A.L. Butcher's Blog, page 97
December 27, 2019
Audiobook Narrator Interview – Suzan Hennen
*Name: Suzan Hennen
*Tell us a bit about yourself:
How did you become involved with audiobook narration and production?
I have a younger sister who does audiobook narration and I became interested in 2013 and started doing auditions through ACX.com. Then my first grandchild came along and I was needed to help out with him so the audiobook narration went to the back burner. I have recently become involved in auditioning for audiobooks.
Is this your day job?
No, I am semi-retired from my husband’s hardware sales business of 33 years where I am the Secretary/Treasurer. I find audiobook narrating very fun and a learning experience.
Tell us about some of the titles you’ve narrated. Do you have a favourite amongst these?
I auditioned for Victoria Zigler’s “Puppy Poems and Rodent Rhymes” and have just recently finished it. I really enjoyed doing this book for Tori and would love to do more if requested. I am currently working on “Courage is a Redhead” by Mary Lou Cheatham which should be finished in February 2020.
Do you have a preferred genre? Do you have a genre you do not produce? Why is this?
I am a Christian and new to narrating and prefer to narrate God honouring, Christian-based material, family friendly material, including biographies, historical, and children’s books and books about pets. I will not narrate books with erotic or sexually explicit content or which go against my faith.
What are you working on at present/Just finished?
I am currently working on “Courage is a Redhead” by Mary Lou Cheatham which should be finished in February 2020.
*Tell us about your process for narrating? (Be as elaborate as you like.)
I begin my day with studying the script of the chapters I will be narrating for that day. I have a special “studio” area just for that in my house, which works out very well for me. I complete each chapter and edit it and submit back to the author before moving on to next chapter. I know other ways can be used, i.e. narrating several chapters and then editing, but this seems to be the best for me.
What aspects do you find most enjoyable?
I find preparing and putting myself into each chapter reading and doing my best for the parts which require character dialogue very rewarding. Characters were a challenge for me at first and sometimes still are, but they are FUN!
What do you find least enjoyable?
Editing can be tedious and tiresome at times. If I could just get it all right the first time, that would be the best!
Have you ever found an author you couldn’t continue to work with? How was this resolved?
Since I am a newbie narrator, I have not had enough interaction with several authors to have experienced any adverse situations. So far I’ve only had great interactions with authors I’ve worked with.
Do you consider royalty share when looking for books to narrate? If not why is this?
Again, being new to narrating, royalty share seems to be the most common offered on audiobooks. I am not sure whether royalty share or paid per the hour would be best and I’m sure it would depend on the books and it’s ratings.
Do you listen to audiobooks?
I do listen to audiobooks, mostly while traveling with my husband. I find it a great way to enjoy a book.
*With many people owning MP3 players do you think this is the future of storytelling?
Just like ordering anything online is becoming more and more the way to shop, I believe that audiobooks for sure have a great future in storytelling. I do however, enjoy a book in hand myself.
Why do you think audio books are becoming so popular?
Audiobooks are so easily accessible when you can’t bring a book with you, or forget your book. Just use your MP3 player, your Android or I-Phone and have quick and easy access. This world has become a “quick and easy” world.
Can you remember the first audiobook you owned?
I can’t, but I remember about 15+ years ago, going on a business trip with my husband John, and it was an 8-hour drive and we went to a restaurant chain that rented audiobooks and picked one up. We really enjoyed the audiobook experience. Time flew by while listening to the story.
If you are an author, do you produce your own audiobooks or do you prefer to look for an independent narrator? Why have you made this choice?
I am not an author so this would not apply to me.
Has ACX/Audible fulfilled your expectations? (such as earnings, ease of use, workload etc.?)
I am in the process of just finishing the narration of my first audiobook so I can’t answer that at this time.
Have you ever had a negative experience producing a book?
Not so far.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve had?
There really is so much advice that is freely given through ACX, different narrators through videos, I cannot off the top of my head give you the best piece of advice. My sister who narrates as well told me however just get started, work through, listen, learn, make mistakes and get up and keep going.
What is the worst piece of advice you’ve had?
None so far.
If you could narrate any book you wanted which would it be and why?
There was a book on ACX that I saw but I was not available time-wise to audition for it. It was a biography/memoir about a young girl and concerning real life and ordinary activities set in the Dust Bowl of the American West. A true account of a child coming of age on a 1920’s Nebraska farm. There was no dialogue and the audition script was so intriguing with so much rich history and every day happenings in that time period. But due to me being unavailable from working on another audiobook, I could not audition.
Please tell us a silly fact about yourself.
I am a very melancholy person so this will be hard because I usually don’t do silly. Silly is wanting a certain coffee cup for my morning tea, no ifs, ands or buts. Silly is sleeping with a feather pillow over my head, a feather pillow cuts out most sound. And yes, I take it with me when I travel. Silly is expecting others to be perfect when I certainly am not.
Where can we learn more about you?
Social Media links:
https://www.facebook.com/suzan.hennen
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If you want to find the book Suzan has narrated – Puppy Poems here are the links Purchase links:
Audible: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Puppy-Poems-and-Rodent-Rhymes-Audiobook/B082YK2FJH
iTunes: https://books.apple.com/gb/audiobook/puppy-poems-and-rodent-rhymes-unabridged/id1492728748
iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/puppy-poems-and-rodent-rhymes/id1352902985
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1986302547/
Amazon Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/1986302547/
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1986302547/
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/796156
Barnes & Noble:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/puppy-poems-and-rodent-rhymes-victoria-zigler/1128058685
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/puppy-poems-and-rodent-rhymesYou can also find the book on Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38740274-puppy-poems-and-rodent-rhymes
December 22, 2019
Blog Spot – New Release – Moonstone – Lucy Felthouse#ReverseHarem
Out Now—Moonstone by Lucy Felthouse (@cw1985) #reverseharem #rh #whychoose #ku #kindleunlimited
Do you love reverse harem romances? Love Christmas books? Then check out Moonstone!
Moonstone is a standalone contemporary reverse harem romance, which is part of the Jewels Café series—all of which can be read as standalones.
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Blurb:
Christmas gifts aren’t the only surprises Ginny is going to get this year.
Moonstone Guinevere ‘Ginny’ Miles is in Silver Springs visiting her parents for the holidays. They moved to the town five years ago, and adore their new life here. Used to the hustle and bustle of London, England, Ginny isn’t convinced at first—what’s so great about a small town in Upstate New York, anyway? Despite her own opinions, it’s clear to Ginny the move has done her parents the world of good—they look years younger. There’s clearly something magical about this town.
Following some exploration of her own, Ginny discovers Silver Springs has its charms—Jewels Cafe is amazing, for starters, as is its pumpkin spice latte. Ginny’s drunk a lot of lattes in her thirty-three years, but nothing quite like this.
Her taste buds are still tingling from the tasty treat when she comes across a broken-down truck on the way back to her parents’ place. And when she spots the three gorgeous guys with the vehicle, it’s not just her taste buds that are tingling.
Is Ginny’s vacation in Silver Springs about to get a whole lot more interesting?
Buy now or read in Kindle Unlimited: http://books2read.com/moonstoneJC
Add to your Goodreads shelves: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48280273-moonstone
Add to BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/moonstone-jewels-cafe-book-11-by-lucy-felthouse
Excerpt:
Moonstone Guinevere Miles—known as Ginny to people who didn’t want to incur her fierce and everlasting wrath—heaved her suitcase off the luggage reclaim belt with an “Oof!” and placed it on the floor, a sigh of relief escaping her. At least the thing had wheels—she didn’t really have the energy for carrying a heavy suitcase all the way through Customs and out to Arrivals. The long, tiring flight had seen to that. No matter how much she tried, no matter how exhausted she was, she simply could not fall asleep on a plane. Ever. Eye mask, ear plugs, meditation, bloody whale music—nothing helped. She’d long since resigned herself to staying awake while snores from other passengers emanated around the cabin. At least it had only been about seven and a half hours since taking off from Heathrow—she couldn’t imagine what state she’d be in if she ever flew any longer than that—to Australia, New Zealand or somewhere.
Doubtful that would ever happen, though. It had taken long enough for her to get her backside out to the east coast of America, where her parents had been running a retreat since retiring five years ago. But then, things were different now, weren’t they? Which was why she was even here in the first place—it wouldn’t have been possible otherwise.
Thinking of her parents brought an inevitable smile to her face, and inserted a little more spring in her step. Despite the energy and mood suck that had been the flight, she was excited to be here. She was eager to see her parents, and to find out exactly what they’d built up over the last five years. She’d seen photos and videos, but it wasn’t the same as actually being there.
When they’d first announced they were using their retirement nest egg to open a retreat in Upstate New York, she’d been floored. Who the hell retires, only to take on a massive project like that? Surely the whole point of retiring is to wind down, enjoy some free time, relax? But no, her mum and dad—who, to be fair, had never been what one would call conventional—had set their hearts on it. They’d had a huge purge of their belongings, sold their cars and house, and jetted off across the pond, leaving Ginny shocked and not a little bereft. She’d been so used to having them close by and had quickly realized just how much she’d taken that for granted.
At the same time, her own career had taken off and she’d become so busy that her parents’ sudden distance hadn’t made the blindest bit of difference. She barely saw the inside of her own flat, never mind her friends and family. This was the first Christmas she’d had off work since then, too, and she was looking forward to spending it with her parents more than she could put into words. They’d been big on the festive period ever since she was a baby, and as such, Ginny’s brain was stuffed full of warm, fuzzy memories of Christmases past. They’d been useful to get her through the last five crappy ones, too, where a microwaved ready meal was the best she could hope for, if she hadn’t managed to wangle a free meal from the place she’d been working at at the time.
Her smile widened, and she walked faster still—God, just how big was this bloody airport?—desperate to see her mum and dad and start the Christmas holiday with a bang. Anticipation rushed through her. They’d have turkey and roast potatoes, pigs in blankets, mounds of vegetables, desserts laden with enough calories to last them until Valentine’s Day, Christmas carols, amazing decorations, a beautiful tree, fairy lights…
And Santa Claus. Two of them, in fact, jumping up and down enthusiastically and waving wildly at her, with not a rotund belly in sight.
Ginny was so excited, she couldn’t even be bothered with the embarrassment she might have felt at being greeted in a public place by her parents dressed up in Santa outfits. Plus, nobody knew her here anyway, so who cared?
She scurried around the barrier, almost flipping her case in her haste to turn a corner, then covered the remaining distance between them in seconds flat and released the handle of her suitcase. A series of squeals and exclamations went up—from all three of them—and then everything went dark as Ginny was enveloped in a warm, fluffy embrace, her face crushed up against what she suspected was the white fur trim on her mother’s jacket, and kisses rained down on her. It was all she could do to suck in oxygen as she was squeezed and squeezed them right back. She was assailed by the scents of clean clothes, shampoo, perfume, and cologne—all perfectly lovely smells by themselves, but somewhat overwhelming all at once. Unintelligible murmurings reached her ears, but she didn’t bother to reply since she had no idea what was being said. And she didn’t need words, anyway. All she needed at that moment in time was to soak up the enormous outpouring of love she was experiencing.
She was so bloody happy, she thought she might pop.
Eventually, her parents loosened their hold enough so she could step back and actually look at them. She took in her father’s handsome face, his steel-gray hair—or what she could see beneath the hat, at least—his wide grin, and her mother’s long, light gray, waist-length plaits, the glint in her eyes and the glow of her skin.
“Guys, you look fantastic! If this is what retirement does for you, I think I might sign up now.”
Her mother, Deborah, gave a nonchalant shrug—which, given her attire, was way more amusing than it should have been. “What can I say, sweetheart? I feel fantastic. I’ve got so much more energy than I ever had in London, even when I was much younger.” She shrugged again. “It’s the retreat, I’m sure of it—the moment your father and I first set foot there all those years ago, I felt there was something magical about it. Silver Springs is the most wonderful little town, and we’re lucky enough to live and work in the most spectacular part of it—though it hardly feels like work.”
Ginny gave her mother a kiss on the cheek, then turned to her father, Charlie. “And you, Dad? You look twenty years younger, but how do you feel?”
His face took on a beatific expression. “The same as your mother, kiddo. Exactly the same. If I’d known just how wonderful it would be, I’d have thrown in the towel and moved out here years ago. Decades, even.” He grabbed the handle of Ginny’s case in one hand, then looped the other around her neck and pulled her in to drop a kiss on her chin-length blonde hair, which he then ruffled. “I’m so thrilled you’re here, Moony. You’re going to love it in Silver Springs. Just love it! Come on, let’s get going. We’ve got a long drive ahead of us, and the weather’s on the turn.”
Ginny bit back comments on both his use of her childhood nickname, and his messing up of her hair. She didn’t want to dampen the almost euphoric mood that seemed to float between the three of them—a combination of being pleased to see each other, and her parents’ obvious appreciation of their new home. Though five years was hardly new anymore, was it? She really should have visited before now, but the circumstances had been impossible. Now they weren’t, and she was here, in the bosom of her family, at Christmas time, and it was going to be magical.
And, at some point, she’d enlighten her parents about the fact she had nothing in particular to rush home for, either. But that could wait. No need to burst the happy, everything-is-perfect bubble just yet. She’d let them all enjoy their first Christmas together in years before thinking about that.
They made their way out of the airport building. The cold air slapped Ginny in the face, momentarily taking her breath. Her slight gasp drew her mother’s keen eye. “I hope you listened to me, sweetheart, and brought warm clothes with you. It’s even colder up in Silver Springs, you know.”
“The car’s not far,” her dad piped up. “I’ll get the heating on as soon as we’re inside, and we’ll soon have you snug as a bug in a rug.” He tipped her a wink, and warmth flooded her veins. She hadn’t realized until now just how much she’d missed her wacky yet lovable parents. They might be unconventional, but they’d given her a wonderful childhood. When she’d reached adulthood, they’d remained incredibly close, with them managing to achieve the perfect balance of loving and supportive without being controlling. They’d let her forge her own path, make her own mistakes, and had been there to help pick up the pieces without uttering so much as a “I told you so.”
They’d definitely earned this idyllic new life they’d carved out for themselves, and she couldn’t wait to experience it for herself, if only for a little while. Though she wasn’t sure how much fun there was to be had in the back end of beyond. It was hardly going to be lively. Perhaps it was a good thing she was only here for an extended holiday.
Buy now or read in Kindle Unlimited: http://books2read.com/moonstoneJC
Add to your Goodreads shelves: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48280273-moonstone
Add to BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/moonstone-jewels-cafe-book-11-by-lucy-felthouse
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Author Bio:
Lucy Felthouse is the award-winning author of erotic romance novels Stately Pleasures (named in the top 5 of Cliterati.co.uk’s 100 Modern Erotic Classics That You’ve Never Heard Of, and an Amazon bestseller), Eyes Wide Open (winner of the Love Romances Café’s Best Ménage Book 2015 award, and an Amazon bestseller), The Persecution of the Wolves, Hiding in Plain Sight and The Heiress’s Harem series. Including novels, short stories and novellas, she has over 170 publications to her name. Find out more about her writing at http://lucyfelthouse.co.uk, or on Twitter or Facebook. Join her Facebook group for exclusive cover reveals, sneak peeks and more! Sign up for automatic updates on Amazon or BookBub. Subscribe to her newsletter here: http://www.subscribepage.com/lfnewsletter
Release blitz organised by Writer Marketing Services .
December 16, 2019
Echoes of a Song – Best #Fantasy 2019
Yay! Echoes of a Song came top in the NN Light Fantasy category for best book reviewed in 2019!
https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/post/announcement-2019-n-n-light-book-award-winners
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The other nominations are here
Check out some of these awesome reads.
Echoes of a Song
A dozen tumultuous years after the dramatic events at the Paris Opera House Raoul, Comte de Chagny is still haunted by the mysterious Opera Ghost – the creature of legend who held staff at the Opera House under his thrall, kidnapped Raoul’s lover and murdered his brother. In Raoul’s troubled imagination the ghosts of the past are everywhere, and strange and powerful music still calls in his dreams.
Madness, obsession and the legacy of the past weave their spell in this short, tragic tale based on the Phantom of the Opera.
Available on Amazon, Kobo, Barnes and Noble and many other stores on the link below.
Universal Link https://books2read.com/Echoesofasong
Amazon .com http://amzn.to/2E7Cdu0
Amazon.co.uk http://amzn.to/2BJwAgk
Amazon Audio https://www.amazon.com/Echoes-Song-Legacy-Mask-Book/dp/B07HCKG3WK/
Amazon UK audio https://www.amazon.co.uk/Echoes-Song-Legacy-Mask-Book/dp/B07HCM1624/
Audible UK https://adbl.co/2xlH8Tz
Audible.com https://adbl.co/2MRTQP7
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December 15, 2019
A Literary Legacy
At the end of November 2019 my father passed away after a long illness. When discussing what to put in the Eulogy with my sisters we all agreed on the legacy he’d left us – a legacy far more valuable and less easy to quantify than money or a house. A love of reading and storytelling.
Dad left school at 16 with a basic education – he was, apparently, rubbish at art, woodwork and behaving himself but excelled at English, maths and history. He was a born storyteller. Times were different then, and even had he wanted to continue in education it would have not been possible financially. He joined the army at 19, was wounded in action and left partially sighted after being hit by a roadside bomb. (Not much changes in war).
Despite this he still loved to read – mostly westerns and historical books – but struggled with the print size to the end of his days. Both parents encouraged us to read, and both read avidly. Often the sitting room would be filled with people – noses buried in books and there were always books in the house. A trip to the local library was a treat.
Dad told stories about runaway pork pies and mischievous sausages, not to mention household implements which rose up against their masters. I vividly remember the wicked saucepan that hit its owner when it was replaced, and a hosepipe that went on the rampage. All told with my father’s wicked wit and gleaming eyes.
He loved poetry, particularly Kipling, and even a week before his death was able to recite one of his favourites word perfectly (even though his memory was going, he was confused about most things, in pain and on a whole raft of meds). His whole face was aglow when he spoke poetry.
Cargoes – by John Masefield was one of his favourites. The first verses would be read with wonder and then the final verse – well that was read very fast and loud. Reflecting the beauty of the old, fine ships and the somewhat less elegant British ships…
Of all the things Daddy gave us – love, a sense of humour, a belief in ourselves, not taking crap from anyone, to me the love of the written word was the finest – and the most ensuring.
I’m a writer and a poet, both my nieces write, my sister teaches English and drama, and the other sister is an artist and loves history. We all love books, and have FAR too many in the house. The love of reading and storytelling will live on, and so it should. Storytelling is what makes us human, and it brings us freedom, adventure and emotion.
Thanks Dad, we will miss you.
This is one of Dad’s (and my) favourite poems Twenty Bridges from Tower to Kew
December 5, 2019
Blog Tour – The Gentlemen’s Club – Contemporary Romance
Hadley
The Gentlemen’s Club Book 1
by Breanna Hayse
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Twisted Hearts Productions
Publication Date: November 23, 2019
After being rescued from her abusive master at TGC, Hadley finds herself in the loving arms of Dorian and Meredith Graye. They discover that she’s a ‘Twilighter,’ a term used to describe a submissive that requires both an element of age-play combined with hard-edge masochism. These needs conflict with the standard dynamics in the age-play community, so which side do they focus on to ensure the girl’s happiness?
Irish noblemen, William and Edward FitzGerald, have been searching for a wife whose desire’s they can awaken. Sadistic, yet nurturing, these men are believed to be the ones who will bring Hadley’s fantasies to life. But, as William warns the young woman- Fantasy and Reality are two different elements. Can she both mentally and physically handle the delicious torment they have in store for her?
She insists that she can.
During this journey of pain, pleasure, and passion, mysterious beginnings are uncovered, and the questions of the past are revealed. But Hadley and her two new husbands aren’t the only ones affected. The world of the BDSM community is small, and not even Dorian Gray can escape the ugly clutches of The Gentlemen’s Club.
****
Founded centuries ago by European nobles, TGC (also known as The Club) caters to the whims of the wealthy, upper-class members of elite society. Generation after generation has partaken in the secrets hidden behind the elegant walls of the founding fathers, yet few who walk behind the doors of The Club know what, and why, TGC exists.
The Gentlemen’s Club is the oldest formal training facility for Dominants and Submissives in the old-school world of BDSM. The rules are unambiguous—once part of TGC, always part of TGC. There is no escape. The cost of exposing this secret society can cost more than millions of dollars and the destruction of everything one would hold dear; it could also cost the transgressor his/her life. But the modern world has changed, as have the needs of many TGC members and submissives recruited to join the facility.
During the course of events, Dorian Graye, TGC legal counsel and Master of Graye Manor, has uncovered abuse and neglect of certain submissives within The Club. Taking advantage of the rules of non-disclosure, several members have violated SSC conduct, knowing that the silenced submissives have nowhere to hide. True to form, the Whip Master has the solution that will save their lives and meet their needs while he administers justice to those who have harmed the innocents. He brings these women into his Guardian Program, but they aren’t like the others- they require something darker and more sinister- something that teeters on the edge of Safe, Sane, and Consensual.
TRIGGER WARNING: This book contains areas of possible triggers to include edge-play, piercing, hard impact, violence and other such elements not suited for minors. There is, as always, a HEA- but the path to getting there might disturb some sensitive readers.
Goodreads * Amazon
BDSM/AP lifestyler Breanna Hayse strives to give her readers truth and reality of the BDSM/Age-Play/Total Power and Erotic Exchange lifestyle.
Who am I?
I’m a native Californian gone ‘wild’, and had the opportunity to travel the globe and discover the world through the eyes of both a Marine Intelligence specialist and a BDSM lifestyler. I left the service to go into hospice nursing and grief counseling, eventually working as a marriage and family therapist for those involved in alternative lifestyle development. This experience has allowed me to gain unique inspiration for my books and offer realistic plots and relatable characters.
In 2004, my husband, John, and I joined forces to work with both submissives and dominants- teaching, training, listening and loving. Our goal was to take the mystery and fear out of the lifestyle and mentor people in safe, consensual and healthy relationships.
My first book, The Game Plan, was published in 2012 and opened the door to the now-booming world of Age-Play literature. Since that time, I’ve devoted my ‘spare’ time to writing, researching, community involvement, and private and group pro bono counseling in deviant behavior, alternative lifestyle, and addiction recovery.
I was formally ‘dungeon trained’ as a Domme before discovering my submissive side when I joined the service. My scenarios are pulled primarily from either personal experience or observation, including spending time in BDSM clubs as the safety/medical officer. My multi-faceted background allows me to glean from many avenues and give a unique and intelligent literary experience through elements of fantasy and fiction. I also discuss the questions and psychology of the lifestyle in a manner that is fun and informative, and based on ‘the real deal.’
I live with my husband, musician, and fellow-author, John Hayse, and two border collies in southern California. We practice a 24/7 D&S relationship with speckles of AP (and many trips to Build-A-Bear), and happily spend every moment together that we can. My hobbies include my puppies, hiding my vanilla salt-water taffy where John can’t find it, exotic art, collecting inspirational trinkets, and developing my own paddle line. You can also see me as a featured author/instructor in professional conference settings and as a Sexpert for kinkyliterature.com.
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads
$15 Amazon
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Hadley
The Gentlemen’s Club Book 1
by Breanna Hayse
Ge...
Hadley
The Gentlemen’s Club Book 1
by Breanna Hayse
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Twisted Hearts Productions
Publication Date: November 23, 2019
After being rescued from her abusive master at TGC, Hadley finds herself in the loving arms of Dorian and Meredith Graye. They discover that she’s a ‘Twilighter,’ a term used to describe a submissive that requires both an element of age-play combined with hard-edge masochism. These needs conflict with the standard dynamics in the age-play community, so which side do they focus on to ensure the girl’s happiness?
Irish noblemen, William and Edward FitzGerald, have been searching for a wife whose desire’s they can awaken. Sadistic, yet nurturing, these men are believed to be the ones who will bring Hadley’s fantasies to life. But, as William warns the young woman- Fantasy and Reality are two different elements. Can she both mentally and physically handle the delicious torment they have in store for her?
She insists that she can.
During this journey of pain, pleasure, and passion, mysterious beginnings are uncovered, and the questions of the past are revealed. But Hadley and her two new husbands aren’t the only ones affected. The world of the BDSM community is small, and not even Dorian Gray can escape the ugly clutches of The Gentlemen’s Club.
****
Founded centuries ago by European nobles, TGC (also known as The Club) caters to the whims of the wealthy, upper-class members of elite society. Generation after generation has partaken in the secrets hidden behind the elegant walls of the founding fathers, yet few who walk behind the doors of The Club know what, and why, TGC exists.
The Gentlemen’s Club is the oldest formal training facility for Dominants and Submissives in the old-school world of BDSM. The rules are unambiguous—once part of TGC, always part of TGC. There is no escape. The cost of exposing this secret society can cost more than millions of dollars and the destruction of everything one would hold dear; it could also cost the transgressor his/her life. But the modern world has changed, as have the needs of many TGC members and submissives recruited to join the facility.
During the course of events, Dorian Graye, TGC legal counsel and Master of Graye Manor, has uncovered abuse and neglect of certain submissives within The Club. Taking advantage of the rules of non-disclosure, several members have violated SSC conduct, knowing that the silenced submissives have nowhere to hide. True to form, the Whip Master has the solution that will save their lives and meet their needs while he administers justice to those who have harmed the innocents. He brings these women into his Guardian Program, but they aren’t like the others- they require something darker and more sinister- something that teeters on the edge of Safe, Sane, and Consensual.
TRIGGER WARNING: This book contains areas of possible triggers to include edge-play, piercing, hard impact, violence and other such elements not suited for minors. There is, as always, a HEA- but the path to getting there might disturb some sensitive readers.
Goodreads * Amazon
BDSM/AP lifestyler Breanna Hayse strives to give her readers truth and reality of the BDSM/Age-Play/Total Power and Erotic Exchange lifestyle.
Who am I?
I’m a native Californian gone ‘wild’, and had the opportunity to travel the globe and discover the world through the eyes of both a Marine Intelligence specialist and a BDSM lifestyler. I left the service to go into hospice nursing and grief counseling, eventually working as a marriage and family therapist for those involved in alternative lifestyle development. This experience has allowed me to gain unique inspiration for my books and offer realistic plots and relatable characters.
In 2004, my husband, John, and I joined forces to work with both submissives and dominants- teaching, training, listening and loving. Our goal was to take the mystery and fear out of the lifestyle and mentor people in safe, consensual and healthy relationships.
My first book, The Game Plan, was published in 2012 and opened the door to the now-booming world of Age-Play literature. Since that time, I’ve devoted my ‘spare’ time to writing, researching, community involvement, and private and group pro bono counseling in deviant behavior, alternative lifestyle, and addiction recovery.
I was formally ‘dungeon trained’ as a Domme before discovering my submissive side when I joined the service. My scenarios are pulled primarily from either personal experience or observation, including spending time in BDSM clubs as the safety/medical officer. My multi-faceted background allows me to glean from many avenues and give a unique and intelligent literary experience through elements of fantasy and fiction. I also discuss the questions and psychology of the lifestyle in a manner that is fun and informative, and based on ‘the real deal.’
I live with my husband, musician, and fellow-author, John Hayse, and two border collies in southern California. We practice a 24/7 D&S relationship with speckles of AP (and many trips to Build-A-Bear), and happily spend every moment together that we can. My hobbies include my puppies, hiding my vanilla salt-water taffy where John can’t find it, exotic art, collecting inspirational trinkets, and developing my own paddle line. You can also see me as a featured author/instructor in professional conference settings and as a Sexpert for kinkyliterature.com.
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads
$15 Amazon
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
November 16, 2019
A Day in the Life of Jo Elizabeth Pinto #Uniqueauthors #Meetanauthor
Welcome to Jo Elizabeth Pinto
I was born in Chicago in 1971 and grew up in Brighton, Colorado. I was part of the first generation of disabled students who integrated the public schools in the late 1970’s. In 1992, I graduated from the University of Northern Colorado at Greeley with a degree in Human Services. While helping disabled students learn how to use adaptive computer technology, I earned a second degree in 2004 from the Metropolitan State College of Denver in Nonprofit Organization Management. Blind since birth, I am currently self-employed as a braille textbook proofreader.
As an author, I know the importance of entertaining my readers while also giving them food for thought. Whether I write fiction, nonfiction, or poetry, I draw inspiration from my own experiences with the ultimate intention of showing my audience that hope is always just an action away.
I live in Colorado with my husband and my daughter, my yellow Labrador guide dog Anlyn, two cats named Sam-I-Am and Andy, and a parakeet called Rocket. In my free time, I enjoy baking, growing flowers, and listening to music.
I’m an author, as I’ve wanted to be since I first figured out as a little girl that words could be written down in books and enjoyed over and over again. But I’m also a freelance braille proofreader, mostly for clients across the country who produce textbooks that will be used by blind children in kindergarten through high school, and a few random college students and library patrons now and then. I’m a wife and mother, a daughter, a friend.
What that means in practical terms is, I write in bits and pieces. Sometimes I get up and write in the dead of night when the house is quiet. Sometimes I write for ten minutes while the spaghetti bubbles on the stove and my daughter works out a long division problem at the kitchen table. Sometimes I shove work aside, switch off my conscience, and write for an entire morning with undone dishes piled up in the sink because I’ll explode if the characters don’t get themselves out of my head and into the world.
My writing space is a beat-up old computer desk in the corner of my dining room. When my daughter was little, she plastered the lower drawers and cupboards of the desk with colorful stickers. The upper cabinets are hung with bead necklaces, old track meet ribbons, and other childhood trinkets. When I lived alone, I was organized to a fault. But having a family has taken care of that problem. My desk is always cluttered, often with random items that, for the most part, don’t even belong to me.
My computer is fitted with text-to-speech (screen-reading) software that repeats the words I type and allows me to listen to emails and navigate the Internet. Using that software, I’ve written and self-published two books. The first, “The Bright Side of Darkness,” is a novel about a group of kids from the projects and how their lives change because of mentoring. The second, released this last July, is a nonfiction book about my adventures as the blind mom of a sighted daughter.
My daughter is delighted to have been featured in a book, but she isn’t quite old enough to understand the point the stories about the two of us are trying to make. Her dad is a staunch supporter of my writing. He owns a watch and clock repair shop, and I’ve sold many books locally out of his store.
Working from home, writing and running a business, raising a child—it can all be overwhelming at times. The lifestyle works for me, especially because I found a sustainable way to make money as a freelance proofreader and be home when my daughter is. I would recommend my chosen crafts, with a caveat or two. First, a person has to be a self-starter. When you take up writing or work from home, there won’t be anyone standing over your shoulder, nagging you to improve. There will be a million things waiting to take up your time, and writing takes hours, weeks, and years of practice. Those who persist, prevail. And second, join a group of like-minded people—real live people are best, but online is okay if necessary. Writers need other writers to support them, challenge them, and keep them writing.
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Please check out my author Website, where you can find many relevant links:
https://www.brightsideauthor.com
“The Bright Side of Darkness” is my award-winning novel, Available in Kindle, audio, and paperback formats.
http://www.amazon.com/author/jepinto
The paperback version of my novel is available at Barnes & Noble here:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-bright-side-of-darkness-j-e-pinto/1122183259?ean=9781512344943
Please see my author page on Facebook here:
https://m.facebook.com/authorjepinto/?ref=Footer
Please see my author blog, “Looking on the Bright Side,” on Goodreads here:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14120336.J_E_Pinto/blog
Please see my Bookbub profile here:
https://www.bookbub.com/profile/j-e-pinto
To read guest posts about parenting in the dark, please click here:
https://blindmotherhood.com/?s=Jo+Pinto
To read guest posts on a variety of topics, please click here:
https://campbellsworld.wordpress.com/
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November 14, 2019
Warrior Woman of the Samurai – Blog Tour #Historical Fiction
Firefly
Warrior Woman of the Samurai Book 1
by India Millar
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance
There are some who believe that the honor of a samurai is reserved for men.
But they are wrong.
Keiko was born the daughter of a samurai. But as a mere younger sister, her future was to run errands for her lovely elder sister and obey her father. Until the day it fell to her to defend the honor of her sister and her family…
Goodreads * Amazon
Mantis
Warrior Woman of the Samurai Book 2
Keiko’s men are dead, slaughtered by peasants in a desperate attempt to obtain food for their starving families. She is the last of her line; without her, the noble and ancient house of Hakuseki will die.
In order to try and save her family name, this noble samurai warrior woman is forced to humble herself at the feet of the local daimyo. When he ridicules her and takes the family estate for himself, the samurai code of bushido says there is only one thing left for Keiko.
Vengeance.
Keiko plots to take revenge for the actions of her greedy noble lord and revenge against the men who wanted to buy her and keep her as their slave.
Just like the praying mantis, Keiko lures her enemies into a sense of safety before taking her revenge…
Goodreads * Amazon
Chameleon
Warrior Woman of the Samurai Book 3
Keiko’s revenge on her enemies is almost complete. Like her namesake, the chameleon, she has changed herself to attract and entrap the men she seeks. Now, just one man remains unpunished. But before she can complete her vengeance, karma destroys her plans cruelly. Niko—her adopted younger sister—has been kidnapped. Keiko is sure she knows who is behind the abduction, but she cannot act alone to get Niko back. She is forced to turn to the most unlikely ally to help her—Akira, the most feared yakuza in Edo.
Karma forces Keiko to change her colors to get what she wants. She has become as adaptable as the chameleon. But first and last, she is still a warrior woman of the samurai.
Goodreads * Amazon
I started my career in the heavy industry of British Gas and ended it in the rarefied atmosphere of the British Library. Now, I share a blissful early retirement on the wonderful Costa Blanca, living in a male-dominated household with my long-suffering husband, a cat and a dog.
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
https://kingsumo.com/g/7szbf7/warrior-woman-of-the-samurai-release
November 11, 2019
For Remembrance Sunday 2019
A touching Remembrance Day post.
As I get older I find that I am moved to tears more often than I used to be. I have no idea why that should be: do we become more sensitive with age, or are our tear ducts more active? Whatever the reason, I found it happening to me on Friday morning as I watched the BBC’s Breakfast programme. In the run up to Remembrance Sunday they ran a piece about a gentleman called Harry Billinge: Harry is 93 and is a veteran of the Normandy landings – i.e. D-Day – and is collecting money for a memorial to those who gave their lives there. They also featured Harry as part of their programme earlier this year, marking the 75th anniversary of D-Day. On both occasions he was interviewed at some length, and both times this wonderful man has moved me to tears. Within an hour or so of…
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How To Backup Your WordPress Blog To Prevent Losing All Its Contents
A useful post on backing up your WordPress content #Senisal
How would you feel if you woke up one morning and discovered that your WordPress blog had been deleted or that most of your content had been lost?
It’s a scary thought, and probably the worst kind of nightmare situation for many bloggers.
WordPress has a process that allows all its users to backup the contents of their blog.
Today, I’m going to show you how to backup your blog without going via the ‘WP Admin’ button on the dashboard of your blog.
Not only is it a straight forward process, but it’s the quickest method of performing a backup of your blog. Plus, since I last wrote about this, you can now also backup all your media, images and photos.
Let’s start.
In the lefthand menu of the dashboard of your blog, click on Tools, then on Export.
You’ll be presented with the following choices.
Let’s start…
View original post 474 more words
