I'll have a character or two first, then I will work out when/where/how they meet and I'll have ideas for their first kiss and how things will develop from there. However, I won't know precisely the plot from start to finish and the bits I get stuck on will be the bridges between the scenes that I've already imagined in my head.
Who is your favourite character you've written to date and why?
I always find this a difficult question to answer because my characters are almost like children and I love them all very much!
Okay, but just between us, I do have a favourite. He's called Joe and he's a delicious dominant American who will be making his appearance in a Trio of books to be released by Xcite in the near future. I'm afraid I have no more details as I've only just signed the contract. I can tell you that they are Called Naughty, Naughtier and Naughtiest Rendezvous and they contain much romance, generous smatterings of humour and spankings a plenty!
Who is your favourite character, full stop? In anyone's written or unwritten story.
Oh now this is a really cruel question! However I do love Death. No, that's not as morbid as it sounds! I mean the anthropomorphic personification of Death in Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels. I adore him. He's brilliant.
Do you get hot and bothered when writing sex?
Ask my Husband! *wink, wink, nudge nudge*
Mention one element that readers will find in all your books, and why.
Well now, funny you should ask that! There is something very specific that you will find in every single Blisse you read. You will find a curvy, cuddly character. Usually it will be a rubenesque lady but there is a cuddly man in Lyrical, just to change things up a bit!
Why, you ask? Well, I got into this erotica writing biz for a few reasons and one of the major ones is that I'd gotten sick to death of reading about 'perfect' heroines with perfectly perky boobs and slim figures. I wanted to write about people like me. Because ladies with wobbly bits are sexy too!
What will people come away with after reading your books?
Now this is what I'd like to think they'd come away with, whether they do or not is completely out of my hands. I write the words, I can't make people read them in the way I want them too! I hope they will take away that everyone is sexy, that romance isn't always serious, that it can make you laugh too. I hope they will take away the desire to read more Blisse stories too!
What do you come away with after you're finished writing a book?
Short nails and a distinct caffeine buzz? Oh, is that not what you meant? I have a sense of relief, a real, deep contentment (for a few hours anyway) that my story is finally done. It's a really good feeling but I always have a hunger deep inside that pushes me on to write the next story and the next…
What book would you recommend to a new reader that isn't familiar with your work?
I offer you a series! My Getting Together Trilogy, available from Xcite is about as Blisse-typical as you can get. It's romantic, funny and full of hot sex! So start out with Getting Physical and you'll get to know my style pretty well.
What kind of stories do you like to read?
I have a soft spot for fantasy and paranormal as you might have picked up from one of my earlier answers. I'm just enjoying reading Sommer Marsden's Zombie Exterminators series, it's brill!
Are you still as passionate about writing as you were when you first started?
I suspect even more so. Before I wrote because I enjoyed it, now I write because I have to.
What is coming next?
*resists desire to make a dirty comment* Next, ah next we have an Office sex bet which ends up with lots of exhibitionistic goodness between three hot and horny characters of mine. Temporary Insanity is out on the 24th October from Total-E-Bound.
Keep an eye on http://www.victoriablisse.co.uk to find out the release day for Naughty Rendezvous (containing Joe, my favourite character) and then, when we get to December we have something sweet, sexy and Seasonal called It's Always Christmas in Lincoln. So there's plenty still to come from me this year!
Can you share a long term goal with us in relation to your work?
A fantasy of mine revolves around signed copies of my books selling for lots of money on eBay.
Thank you so much for stopping by today and letting me pick your brains about Tasty Italian. Can't wait to settle down with a steamy espresso and my Kindle and lose myself in Carlo.
Lily x
Blurb for Tasty Italian
Fiona was bored with her life but she didn't realise that simply deciding to visit the local Italian restaurant for dinner one night would change it forever. When she laid eyes on the fit, young Italian waiter she fell instantly in lust. Carlo returned that ardour but how could their relationship develop when he had to move back to his home in Italy?
Excerpt From: Tasty Italian
Fiona was knackered after another long day at work. She was hungry, it was late and she didn't want to cook. Her decision made, she walked past her car towards the red, white and green of Roberto's restaurant sign. The beautiful summer's evening and the mellow sunlight made even the urban sprawl of Manchester's city centre seem beautiful and romantic. The hint of pink heralding good weather for the next day brought out the deep rouge of the red bricked buildings that she passed and drew dark swirling patterns on the tarmac below her feet.
From the moment she walked into the restaurant she was enveloped by the warmth of exuberant cooking. She could smell it, almost taste it on the air and could hear the gentle click and clunk of pans being shaken on the hob. She was instantly comforted.
"Ah, mia bella, would you like a table?" a loud voice called and was followed by a striding man. He was round, curly-haired and red-faced. His smile stretched the length of his impressive moustache. Roberto was larger than life and Fiona adored him.
"Ah, Fiona. I have just the perfect table for you, follow me."
She followed him past tables of laughing, joking people to one in the corner, near the kitchen. He placed an open menu in front of her as she sat down.
"What would you like to drink tonight?"
"Just a glass of water, please Roberto."
"No vino? That is criminal on a Friday night."
"I've had a long day and I have to drive home. Water will really hit the spot, thank you."
"Ah, a wise lady, a wise lady indeed. My mama would have loved you."
"Why, thank you." Fiona chuckled.
He always managed to make her smile. She was completely charmed by the effervescent man and the homely interior of the restaurant. There were postcards on the walls, sweet tourist ornaments on shelves and a lovely higgledy-piggledy arrangement to the tables. It was like visiting a favourite family member. She felt comfortable dining there.
"It is busy here tonight, mia bella, but I will have Carlo look after you. He is a good lad."
October 2, 2011
Goddess Fish Party
Join me today at Goddess Fish 9am-9pm EST. There's guest blogs, contests, excerpts and fun info. Head on over....
October 1, 2011
Berets and Bras
Today I have a short military story released at Silver Publishing.
Blurb
Blood, sweat and hard work has given me everything I want, except that is, the dangerous mercenary I'm in love and lust with. Until, one night, when my secrets are exposed, I discover, in the sweetest possible way that he's sinfully talented at handling more than just his armed weapon.
Excerpt
Hurriedly, I tighten the strapping around my petite breasts, shrug into a black thermal top, and pull on an armoured vest. Moving swiftly but methodically, I stuff a homemade wad of padding into my boxers, yank up black combat pants, and wriggle my toes into multiterrain boots.
There's a sudden, sharp rap at my door accompanied by Tom's deep, grating voice. "Are you fucking ready, Carl?"
As always my heart does a flip, and for the millionth time I curse its erratic beats. Why does Tom have this effect on me? No one else has ever produced such a pathetic, simpering response in my cardiac muscle, and in all honesty, I could do without it. My infatuation with my colleague could ruin a year of subterfuge and deception, waste gallons of sweat from intense physical training, and make what has felt like a lifetime of suppressing female needs and desires utterly pointless.
At eighteen I joined the British army, worked until I was sweating blood, and concentrated solely on rising through the ranks, but by twenty-three I was lured out by the smell of money, lots of money. I'd been told it was impossible to become a mercenary. Women simply can't handle it. But me being me meant I was unable to take no for an answer, and I made it my mission to join an elite group known as Cobra. And now, standing here as twenty-four-year-old Carl, not Carol, I'm by far the finest sniper in the group, a fourth Dan in Seidokan karate, and I have a photographic memory for maps which means I rival even a local's knowledge.
I snatch open the door and see Tom's colossal bulk looming in the narrow hallway, hands placed on hips and his muddied forehead creased into three neat lines. "Bloody hell, you haven't done your camo yet," he grunts the second his gaze settles on me.
"Shit, hang on." I scoot back into my room.
He follows me with two ground-eating paces. "Here," he says. He reaches past my waist and grabs the tube of mud brown. "We gotta get going." He spins off the cap, oozes a blob onto his finger, and stoops towards my face.
I freeze.
He's too damn close for comfort.
Raw male pheromones fill my senses, and a potent, testosterone fuelled heat radiates into my pores. I try to pull my gaze from his rugged, camo-darkened face, terrified that he'll look into my soul and see blazing sexual turmoil. But I can't shift my eyes; my concentration is stuck, glued onto his coal-black pupils as I feel myself falling into them.
Falling into him.
His frown deepens, and he licks his lips, covering them with a sheen of saliva. A shard of longing shoots to my pussy, and my nipples spike against their tight containment. I want to kiss the moisture off. I want to taste him, lick him. I want to know what it feels like to press my mouth to his for real and not just in a fantasy or a dream.
He swallows. His Adam's apple travels way down low then all the way back up. He opens his mouth, as if to speak, but then stops himself and clamps his lips into a tight, hard line.
My mind spins, my heart flutters. What has the dangerous, highly trained killer I'm in love with seen? Has he guessed my feelings? Felt my barely harnessed female desires? What was he about to say?
I hope you'll check out my sizzling story, and also I am hanging out with fellow Silver author Cherie Noel's today in her Writing Cave. There is a contest to win a pdf copy of Berets and Bras so do head on over.
Lily x
BlurbBlood, sweat and hard work has given me everything I want, except that is, the dangerous mercenary I'm in love and lust with. Until, one night, when my secrets are exposed, I discover, in the sweetest possible way that he's sinfully talented at handling more than just his armed weapon.
Excerpt
Hurriedly, I tighten the strapping around my petite breasts, shrug into a black thermal top, and pull on an armoured vest. Moving swiftly but methodically, I stuff a homemade wad of padding into my boxers, yank up black combat pants, and wriggle my toes into multiterrain boots.
There's a sudden, sharp rap at my door accompanied by Tom's deep, grating voice. "Are you fucking ready, Carl?"
As always my heart does a flip, and for the millionth time I curse its erratic beats. Why does Tom have this effect on me? No one else has ever produced such a pathetic, simpering response in my cardiac muscle, and in all honesty, I could do without it. My infatuation with my colleague could ruin a year of subterfuge and deception, waste gallons of sweat from intense physical training, and make what has felt like a lifetime of suppressing female needs and desires utterly pointless.
At eighteen I joined the British army, worked until I was sweating blood, and concentrated solely on rising through the ranks, but by twenty-three I was lured out by the smell of money, lots of money. I'd been told it was impossible to become a mercenary. Women simply can't handle it. But me being me meant I was unable to take no for an answer, and I made it my mission to join an elite group known as Cobra. And now, standing here as twenty-four-year-old Carl, not Carol, I'm by far the finest sniper in the group, a fourth Dan in Seidokan karate, and I have a photographic memory for maps which means I rival even a local's knowledge.
I snatch open the door and see Tom's colossal bulk looming in the narrow hallway, hands placed on hips and his muddied forehead creased into three neat lines. "Bloody hell, you haven't done your camo yet," he grunts the second his gaze settles on me.
"Shit, hang on." I scoot back into my room.
He follows me with two ground-eating paces. "Here," he says. He reaches past my waist and grabs the tube of mud brown. "We gotta get going." He spins off the cap, oozes a blob onto his finger, and stoops towards my face.
I freeze.
He's too damn close for comfort.
Raw male pheromones fill my senses, and a potent, testosterone fuelled heat radiates into my pores. I try to pull my gaze from his rugged, camo-darkened face, terrified that he'll look into my soul and see blazing sexual turmoil. But I can't shift my eyes; my concentration is stuck, glued onto his coal-black pupils as I feel myself falling into them.
Falling into him.
His frown deepens, and he licks his lips, covering them with a sheen of saliva. A shard of longing shoots to my pussy, and my nipples spike against their tight containment. I want to kiss the moisture off. I want to taste him, lick him. I want to know what it feels like to press my mouth to his for real and not just in a fantasy or a dream.
He swallows. His Adam's apple travels way down low then all the way back up. He opens his mouth, as if to speak, but then stops himself and clamps his lips into a tight, hard line.
My mind spins, my heart flutters. What has the dangerous, highly trained killer I'm in love with seen? Has he guessed my feelings? Felt my barely harnessed female desires? What was he about to say?
I hope you'll check out my sizzling story, and also I am hanging out with fellow Silver author Cherie Noel's today in her Writing Cave. There is a contest to win a pdf copy of Berets and Bras so do head on over.
Lily x
September 30, 2011
Adam Levine
Oh, yum. I completely adore Adam Levine. Here he is doing his thing for cancer awareness - seems his girlfriend has been a victim of photoshop though!
September 29, 2011
September 27, 2011
Hitting the Hot Spot
Join me today at Total-E-Bounds Hot Spot.
