Gabrielle Evans's Blog, page 9

Welcome Author Alex Carreras!

DON'T FORGET! EACH POST YOU COMMENT ON COUNTS AS AN ENTRY INTO THE CONTESTABOUT
ALEX CARRERASFACEBOOK  |  AMAZON  |  BLOG

  Alex Carreras believes there is nothing sexier than a hot, naked man with a cocky attitude and a sultry smile.

Always on the hunt for inspiration, you will find Alex wherever there are attractive men hopefully in a state of undress. And since he lives in South Florida where the average yearly temperature is a balmy 82 Fahrenheit, there is certainly no shortage of inspiration


 ARRESTED HEAT [HEAT 5]BUY: Amazon  |  B&N  |  BookStrand Jared Johnson moves to Siesta Key, Florida, for a chance at a new beginning among the sandy beaches, lush, swaying palms, and warm, turquoise water Siesta Key is known for. Upon arrival, he meets Officer Grant Wilcox, one hot cop with an ex-wife and a ten-year-old daughter with attitude. Their attraction is instantaneous and combustible, but can their carnal passion last longer than the weekend, or will it wash away with the outgoing tide? If it’s up to Jared, he’d stay wrapped in Grant’s muscular arms forever, but Grant needs a little more convincing since he still has one foot in the closet and fears he has too much to lose if their relationship is discovered. Between late-night dinners, sunsets on the surf, and dodging a few bullets, two men from very different backgrounds attempt to make a future against all odds. But is love enough to keep them together.  STORY EXCERPTJared Johnson looked out across the sandy, white stretch of beach unable to keep a smile from forming on his lips.Places like Siesta Key Beach only existed on postcards or television commercials advertising the perfect family vacation. Other families. Not his. His family had never been together long enough to be able to take a vacation, not to mention, afford one.But Jared was no longer that poor kid. He was a grown man attempting to put his troublesome and sometimes dubious past behind him, and moving to the crystal sands and soothing, warm water of Siesta Key was just the way to do it, much like his younger brother, Derek, had done a few months earlier.Derek had left Virginia in search of a better life, to find a fresh start away from the psychological scars and local gossip of Clarke County. He had done just that, finding a handsome boyfriend, Cody Connors, and making a new life amongst the swaying palms and endless, blue skies. Now Jared had done the same, making the move with no regrets.Arriving only two days earlier, Jared promised himself he’d take a few days to familiarize himself with the area and take some well-deserved R and R, something he’d never allowed himself to do. Having absent, alcoholic parents and growing up in foster care with a little brother in tow never encouraged much time for rest and relaxation.With the cool sand pushing between his toes, Jared shook his head and forced away the distant memories, happy that they were just that, memories. “This is my home now,” he whispered into the tropical breeze as if saying it aloud made it even more real. “And I am happy.”Unbuttoning and stripping off his thin, cotton shirt, the October, midday sun warmed his skin, melting away the unseasonably cool fall of Virginia he’d left behind. He took in a deep breath, inhaling the salt air as seagulls screeched and raced along the water’s edge in search of picnic scraps left behind by vacationers and kids playing hooky from school. Reaching into his pocket, he emptied a packet of peanuts onto the sand. “That’s all I got, guys,” he said, shoving the empty wrapper into the back pocket of his cutoffs as the birds scampered for their meal.This is paradise, Jared thought, chuckling at the smallest of the seagulls taking on the largest for the last remaining peanut. Everything was perfect, each grain of sand, each battling bird, and each…Before he could finish his thought, Jared heard a man yelling over the sound of the surf in heavily accented, broken English. “Let go!” A man wearing a two-sizes-too-small, red Speedo, the accommodating fabric stretched to its limits, struggled against another man who resembled a Greek god dressed in a white, ribbed tank top and camouflage cargo shorts worn low on his hips.Jared jogged toward the action, wondering if he should get involved and help break up the fight or keep going and find a soft, sandy spot to settle into and take a nap.His conscience wouldn’t allow him to turn a blind eye. And Mr. Cargo Shorts was surely one hot man, criminal or not.As he approached, Jared saw a pair of handcuffs flash out of the back pocket of the handsome man’s cargo shorts. He stopped dead in his tracks realizing he was witnessing an arrest.A chill ran up Jared’s spine remembering the last time he was arrested, which resulted in a six-month stay in the Clarke County jail compliments of the state of Virginia and the arresting officer, Officer Steven Rodgers, a name he’d never forget.It had been over four years, but it felt like only yesterday. And it was something he didn’t want to repeat, making the decision to remain alcohol- and drug-free the day he was released from prison. Jared wiped away a bead of sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand as he watched, listening to the foreigner claim his innocence and making his case.“I did not expose myself! I thought this was a nude beach,” he yelled, struggling against the officer, the man’s face close to matching the color of his Speedo. “I am European. We are always naked!”The officer rolled his eyes and began to read the perpetrator his Miranda rights as Jared stared at the man with the broad chest, pumped biceps, and the most perfect set of tanned shoulders he’d ever seen, imagining what he’d look like sprawled out naked on the sand.Hot. Sweating. And ready. INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW If you could spend a day with one of your characters, who would it be and why? Adam Galindo from the Aragon Series. I love him. He’s comical, mystical, insecure and strong at the same time, and above all, he has a pure heart.

How do you know you’ve written a good book? When my work makes me smile. That’s when I know I did a damn good job.

How do you keep your characters and stories organized? I keep scraps of paper and notebooks everywhere, car, bathroom, by the bed….everywhere. But sometimes I lose those scraps of paper, and that’s when I start rereading my work just to make sure I got the facts straight.

What advice would you give an aspiring author about the ins and outs of the industry? If your gut tells you it doesn’t feel right, I say make sure you listen to it. So far I’ve been extremely lucky. Most people want to see you succeed but there are a select few that don’t. You’ll quickly know who’s who.

Can you offer advice on how to move on from the dreaded rejection letter? Firstly, allow yourself the time to cry, bitch and moan. And when you’re done being pathetic, start writing.

When is your favorite time of day to write?
I prefer writing in the morning, but I’ll take any time of day I can get. Unfortunately life can put up many hurdles.

When and where can readers look forward to seeing you this year? I have a short story which will be included in an anthology coming soon from Breathless Press. After that I’m not sure. I have a few projects that are up in the the air and I’m waiting for them to land.

READER INTERVIEWS ROUND 3

WELCOME READER LEEANN!

Do you read the sex scenes first before reading the book? No
In your opinion, what are the most important elements in a good romance? Compatibility, attraction, respect, love, wanting to care for the other person and sexual chemistry.
How soon is too soon to say, "I love you"? I think you need to truly know someone before you can love them.
Do you believe in love at first sight? I think it’s possible yes.
Should a romance be mostly about the relationship, or should there be an even mixture of romance and action? Even mixture.
What is something that will send you screaming out of a book? Long drawn out descriptions of pretty much anything and if it doesn’t catch my attention in the first 4 chapters.
How much is too much when it comes to BDSM? As long as they both enjoy what is happening who am I to judge?
What's the difference between a "bad" review and a "negative" review? A bad review I feel is when the person reviewing rips into the author and the work instead of just focusing on the books contents.
Do you think authors overreact to harsh criticism? It is their life’s work. I think if it is over the top and goes after them personally then no, they don’t over react.
What is your favorite sex position? In books or in my life?...lol
Is two better than one? In books two or sometimes more is very enjoyable to read.
How many is too many in a relationship? That depends on those involved…for me personally, one man is enough….in books it’s fun to read of possibly more than one partner.
Do you prefer internal (relationship) or external (fighting the bad guy) conflict? Again it depends..a well written scene in either case is fine with me.
Is there anything you won’t read? Not sure…haven’t  read f/f yet…not sure if I will. It’s a wait and see if it catches my eye or not.
Do you like long series? Or do you think more than six books is too much? I love a series that tells me as many stories as possible about the people I have been introduced to in previous books…the more the merrier.
How many chances will you give a new-to-you author before you stop reading his/her books? I will try at least 2, but if the first is so bad I can’t get past the first chapter……then that’s it for me
What is your opinion on capture fantasy? Some can be very entertaining..:)
Do you have a favorite type of M/M pairing? (two alphas, Dominant/submissive, alpha male with a smaller mate, etc.) I think I like the one more dominant than the other…alpha w/ smaller mate etc.
What is your favorite sex toy? Sorry don’t have any…J
Is there anything you feel is being overdone right now? No I am good with all that I have read so far and haven’t tired of it yet.
Is there anything you wish more authors wrote? No I am very happy with the things I am reading.
How long do you like your books? Not as long as Gone With The Wind…lol . It really depends on how well the author has told their story…a short one can be just as enjoyable as a longer one.
What is the one thing in a sex scene that will always get your motor running? Many things do…I like to keep my secrets…*wink*
Does an author’s personal attitude affect if you will read his/her books? Sometimes..not usually tho. If an author is a warm , caring person, from what I can gather from FB or recommendations from friends etc or if they have a wicked sense of humor I am all for them.
Is there anything else you want to say to authors? Don’t let the negative get you down. Do what you feel is best, take criticism and see if what is said might be true and might help you to flesh out the story or make what you do better if necessary if not then pffft! Who needs it…lol . Depend on friends and loyal fans to make remarks that will help, not hinder your job.
WELCOME READER LAURIE!Do you read the sex scenes first before reading the book? No, I read the whole book from start to finish.
In your opinion, what are the most important elements in a good romance?Most people would say it’s the conflict that is, but for me it’s the whole story line from how they met and their whole journey to the HEA.
How soon is too soon to say, "I love you"? While I don’t think you should say it as soon as you meet the person, I don’t think you should wait once you truly feel that emotion.
Do you believe in love at first sight? YES!
Should a romance be mostly about the relationship, or should there be an even mixture of romance and action? I think all of those things make a good romance book. It’s all about the whole of the characters life together and apart.
What is something that will send you screaming out of a book? I have a really high “ick” factor, so there isn’t too much that would other than the industry standards of violent rape, incest, abuse, and the more extreme aspects of BDSM.
How much is too much when it comes to BDSM? Blood play, asphyxiation, pain to the point of bordering on abuse. And also to a small degree the humiliation of a sub, I haven’t figured out how you can say “I love” and then humiliate them.
What's the difference between a "bad" review and a "negative" review? A bad review could be one where the person loved the book but doesn’t know how to put that on paper other than to say “I loved the book, read it.” That’s a review that tells me nothing. A negative review for me is someone who read the book, found aspect they didn’t care for and wrote about that. And I think a review can be both bad and negative at the same time. But I also think a review can be done that lets is neither while still pointing out things the reader didn’t care for.
Do you think authors overreact to harsh criticism? Maybe, but I can understand that. This is their “blood, sweat and tears” on a page as well as their livelihood.
What is your favorite sex position? Do I have to choose? Okay fine, maybe doggie style because of the ability the partner has in a bit of control over the “action”.
Is two better than one? It can be.
How many is too many in a relationship? That would depend on the relationship, but I start to wonder at more than four total at one time.
Do you prefer internal (relationship) or external (fighting the bad guy) conflict? Both really, all relationships have internal conflict; it’s the nature of having two people involved. And I like external, because you have to have something to make the story move forward.
Is there anything you won’t read? I haven’t found anything yet that I had to put down.
Do you like long series? Or do you think more than six books is too much? I love long series; it gives the readers the chance to become invested in the lives of all of the characters. I love watching characters and relationships continue to grow while reading about a new one.
How many chances will you give a new-to-you author before you stop reading his/her books? I try to read at least two if not three.
What is your opinion on capture fantasy? If done right, it’s good, but there is a fine line there, before I start going “come on!”
Do you have a favorite type of M/M pairing? (two alphas, Dominant/submissive, alpha male with a smaller mate, etc.) Love them all.
What is your favorite sex toy? The one I’m using right now…okay, fine, my waterproof vibrator of course.
Is there anything you feel is being overdone right now? Not really, because as a reader you have the choice in what to read. If you’ve read five vampire books in a row, then you can pick up a contemp book or suspense, anything different to break things up.
Is there anything you wish more authors wrote? More books?? J
How long do you like your books? I love short story anthologies to find new authors and I love novellas for average reading on the go. But I truly love novels, stories where the authors have had the chance to let the story, character and relationships bloom.
What is the one thing in a sex scene that will always get your motor running? The long, slow foreplay.
Does an author’s personal attitude affect if you will read his/her books?Before this last election I would have said no, but I do have an author whose books I truly love post so much on her Facebook page that I have considered not reading her anymore with how forceful she is about her opinion. And I would find that sad, because I have read her for ten or more years. So I did un-friend her, I just hope I still get the update I’d like from her website.
Is there anything else you want to say to authors? Just keep writing more books, please.

WELCOME AUTHOR MISSY LYONS!

ABOUT
MISSY LYONS
Lyons_missy@yahoo.comWEBSITE | BLOG | FACEBOOK | AMAZON | SIREN PUBLISHING
Missy Lyons lives a boring life, but creates fantasy worlds by writing her erotic romances. She lives in Middle Tennessee with her family, two dogs, and a cat who thinks it is a dog. She is an obsessive Star Wars geek and loves all things dragons, aliens, and did she forget to mention hot men top the list? Yeah, men are in everyone of her romance books. More can be found out about her books or her life on her website: www.missylyons.com



SHARK'S MATE [SEXIER WHEN WET 1]
BUY NOW Shanghai Shindu lives a carefree life in the tropics as a shape-shifting shark, hunting the land and the sea. He shows up with the rest of his pack of shape-shifting sharks at the wedding party for his brother. Shanghai never expects to meet his mate at a party full of werewolves and vampires, and is even more shocked to find he is human.
Cain Castle is working undercover as a handyman on the private island, but he is a psychic and a healer helping to keep an eye on the wedding guests. It’s a dangerous job, but there is also the crazy, overwhelming attraction to Shanghai, who doesn’t even acknowledge he exists until the day Shanghai stops a vampire from having him as lunch. Suddenly Cain is swept up in a world full of dark pleasures and sinful delights.


EXCERPTIt was just a kiss.

Not meant to be anything more, but when his lips met Cain’s and he heard the other man groan and felt him soften in his arms, he had to have more than a brief meeting of the lips. His kiss grew deeper, more urgent, and Shanghai’s tongue invaded and pilfered, destroying the last of his mate’s resistance. It was sweet agony to slow things down, but the claiming could wait until after their first joining, and he couldn’t claim his mate without him fully understanding the consequences. If he claimed him, he may not survive the transformation. It could mean the end of his humanity. If Cain failed to be able to learn to shape-shift, the transition could mean his death or he could become eternally trapped in his shifter form. Honestly, he wasn’t sure how it would affect him yet. It had been centuries since a human had undergone a transformation like that.

Shanghai couldn’t force his world on Cain like that. Not without asking how he felt about it, and for right now, this physical connection between them had to be enough.

“I want to make love to you, Shanghai,” Cain admitted, bashfully turning his head away so he wouldn’t make eye contact.

“And I”—the breath hissed between Shanghai’s teeth at his mate’s admission—“would like nothing more than to do that. I want to fuck you until you forget every man you’ve ever been with. I want to make you scream out my name as I slide in and out of here.”

Cain whimpered as Shanghai pulled him up in his lap and felt under between his butt cheeks. The thin material of his shorts offered little protection from Shanghai’s pretty large hard-on. He knew Cain could feel every powerful inch of him under him. “I want to hear the way my name sounds on your tongue when I make love to you and the sweet sounds you make when you are in the middle of being pleasured.”

Shanghai watched a lump rise and fall on Cain’s throat. “I want to own every inch of your flesh, Cain.”“You already do. Make love to me, mate.” Cain sighed and cuddled against Shanghai’s chest.

“It will be my pleasure. Let me help undress you.” Shanghai lifted the thin T-shirt up and over his mate’s head. It revealed his shaved chest, which only had a smattering of hair to begin with. Throughout his days of taking care of Cain and the doctor running his tests, Cain had to be hooked up to machines and Shanghai didn’t want him any more uncomfortable than he already was. Shaving seemed to be the quickest solution. After that, he had seen him naked many times as he changed the bedsheets and gave him sponge baths to help keep him clean and cool. Shanghai helped to ease the shorts off his hips and down off his ankles. The sight of his mate, naked and willing to experience his touch, took his breath away.

Cain came alive under his touch, shivering under the stroke of his tongue or the whisper of his breath. Long capable fingers caressed his flesh. Goose bumps formed on Cain’s arms after he slid his hands over the soft flesh of his lover. It pleased Shanghai deeply to have Cain be so responsive to his touch.

“You are so beautiful, mate. You take my breath away.”

“I was going to say the same thing about you, Shanghai. Do you know how many times I dreamed what it would be like to touch you? To see you naked? I was attracted to you the moment I laid eyes on you and now…” Cain’s hands spread wide over Shanghai’s chest and strayed across his ribs and down his lean stomach muscles.

“Now it’s a reality.” Shanghai caught his wrists in his hands and gave him a lingering kiss. The warmth in his stomach grew and intensified. His cock was growing in size and power. Thick and long, it wanted one thing and one thing alone—to be planted deep inside his mate’s fine ass. He needed his mate and longed to feel his cock inside of him.

Shanghai eased Cain down on his back and spread his legs apart with the palms of his hands. He made his way down his body, leaving a trail of kisses on Cain’s lips, down the side of his neck, to his chest and still lower until he reached his erect mushroom-shaped cock. Cain had been circumcised, and he had clean lines and a perfect cock. He was fully aroused, and a drop of cum pooled at the tip.

Shanghai ached to taste his mate ever since he first laid eyes on his naked flesh. On a whim, he licked the tip, tasting the salty brine of his lover. It was like honey on his lips. It was the perfect harmony of flavors on his taste buds.

“You taste so good, mate.” Shanghai licked his mate’s cock, milking him for more.

“Can’t wait much longer,” Cain groaned in response, and he answered Shanghai’s passion with one of his own as he thrust his hips upward. Shanghai spread his fingers wide across his hips and pushed him back into the mattress.He chuckled softly. “It’s okay. We can take all night long to get this right.”

Cain trembled beneath Shanghai’s body. “Oh, Shanghai. Please fuck me.”

“All in good time, Cain.”
INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW

Q: What is one thing about the publishing world that surprised you the most?I have learned a great deal since beginning this journey seven years ago. It’s been a bumpy ride but something I have really appreciated is the other writers who are willing to share their experiences and vast knowledge with me. The romance community as a whole has been very accepting, very kind and very generous in teaching the next generation.


Q: How do you know you’ve written a good book?I go through ups and downs in my writing process. Sometimes it feels like the best book—ever! Then there are times I wonder how I could write this drivel, but I’m still growing as a writer. When I know I’ve written a good book, the emotions of the characters move me personally. I can laugh when they do and cry when they do. I have a stronger connection with the characters in those books and I wish I could say this was in the case of every book, but each one is a different story and not every book is great.
Q: How do you keep your characters and stories organized?Thanks to attending a writer’s conference lately and seeing Gabrielle Evans and Joyee Flynn speak I am now keeping series bibles on everything. Each book I write, I am keeping character sheets with personality and physical traits so I can keep the series accurate in the future. I am actually creating a map of the town in the Riding Western Style series to make it easier on myself in the future. Many times, I jump between books and series and it’s nice having this reference to come back to after several months or years have passed between books.
Q: Have you ever gotten writer’s block? How do you get past it?I have to admit I have gotten writer’s block a couple times in my life. Most the time, there is something in the story I am having trouble with, and it’s something I have to work out before I can move on. If I can’t write past the block or force myself to write, I will usually write on another aspect of the story I do know, or a character interview or just work on another story altogether. I think it’s far easier to fall out of the habit of writing if I didn’t continue to write every day. So, if it’s my writing time, I write whether it’s on the story I need to write or not.
Q: What are you currently working on? How is it different from other books you’ve written? Discipline and Desire is the follow-up book in the Club Desire series. It’s the current work in progress and the characters are the same as in the previous stories, except they are facing a new challenge. The main hero is facing physical and mental challenges he never thought he’d have to face. Victor’s in a wheelchair and he may not ever walk again, but there are worse things in life than being physically handicapped.
Q: When is your favorite time of day to write?Honestly, I think we all have time of day we just function at a higher level. I am not a night person. When I get exhausted for the day, I am done. My brain stops functioning and I just want to lay in bed until I pass out. I’ve always been at my peak in the early morning hours. I get up before the rest of the house does and star my writing day at 5 AM. Then the kids wake up and I have to help them get ready for school. I’d like to say I get right back to work, but that’s not true. So much happens I rarely am able to work at all the hours of the day I want to write. The time of day I accomplish the most on my books is three hours from 11 AM to 2 PM.  The house is quiet and I know I will be uninterrupted for the most part and can really get into my story. 

Welcome Author Cindy Jacks

ABOUT

CINDY JACKSWEBSITE | BLOG | FACEBOOK | TWITTERcindy.jacks@hotmail.com 

Prior to becoming a writer of romantic and erotic fiction, Cindy went to college at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and graduated with a BFA in Art. After a brief attempt at an art career, she decided the ‘starving artist’ life wasn’t for her. She worked for ten years in the corporate arena, but now spends her days as a full time author.
Her first published work--The Point of Distraction Series--was inspired by a collection of short stories she wrote to entertain her best friend. Since then she's explored her inner bad girl, producing books full of humor and packed with real emotion.
When not chained to her laptop, she enjoys belly dancing, international cooking, and making jewelry. She and her family make their home in the Washington, DC area.
A Writer Looks at Forty
First let me wish Gabrielle a very happy birthday and thank her for including me in the celebration. All this talk of birthdays has me thinking about my own coming up this summer. The big four-oh.
One of my guilty pleasures is Jimmy Buffett’s “A Pirate Looks at Forty,” but it seems I have the opposite problem from the protagonist in Mr. Buffett’s song― instead of finding myself with no outlet for my chosen occupation I find myself with too much. It’s an exciting time to be a writer with self-publishing, Indie presses and all sorts of venues to see my words in print. It does however mean there’s more competition than ever and at times I feel adrift on a sea of voices. How to make mine heard? I’m not sure I’ve figured that out yet, but what I do know is that I’m grateful to be part of the dialogue. Tenacity is most of the battle in any chosen career. This much I’ve learned in the past thirty-nine and three quarter years.
With age comes wisdom. I never quite knew what that meant when I was younger. I mean, I felt pretty enlightened back then. I wasn’t. I was just too stupid to know that there was lots I didn’t know *grin* Well, there has to be an upside to this aging thing. It’s certainly not the effect time and gravity has had on my boobs nor is it those aches and pains slowly creeping in on me and my newfound need for reading glasses. Those things I could do without. But the wisdom and experience to navigate life with fewer mistakes and more self-assurance. That is indeed worth the wait.
Here are a few of life’s lessons I’ve taken to heart:
At times life gives me more than I think I can handle, but that I can handle a lot more than I think I can.
That which does not kill us does not only make us stronger, but also stranger and that’s a good thing. Who wants to be normal?
I love to laugh, but sometimes it’s important to break down and cry.
Stop telling myself what I think I should be feeling and just feel.
Nothing is ever as bad or as good as you think it will be…except in the case of ice cream. It’s always pretty damn good and it fixes most of what ails ya.
I like being comfortable in my own skin. I know what I like and what I don’t like, but I also realize it’s important to try something new once in a while…even if I think I’ll hate it.
It’s okay to slow down, just don’t stop all together.
All the blessings and opportunities to grow in the past thirty-nine and three quarter years have made me who I am. I wouldn’t change a thing. Not even the painful parts. I can’t wait for the next forty and a chance to learn even more about life, love and the pursuit of happiness. When asked if I would want to be in my 20s again, I answer with a resounding, “Hell no!” though I wouldn’t pass up the chance to have my twenty-something boobs back. Maybe when I hit the bestseller list ;)
And in support of my bosom restoration effort, please check out my latest release―Sailor’s Knot.
SAILOR'S KNOT [PIRATES AT HEART, BOOK THREE]


BUYThe year is 2037 and the next generation of Logan family pirates have taken over the helm of The Yellow Rose. Running bootleg booze and smuggling runners from the Reformed States of America into the Republic of Texas, business couldn’t be better…that is, if brothers Marcus and Nathaniel don’t kill each other in the process.
Captain Marcus Logan is serious, brooding and haunted, carrying a torch for his first mate, Amelie. Nathaniel—the resident party boy—is none of those things, but somehow they’d made their differences work for them until recently. When tall, leggy blonde Captain Ruby Delaney is a guest aboard The Rose, she turns Nathaniel’s head and stirs up all sorts of trouble, not the least of which is winding up in Marcus’ bed one drunken night. This ill-advised one-night stand ignites a love quadrangle so intertwined that the phrase “it’s complicated” doesn’t begin to define this sailor’s knot.


EXCERPT
Humiliation and admiration flooded Marcus with equal measure. Ruby was far craftier than he’d given her credit for. His earlier words to Nate echoed in his mind. He’d accused his brother of ineptitude when Marcus himself couldn’t tie a restraint that could hold her.
Shaking his head, he passed her the bottle. “Glad I could entertain you.”
“Aw, don’t be like that. I’m still trapped here.” She ran a hand over his sheets, leaning forward and spreading her legs a bit. “In your cabin.”
Bad girl. He arched an eyebrow. Usually he’d be immune to such an obvious overture, but in his current state, she was hard to ignore.
His cock stirred at the thought of her in his bed. Maybe it was the whiskey or maybe it was the fact that he hadn’t had a woman in… How long had it been? Several months at least. A smile crossed his lips. That barmaid in Belize. He usually steered clear of one-night stands, but she’d been so insistent, hadn’t she?
And his last relationship before that, over a year prior. It had lasted a couple of weeks at best. Sticking around wasn’t his forte. Not since— No, he wouldn’t think about Amelie anymore. Not with a beautiful blonde next to him. For once, couldn’t he do what any man would do in this situation? For once, couldn’t he give in to his base desires instead of suppressing them, struggling to keep them under control?
“You’re gorgeous when you smile.” Ruby intruded on his thoughts.
Marcus stared at her, weighing his options. Her full breasts rose and fell with every breath, her voluptuous thighs grazing past his leg as she shifted to make herself more comfortable. She smelled like his soap but there was an undercurrent of her own scent. Rich and sweet. He wanted to taste her.
“Are you flirting with me?” he asked, leaning closer.
“Obviously.” She licked her lips, meeting his hungry stare.
Scooting closer, she pressed her breasts to his arm. He dipped his head a little to the right. Her quick exhalations skimmed his cheek. She wouldn’t run away, disappear at the crucial moment. Quite the opposite. With one finger trailing beneath his chin, she drew him nearer, daring him to kiss her.
She was offering herself up to be had, for him to take her. And why not? There was no one waiting at home for him. He was a free man with a cock so hard it hurt. And this woman—a dangerous and wild woman—wanted him. At least for the night. And he wanted her. Hell, who wouldn’t?
He cradled the back of her neck, kissing her hard. “If you steal from me again, I’ll kill you.”
“I wouldn’t cross you again. I know when I’m licked.”
Pushing her back onto the mattress, he nipped at her ear. “I haven’t even started licking you yet.”
She laughed, wrapping a leg around him.
SAILOR’S KNOT
Haven't read books one and two? Find LANDLOCKEDand SMUGGLER'S BLUES,  as well as other books by Cindy Jacks, at ELLORA’S CAVE.

Welcome Author Vicktor Alexander!

ABOUT
VICKTOR ALEXANDERvicktoralexander@vicktoralexander.com
WEBSITE | GOODREADS | BLOG


 Hi all! I'm Vicktor Alexander but everyone calls me "Vic." Southern gentleman by day, completely displaced and living in New York, and a writer and purveyor of steamy, sticky, hot man on man (sometimes on man on man on man on man on man) sex. I wrote my first story at the tender age of 10 about my youngest biological sister and her destruction of the world...with her breath. The stories didn't stop there and it wasn't long or much of a shock to those who knew me well, before I was writing interracial historical romances. I quickly realized that my heroes seemed much happier when they were hanging out with other guys (aren't we all?) and that was when I discovered the M/M genre.

I now enjoy writing about shifters, humanoids, cowboys, firemen, rent boys, fairies, elves, dancers, doctors, Doms, Subs, and anything else that catches my fancy, all sexy men falling in love with each other and having lots of naughty, dirty, man-on-man sex. I am the author of the best-selling series, The Tate Pack (which still blows my mind) and am a huge fan of the "happily-ever-after" ending. But while all my characters all ride off into the proverbial sunset, all sexually satisfied and in love (because it's the least I can do), they all bear the scars of fighting for that love, just like in real life. I am never satisfied with only one genre, and every book that I write tends to fall into more than one category and has each main character experiencing more than one orgasm.
Out and proud, I don't believe that love only comes in one form, one race, one gender and that not only is gender fluid, by sexuality as well. I loves to make people laugh (and guys hot) and when I'm not writing, or rather, procrastinating in writing, I'm reading, playing the Sims 3, hanging out with my very supportive adopted family, talking to my adopted daughter whom I call Chipmunk, seeking the man or men who can handle my crazy, stressful, soap opera-esque life and being distracted from said writing by pictures of John Barrowman and Shemar Moore.

THE BESTIES
BUY FROM BOOKSTRAND
BUY FROM AMAZONKelly Jeter is a 30-year old virgin who suffers from an acute shyness and extreme anxiety. He lives in Manhattan and collects lighthouses. He is the quintessential nerd. He also doesn't see how gorgeous he is, so when he meets Hawk Caliarchi, a friend of his besties, Krystal and Amy, he can't believe the hulking Greek man wants anything to do with him. So when Hawk shows an interest in him, Kelly does the only thing he can do... he has an asthma attack and almost passes out.Hawk finally gets Kelly to agree to a date but before these two completely opposite men can settle down into a relationship, Hawk must face his past and Kelly must face his insecurities, fears and overcome his low self-esteem. Will he be able to conquer his battles before he loses Hawk for good and will he be able to thank his besties for introducing him to the love of his life?

The Conception of Kelly Jeter from The Besties
I was having lunch with the head honcho editor of MLR Press, Kris Jacen, and fellow author, Cherie Noel, when the subject of the Dirty Girl Marathon came up. Now, me being me my mind instantly went to something sexual (why would they advertise something like that all bold-like? I wondered). When Kris told me that the Dirty Girl Marathon was in fact a “marathon” with actual running, and told me about another author friend who runs as well, my mind began swirling with ideas and possibilities. What if a young gay guy… a virgin… went to a Dirty Girl marathon to support his female friends, his “besties,” and ended up meeting the love of his life?
Without another word to either Kris or Cherie (sorry about that ladies!) I began typing away furiously on my iPad. Before long the first 1k words were written and Kelly Jeter had been born.
Kelly is quirky… okay, he’s a nerd. He’s a lovable nerd, but a nerd nonetheless. He’s a 30 year old virgin, he suffers from an anxiety disorder that triggers his acute asthma. Kelly is, in two words: a mess. But he’s a mess that you want to cuddle and wrap in bubble wrap and help find his Prince Charming that’s going to take care of him and keep him safe, sexually satisfied and happy.
Enter Hawk Caliarchi. Hawk is a man’s man. He’s big, gorgeous, smart, physically strong, fit, and thank YHVH, he’s Greek, which means he’s has big… hands. Hawk meets Kelly and promptly saves the smaller man’s life when Kelly has an asthma attack due to his nervousness and can’t find his emergency inhaler. Hawk is smitten. He is drawn to Kelly and he won’t stop until he gets him. Good thing Kelly has his besties to hook him up with the Greek god. But Hawk isn’t all rippling muscles, weather-changing good looks and big… hands. He’s been hurt, so he’s a little guarded, he’s got his own issues and his issues and Kelly’s issues might just keep them apart.
This was my first romantic comedy. I laughed with Kelly and Hawk, grew angry with them and at one point (I won’t tell you where) I even got a little misty-eyed (nope, still not going to tell you). I loved being in Kelly’s head because it looked an awful lot like mine and I was quite comfortable there. Kelly is hilarious, self-conscious, he self-sabotages, he pushes people away, but lucky for him, the people who truly belong in his life, the ones who will weather the storm with him, won’t allow themselves to be pushed away. They stick around, they encourage him, lift him up, push him to keep going and they introduce him to a man like Hawk. A man so beautiful he literally took Kelly’s breath away. Yummy, I want a man (or men) like that.
Oh and by the way, I’ve been asked about Kelly’s name. One of my own besties Patricia Lynne, aka “Patty” or “The Patster” (she doesn’t know I call her that) has a husband named Kel who is pretty damn awesome, so Kelly’s name was inspired by him. And Jeter? Well, I actually hate the Yankees, I’m a Boston Red Sox fan, diehard and hardcore, but the name Jeter is so much cooler than Schilling (Curt Schilling, pitcher for the Red Sox? The bloody sock World Series 2004? The Red Sox won?? UGH!!! People! How do you NOT know this?) and I loved the story behind it.
So Kelly is special to me, and I’m so happy to share him and his hilarity with the rest of you and as I’ve been told by many readers so far “everyone needs a bestie like Kelly and everyone needs to have besties like Kelly.” I couldn’t agree more.

INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW
Q: Thinking back on your first book, is there anything you would have done differently? I think I would have spent a little more time on editing and telling the backstory of Richard and Vet. There’s so much about the two of them that readers don’t know and only me and my muse, Tommy, are privvy to.  I just feel as if people are missing out on the wonderfulness of this couple because I didn’t know what I was doing.
Q:   If you could spend a day with one of your characters, who would it be and why?I think I’d spend the day with Talon “Tal” Versuthion. He’s Vermithian, a humanoid, from Edifician and is the main character from my book The Alpha King, book one of Passion’s Hero, that’s releasing from Silver Publishing. Tal is so fun. He’s funny, smart, talented and has this great energy and personality about him. He lives in a palace and his mate is an Alpha King. They live on the planet Tumaro and it’s about as close to Paradise as I can imagine. He’s got this great family, but his life is full of adventure and he’s got some great powers. I loved writing him and if I could spend a day with him I could see us having fun around the palace, with his sister Josie and maybe I’d find my mate among one or two of the Tumaron Gamma guards. LOL.
Q:  What is one thing about the publishing world that surprised you the most?How quickly people can buy books. Crazy as it sounds I always figured that if I put out a book it would take people at least two-three weeks to buy it, but if I have a book up for pre-order there are so many people who buy it that I’m shocked every time. It only takes one click and people have the book. It’s amazing.
Q:    What do you feel is the hardest part of the writing process?Sticking with it, not letting the problems of every day prevent you from finishing a story. There’s that and then my biggest problem is finishing a book before I start another one. Usually I’ll start writing one book, get an idea for another book and finish the second one before I finish the first one, then I’ll end up turning that first book into a series. So many of my books become series that I don’t even really say I have standalones anymore.

Q:     How do you know you’ve written a good book?When I write “The End” and I’ve got a huge grin on my face. Sometimes I finish a book and I’m biting my lip, wanting to go back through the story and add stuff or remove stuff, but there are times, like with The Besties, The Alpha King, and Elian, when I finish it that I’m just grinning so wide and I know that the story has been told like it’s supposed to be.
Q:        Have you ever gotten writer’s block? How do you get past it?I’ve had it a time or two. First I try to make myself write and when it doesn’t help, I usually take a few days (last time it was a month) and I listen to music, movies and television. That’s when I catch up on my favorite shows. I’ve found that The Cosby Show, A Different World, Living Single, California Dreams, Scrubs, Friends, Queer as Folk and Torchwood are great sources of inspiration for me. There’s also Friends with Benefits starring Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake. JT is GREAT for inspiration. The biggest thing about writer’s block is that usually the writer’s brain just needs some rest, though sometimes the story has taken a turn that it wasn’t supposed to and you need to go back and figure it out, but redirecting your attention gives you the ability to figure that out.
Q:    What are you currently working on? How is it different from other books you’ve written?Well, I’m working on Impossible, which is Book Six of the Tate Pack series, but I’m also working on Il Mio Amante Fa Tre and Super Gay in between there. Il Mio Amante Fa Tre is different in that it’s not completely angst-filled. There are no major problems and it’s a story that’s all about family. The entire Ti Voglio Bene series is about family and there’s so much of the Italian culture in it and lots of Italian spoken in the book. I’m in heaven writing it. Super Gay is another romantic comedy (my second one) and it’s just pure fluff, the biggest problem is trying to get the two men together. It’s nice to be able to write stories that are just… fun. Ones where I don’t feel like I’m ripping out my heart while I’m writing it, which is how I feel with a lot of my other books.
COMING SOON!!Q: When is your favorite time of day to write?In the morning. Before I can get distracted by schoolwork, television, music, whatever book I’m reading (right now it’s “Inherit the Stars” by Ariel Tachna. LOVE IT!). I wake up, have a strong cup of coffee, listen to Justin Timberlake, Kelly Rowland, Beyonce and Michael Jackson, then I switch my playlist to the one that has Rascal Flatts, Lady Antebellum, NYSYNC, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and The Temptations as well as Justin Timberlake, Kelly Rowland, Beyonce and Michael Jackson and I write until the house around me is filled with noises and distractions.
Q: When and where can readers look forward to seeing you this year?I’ll be at GRL in October and then I’ll be in Vegas for my birthday in November, though that’s not a writer thing, that’s just a vacation. A sexy vacation. Woohoo!!

Welcome Author J. Roman!

ABOUT
J. ROMANjromanwrites@yahoo.com
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK



J. Roman is a believer in second chances and making things happen. Recently relocated to an ivory tower in the wonderful city of Charlotte, North Carolina, she endeavors to keep everyone on their toes and get into as much trouble as possible. Not a lot has changed since high school, and many of her characters are based in whole or part around the people she grew up with. A firm believer in happily ever after, J. thinks that everyone deserves a happy ending, even if it takes a little more work for some people to get there. She welcomes comments and questions from her readers on her website, http://jromanwrites.blogspot.com.

HEARTLESS [KEEPING SECRETS 1]
BUY NOWFor gay teens in the South, Erwin High School is as good as it gets. The prevailing liberalism means being gay doesn’t have to be the focus of your life—which frees up seventeen-year-old Jason Strummer to take on the role of bully. Jason understands his beauty and power and has a reputation to match his attitude. No one but his best friend suspects the cruelty Jason hides behind is a ruse to keep his hellish private life out of the public eye.
Jason has only loved one boy in his life, and that crush on Tommy Johnson ended so badly that they’re no longer on speaking terms. When an ex-lover threatens Jason and Tommy steps in to help, the heartless playboy can’t help but fall a little bit back in love with him—but Jason will have to choose between keeping Tommy or his secrets.

STORY EXCERPT
ADMITTEDLY, I was not an island. I needed people. Needed as in had to have them around me 24/7 in order to feel like a human being. I’ve always been that way as far back as I can remember. My first day of kindergarten, I was so excited I threw up my breakfast all over my new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles shirt, necessitating a return trip home and a late pass.I am the first to admit I still get a buzz over coming into school and seeing everyone lined up to greet me. Okay, so not everyone lines up to greet me, but I do enjoy saying “hey” to all of my friends. And I can safely say I had a lot of them.“Hey, Jason, how’s it goin’, man?” That was Kevin. He’s the only jock alive that is super cool with having a queer-as-a-three-dollar-bill best friend. I’ve known him since I was four, and he’s known about me being gay since I was thirteen. He’s taller than most guys in school, with blond hair, green eyes, and an ass you could bounce a quarter off of with little difficulty. He plays tight end for our football team. Erwin High School isn’t really known for anything but football. It’s a Southern thing.“Heyo, Kev,” I greeted him with my normal level of enthusiasm, slinging my ripped backpack down beside his against the brick wall where our group tended to congregate. “How is my stud muffin doing?” He cringed when I said that. He honestly should’ve been used to it by then. I did it every day, sometimes more than once a day, since he’d muttered through his “I don’t care what you are, man. Just don’t hit on me” speech when I came out. If not for his gorgeous red-haired girlfriend and her honest declarations that they screwed regularly, everyone would’ve assumed that he was my boyfriend. But that was gross. He was like my brother.“God, J. You’ve got to knock that crap off.” He said that every morning.“Oh, but why? Are you ashamed of me?” I joked, pouting for effect. He usually got fed up with it after that and started tossing crap at me. It was funny. A pinch to my ass interrupted his reply as I yelped. I half turned to see Aaron and his twin brother, Adrian, behind me, giving me identical white grins of mischief. They were just a little taller than me and had their hair dyed various colors, depending on their mood. They were also on the football team.Let me just say this as a disclaimer: we live in Asheville, North Carolina. For those who have never been to Asheville, let me explain why this is significant. Asheville might be located in the middle of redneck country, but they call it the San Francisco of the South. It has an abundance of three things: great food, hippies, and gays. So when I say that going to Erwin High allowed for more liberal-minded social norms such as Kevin having a gay best friend and my punk rocker friends being on the football team, I’m not kidding. They were actually living within the “rules” of high school. Too conservative would’ve placed them outside the realm of acceptable liberalism and subsequently made them outcasts. Other high schools in our state tended to claim that our school colors of white and red mixed regularly to make pink. Yay for homophobia.“What’s up?” I said. Adrian—or was it Aaron? At any rate, one of the twins pointed down at my feet.“Nice shoes,” he said. My eyes flicked down to my toes. The torn orange off-brand sneakers that I’d pilfered out of a fifty-cent bin at Goodwill had been my pride and joy since I’d found them in the correct size three days ago. I had waited until Friday to wear them so they would have maximum effect and match my equally pilfered T-shirt that I’d worn for the occasion. I glared.“Shut the fuck up, Adrian.” Kevin’s voice cut in before I could formulate an equally venomous reply. “He was just tryin’ to match your stupid-ass hair color, but since you dyed it already, J decided to just go for something obnoxious.”My white knight. He’d always been like that with me. He was my big brother in so many ways it was frightening. Despite the fact that we were the same age, he’d always protected me. Even being in Asheville, there were still some people who hadn’t taken kindly to my announcement, my very brave announcement, in my mind. I’d done it in seventh grade, in the middle of fifth period English as we were waiting to be released to go to a pep rally. Some dickheads who were neck-deep in questioning their own sexuality had decided to make me pay for my bravery and their cowardice. Kevin had stepped in then too.He’d done the manly thing. I’d done the revenge thing. When Tommy, the ringleader of the band of assholes, had come out freshman year and had asked to blow me after a football game, I’d let him. Then I posted the video to his mom’s blog. Petty, I know. But effective. The bastard never talked to me again. I’d sort of developed a reputation after that. Even the straight douche bags respected me.Adrian laughed. “Okay, okay. Chill out, Kev. I promise not to pick on your boyfriend for his ugly shoes.”“He is not my boyfriend,” Kevin growled for the millionth time. Did he really not get that the more he did that, the more they would say it?“Why do you deny me, baby?” I cut in. It was the only way to save him from the jibes that would have escalated with his temper. Everyone laughed at Kevin’s facial expression. Everything was fine again. Just another early morning at Erwin High.


INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW
Q: If you could spend a day with one of your characters, who would it be and why?I really would like to sit down with Tommy’s cousin, Danny. He’s such a fun guy with his love of boylove and unending optimism. He’s the one I would call to watch a movie marathon of Supernatural and drool over Jensen Ackles’ awesomeness with.   
Q: How do you know you’ve written a good book?When readers react emotionally to what I’ve written I know I’ve written a good book. Whether they hate or love the characters, so long as they feel something when they get to “the end” I am satisfied. The death of a good book is indifference.
Q: How do you keep your characters and stories organized?I have a pretty efficient spreadsheet that keeps my characters straight. The stories themselves are loosely plotted out beforehand. Everything else is just details that come from the characters.
Q: Are you plot or character driven? Please elaborate.I’m definitely character driven. Since all the Keeping Secrets books are in first person, I have to let the characters drive the plot because otherwise the voices would be inauthentic. Jason wouldn’t be Jason and it wouldn’t be his story if I didn’t hyper focus on how he interacts with his environment.
Q: What are you currently working on? How is it different from other books you’ve written?I’m currently working on Fearless, the next in the Keeping Secrets series. This book is different from the others because we finally get to see light at the end of the tunnel. With secrets exposed, things are going to change in a big way for our heroes. We’ll also get to know some of the other boys better in this book and perhaps some hints on who might get a story in the near future. 

Welcome Author Erin R. Flynn!

ABOUT
ERIN R. FLYNN
erinrflynn@hotmail.comWEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | BLOG

Growing up on the northwest side of Chicago, Erin is a loyal Cubs fan, but she also admits to being a die-hard Green Bay Packers girl. From target practice to candle making, she enjoys an eclectic list of hobbies that feed her outgoing and creative personality.
Feeling unfulfilled with her life in corporate America, Erin decided to pursue her true passion, and her first novella was published in May 2010 under the pseudonym Joyee Flynn. To date, she has published over 70 books in the erotic romance genre, and her dedicated readers eagerly await each installment to her numerous bestselling series. Wanting to give her characters a bit more action, mystery, and adventure, Erin decided to branch out from romance and her Joyee pen name to create successful, strong, independent women with a paranormal twist.
Living near the Rocky Mountains, Erin spends her days curled up on the overstuffed chair with a Mountain Dew and her 8 year old Weimaraner, Marius, at her feet, telling the stories her characters whisper in her ear.  Her love of the written word hasn’t changed much over the years. The only difference is that she no longer has to hide in her closet to read after bedtime.

THE TURNING [DR. KELLY MURPHY] NOW AVAILABLE!
BUY NOWGraduate medical school, start competitive internship, don’t get cut from the program, become a surgeon. It was a great plan. One Kelly Murphy loved and had dreamed of most of her life… And it was blown to hell in a night with an uninvited bite.
Now she’s missing three days of her life, trying to handle her freaked out best friend and parents who called the police when she went missing, all as she realizes she’s not the same person she was before. She’s different. Like has fangs different.
When he shows up on her doorstep claiming to know what happened to her, Kelly’s not sure that makes things any less confusing. But at least he can guide her, right? Either way, she has a plan and a choice she didn't make won’t stop her… Even if she might have the urge to bite her patients from now on.


EXCERPT
“Kel, what the hell happened to you?” my mom asked. I could tell she was holding back tears.
“I don’t know. I remember going to the bar after my last exam. I saw Nicole, and she handed me a shot to take, I slugged it back, then I woke up here dying of thirst. Everything in between is a total blank. It’s not hazy details, or fuzzy—I’ve got nothing. Nicole called me and woke me up this morning and she filled me in that I’ve been missing and how long I’ve been gone. Can you guys call the police or whomever you have searching for me and tell them I’m found?”
“Are you going to the hospital? Did you check for bruises? Never mind, we’re coming over,” my dad rattled and then hung up the phone. I wanted to laugh; some things never changed, but it wasn’t a laughing time right now. I sat on my couch with my pop, wondering where I had been.
Checking my phone, I saw I had a lot of missed calls. Chugging the pop didn’t seem to help my thirst so I finished that and got a bottle of juice. That wasn’t working either. Thinking it was odd, I yawned and realized I was really tired. I laid down just to close my eyes for a minute, but promptly fell asleep.
The knocking at the door woke me with a start and hearing my parent’s panicked voices made me immediately go to open it. It seemed I was there instantly.
Wow, I must be still out of it because I don’t usually move that fast. As I opened the door, I could swear I heard something that sounded like two heartbeats. Staring strangely at my parents as they came in, I just dismissed it. They must have been very anxious from not knowing where I was and had rapid heartbeats.
“Kelly, oh my god, you really are okay!” My mom started gushing as she came in and just about tackled me with a massive hug.“Mom, I’m fine. I swear,” I whispered, glad for something familiar when I was freaking out.
“Jen, let the girl breathe, you’re choking the air out of her.” I looked up at my dad to say thank you and realized I saw something I hadn’t seen for years. He was crying. “Are you sure you’re all right, Kel? I think we should take you to the hospital to get checked out and—ah— well, get a rape kit done.”
“Dad!” I said, completely shocked. My dad and I had never discussed anything like that before, not even a birds and the bees talk. “I’m sure nothing like that happened, Dad. Everything is, well, kind of as it should be. I mean there’s no way when I was drugged or whatever, taken, that I was raped. I have no bruises or cuts and not a button out of place.”As I was talking I was drawn back to my mom. She smelled great, sweet even. I sat down next to her, and I know she was talking, but I wasn’t listening to a word she said. I just couldn’t get over how great she smelled. I just wanted to eat her up!
Until I bit my tongue. “Ouch, damn that hurt!”
“What, are you okay?” Mom said, looking panicked again.
“Yeah, Ma, I’m fine. I bit my tongue, hang on it’s bleeding.” The next instant it seemed I was in the bathroom.
“Wow, Kelly, you sure are moving fast these days,” my dad yelled from the living room, but there was a twitch of nervousness in his voice. Now why would that make him antsy?
“Got to keep up with the docs at the hospital,” I said, trying to laugh it off. The blood from my tongue tasted so good in my mouth it was starting to weird me out. I opened my mouth to see how much damage I had done. What I saw made me think I was hallucinating. 
“Holy shit!”
“What? What’s wrong?” my dad hollered from the living room. I heard him start to get up.
“Dad, don’t get up. I’m fine, just tripped.”
“How did you know I was getting up? You can’t see me from there.”
“I heard you,” I said dismissively. I wasn’t as concerned about my hearing as I was with the teeth I thought I saw in my mouth. I opened my mouth and looked in the mirror again. How the hell did I all of a sudden have, well, fangs? I touched them, just to make sure. Could it be a hallucination if you could touch them?
“I didn’t make a sound. How did you hear me?”
“I heard the floor board creek and it was where you were sitting.” Okay breathe, I told myself, just breathe slowly and deeply. As I relaxed, the fangs seemed to shrink back into normal teeth. Well shit! Did that just happen?
“Kelly, he didn’t make a sound. You’re starting to really worry me.” I could feel the concern from my mother, and it snapped me back. In the next instant I was standing right next to her. “Crap, Kelly, how did you get over here so fast? You scared the shit out of me. You seem so pale, but your skin is flawless. Did you start using a new moisturizer?” I gazed at her in utter dismay, and my look must have said everything because she got up and walked to the window. “You’ve got to open these blinds more often, it’s not like you are a vampire living in a coffin.” She laughed as she said it but it hit me like a ton of bricks and then she opened the blinds.
“Ahh, Mom, close them! The light is killing me,” I said a little louder than I meant to.
“Are you all right?” My dad said with a raised brow, but I was too busy focusing on what my mom had said—vampire.
“I’m fine. I just need to get some rest,” I replied, trying to hint that they should leave. I had a lot to think about, and the sound of their hearts beating was drawing me closer to them. I was just so thirsty I didn’t know how much more I could take. After what my mom said I was scared to think why I was so drawn to them.
Crap, I watch way too many horror films!


INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW
Thinking back on your first book, is there anything you would have done differently?Funny that’s one of the questions asked… Since this was my first book ever written even if it’s like my almost 100th published between the two names I write under. Yes, there were a TON of changes made from the original version. On the plus side I’ve become a much better author in the years since I wrote the book. The negative was the amount of editing of course. Apparently I had a thing for “!” marks. Dear god they were everywhere. People were just shouting their fool heads off and freaking out over everything! That or they were all really excited all the time!!!!!
What do you feel is the hardest part of the writing process? Titles, blurbs, and naming characters. It’s too confining for me! I’m used to saying what I want or telling a story in an unlimited amount of words. Then I have 150 or less to tell what the entire book is about?! It makes me want to break out into hives like I’m taking the SATs again and going to screw it all up and people will hate it because I said the wrong thing. The titles are the same. So much is implied by a title. Does it capture the feeling of the book enough? Will someone think there’s another meaning behind it I didn’t intend? And look how often people pick on names. I’m always so worried I’m going to miss a hidden “Bart-ism” where when you said the name out loud it actually sounds like something else. Or I’ve done what every author has and picked out a name thinking it sounded great, realizing later it did because I’d heard it before. That just sucks. You never mean to do it but there’s no way to keep up with ever name you’ve ever heard and not use them! It’s just very stressful. I always joke that I wish someone else could do that part for me.
How do you know you’ve written a good book?I can’t stop. I just can’t stop writing. It’s almost a physical pain to go to bed or walk away from my laptop. Stopping or being interrupted is like the TV going out during the last ten minutes of the season finale of your favorite show where you just want to whine in the corner.
How do you keep your characters and stories organized?Well, that’s a little crazily complicated. The short version is there’s a folder on my external hard with 68 files in it and I’m not quite done yet. The long answer is there’s a database with every character I’ve ever named, main and minor, that’s broken down into series so I don’t have duplicate main characters as rarely as possible, and try to have few repeat minor ones even in a series. Then there’s a rules list, minor character specs chart, and a main character one. There’s more but that’s actually just for Joyee books. I haven’t even gotten to doing ones for my Erin series yet.
Have you ever gotten writer’s block? How do you get past it?No which probably just jinxed myself, but not yet. I’ve gotten stuck on trying to figure out whether I should go left, right, veer one way or another, loop de loop, or flip a bitch. For me I don’t sit down to write unless I know what I’m going to say so I rarely sit and stare at the screen and if I do for more than a few minutes I walk away. I always saw writers block like a stopped up drain. You forced something down that there shouldn’t have been or wasn’t ready. If you’d just gone with the flow, it wouldn’t have happened. So that’s what I do. Doesn’t mean I won’t think about it to death if I’m working through something I just won’t sit down to write until I know my direction.
What is one of your biggest pet peeves?I have to pick just one? Hmmm, people who don’t realize they’re dumb. That one person who constantly talks to you like you’re 12 or mentally slow and you just want to bang your head against the wall for several reasons, mostly that they’re so dense they don’t get they’re the idiot between the two of you.
It’s kind of the same, but the people who just don’t get what your real relationship entails. I love my fans. And even as I’m picking on some of them, it’s a small percentage of them. But as I’m switching my personal FB Joyee page to private and started the author page, I was sending individualprivate messages, reminding them about the page and that I was making the account private. Then I’d unfriend them. Some of the responses I got were just insane! People I’d NEVER spoken with, heard of, or would have known their name if my life depended on it messaging me about my betrayal and how could I do that to them. OMG?! They friended me on FB… That is NOT the same as being my live, in the flesh friend who knows my phone number, address, and been to my home.

Happy Birthday Mr. Evans!!

ABOUT

Mild mannered software/web developer and computer programmer by day and a video game enthusiast by night, Mr. Evans spent most of his formative years in the urban jungle of Houston, Texas. After graduating many moons ago, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, completing his basic training in San Diego, California before being stationed at MCLB, Albany Georgia.
He met his wonderful, amazing, and brilliant wife, Gabrielle, in the summer of 1999. They embarked on a three-year, long-distance courtship before finally making it official in 2002. The couple currently resides in central Indiana with their two wildly active boys and a small zoo of animals.
Mr. Evans is a board member of the AHDL* and enjoys attending bi-monthly meetings. He is also part of a small group of civilians, honor-bound to make the world a safer place to live by ridding the planet of evil, one zombie at a time.
Mr. Evans welcomes questions, but he does warn that all of his answers must be approved by the Sergeant Major (Gabrielle) before being posted, so there could be a delay in response.
*AHDL – After Hours Drinking League

INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW
Q: Do you have a favorite sex toy?Really? No warm up questions… we’re jumping right in there. So there are just some things real penises can’t do. i.e. light up, twirl and vibrate with a beaded ring that rotates clock wise. Just to be clear this is for her… not me. 
*Q: What advice would you give to a guy or girl wanting to hook up with a romance author? My biggest tip would be speak and write English well. i.e. Gabrielle will most likely play editor with my answers before they are posted. I’m curious if my overuse of “i.e.” and “…” will be removed. 
Q: What would your last meal be?Now this is an opening question… Not to emasculate myself but Gabrielle does the grilling in our household. I would take one of her steaks, a load baked potato and corn on the cob. For dessert, a brownie sundae from DQ would be the best.
Q: You wake up naked and chained to a bed. What are the first words out of your mouth?“Awesome!!!!!!!!! Wait… Gabrielle… are you there? And what are you planning?”
Q: If you could change one thing about Gabrielle, what would it be and why?Nothing, she’s perfect. Oh that’s it… being perfect! Do you know how annoying that is? 
Q: What do you truly think of Gabrielle’s writing choices?I dig them; it gets her creative “juices” going (Sorry for the dirty pun, babe) and I reap the rewards.
Q: What do you tell people when they ask what your wife does for a living? I tell them what she told me. She writes erotic romance. Normal romances use phrases like his growth or member. She can use cock, dick, (and then I ramble off every inappropriate word I can think of.)
*Q: In your opinion, what is the necessary amount of manscaping?It depends on the anticipated activities.
Q: Have you ever read one of Gabrielle’s M/M books? What did you think?I have read the first Moonlight Breed, and I thought it was hilarious. I could see our humor in the books which I found very cool. Also, it was pretty hot! This was odd because M/M is not my thing. I’d get lost in a sensual scene, and then I was a little confused and would have to remember, “Oh, yeah, there are two of those.”
Q: If you had to have an affair with another man, who would it be and why?If I was forced to… I suppose Brad Pitt or Gerald Butler. They both seem cool as hell, and they look like I wish I did. The hard part would be negotiating who will be the bottom.
Q: What is the hardest part about being married to a writer? She works all the time. She’ll get lost in her writing, and I have to remind her to eat.
Q: Has Gabrielle ever asked you to help with “research” that made you hesitate? Have you ever said no?I love when she asks me to help with research! She has not requested anything too outside the norm, but I always reassure her that I’m a freak.
Q: Are you a Top or a bottom in the bedroom?I top from the bottom… hahahaha another phrase she has taught me. I’m a top and it’s fun to dominate. Whenever I need to be more aggressive, she resists in a playful way.
Q: Feathers or Floggers? Do you have a preference? For me, I think feathers. My body’s natural reaction to pain is to fight back.
*Q: If you had three kinky wishes from a magical sex genie, what would they be?1: I wish we had a decked out bedroom/dungeon. Swings, waterbed, whips, chains, multiple items for pleasure and pain, but all could be hidden with a touch of a button for when the kids come running in.
2: I could place suggestive thoughts into Gabrielle’s mind and manipulate her attire at will.
3: I wish Gabrielle and I were not as possessive as we are, so we could explore 1, 2 or 5 new people in an encounter. Yes, this is the typical “guy” answer, but she can fulfill every other wish I could think of. However, to be honest, the possessiveness is kind of hot, so I’m good either way.


Thank you to everyone who sent in questions! Congratulations to the winners: Diane, Jan, and Michelle! Their questions are starred. (*)

-- Gabrielle