Maggie Nash's Blog, page 11

Why do I love BDSM romance?

You know 10 years ago I would never ever have dreamed of writing about BDSM, let alone writing BDSM stories. Not knowing anything about it other than what I'd heard in whispers over the years, I thought (and I'm sure a lot of people still do) that it was all about being beaten up and tortured. I couldn't even imagine a time when a person would want to be put through what I saw as an unnecessary and painful ordeal. I thought these people must have some type of psychiatric disorder and they desperately needed help.

At the same time as I was thinking these bad things about a philosophy and a lifestyle I knew next to nothing about, I was finding myself fantasizing about all sorts of situations that made me feel very confused and conflicted. On the one hand I condemned BDSM through misunderstanding and misinterpretation, and on the other I found myself drawn to movies and stories where the heroine was completely at the mercy of another person. And not necessarily a hero either.

As an impressionable adolescent I watched as Robert Redford held a gun to Katherine Ross while insisting she take her clothes off. I got so hot that I still dream about that scene.  Worse, I remember watching a movie about a serial killer where he tied his victims to a bed and touched them all over while watching on fully clothed, and I wished it was me. Of course my fantasy turned him into a handsome lover who eventually let me go, but at the time I thought I was quite disturbed!  Heck, it's amazing that my strict Catholic upbringing didn't send me to the loony bin even thinking about it. Okay, maybe I still think I was disturbed!

Later, when I discovered fumbling sex with my boyfriend and we made out in alleys and on the beach, the thought of being seen by others turned me on at the same time as it horrified me! I watched the movie EMMANUELLE which gave me years of scenes to fantasize about but I thought I was being really really naughty! Boy did that make me feel weird, but I never really made the connection to BDSM. Not until years later.

I was already reading and writing erotic romance when I bought a book to support a fellow new author and read it in one sitting. The book was NO ONE BUT MADISON by Doreen Orsini. I had no idea it was BDSM until I read it. I couldn't put it down, and to this day I revisit it over and over again. In fact I have probably read it more than 20 times since it first came out in 2006. Thank you Doreen for starting me on my journey of discovery!

It all began to make sense. All those pent up feelings and fantasies were not just me. Others had them too. Others even lived their life by them. How exciting! What a relief!

I spent the next few years reading as many BDSM romance books as I could, finding wonderful authors such as Joey Hill, J W McKenna, Delilah Devlin and more recently my fan girl crush is on Cerise Sinclair. But I still had no idea what attracted me to this genre and this lifestyle.

In the middle of this I decided that if I was going to fantasize, I needed to write it all down, but before that I had better do my research. I spent months looming on BDSM sites, reading non-fiction books on the subject, speaking to practicing subs (since quite frankly, I'd decided that was more me!) before I started my first book on it.

THE MASTERS PRIZE was the result, and even though I don't think I got it completely right, I did managed to get a lot of my pent up feelings out and down on the paper. I finally found a way to express what I had been feeling all of my life. It was incredibly freeing for me and I hope others have been able to see that in the book. Of course it isn't a real depiction of BDSM as I do not live the lifestyle, but I have spent a lot of time living in the headspace of a sub, and researching it all was so much fun :-) I know a few who read it loved it, so that's the main thing!

So back to the topic. Why do I love BDSM romance?

Remember these are my own opinions, and many of you ay disagree with me and that's okay. This is all about what I feel personally.


It took me a long time to sort out why I was attracted to this fantasy, but I think I have a handle on it now.

There four parts to my answer:

1. It's about letting go without losing yourself. The characters in BDSM are courageous enough to let go of their lives, their fears, anxieties, and yes, even their orgasms and place themselves in the hands of another. What an incredible gift to give another human being! And how freeing for an individual to be able to do it, allowing another to make decisions on what your body will have or not have.

2. It's about trust. There is no way you can give over of yourself to another if you don't trust them to allow you to be the one with the ultimate control. You gift them with yourself, but know that they can't do it without your consent and willingness. Being in a relationship where you trust another person to be responsible for what happens to you is, as I said, an amazing gift, and without trust it's not going to happen. How wonderful to be able to trust someone this much!

3. It's about heightening sensations. Being unable to control what happens to you makes you hyper aware of every inch of your body. It's an amazing feeling and very addictive :-) We've all heard that old adage "There's a fine line between pleasure and pain". Being taken to another plane with sensations given in a loving way can only heighten the pleasure and take it to even greater heights. (great song too!).

4. It's about being sane (knowing what you're doing at all times), safe (using caution and safety in all that is done) and consensual (knowing that both sides agree at all times and that it's okay to change your mind and stop).

As you can see, most of my reasons involve the dynamics of the exchange of power. The sex and the sensations are the results of this and can't exist without them.

So give me a sassy sub who willingly gives control over to a loving dom and I'm happy. If he gives her amazing experiences by pushing her limits, and pushing mine as the reader, all the better!

And before you ask - yes, I have tried a lot of what I researched :-) Not telling which bits though :-) My plan is one day to be brave enough to visit a club or even to a BDSM retreat for a weekend escape...so one day you never know! All in the name of research of course!

These days I have plenty of authors I enjoy reading who write BDSM the way I like it. As I mentioned, I love Cherise Sinclair, plus there's also Nichelle Gregory, Desiree Holt, Ann Jacobs, Katherine Kingston, Mackenzie McKade, Sindra Von Yissel, Qwillia Rain, Reese Gabriel and the list goes on. Some of these lovely authors live the life, some of them, like me -  fantasize and research....but boy do I enjoy reading them as I am sure they love writing them.  Reading these books is like joining a secret women's business society! My guilty pleasure. *Bliss*




My second BDSM book is available now. It's called ILLUMINATIONS.  It's set in Victorian England and is related to a full length novel I am writing. Victorian England as a setting puts an entirely new spin on it for me but the emotions are the same.

So for a chance to win a copy of ILLUMINATIONS, tell me why YOU like BDSM romance? What good BDSM books have you read lately? Or just say hi!  Don't forget to leave your email address in your comment so I can contact you if you win.


I'll choose the winner randomly from all the comments and you have until Wednesday night (Aussie time) to post.




Don't forget to come back on Thursday because I have Aussie BDSM/Steampunk author Cari Silverwood dropping by with a peak at her latest release!

THURSDAY TEASER - Ayla Ruse

Thanks for having me today, Maggie. *I love Teasers* This should be on a bumper sticker, don't you agree? I like to jump straight on in, so here's a little teaser from my brand spanking new release with Total E-Bound, The Fires of Beltane.

What was supposed to be a celebration of life turns into a festival of fear...
Blurb:

Natalie Devonshire is nervous about attending the invitation only, annual Beltane feast. She's heard it can be wild and naughty and though intrigued, she plans only to observe. That is, until she meets handsome William Zapata, who convinces her that trying something new can be as fun as it is daring.

William's been coming to this festival for several years, for one reason only—to spend time with his sometime lover. When he meets Natalie outside the gates, his interest is immediate. He's drawn to her, and as backward as this celebration makes their introductions, his intention is to keep seeing her long after the festival ends.

Not all is a bed of roses, however. Some attendees see the festival as a way to meet needs of a darker nature. Beltane not only has a history rich in fertility and life, but also has historical ties with the occult. This includes human sacrifice and all the necessary preparations are in order. When people begin to disappear and death explodes around the celebrants, panic ensues.
Trapped and confused, can Natalie and William find out who is behind the destruction of this celebration and stop the spiralling events before they become part of the sacrifice themselves? And when all is said and done, will the attraction between them be strong enough to last, or will they discover their interest was fleeting and best left burning with the fires?

Reader Advisory: This book contains scenes of orgies, gay/lesbian intimacies, anal sex, public sex, the occult, blood and murder. Not for the faint of heart.
EXCERPT:
    
     Natalie shot up into a sitting position. A girl tripped over her legs and as Natalie steadied her, she asked, "Did you hear that scream?"

     The girl giggled and shook her head before grabbing Natalie's head and squashing their lips together. After the huge smack, which was oddly pleasant, the girl pulled back and shouted, "Only the screams of pleasure!" Then the girl jumped up and ran off.

     Natalie sat still. The orchestrated sounds of the night, melodic just moments ago, now seemed disjointed. She strained to listen—sure the scream she'd heard had been one of fear, not pleasure—but no other odd noise met her ears. Telling herself it must have been the sound of someone being taken by surprise, she shook her head and tried to calm her heart rate to find the happy place she'd just been.

     Warm arms settled around her from behind and she jerked.

     "Shh," came his warm voice. "It's only me."

     Strange, how only a few brief moments with this man made him seem like a lifeline to her now. He sat behind her and she leaned against his hard chest as he wrapped his arms around her.

     "William," she sighed. "I've been waiting for you."

     "I know. I would have been here earlier, but Jordan and I…well…"

     "Is he your lover?" she asked, fighting the jealousy that threatened to rise.

     He shrugged. "At times. Nothing serious, though. We tried that and it never worked out, so we use this night to…touch base, I guess you could say. Did seeing us together bother you?"

     She shook her head. "Honestly, it turned me on. I've never seen two men make love before. Was it her imagination or did William seem to relax?

     "I hope you got a good show, then."



Thanks for reading – have a great Thursday and a Happy Easter!


Purchase from Total E-Bound  HERE

Please visit Ayla on her blog at http://aylaruse.blogspot.com
Or on Facebook   https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001860273908

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Thanks so much for sharing your excerpt today Ayla!  It sounds like a really hot read! Nothing  like getting the pants scared off you! Or him...or them...LOL


What do you think of Horror and erotic romance? A marriage made in heaven? Or should I say hell LOL. Yes, I mean YOU the person reading!  Take a few minutes to leave a comment! I'd love to hear what you think...

And don't forget there is SCARED STIFF promotion over at Total-e-bound!  You could win 5 free ebooks! Click HERE to find out more!

MONDAY MAGIC - Shannon Curtis

When I Grow Up…. By Shannon Curtis
One thing I love about writing is the research involved. As an author, I get to contact people and ask them questions about how something works – or how they work!

 My first experience with this was a friendly discussion with my sister-in-law (who is a police officer with NSW Police) about how police would respond to a death in a hospital. This was pretty interesting, and I learned how cops interact with hospitals and the coroner on cases such as this.  But that then led to me contacting the Coroner's Court and speaking with staff at the Dept of Forensic Medicine – I wanted to know what they would find if my hypothetic al murder victim turned up, how long testing takes (hint: not as quick as CSI would have you believe!) what would be red flags, how things could be disguised, etc.

Let's just say those folks at the Dept of Forensic Medicine are very smart, very savvy, very helpful … and very twisted with suggestions on 'how to kill a character'. Awesome folks, with fascinating information.



I've had the opportunity to tour a perfume factory, and find out how scents are made, the process a fragrance developer goes through to make a sunny-smelling laundry powder, or a pleasantly-scented cleaning agent… or a sinfully sensual killer fragrance.





For my first novel, Viper's Kiss , I needed information on how the Seattle Police Department would handle certain situations. I also needed to know information about the outstanding Special Forces, and Bob Mayer  was extremely generous and patient with supplying those details to me.  I also got to research smoke bombs – and this is going to sound so juvenile, but that was a hell of a lot of fun. I also got to interview Elizabeth Saunders, a genuine Information Technology Services Librarian at the University of New South Wales, who gave me a considerable amount of material for my heroine, Maggie Kincaid.

For my second novel, Guarding Jess (due out from Carina Press on May 14), I was very fortunate to contact Ms Jacqueline Whitmore, who was so kind and generous with her time and expertise as I researched etiquette – which is a whole new level of fascination!


I guess, for me, this is what makes writing so much fun for an author. I get to talk to the most fascinating people, about the most interesting things – and they don't realise how fascinating their lives are to me, or how interested I am in what they do and why.

When I was growing up, I wanted to be a federal police detective.  I wanted to be involved with murder mysteries, drug and jewellery heists and secret agent stuff. Then I found out a) you have to be really smart, go to university, etc, b) it's an idea to be fit, c) you can't discuss cases with friends or family, and d) it's really dangerous!


*****

You can find Shannon at:
www.shannoncurtis.com
Writers Ink
Facebook


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So tell us - what did YOU want to be when you grew up? Did it work for you? And writers - what are the best things about being a writer?

Leave us a comment and join the conversation!

THURSDAY TEASER - Denise Rossetti

Please welcome the fabulous Denise Rossetti!  I've known Denise for years - I can't believe this is the first time she's been a guest on my blog!  Here is a little about her, plus a really yummy excerpt!

Bio:
When I was very small, I had an aunt who would tell me the most wonderful fairy tales - all original. I grew up, as little girls do, but the magic of story still dazzles and enthralls me. On the good days, I like to think of myself as Scheherazade's sister. On the bad days - not so much.

I remain an incurable romantic who loves happy endings, heart-pounding adventure and the eventual triumph of good over evil. All hail the guys in the white hats - unless the ones wearing black are more...um...interesting?

I live in a comfortable, messy old house in the Australian suburbs. I'm small, noisy and tend to wave my hands around a lot, which can be unfortunate if the tale I'm telling happens to have explosions in it.



Blurb - The Lone Warrior

Note: The Lone Warrior is #3 in the Four-Sided Pentacle series, but it can be read perfectly well as a stand-alone.

Sworn to vengeance. Blinded by love.

Walker, a warrior shaman, has dedicated his life to the annihilation of the demons who destroyed his desert tribe. Abandoned as a child, Mehcredi, the assassin, has no concept of human relationships, no reserve, no fears, and she boldly walks through Walker's barriers as if they were mist.

Only one thing can bend a body of steel and melt a heart of ice.




Excerpt from The Lone Warrior

Caracole, Queendom of the Isles
Palimpsest

Death padded in pursuit, slipping through the double shadows without a sound. Like the worst nightmare Mehcredi could imagine, except this was all too horribly real. How much longer she could elude him, the man with the hunter's face? Panting, she glanced over her shoulder at the dark figure pacing behind. As he drifted from one patch of shadow to the next, something pale gleamed where the light of the Sibling Moons tangled in his black hair. Feathers worked into a long braid, and . . . bones?

Were they finger bones?

The shock thrilled down her nerves, making her head swim and her vision blur, but her long legs carried her away at a swift, stumbling run, lurching down a narrow alley, deeper into the reeking slum the people of Caracole called the Melting Pot. Turning to fight never entered her head. Gods, she'd barely scraped through the First Circle tests as it was, and her first real commission for the Guild of Assassins had been an unqualified disaster. No, she wouldn't have a chance.

She couldn't hear his footfall, couldn't detect any movement, but his presence behind her was a tangible force. Every cell in her body sensed him with the animal instinct of the hunted—his predatory focus, the grim relish with which he anticipated her death. From her left came the frantic click of claws on the cobbles, a soft whining noise. That damn dog! She might as well wave a flaming torch above her head and be done with it.

"Get lost," she hissed, glancing around for something to throw. "Scat!" But the little animal only skittered aside, continuing to flank her.

Mehcredi twisted and doubled back. One hand pressed to the stitch in her side, she reeled around a corner and inevitably, there he stood, waiting—pitiless. He wasn't a great deal taller than she was, but much broader. Lithe and strong and graceful, where she was long-boned and clumsy and doomed.

She opened her mouth to shriek, to plead, but long-fingered hands fastened around her throat. As he slowly increased the pressure, digging painfully into the soft flesh under her jaw, the man smiled, lips pulling back from white teeth. The expression gave him an eerie, chilling beauty. He could have been an avenging angel or a handsome demon. Either way, those elegant brutal hands were the sure instruments of her death.

Her fists flailed, punching. When that failed, she raked at his forearms with her nails, but he didn't even flinch. Mehcredi knew she was strong, stronger than any woman she'd ever met, but it made no difference. Black spots formed in her vision, her lungs labored and cramped.

"No," she tried to rasp. "No, please."

From far off, as if down a long tunnel, came the sound of hysterical barking.

The man thrust his face into hers. "Now you pay," he snarled as he sent her down into the dark. "Assassin."

***  In this second part of the excerpt, Walker has decided Mehcredi will do penance for her crimes by working for him. He's a VERY scary guy! ***

Mehcredi snapped her fingers the way Walker had done and the dog came to her side as if the gesture were Magick. To her surprise, when she moved toward the outer doors, he trotted along. On impulse, she sank to her knees in the doorway and got a lick on the face and a blast of disgustingly hot doggy breath for her trouble.

"Ack!" She wiped her face with her sleeve. "Run away," she hissed. "I don't want you. Go!"

The dog retreated half a dozen steps. Reaching the shade of a ticklewhisker hedge, he sat and scratched behind one ear. Then he turned two full circles, cast a wary glance around the quiet garden and flopped down, boneless. He yawned, showing surprisingly white teeth.

Feeling strangely warmed, Mehcredi closed the doors and returned to Walker.

"Come." He led her back into the dim hush of the sleeping house. The thick, sable tail of his hair fell past his trim waist. She'd never seen a man with hair so long.

"Why don't you cut your hair? It must take an awful lot of looking after."

One of those all-purpose masculine grunts.

Shoulder to shoulder, they climbed the stairs. "It's pretty," she persisted, "but did you know you're going gray, just here—"

As they reached a landing, she raised her fingers to touch his temple, but he knocked her arm away. "Keep your hands to yourself, assassin!"

Unobtrusively, Mehcredi cradled her aching wrist. "Sorry," she said, striving for dignity. "Where are the bones you wore last night? What sort are they? What are they for? You didn't say."

Walker came to a dead halt. When he turned, his face was expressionless, but Mehcredi found herself backing away nonetheless, until the stair rail pressed hard across the small of her back. Silent and remorseless, he followed until she could feel the warmth of his muscular body all along her front. Funny how she tended to think of him as cold, when his physical presence was hotter than anything she'd ever known.
Slowly, so she would know what was coming, Walker raised his hands and fitted them around her throat. His touch was gentle, caressing even, but she'd never felt more terrified, not even when she'd known he was going to kill her.

"Who I am, what I am, is none of your godsbedamned business," he said softly. "You're a cold-hearted bitch, a murderer for hire. Not a particularly good one, I grant you, but nonetheless—"

His touch was waking the bruises on her neck. They throbbed in time with her heart.

"You are not my servant, nor my student," continued that quiet, inexorable voice. "And thanks be to Those Before, you are not my friend. Nor will you be, ever."

He drew even closer, as close as a lover, exerting enough pressure to crack her spine over the stair rail. Absurdly luxuriant in that hard face, inky lashes brushed his high cheekbones. "You are my slave, as surely as if I bought you from a dealer in Trinitaria." Callused fingertips drew idle patterns over her thundering pulse. "Slaves do not ask impertinent questions. Understand?"

She nodded as best she could.

His voice dropped to a sibilant whisper. "What are you, Mehcredi?"

"S-slave. Your slave."

"Good. Do not forget it, even for an instant." For the space of two heartbeats, he leaned even harder into her body. Then he withdrew without haste, leaving her braced against the rail, panting.

He'd already reached the third floor before she caught up with him. Despite his warning, new questions seethed in her brain. Who were Those Before? She'd never heard an oath like that.

She supposed she'd become inured to asking questions. When you found it difficult to decipher expressions, it was often the only way. Ask and be damned with a cuff around the head, a bloodied lip.

Don't ask and be double damned.

Sister save her, she had enough problems at the moment. Mehcredi bit her tongue.

***

This fabulous book won the Best Erotic Romance 2011, Australian Romance Readers Association

Buy the book
Amazon - http://tinyurl.com/2fed6x5
Barnes & Noble - http://tinyurl.com/2coxet6
Australian Book Stores - http://www.deniserossetti.com/links.html#ozstores


Find Denise Rossetti -
Website - http://www.deniserossetti.com/
Twitter - @DeniseRossetti
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=715688521
Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/484480.Denise_Rossetti

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Please leave a comment and let Denise know how much you love her excerpt!

Feel free to ask any questions too!

And if you have time, click on the box at the right and give some Karma!

Lucky 7 and a short excerpt

Tagged by the lovely Dawn Montgomery Muah! Love you.

Lucky Seven:
1. Go to page 77 (or 7th) of your current ms
2. Go to line 7
3. Copy down the next 7 lines - sentences or paragraphs - and post them as they're written. No cheating.
4. Tag 7 other authors. No cheating.

Here are my lines: From my current WIP (a sekrit writing project!) #amwriting

She turned back to find him smiling. Oh sure. He's laughing at me now. "Great. Now we've got that sorted, I'm heading to bed."
His eyebrows lifted. "Sounds like fun."
Bloody men. Always thinking with a certain part of their anatomy. At least now she knew what sort of guy he was. "Not really. I sleep alone and when my head hits that pillow and I'm out like a light."
His smile brightened. "I'll keep that in mind."

I tag these fine and sexy ladies! (kill me later) :
Paula Roe, Keziah Hill, Allie Standifer, Nicole Murphy, Sam Crescent, Jess Dee, Shannon Stein

If you read this, how about clicking on the Karma box on the right of my blog! Thanks!

Special gift from Gabriella Hewitt #writing

An impromptu prize!

My good friend Gabriella Hewitt is offering Bk1&2 of of her Shadows series.  Tweet this, or share on Facebook for a chance to win! #writing #books

What are you waiting for?

Confessions of an inveterate eavesdropper

Good morning all. Today for my MONDAY MAGIC post I'm talking about a bad habit I have. It's shameful I know, but I can't help myself.





They say that the first step is to admit it, so here goes --

I'm an eavesdropper.

There. I said it.

I am one of those terrible people who watches people and listens in on conversations. I know it's wrong.  I know it's invading the privacy of others, but that doesn't seem to matter to me. I do it anyway :-)  Bad me.

Occasionally I can't hear what they are saying, so I make up stories about what they might be saying. It's amazing how exciting the life of perfect strangers can be!

Other times I listen in while I'm walking down the street. Sometimes I can hear people inside their homes talking to each other, and other times they are talking as they walk. I hear conversations about things as mundane as what they had for dinner last night, or as deep as the answer to World Peace. Of course it's a lot more fun when I hear people teasing each other, or having fun!

My absolute favourite place to listen in is on the train. No one makes eye contact on a train these days so little ole me can sit quietly, pretend that I'm not there, and glean any number of conversations and file them away for future use.

My mother would be so disappointed in me. She tried to drum into me from an early age that it is rude to listen in to what others are saying, but can I remember what she taught me? No Mam.

So why do I do it? I have a really good reason, and you might even forgive me when you hear it :-) My mum might even understand.

Eventually ;-)

Okay, back to the reason I do it.

Research. Pure and simple.

That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!  I file away stories, conversations, characters, situations, names - you name it, I steal it! But it's all in a good cause. They find their way into my stories eventually.

It's not all bad :-), and I'm certainly not giving it up just yet!

So next time you talk to a friend in public, remember - you never know who's listening. It could be me!

What bad habits do you have? Go on - you know you want to share!

THURSDAY TEASER - Naomi Bellina

Hello Maggie and readers! I'm delighted to be here today.

I'd like to share a PG rated excerpt with you from my short story, When Irish Eyes Are Evil.

Yes! Just in time for St. Patrick's Day! It's about an unusual character a Leanhaum-shee, an Irish vampire. The one in my tale is a bit different from the traditional variety because…well, you'll have to read the story to find out. If you'd like a chance to win a copy, enter my contest shown at the end of this post. Please also visit my website if you'd like to view a steamier excerpt.

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Blurb:

A sexy vampire with evil on his mind has Rachael playing detective to find a way to subdue him before he can destroy her. Sent to the space station in lieu of prison, Rachel longs to escape and return to Earth. An encounter with a charming bartender, Brody, makes her reconsider, until she realizes that he is not what he seems. Racing against time, Rachel must find a way to permanently eliminate Brody before she falls prey to his evil plot and is killed in the process. With the help of a sexy crew member, a friend back home and another of Brody's victims, Rachel devises a dangerous plan to kill the fiend and save herself and other potential victims.


When Irish Eyes Are Evil


Sitting at a back table in Orbitz later that night, she observed Brody behind the bar. How to distract him and get him away from the bar? As she was pondering this, Shawn stepped into the bar. He saw Rachel, hesitated, then came over and sat down.

"I don't want to intrude—I know you like to spend time alone. I won't stay long, but I wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed our time together yesterday," he said with a smile.

Rachel had to smile back. He had such a sweet face, though she knew from their encounter that he was far from innocent. Her skin heated up and her heart gave a strange little flip—but this was no time to get distracted.

"I had a great time, too. I'd love to see you again soon, I just have…something I need to take care of right now," she told him.
He followed her gaze to the bar.

"You're certainly paying a lot of attention to our bartender. Should I be jealous?" Shawn asked. "A penny for your thoughts."

Rachel wanted so desperately to tell him what was going on—to have a friend to rely on—but she couldn't. She might need his help, though. An idea was forming.

"Brody, the bartender. He has something that belongs to me," Rachel began. "I need to get behind the bar and get it back. It will only take a minute or two. Do you think you could create some kind of diversion so I could sneak back there?" she asked.

Shawn considered her request for a moment. Rachel had the feeling that he was deciding if he could trust her and she really didn't blame him. For all he knew, she was planning to rob the place and take off, though that was highly unlikely, since there really was nowhere to go. He finally smiled slightly and nodded.

"I have a plan that should work, but you'll have to be quick. There's a pressure line that runs under the bar into the utility closet. I can set off an alarm to make it look like it's been damaged and Brody should head immediately back to the closet to see what's wrong. It's only going to take him a minute or two to figure out that it was a false alarm, so don't waste any time. Will that work for you?"

"That will be perfect! I'll be in and out quick as can be."

"Give me about ten minutes, then listen for the alarm. You won't hear it too loudly back here, so keep your eyes on the bar. Once Brody realizes there's nothing wrong, he'll come out to the bar to reset the alarm. You're only going to have a few minutes."

Rachel nodded and Shawn left to set the plan into action.

Rachel chewed her straw as she watched Brody, hoping he wouldn't notice her attention focused on him and hoping she had made the right choice in trusting Shawn. She had a feeling she had and, to her relief, ten minutes later a faint buzzing noise began to issue from the bar.

Brody immediately stopped what he was doing and bent down to look under the bar. He straightened up and quickly headed to the back closet—and Rachel was on her feet and moving fast. She slid behind the bar after a quick check around to make sure she wasn't being observed, opened the capped bottle and quickly dumped the contents of the phial she carried into it. The phial of Tala's blood.

She gave the bottle a couple of shakes, put it back where she found it, and slipped out and back to her table just as Brody returned from the closet. He reached under the bar and fiddled with something and the alarm stopped. He did a little more poking around under the bar, then shrugged and returned to what he had been doing.

Rachel breathed a sigh of relief and went back to chewing her straw as she waited for him to take a sip of his drink. A few minutes later, Shawn reappeared and sat down.

"Did you get what you wanted?" he asked.

"What?" Rachel said, distracted. "Oh—yes, I did!" Keeping one eye on Brody, she said, "Thank you so much, Shawn. I really appreciate it. I'll get together with you soon and we can—" She stopped.

Brody tipped the bottle and took a big drink. Rachel watched as he set the bottle down, put the cap on, then suddenly clutched his throat. He fell to the ground behind the bar and as several people hurried forward and voices started calling for the medics, Rachel decided it would be a good time to leave.

As she got up, Shawn gently grabbed her wrist.

"Is everything all right? Is there something you need help with?" he asked.

Despite everything, she felt a tingle as his fingers touched her skin. When she looked into his eyes, she saw no suspicion, just concern.

Rachel put her hand on his for a moment and squeezed it.

         "You just helped me more than you know. I think I'm okay now," she said, and strolled casually out as the medics rushed in.

*******************************************


[image error] To enter to win an ebook copy of this story, please visit my Facebook page (yes, I'm still using Classic Facebook), click the Like button at the top, and leave me a  comment with your name and a way to contact you, preferably email and not telepathy. I'll pull the lucky winner's name out of my little top hat with the shamrock on it. http://www.facebook.com/NaomiBellinaAuthor

Thank you again for having me, Maggie, and a Happy St. Paddy's Day to all!


Naomi Bellina
Extraordinary erotic romance to tickle your fancy and unleash your libido
http://www.naomibellina.com/
http://www.facebook.com/NaomiBellinaAuthor
https://twitter.com/#!/TheGoddessNaomi

MONDAY MAGIC - Louise Forster

Thank you Maggie for giving me this opportunity to join yourblog.
Hi Everyone,
When Maggie ran out of books to read she wrote her own. WhenI ran out of books to read to my daughters, I made them up as I sat on theiredge of their beds. You might think this is strange — how could anyone possiblyrun out of story books? But we wereliving in Holland at the time. Some of the stories stayed with me. Later, whenthe girls were grown up, I bought an old, second-hand computer and put thestories down on paper. 
I love romance and thought I'd try my hand at writing aromance novel. I loved it; I had somuch fun with my characters. In 2000, I won the Emma Darcy award with myco-writer and editor Danielle de Valera (Ellis). After that, I began writing mainstream on my own and in 2008, I entered a UScompetition, The Charter Oak Romance Writers' Golden Acorn Excellence inWriting Award, a chapter of Romance Writers of America, and came 3rdwith The Secret Life Of Bob, which isnow entitled Finding Veronica, and is available in paperback and Kindle. Thiswill soon be followed by, Finding Elizabethand then Finding Alexandra — unlessI come up with a better name, I'mopen to suggestions. J
I've been an RWA member for 12 years and recently joined awriters' site called YouWriteOn, which isfunded by the UK Arts Council. I found it an excellent place to obtain reviews from other writers who don'tknow you or your work. They often see things from a completely different angle,and make you think outside the box. I love brainstorming with family and a dearfriend in Tasmania. This always helps me out of sticky situations. Suddenly,there's a light-bulb moment and I'm given an escape route.
I consider myself lucky to have family who will listen to myquestions about a scene. Writing is a solo career, but there are many who helpbring a book to its conclusion, for example, critique groups, fellow writers,and online courses. Once I'm on the last draft, there are five people I cancall on to read it through. One is great at telling me where it needs tightening.If I complain, I'll get a look, then several looks and an eye-roll. Another isgreat at telling me where I've skimmed and suggesting where it needs depth. Yetanother loves timelines. My Tassie friend Janine Rowe, does all of the above. She also suggested the title for the first book, which led to titles forthe next two. I hope readers enjoy reading them as much as I did writing them.
If you have PDF you can read the first two chapters of Finding Veronica. If you pop in to mywebsite, please drop me a line on the contact page, I would love to hear fromyou.
Thank you, and happyreading,
Louise Forster  www.louiseforster.com   e-mail louise@louiseforster.com
Back page synopsis, Finding Veronica:
Funny, sassy, sexy, with a touch of mystery.
Londonbased chef, Jennifer Dove believe she leads an exciting life, until her unconventional sister, and wanna-beGoth niece, join her to attend their uncle's mad-cap funeral inAustralia. Barely hoursinto her stay, she disturbs an intruder and is questioned by police. Sexy local,Calum McGregor, is an easygoing guy, unless he thinks Jennifer is in danger.Throw in fluffy pink stilettos, a fireman to the rescue, a Russian skulkingabout, and already life is more interesting, and it's only day two. Will sheever unravel her uncle's cryptic message and find his missing girlfriend,Veronica? Time is running out, in more ways than one.
FINDINGVERONICA is available as paperback and on kindle at Amazon, The BookDepository, Barns & Noble, Booktopia, Fishpond etc.

THURSDAY TEASER - Shona Husk

Today I have the fabulous Shona Husk joining me with a teaser of one of her books!  Please make her welcome!

***

Sharing Sirius is book 3 of the Lucinda's Lover Vampires.

In ancient Vampires, boredom can literally kill. When Jack sees Owen beginning to succumb, he knows he is no longer enough. Owen needs the blood of another lover to survive. So Jack turns to Katya, hoping she can entice Owen into living again.
At first Katya denies her lust to her boss, even though she's wanted him for years. With Jack promising to look the other way, she has a scorching-hot encounter Owen.
Owen doesn't want to admit what is happening to him. He doesn't want to cheat and break Jack's heart, and yet he can't resist Katya. But Katya and Jack have their own sexy plan. And neither of them intend to lose Owen.


You can buy the book at the following places:
ELLORA'S CAVE
BARNES and NOBLE (NOOK)
AMAZON (KINDLE)

You can find Shona at the following places:
www.shonahusk.com
www.twitter.com/shonahusk
www.facebook.com/shonahusk

Excerpt:
     Jack returned Katya's smile. It didn't feel natural on his lips. He was going to screw this up. But the distance in Owen's eyes, how they'd be together but he was a million miles away, stiffened his spine. He wasn't doing this for himself. He was doing it for Owen.
     "How long have you been working for Owen now?"
     She sipped her drink and shivered as the heat and etheric combined. Chokolat was apparently almost as good as drinking blood. "Three years."
     Three years. It had been two years since Jack had started to notice the subtle changes in Owen. At first he'd brushed them off, now he couldn't. He'd tried to broach the subject with Owen more than once, but he didn't know what to say and Owen didn't want to hear it even though the ennui was closing in. This was his last chance. He had to put his trust in another Vampire. Trusting Vampires was always risky—he'd learned that the hard way.
Jack took a breath and jumped before he could reconsider. "Has he fancied you that whole time?"
     Her eyes widened. "I… I don't know what you're talking about." Her cheeks colored a delicate shade of pink—as if she'd been sunburned. She knew; she just didn't want to be discussing it with him.
     He totally understood, and would have ignored the attraction between Owen and Katya, but desperate times made men take chances they wouldn't usually dream of. And he was a desperate man.
     Jack moved closer, his hand landing on the small of her back. She flinched and turned to face him. He didn't pull his hand away. They were close, too close if Owen walked in. But he wouldn't. He'd be in the music room toying with melodies like he did every morning. But these days he wasn't writing anything new. Some days he repeated the same piece again and again. Yet it was the one part of his life where he still found joy and a reason to keep going. Old Vampires eventually suffered from the ennui, a condition that, if left, would cause them to end their lives out of boredom. At seven-hundred years old, Owen was showing the signs.
     Jack couldn't help Owen on his own. He glanced down at Katya, and the ennui was a problem she couldn't solve with a half dozen phone calls. However, together…
       "Have you ever wondered what it would be like to feel his bite?" His free hand trailed down her neck.
       "Wanted to lie naked on his desk?"
       "Jack." She put her hands on his chest and pushed.
       He let her break free. "Do you want him?"
       Her head moved slightly, a nod, maybe. "He loves you."
       Jack laughed, but it held no joy. "I know that. But I've seen the look in his eyes when you walk in the room." At first he'd been jealous—who wouldn't? But then he'd realized that Owen wouldn't betray him…not even to save himself from the ennui.
     "You have nothing to fear from me, I won't act on it."
      "Ah, Katya. You are so young for a Vampire." He ran his hands up her arms and cupped her face. "I want you to act on your desire."

****
Hooo weee!  I love the sexual tension there Shona :-)   Thanks so much for being here today.

Come on folks...tell Shona what you think!