Sage Marlowe's Blog, page 28

A Thief on Christmas Eve - pre-order started

You’re an FBI agent. No, really, you are. Trust me on this. 
Your name is Julian Harris and you’ve recently been promoted to the head of the newly implemented Division for Art-Related Crimes. You’ve spent the best part of the past three years chasing a notorious art thief and cat burglar. You don’t know what the guy looks like, even though you’ve been studying his every move. You’ve even given him a name. Romeo. Because you know he’s charming from what little witnesses have told you. You also know that, as far as crimes go, he’s brilliant. But you have a clever mind, too, and you have figured out how to catch him.

And that’s why you spend Christmas Eve in a lonely house in the mountains, the place of his next heist. You’re waiting for him. It’s freezing cold outside, but inside it’s warm and snug. 

You’ve been there for hours, sitting and listening to every noise of the wind outside, every cracking of the wood around you until at last, you hear someone enter. You know it’s him; it must be him. Your heart is hammering inside your chest, but you force yourself to sit still and keep waiting. 

A shadowy figure crosses the room. He walks to the safe, kneels in front of it, reaches out and—

“FBI. Freeze.”
The man didn’t even startle at the sudden sharp order. Crouching in front of the safe, one hand on the lock, he obediently paused mid-motion.
“Now raise your hands.”
Julian didn’t need to repeat the order. The burglar raised his hands but kept the rest of his body perfectly still. Controlled. Tense and ready to move, not the resigned slackness of someone who had given up.
“Don’t think you can try anything now. It’s over for you. I’ve got a loaded gun in my hand that is currently pointed at your right shoulder. If you make a sudden move, I’ll pull the trigger. The bullet will smash the bone and your arm will be useless for a couple of months, maybe forever depending on what it is that you want to use it for. Now turn around. Slowly,” Julian warned and flicked on the light. Obedient, the man turned to face him, hands still raised above his head, and for the first time ever, Julian had the chance to really see the phantom he’d been chasing all these months.
“You’re younger than I thought.”
“Disappointed?”
“No, just surprised. Good for you, though. It means that if you’re lucky, you’ll have enough years left for a chance to build yourself a life worth living by the time you get out of prison.”
The man was indeed quite a bit younger than Julian had expected him to be. He was probably somewhere in his mid-twenties rather than the late thirties or even forties that would have been more likely considering the trail he’d left and the time he must have spent to train his—admittedly admirable—set of skills to perfection.
There was a curious, almost amused expression on his face as he met Julian’s gaze levelly with a pair of striking blue eyes. Julian couldn’t help but notice that yes, he was just as attractive as the reports on him claimed, maybe even more so. The few reports they had were witness descriptions and, although the man had robbed each and every one of them, they all agreed that he was incredibly handsome and delightfully charming. Most of the females involved seemed to think that being relieved of a part of their fortune was well worth the pleasure of a flirt with him. And yet, none of those delighted ladies had been able to sit down and give a description of him that was worth wasting a drawer’s time on. “I’m Special Agent Julian Harris, FBI. Any preference which one of your names you’d like me to use for this?”
“Pick one—I answer to all of them,” the man answered with a sly grin. The trace of an accent tinted his voice. It was hard to place, but Julian assumed it to be British. Interesting.
“Hmm, let’s see...We’ve got Brian Crandell, Greg Anderson, Richard Stavell, and Robert Dunn. Oh, and then there’s Curtis Halden of course.” Julian looked across the room into those mesmerizing blue eyes that openly mocked him. “You could always tell me your real name, you know. We’ll find out sooner or later anyway.”
“Nice try but—no. If you don’t like my aliases you can use the nickname you got for me.”
“Nickname?”
“Sure. You guys always have one.”
“Is that so?”
“I know you have. Come on, what’s mine?”
Julian gave in with a sigh. “Romeo.”
“Romeo?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Hmm, not quite what I expected, but I like it. Maybe I should create an alias using it. Mmm, Romeo Escalus perhaps. What do you think?”
“I think you won’t need another alias for quite a while. In fact, chances are you’re going to be identified by a set of figures for the years to come.”
“Ah, good answer.” The thief nodded appreciatively. “I thought you would say something like that. Anyway, why Romeo?”
Julian grinned in spite of himself. Either the man didn’t realize what situation he was in or he had a rather warped sense of humor.
“You used a plain old ladder to enter through a window the first time we heard about you. You go for pretty things and never leave a woman you meet uncharmed.”
“Oh, okay. I guess I get your drift. And where does your first name being Julian fit into this?”
Julian suppressed the urge to shift his weight, knowing that it would only make him look nervous. Which he wasn’t. Much. “Just a coincidence.”“Ah. Who came up with it?”
“That would’ve been me.”
“I’m sure the guys in your division love you for offering them that one on a silver tray.” The guy was sharp, that much was clear. Disturbingly so. Easily picking up on Julian’s embarrassment, he offered what looked like a sincere enough smile. Julian ignored it and abandoned the topic with a swift “Sure you don’t want to tell me your real name?”
“Yep.”
“Well then, we’ll just have to do it without the name for now, but just so we’re clear—you are under arrest,” Julian said sternly, forcing himself to ignore just how inviting those sinfully lush lips were that curled just a little more in a half-smile.
“I know.”
“Good. I’m going to cuff you now.”
“Oh. Just like that? Is that your idea of foreplay?”
Julian refused to pursue the image that reference created in his head and almost succeeded. At least his voice was still firm and professional as he said, “No point cracking jokes. Hands behind your back.”

A Thief on Christmas Eve (Romeo & Julian 1) by Sage Marlowe, MM erotic romance, contemporary, action/suspense. Releases: December 22nd, available to pre-order at a 10% discount now: www.bookstrand.com/a-thief-on-christmas-eve





  

Sage is Out

Hello all you lovelies,

Today you can find me on the lovely Jen Wright's blog for an interview. Step by and get see what she wanted to know about me and Re-Submission:
http://authorjenwright.wordpress.com/2012/12/09/welcome-guest-author-sage-marlowe/

Tuesday Teaser: Lisabet Sarai

I'm thrilled to host a very special Tuesday Teaser today. My last guest for this year is talented author and wonderful person Lisabet Sarai who, once upon a time not so long ago, was the first to host yours truly on her blog Beyond Romance. She's since released a couple of intriguing stories. One of those stories is my personal favourite Quarantine, which has just received an honourable mention in the Rainbow Awards. Needless to say, I'm extra-thrilled that she's talking about the story behind the story here. Oh, and did I mention that she's brought a present, too? Uh-huh, she's giving away a $10 Amazon gift certificate to one lucky person who comments on this post. But enough from me.  Ladies and Gentlemen, here's the fabulous Lisabet Sarai:



The Power of Persistence By Lisabet Sarai 

When I was seven or eight, my mother enrolled me in swimming classes at the YMCA. I've never been particularly athletic. I muddled through, until the end of the term, when the Y organized a day of competitions, in which for some reason I decided to participate. The race in which I swam involved five laps of the pool. By the time everyone else had reached the finish line, I was still on lap three. Nevertheless, I continued swimming (slowly!), determined to complete the final two laps. I might come in last, but I wasn't going to give up. When I dragged myself out of the pool, the spectators applauded. That felt better than any prize. That experience came to mind a few days ago, when I learned that my M/M science fiction novel Quarantine had received an honorable mention in Elisa Rolle's prestigious Rainbow Awards. I was thrilled, for many reasons. Quarantine is only my second full length M/M romance, for one thing. And for another, I almost didn't finish it. The first part of the book went pretty smoothly, but about halfway through, I totally lost confidence in my vision. It wasn't the erotic romance aspect that had me stymied – it was the science fiction. I worried that my dystopic future wasn't sufficiently different from current mundane reality. I thought my world showed too little imagination to be interesting. I looked around at the fabulous alternative cultures created by other authors and felt that mine was flat and insubstantial by comparison.
I didn't add a word to the novel for six months. I worked on other projects, telling myself they were more urgent, but in truth I was avoiding the discomfort I felt whenever I opened the file. I was frustrated and disgusted with my own lack of spine. Why couldn't I just finish the damned story and get it over with? Seeking some way to rekindle my inspiration, I asked a writer friend to read and crit what I had so far. His comments, and even more his questions, showed great insight. He managed to cut to the core of my problem, by repeatedly asking why? He got me thinking more deeply about the characters and the forces that animated my plot. A sci fi author with an awesome imagination of his own, he threw out a dozen wild suggestions in every email. Most I discarded as too far from the story I was trying to tell. But our conversations (our “muddles” as he liked to call them) helped me refine and elaborate on my ideas, and even more important, to regain some of my normal self-confidence. I also realized that good or bad, I had to finish the book, or it would haunt me forever. It wasn't easy picking it up after such a long hiatus, but I made myself do it – just the way I made myself cover those last two laps.
I've always been pretty persistent (my husband calls it “stubborn”). I think there's a fundamental value in following through on what you start. It's a lot more comfortable giving up when things get rough, but success depends on perseverance. Sticking it out doesn't guarantee you'll succeed. But giving up pretty much guarantees that you'll fail.    Blurb
When love is forbidden, the whole world's a prison.

 
Dylan Moore will do anything for freedom. Seven years ago, a gay plague spread to heterosexuals, killing millions and sparking brutal anti-gay riots. The Guardians rounded up men who tested positive for the homogene and imprisoned them in remote quarantine centres like desolate Camp Malheur. Since then, Dylan has hacked the camp's security systems and hoarded spare bits of electronics, seeking some way to escape. He has concluded the human guards are the only weakness in the facility's defences.
Camp guard Rafe Cowell is H-negative. He figures the lust he feels watching prisoner 3218 masturbate on the surveillance cameras must be due to his loneliness and isolation. When he finally meets the young queer, he discovers that Dylan is brilliant, brave, sexy as hell – and claims to be in love with Rafe. Despite his qualms, Rafe finds he can't resist the other man's charm. By the time Dylan asks for his help in escaping, Rafe cares too much for Dylan to refuse. Dylan's plan goes awry and Rafe comes to his rescue. Soon they're both fugitives, fleeing from militant survivalists, murderous androids, homophobic ideologues and a powerful man who wants Dylan as his sexual toy. Hiding in the Plague-ravaged city of Sanfran, Dylan and Rafe learn there's far more than their own safety at stake. Can they help prevent the deaths of millions more people? And can Rafe trust the love of a man who deliberately seduced him in order to escape from quarantine? 

Excerpt (Rated R)
“You built something as sophisticated as a robot controller out of trash? But how…?”  “I’m patient. I’ve been here long enough to learn that at least. It doesn’t happen often, but every so often a 3DV set will die, or one of the antennas. Can openers. Cookers. Laser emergency lights. I even found a broken CCD camera once.” Dylan flashed him a grin full of white teeth. Rafe’s cock twitched as he recalled spying on the other man. But there was no way Dylan could know about that, was there?   “Yeah, you watch us 24/7, or so you think,” the prisoner continued as though he could hear Rafe’s thoughts. “Spy eyes in our dorms.” Rafe hardened further. “Cameras in the kitchens, the greenhouses, the workshops, the recreation halls. But you’d be surprised how many places there are in Malheur Camp where the cameras don’t reach. Nobody ever bothered to train a spy eye on the dump.” “But then why do something as obvious as your…um…variety show?” Rafe didn’t get it. Clearly this guy was brilliant. The ability to control the robots, even one at a time—well, that gave him a lot of power, enough to make Rafe feel queasy with fear. If the Guardians found out… “I wanted to entertain my mates,” Dylan replied, his grin becoming broader. “Got to do something to fight the boredom.” “Damn it, don’t fuck with me!” Rafe lurched forward and grabbed a fistful of pink shirt. Dylan’s eyes widened as Rafe dragged him roughly to his feet. The barest hint of fear flickered in those green depths.
The inmate was finally afraid. The sight inflamed Rafe. His erection surged inside his trousers. He wanted this cocky little queer, he realised. And he wanted to teach him a lesson. Rafe shook the bound man like a rag doll. “The truth!” he shouted, delighting in the way the other man cringed. “Why did you risk everything on your stupid little stunt?” For the first time, Dylan lowered his eyes. His voice was so soft that Rafe had to strain to hear. “Because,” he said, “I wanted to meet you. In the flesh.” Astonished, Rafe let go of the man’s shirt. Instead of returning to his chair, however, Dylan sank to his knees, inches from Rafe’s swollen groin. “What are you talking about?” Rafe croaked.  “I know you watch me,” Dylan answered, all the brashness gone from his manner. “Well, I watch you, too.” “How…?” Rafe slid his fingers into Dylan’s reddish thatch and raised the inmate’s eyes to his own. “Easy. I programmed a guard to change the video routing. To feed the stream from here to the screen of my controller.” So there were spy eyes in the control room after all. “No…” “Yes. You know that hard-on of mine that you enjoy watching so much? That’s for you, man. When I jack off at night, I’m thinking of you.” Rafe’s mind reeled. He snatched his hand from Dylan’s hair as though he’d been scalded. “Unlock the cuffs, man. Let me touch you. Let me show you how much I want you.” “Shut up, faggot!” The key burned a hole in his palm. His rigid dick strained against his zipper. He was tottering on the edge of a precipice, tempted to jump. Tempted to give in, to release the rash young man who’d delivered himself into Rafe’s hands. But that would be suicide. The penalties for breaking quarantine were more severe than for murder.
****


 
I want to thank Sage for having me as her guest, and thank you all for reading. To help celebrate my Rainbow Award recognition, I'm giving away a $10 Amazon gift certificate to one lucky person who comments on this post. I'll draw the winner this Saturday, the 15th of December. Don't forget to include your email address in your comment!
You can check out the sensational Quarantinetrailer here! And if you're interested in getting your own copy of Quarantine , just go to Total-E-Bound!
  Bio: More than a decade ago LISABET SARAI experienced a serendipitous fusion of her love of writing and her fascination with sex. Since then she has published five single author short story collections and seven erotic novels, including the BDSM classic Raw Silk. Dozens of her shorter works have been released as ebooks and in print anthologies. She has also edited several acclaimed anthologies and is currently responsible for the altruistic erotica series COMING TOGETHER PRESENTS. Lisabet holds more degrees than anyone needs from prestigious universities who would no doubt be embarrassed by her chosen genre. She loves to travel and currently lives in Southeast Asia with her highly tolerant husband and two cosmopolitan felines. For more information on Lisabet and her writing visit Lisabet Sarai's Fantasy Factory (http://www.lisabetsarai.com) or her blog Beyond Romance (http://lisabetsarai.blogspot.com).  

Release Day: Re-Submission

Fictional characters are curious people. Yes, people. I'm sure most writers will agree with me on that. As a story develops, our characters begin to reveal their personality and sometimes they do stuff they were never meant to do in the first place. I'm often surprised where my boys take me and what harebrained ideas they come up with while finding their way towards each other. I'm also quite frequently surprised by, um, how often they're at it, but boys will be boys, I guess.
Characters are people who sometimes become friends. And sometimes, a character just won't go away. One such character is Francis Hollister. When he first entered the scene in Sub-Mission, he was supposed to play just a minor support role as Pierce's brother and the proud owner of the BDSM club where the story is set. That was the plan. But Francis—France—being the scheming deviant he is, kept sneaking up on me again and again until eventually, he became a very important element in the story.
But that was not enough for him—oh no, far from it. By the time Sub-Missionwas submitted and ready for release, he'd already charmed his way into my heart to the point where I just knew that I'd have to tell his story, too. Re-Submission was born.
My first thoughts about the book were to give France the perfect sub to complement the Dom in him, but once again, I found myself with characters who snatched the reins to the story right out of my hand and ran away with it. I'd planned to tell the story from France's point of view, or maybe from his partner, Shae's, but no. Before I knew it, a third guy entered the scene. Tyler. I remember the moment very well. My exact thought was "Oh, crap. What am I gonna do with him?" I had never intended to write a threesome, least of all in a story that was so clearly meant for two, a Dom and his sub.
But Tyler was persistent. Not only did he wriggle his pert butt into Francis' club and ultimately, into bed with Francis and Shae, no, he also took on the role of narrator which, I think, makes for a very interesting constellation.
Why don’t you see for yourself what I’ve had to deal with writing this book? Here’s the blurb: 

Rubbing a toppy sub, a submissive Top and a Dom with attitude together is guaranteed to send sparks flying — but what will they ignite?
Meet Tyler Kane. Ballsy and headstrong, he's far from being the submissive type. Francis Hollister, Dom and proud owner of a BDSM club, couldn't agree more — and yet, as Tyler carelessly suggests a bet, Francis sees an opportunity arise and decides to take him up on it.
Soon Tyler finds himself in Francis' club and about to be trained as a sub. When Shae, the gorgeous Top Francis has assigned to teach him, doesn't appear to be quite as dominant as his role would lead to believe and Francis turns out to be a rather versatile Dom, Tyler sees a perfect match just waiting to be made happen. Too bad though that he's the only one who sees it. Or maybe he isn’t?
Curious to find out what happens when you rub a submissive Top, a toppy sub and a Dom with attitude together and what exactly the sparks from that explosive combination ignite, Tyler enlists the help of Pierce, Francis' brother, and his partner Noah, and sets out on a mission.
While Tyler's plan seems to work out astonishingly well, it seems that there's more than one man in the club who is pursuing a hidden agenda…
 Re-Submission by Sage Marlowe - out today from Total-E-Bound Publishing. Available from Total-E-Bound, Amazon, Barnes & Noble...
 
Buy link: http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=1887

A Thief on Christmas Eve - cover reveal & adult excerpt

Hi all, here's the long awaited cover for A Thief on Christmas Eve (Romeo & Julian 1)  Ta-ta-ta-daaaa!!!





And to celebrate, here's the naughty excerpt from A Thief on Christmas Eve - I know you've been waiting for that one ;)
 (note: if you haven't read the story excerpt yet, I recomment you read it first as it is the beginning of the story)

This scene finds the boys trapped in the house in the mountains and Julian has just fallen victim to Romeo's immense charm... Enjoy!


Julian couldn’t remember ever having felt so nervous walking into a bedroom as he did just now, following Romeo. It wasn’t just anticipation and the sizzle of arousal he experienced at watching Romeo in motion, at seeing the shapely, firm buttocks in front of him shift and flex underneath their cover of tight-fitted slacks. It was far more than an illicit indulgence.
He stood to lose a lot by this. His career and reputation, potentially. He was well aware of that, and yet he couldn’t seem to make himself stop. The chances of getting caught were practically non-existent and yet—Who was he kidding? In those magically charged minutes leading up to their big moment of intimacy, Julian would’ve risked everything to be with Romeo. He was lost, powerless in the face of the temptation Romeo presented to him, and he couldn’t seem to resist the whirlwind of emotions the man stirred inside him anymore than the snow outside could resist the fierce storm that whipped it around. Romeo had stopped in front of him. Between him and the bed. Julian swallowed, nervous. Maybe Romeo was a little nervous, too, because he hesitated for a few seconds before turning around. He was just an inch or two shorter than Julian, and had to tilt his head up slightly to be able to look him in the eyes. It was almost too dark to be able to read their expression, but Julian could have sworn that the emotions in them were genuine. Arousal, excitement, anticipation. The same emotions that were leaving him with a flurry feeling in his belly. But there was something else, too. Something he never would have expected to see in the eyes of this cool, slick criminal. Awe. Fear. Romeo’s bottom lip trembled. Could it be that in this moment, he was as insecure as Julian was?
Strangely, Romeo’s sudden reluctance and vulnerability made Julian only more determined to have him. Romeo was stripped of his haughty superiority for once and he surrendered on a purely emotional level. Leaning in, Julian kissed him, and just like that, the spell was broken.
Romeo responded to the kiss with the unconcealed hunger of a starving man. They caressed, licked, teased, sliding their tongues together as they reacquainted themselves with all the shapes and peculiarities they had only just gotten to know a few minutes earlier. It was impossible to tell who had taken the next step, but suddenly, they were on the bed. Julian would have liked to keep up the pretence Romeo had built with his words but he forced himself to pick up the handcuff that was dangling loosely from Romeo’s arm. Its twin was still locked around Romeo’s wrist and for a few agonizing heartbeats, Julian feared that Romeo would fight him. But Romeo just glanced up at him with a tender expression in his eyes and raised his arm above his head.
A faint smile curled his lips when he said, “Not that I mind a little bondage, but you might want to take off my sweater first.”
“Oh. Right.”
Julian reached down and, sliding his hands underneath the black cashmere, he pushed it up over Romeo’s belly, shoulders and head. There was a second layer of thermal underwear to remove, then Julian was staring at one of the best-shaped, smoothest-skinned male stomachs he had ever seen. Unable to resist, he lowered his head and licked a long line upward from just above Romeo’s waist across his muscular chest and his neck, over his chin and all the way to his mouth. They kissed again, and the air around them was sizzling with pent-up arousal, but Julian managed to cling on to his self-control and reached for the handcuff again.
This time he didn’t falter. He clicked it shut around the sturdy metal rail on the bed’s headboard, distractedly taking in the fortunate coincidence that the bed had a sturdy metal rail on its headboard, then he pulled his hand back and cupped Romeo’s cheek with it.
“Tell me what you like,” he whispered and gently took the tip of Romeo’s chin between his teeth.
“Just…oh, fuck me,” Romeo gasped. His voice had gone tight and he was staring up at Julian from underneath half-closed eyelids. Tilting his hips, he rubbed the hard bump at his groin against Julian’s thigh in the unmistakable search for friction. He seemed desperate, and Julian was only too happy to help ease his pressure.
He shifted down on the bed and undid Romeo’s fly, brushing a quick kiss on the tip of the swollen cock that sprang free, then he pulled the slacks over Romeo’s narrow hips and down his long, lean-muscled legs.
Romeo was breathtaking. He had the slender, graceful build of a ballet dancer and the need to have him, to explore every inch of this wonderful body, became overwhelming. Trailing his hand up one leg, Julian followed the curve of muscle to between Romeo’s thighs, then nudged them apart. He let his fingers wander higher, to that tempting, warm cleft but resisted the urge to dip into it. He’d do that later. First, he wanted to give Romeo’s eager cock some attention.
Leaning down, he kissed the tip once more. A drop of pre-cum moistened his lips and he gathered it with his tongue, savoring his lover’s unique, salty flavor. He drew a teasing circle around the slit then opened his mouth a little further, pursed his lips and brushed their moist inside to that highly sensitive patch of skin. Romeo let out a long groan as Julian started to suckle his dick gently. He tried to push up, but Julian stopped him with a hand to his stomach. Romeo let out another groan, more frustrated this time, but he obeyed and passively let Julian explore all the ways he could make him gasp, whimper and moan.

Tuesday Teaser: A Thief on Christmas Eve

Today's Tuesday Teaser features a little something from one of my own books. It's rough and fresh. There's no cover art or pre-order link yet, but I can tell you that it releases in time for... yes, the holidays!!! May I present to you the first book in my brand new Romeo & Julian series, titled A Thief on Christmas Eve


When it comes to slick art thief Romeo, FBI agent Julian Harris has to realize that sometimes, to catch a thief is just the beginning.
 
Blurb:

When FBI special agent Julian Harris finally corners art thief and cat-burglar Romeo he's planning to put the man first in handcuffs and then behind bars. Instead, he finds himself first trapped in a house in the mountains by a blizzard and then captivated by Romeo's irresistible charm. One thing leads to another and after a night spent together, Julian wakes up alone with his pride bruised and his heart stolen. 

Almost a year later, a twist of fate brings them back together and their mutual attraction sparks up again instantly but events take on a dynamic that could have at least one of them wind up dead. Blackmailed into a precarious break-in, Romeo has to choose between Julian's life and his own safety while all the time, there are two questions on Julian's mind: Who is this slick and sexy thief really and where does his true loyalty lie?
 
And here's the story excerpt for you:


“FBI. Freeze.”
The man didn’t even startle at the sudden sharp order. Crouching in front of the safe, one hand on the lock, he obediently paused mid-motion.
“Now raise your hands.”
Julian didn’t need to repeat the order. The burglar raised his hands but kept the rest of his body perfectly still. Controlled. Tense and ready to move, not the resigned slackness of someone who had given up.
“Don’t think you can try anything now. It’s over for you. I’ve got a loaded gun in my hand that is currently pointed at your right shoulder. If you make a sudden move, I’ll pull the trigger. The bullet will smash the bone and your arm will be useless for a couple of months, maybe forever depending on what it is that you want to use it for. Now turn around. Slowly,” Julian warned and flicked on the light. Obedient, the man turned to face him, hands still raised above his head, and for the first time ever, Julian had the chance to really see the phantom he’d been chasing all these months.
“You’re younger than I thought.”
“Disappointed?”
“No, just surprised. Good for you, though. It means that if you’re lucky, you’ll have enough years left for a chance to build yourself a life worth living by the time you get out of prison.”
The man was indeed quite a bit younger than Julian had expected him to be. He was probably somewhere in his mid-twenties rather than the late thirties or even forties that would have been more likely considering the trail he’d left and the time he must have spent to train his—admittedly admirable—set of skills to perfection.
There was a curious, almost amused expression on his face as he met Julian’s gaze levelly with a pair of striking blue eyes. Julian couldn’t help but notice that yes, he was just as attractive as the reports on him claimed, maybe even more so. The few reports they had were witness descriptions and, although the man had robbed each and every one of them, they all agreed that he was incredibly handsome and delightfully charming. Most of the females involved seemed to think that being relieved of a part of their fortune was well worth the pleasure of a flirt with him. And yet, none of those delighted ladies had been able to sit down and give a description of him that was worth wasting a drawer’s time on.
“I’m Special Agent Julian Harris, FBI. Any preference which one of your names you’d like me to use for this?”
“Pick one—I answer to all of them,” the man answered with a sly grin. The trace of an accent tinted his voice. It was hard to place, but Julian assumed it to be British. Interesting.
“Hmm, let’s see...We’ve got Brian Crandell, Greg Anderson, Richard Stavell, and Robert Dunn. Oh, and then there’s Curtis Halden of course.” Julian looked across the room into those mesmerizing blue eyes that openly mocked him. “You could always tell me your real name, you know. We’ll find out sooner or later anyway.”
“Nice try but—no. If you don’t like my aliases you can use the nickname you got for me.”
“Nickname?”
“Sure. You guys always have one.”
“Is that so?”
“I know you have. Come on, what’s mine?”
Julian gave in with a sigh. “Romeo.”
“Romeo?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Hmm, not quite what I expected, but I like it. Maybe I should create an alias using it. Mmm, Romeo Escalus perhaps. What do you think?”
“I think you won’t need another alias for quite a while. In fact, chances are you’re going to be identified by a set of figures for the years to come.”
“Ah, good answer.” The thief nodded appreciatively. “I thought you would say something like that. Anyway, why Romeo?”
Julian grinned in spite of himself. Either the man didn’t realize what situation he was in or he had a rather warped sense of humor.
“You used a plain old ladder to enter through a window the first time we heard about you. You go for pretty things and never leave a woman you meet uncharmed.”
“Oh, okay. I guess I get your drift. And where does your first name being Julian fit into this?”
Julian suppressed the urge to shift his weight, knowing that it would only make him look nervous. Which he wasn’t. Much. “Just a coincidence.”
“Ah. Who came up with it?”
“That would’ve been me.”
“I’m sure the guys in your division love you for offering them that one on a silver tray.” The guy was sharp, that much was clear. Disturbingly so. Easily picking up on Julian’s embarrassment, he offered what looked like a sincere enough smile. Julian ignored it and abandoned the topic with a swift “Sure you don’t want to tell me your real name?”
“Yep.”
“Well then, we’ll just have to do it without the name for now, but just so we’re clear—you are under arrest,” Julian said sternly, forcing himself to ignore just how inviting those sinfully lush lips were that curled just a little more in a half-smile.
“I know.”
“Good. I’m going to cuff you now.”
“Oh. Just like that? Is that your idea of foreplay?”
Julian refused to pursue the image that reference created in his head and almost succeeded. At least his voice was still firm and professional as he said, “No point cracking jokes. Hands behind your back.”

 A Thief on Christmas Eve (Romeo & Julian 1) releases from Siren-Bookstrand on December 22nd, 2012

'Tis the season...

The snow outside my window this morning reminded me that, yes, it's that time of the year again. The holidays, whatever you call them and whether you celebrate or not, are about to catch up with us.

So for me. this means sending out Season Greetings to all my friends and readers. For you, this means pressies!

If you'd like to have a photograph of your favourite cover - or two, or three or, hell, all of them! - signed or not, or a postcard with my author banner in time for the holidays, just send me an e-mail with your request and your physical mailing address.
(Of course you can have photos and signed stuff all year round, all you have to do is tell me ;) )

So, what are you waiting for? Ah, right, my email address. Here it is: marlowe.sage (at) yahoo.co.uk
Or just send me a private message on Facebook: www.facebook.com/sage.marlowe0



And just a little reminder - when I say author banner, this is what I'm talking about:



Yummy, eh?


Oh, and in case you're worried about the post man getting an eyeful, I can put everything into a nice and discreet envelope...

Tasty Tats

I love my ink. I really do, and as I found out, getting a tattoo is likely to be addictive. It all started with just one little symbol at the top of my spine but soon there were five more - and counting. Seems there can never be just one.

   Not long ago, I discovered that sometimes, fictional characters can be just as addictive. For me, Caelan and Dean definitely are such characters. When I finished Ink, Sweat and Tears, I was convinced that I'd told their story. After all, at the end of the book they're together and the future ahead of them looks bright enough. Happy ever after, that's all that counts, right?No, sir. Sometimes happy ever after isn't enough.

Imagine my surprise when these two came knocking back on my mental door and asked me to write a bit more about them. Obedient as I am (insert cough here) I got down to it and wrote More Ink, Sweat and Tears. It was supposed to be the only follow-up, but what do you know? The story kept unfolding in front of me, spinning further and further and before I knew it, what had been supposed to be a cute novella to explore some aspects a bit further was a full-sized novel. I would have loved to leave it at this, or in fact I would have preferred to tell Caelan and Dean's story in a single novel, but you see, the first book was already published and I couldn't follow up the novella with a novel, so I had to split it. Yet More Ink, Sweat and Tears was born. I know most readers didn't like the end of MIST, and yeah, I probably deserved the flak I got for it, but believe me or not, even I was surprised by it.
 


    Now the tattoo triplets will be united as the complete series is released as a print combo titled "Ink, Sweat and Tears: In Ink", available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.











Oh, by the way - did you know Caelan & Dean have their own page on Facebook? Drop by if you have a minute and hit "like" for them: https://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/pages/Ink-Sweat-and-Tears/468113533233502  

And the winners are...

Well, well, November is almost over now. Amazing how fast another month has gone by and even more amazing that it's just a few more days until the holidays. So, before you all head off to buy presents and stock up on cookies, allow me to announce the winners of the final contest round.  Congratulations go to Suze (littlesuze) and vitajex  Thank you guys for stepping by and playing along! I'll be in touch with you shortly.  To all of you who visited this month, a huge thank you! I've thoroughly enjoyed reading your comments and finally "meeting" some of my visitors. I would have loved to give you all a prize, but well... I have to stick to the rules ;) There will be more contests - promise  Have a lovely day and hope to see you again soon! ~ Sage ~

My Next Big Thing

Well, well, today is a double feature - the usual Tuesday Teaser - HC Brown - and my own My Next Big Thing.  No, not THAT. Keep those thoughts clean, will you? Here's the story behind it: Last week my fellow Total-E-Bound author Tanith Davenport tagged me in her Next Big Thing , so this week it's my turn. The idea is that I answer ten questions about my latest project (My Next Big Thing) and tag five more authors who will talk about their next big thing next week.  So, here we go - My Next Big Thing is  

What is the title of your book?
Re-Submission


How did you come by the idea?

Re-Submission is a book I just had to write. Yes, had to, because one of the main characters, Francis Hollister, kept pestering me about it. He just wouldn't quit until he had his story written.


What genre does your book fall under?

Gay erotic romance, like all my books


Which actors would you choose to play your characters if it were a movie?

Ohhh. I so wish I could cast Francis, Shae and Tyler. I would have loads of fun having them enact all those naughty scenes, but sadly, I can't really make up my mind. You see, you don't get many actors play dirty Doms and sexy subs and Tyler is definitely a kind of his own.


What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?



Rubbing a toppy sub, a submissive Top and a Dom with attitude together is guaranteed to send sparks flying — but what will they ignite?

Will your book be self-published or traditional?

Re-Submission is contracted with UK-based publisher Total-E-Bound and available in e-book and print format


How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

The first draft took about a month to finish.


What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

It is hard to compare Re-Submission to other books as I'm using an unusual narrative in it. Whilst the story focusses on the relationship between Francis and his sub Shae, it is told from Tyler's perspective. No worries, though, Tyler plays a big role in their relationship.


Who or What inspired you to write this book?

Writing my first published novel, Sub-Mission, where Francis appears as a secondary character. By the time I had finished that book, I knew I would have to tell Francis' own story too and I started it soon afterwards.


What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

Oh, you know - the ususal. BDSM, scorching hot and explicit gay sex, two hot-headed but extremely loveable Irishmen and a story in which just everybody has their own agenda.


So this is My Next Big Thing - and here are the talented authors whose turn it is to tell you all about their Next Big Thing:

Clair de Lune
Gabrielle Holly
Rebecca Joyce
Jill Blair
Marla Monroe