Normandie Alleman's Blog, page 36
June 6, 2013
Multiple Sexy Genres to Blow Your Mind with Lisabet Sarai
I am thrilled to welcome Lisabet Sarai to the blog today. Of all the authors I have met since joining their ranks, Lisabet has been the most welcoming and generous. I have benefited so much from her advice and from her showing me the ropes. In addition to being a sweetheart, this lady can write some sexy books! I’m always visiting her blog and adding her books to my TBR list.
If there’s one thing Lisabet does not do – it’s put out the same book twice. She likes to mix it up and write whatever story comes to her. And this time she’s combined multiple genres in her latest hot read – Rajasthani Moon.
Lisabet, what was the inspiration behind this book?
Frustration. Devilry. Contrariness. The desire to break rules! Sometimes I get really annoyed at the way romance gets sliced and diced into a million different sub-genres. Publishers run around putting labels on everything. Then all too many readers settle into a particular sub-genre they enjoy, never venturing out of their safe little M/M, or paranormal, or historical box to try something new. As someone who craves variety (in everything, from food to books to sex), I just can’t understand this perspective. I write all over the genre map – and have trouble attracting a devoted reader following at least partly for that reason.
As I was stewing about this, I came up with the idea of writing a book that combined as many genres as I could manage. Having previously published a couple of steam punk shorts, I’d been wanting to experiment with that sub-genre. There’s BDSM, always close to my heart. And ménage, just the thing for someone who craves variety. Shapeshifters are really popular, and I’d never done a werewolf, so I thought I work that in. My next idea was to set the story in India, so that I could earn the Bollywood label, and given that many subcontinent women are more fleshy and curvy than the Western ideal, I figured a Rubenesque heroine would fit right in.
In a way, Rajasthani Moon was a challenge to myself. Could I really work in all these elements, and still have a novel that felt like an organic whole?
Of course the question of whether I can sell such a book remains to be answered! (Oh I bet you can!)
Which character spoke to you the most while you were writing this book or which was you favorite?
Well, since the book is written from Cecily’s perspective, I’d have to say that I tended to see things through her eyes. I really fell in love with Pratan, though. He’s the classic soulful rogue. (I loved him in the excerpts myself!)
How did you know you wanted to write erotic fiction? How did you feel about doing it at first?
Unlike some authors of erotic fiction, I’ve never had any trouble being explicit. I’ve been fascinated by sex all my life, and it just seemed natural to me to write about it.
What does your husband think? You write such amorous erotic adventurous, sometimes with multiple partners. What’s it like for him to have a woman with such a creatively sexy mind?
Well – both he and I have had pretty amazing sex lives – both before and after we got together. We’ve been to swingers parties and sex clubs together, and at one point were seriously seeking another couple for a polyamorous relationship. I suspect that nothing I could write would be likely to shock him. In fact, I know my “creatively sexy mind” is one thing that brought us together. Unfortunately, he doesn’t see the appeal of either BDSM or homoerotic scenarios, though, so there are some of my books that he’s just not interested in reading.
Do you have a project in the works that you’d like to tell us about?
I’m working on a new collection of short stories with D/s themes, entitled A Little Too Tight, which will be published by Books We Love (http://www.bookswelove.net/). They published my two previous volumes, Just a Spanking and Spank Me Again, Stranger, both of which have done pretty well from a sales perspective. This project is actually only a few days old. The BWL artist Michelle Lee (who is phenomenal) posted a set of “free” covers she’d developed, for BWL authors to claim if they were interested. One of them features a gorgeous Shibari image. I just couldn’t pass it up.
The book will have eight to ten stories. I need to write at least four new ones – including the title story. I have lots of ideas – finding the time is more of a problem!
How do you make yourself stand out in a competitive market?
Do I stand out? Sometimes, when I get my royalty statements, I rather doubt it!
My body of work rather awkwardly straddles the line between erotic romance and erotica. Although I can write ER, erotica was my first genre, and I suspect that shows. I spend a lot less time time than the average ER author describing about my heroes’ looks, and a lot more delving into my characters’ fantasies.
I guess that’s my signature or my brand – stories that are difficult to classify LOL. That, and variety, as I noted above. I rarely write the same genre twice – certainly not twice in a row. And I’m always seeking to explore new territory. I swore that I’d never write a story about a billionaire, but when my editor challenged me to try, I came up with something a bit different – a tale set around the turn of the twentieth century, during the Gilded Age of the robber barons. (YES! I’m chomping at the bit for that one. Lurved that excerpt.)
What do you do when you’re not writing?
Work in the real world, for one thing! I’m “not writing” a lot more often than “writing” it seems!For relaxation, I enjoy cooking and eating (they do go together), reading, film, almost all kinds of music, from classical to blues, and of course traveling.
What are you reading right now?
At the moment, I’m in the middle of Notwithstanding by Louis de Bernieres (the author of Corelli’s Mandolin), a quirky collection of interlocking short stories set in a small English village. I’m also in the middle of Road Like a River by my fellow Muse It Up author Graeme Smith, a highly original urban fantasy that re-imagines Charon, the boatman that ferries souls across the Styx in Greek mythology, as a hard-driving trucker. And I just started Best Lesbian Romance 2012, edited by Radclyffe. I got my author’s copy more than a year ago, but still hadn’t gotten around to reading the contributions by other authors.
As I said above, I like variety!
I know you live in Asia, and you love to travel. Your life sounds so exotic. What is it like living in a culture so different from the one you grew up in? What do you like best about it? What’s a bummer?
I guess some people would consider my life exotic, though for the most part it consists of getting up, making breakfast, showering, getting dressed and going to work, just like everyone else.
Asia is vibrantly alive, changing every day. There’s little of the cynicism and ennui one finds in Western cultures. Values are different. I think the people who surround me here enjoy life a good deal more than my former neighbors and colleagues in the United States. Food, for instance, is critically important – nobody would ever skip lunch here, or eat at one’s desk. Personal relationships and family are also viewed as central to life. People take the time to chat. Strangers smile and say hello. And I love the fact that I frequently see grandparents, parents and children all enjoying each others company.
Another reason I adore living here is the convenience. I live smack in the middle of a major city. I don’t need to have a car. There’s twenty four hour supermarket a five minute walk from my apartment. I’m a ten minute walk from the subway. My neighborhood has every service, from dry cleaners to bakeries to beauty salons. In the U.S., we were in a rural area and had to drive everywhere. It was gorgeous, but expensive and energy-consuming. I’ve become an urban person now.
The primary bummer is being so far from my extended family. I email, phone or Skype my siblings, aunts, cousins and parents pretty frequently, but that’s not the same as hanging out with them. Airfare is incredibly expensive, so I’m lucky if we can afford one trip back per year. I definitely miss them.
Do you have any pets?
We have two thirteen year old cats who moved to Asia with us nearly ten years ago. Interested readers can see pictures of them on my website (http://www.lisabetsarai.com/gallery.html).
I’m a born-again ailurophile. When I was a kid, we always had cats, but I never paid all that much attention to them. Then I met my husband – and his cats – and found myself madly in love with both. (Not these cats – he and I have been together more thirty years!) Now I can’t imagine living without a feline or two in the house.
What is something readers would be surprised to learn about you?
After all the years I’ve been blogging, I doubt that there’s any secret I haven’t shared…!
Maybe the fact that I was anorexic as a teenager – long before that affliction became well-known or popular. I lost a year and a half of college while I popped in and out of both general and psychiatric hospitals. At once point I weighed only 79 pounds. And I still felt fat. It’s a horrible disease that completely distorts your view of reality. I’m very fortunate that I totally recovered, without any long term health effects. Something like 10% of anorexics actually die. Even so, it took nearly a decade before I had a completely normal relationship with food.
Someday I’d like to write about that experience, because I believe that many people have misconceptions about anorexia. Actually I did write a short story with an anorexic character – a BDSM short story (surprised?) – called “Sundae, Bloody Sundae”. The story looks at the question of trust; could an anorexic trust her dominant enough to be willing to eat if ordered to do so?
You have been such a good friend and mentor for me as a new writer. Do you have any advice you can share with other new authors or those trying to break into the business?
Thanks! I love to welcome new authors to the rat race!
Advice? Write your passion, not the fashion. And believe in yourself and your vision. Readers can tell when a story is genuine, so pour your heart into your prose – don’t fake it.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
For now? Just the blurb and an excerpt from Rajasthani Moon!
Rajasthani Moon by Lisabet Sarai
Neither kink nor curse can stop a woman with a mission.
Cecily Harrowsmith, secret agent extraordinaire, is a woman on a mission. When the remote Indian kingdom of Rajasthan refused to remit its taxes to the Empire, Her Majesty imposed an embargo. Deprived of the energy-rich mineral viridium, essential for modern technology and development, Rajasthan was expected to quickly give in and resume its payments. Yet after three years, the rebellious principality still has not knuckled under. Cecily undertakes the difficult journey to that rugged, arid land in order to determine just how it has managed to survive, and if possible to convince the country to return to the Empire’s embrace. Instead, she’s taken captive by a brigand, who turns out to be the ruler’s half-brother Pratan, and delivered into the hands of the sexy but sadistic Rajah Amir, who expertly mingles torture and delight in his interrogation of the voluptuous interloper.
Cursed before birth by Amir’s jealous mother, Pratan changes to a ravening wolf whenever the moon is full. Cecily uncovers the counter-spell that can reverse the effects of the former queen’s hex and tries to trade that information for her freedom. Drawn to the fierce wolf-man and sympathising with his suffering, she volunteers to serve as the sacrifice required by the ritual—offering her body to the beast. In return, the Rajah reveal Rajasthan’s amazing secret source of energy. In the face of almost impossible odds, Cecily has accomplished the task entrusted to her by the Empire. But can she really bear to leave the virile half-brothers and their colourful land behind and return to the constraints of her life in England?
Warning: This book instantiates kidnap/captive fantasies and thus has some scenes of dubious consent. It includes robot bondage devices, animated nipple clamps, electric play, clockwork dildos, flogging, spanking, anal sex, double penetration in a dirigible, a small amount of F/F intimacy, and sex with a werewolf in shifted form.
Excerpt (PG)
“Your money and your jewels,” he growled in Hindi. “Quick now!”
Cecily lowered her gaze, feigning modesty. Meanwhile, she tightened her hand into a fist to release the knife. Nothing happened.
Her fall must have damaged the mechanism. Bloody machines…
And, in the interim, the bandit had produced his own much longer blade, which he now held to her throat. “Do you understand me, woman?” He switched to Rajasthani. When she still didn’t respond, he tried Gujarati. “Give me your valuables. Now!” Apparently losing patience, he plucked the gold hoop from her left earlobe with his other hand, while still pressing the cold steel against her skin.
“Ow!” she protested as the wire tugged at her flesh before pulling free.
“Aha! You can speak after all!” He glanced around the plush interior, no doubt noting brocaded cushions, the silver tea service, the crystal goblets secured to the wall in their polished wood racks. “You look like you’re loaded, lady. Give me your purse before I get tired of waiting and slit your lovely throat.” Despite her Indian costume and the dusky complexion she’d inherited from her Ceylonese mother, the brigand addressed her in English this time, probably cued by the obvious provenance of the artefacts that surrounded her. The clarity of his pronunciation surprised her.
Sprawled on the floor, tangled in her clothing, Cecily glared up at him. A swathe of dark cloth wrapped around his head hid everything but his deep brown eyes. Sheltering under elegantly arched eyebrows, those eyes glittered with malice and craft. He had long, lush eyelashes that any woman would envy and a high forehead that bespoke considerable intelligence. A brute, no doubt, but scarcely dumb. She’d have to move with the utmost care.
“If you will put somewhat more distance between your blade and my flesh,” she began, keeping her voice sweet and level, “I will be able to reach my money. It’s pinned into my waistband.”
The bandit’s eyes flicked to her bare midriff. She let her hand drift down towards the concealed pistol as though she were about to extricate a hidden pouch of coins
Before she could reach her goal, he shot out his hand, catching her wrist in an iron grip. “Allow me.”He slipped his dagger into a sheath slung across his chest, then grabbed her other wrist and pinned it with the first. His hand was large enough to encircle both of hers.
“Now, then…” He trailed his fingertips across the naked gap between her blouse and her skirt. Electricity sizzled up Cecily’s spine. The next thing she knew, he slid his hand under the fabric of her skirt, rooting around for items more solid than her soft, round belly.
He groped for a moment, while she held her breath. His calloused fingers struck sparks from her flesh. Of course, he discovered her weapon almost instantly. He drew it out, chuckling once more when he saw its size. Her skin mourned the loss of his touch.
“What a surprise! A gun instead of the promised gold.” He tightened his hold on her wrists until she feared the bones would snap. “Who are you, my lady? Not, I think, a common traveller.”
“That’s none of your concern…sir.” Cecily decided that it might be wise to be polite.
“Oh, I think it is. Not many women travel on their own across the wastes of my country, especially in the most modern of conveyances. Those that do are wise to carry a weapon—but this one will not help you. Who sent you, madam? What is your business here?”
“I’ll not share my business with a common brigand.”
“And if I were someone else? Would you tell me then how and why you happen to cross my path?”
Cecily of course had a cover story. Her documents attested that she was the sister of a wealthy Bombay textile merchant, come to Rajasthan looking for business contacts. She was not, however, about to divulge anything to this rogue.
“I will tell you nothing.”
“Indeed? I think I may be able to change your mind.” After tucking the pistol into the folds of his garment, he drew out a length of what, aside from its strange silvery colour, looked like common rope. He dangled it near her trapped wrists. “Bind,” he said.
The rope came alive, coiling like a snake. Quick as a cobra strike, it looped itself around her forearms—once, twice, half a dozen times, pulling tighter with each cycle. Before she could devise a plan, Cecily found her crossed arms were laced together as firmly as the back of a corset.
“How dare you? Untie me at once!”
“So that you can stab me? Or shoot me? Who knows what other cunning devices you have hidden about your charming person? No, on the contrary, I think I’d be wise to bind your legs as well.”
(If you’d like a more explicit excerpt, go to: http://www.lisabetsarai.com/rajastaniex.html)
Pick up your copy of Rajasthani Moon today:
Amazon Barnes & Noble Total E-Bound ARe Amazon UK
Thanks for having me as your guest, Normandie! I’d like to thank your readers, too, by offering a giveaway. Leave a comment with your email address and I’ll enter you in a drawing for an ebook copy of the Switch anthology, which includes my story Mastering Maya. (I have that on my kindle – can’t wait to read! Thanks for the giveaway, and you’re welcome. I love having you over to play. 
)
About Lisabet
Lisabet Sarai became addicted to words at an early age. She began reading when she was four. She wrote her first story at five years old and her first poem at seven. Since then, she has written plays, tutorials, scholarly articles, marketing brochures, software specifications, self-help books, press releases, a five-hundred page dissertation, and lots of erotica and erotic romance – nearly fifty single author titles, plus dozens of short stories in various erotic anthologies, including the Lambda winner Where the Girls Are and the IPPIE Best Erotic Book of 2011, Carnal Machines. Her gay scifi erotic romance Quarantine won a Rainbow Awards 2012 Honorable Mention.
Lisabet has more degrees than anyone would ever need, from prestigious educational institutions who would no doubt be deeply embarrassed by her chosen genre. She has traveled widely and currently lives in Southeast Asia with her indulgent husband and two exceptional felines, where she pursues an alternative career that is completely unrelated to her creative writing.
For more information about Lisabet and her writing, visit her website or her blog Beyond Romance.
Don’t forget to leave a comment about Lisabet’s interview or her new book or tell us – do you read multiple genres? Which ones? And you’ll be entered to win a copy of the Switch anthology!
The post Multiple Sexy Genres to Blow Your Mind with Lisabet Sarai appeared first on Normandie Alleman.
Bad Boys of Romance Giveaway Hop
Oh you know you love them. Those “bad boys” of romance.
And now we’re celebrating them and all their naughty deliciousness
in the “Bad Boys” of Romance Giveaway Hop hosted by
herding cats & burning soup, Rantings of a Reading Addict and author Blue Remy!
My novella, Venetian Love Knots, features a delicious bad boy. Cole is a rodeo cowboy who just wants to get his girl back. But he has a devious plan as to how to do it…
In Venetian Love Knots, Allison Fox goes to Venice to be the maid of honor in her best friend’s wedding. There she runs into her old flame, Cole. The sexy rodeo cowboy is serving as the best man, and he’s determined to win her back. Poor Allison has been trying to get over him for years, but the two of them share a passion that may be stronger than her will. While in Italy, Allison also meets a handsome stranger who sweeps her off her feet and takes her on a whirlwind site seeing tour of the city. What ensues is a steamy love triangle that rocks the Italian waters.
Back Cover Blurb:
It has taken Allison four years to put her tumultuous relationship with the rodeo cowboy behind her. A violent incident ripped them apart. Now Allison must find a way to face her past and find closure with her old flame. But will she be able to put the past behind her?
Cole is the Texas cowboy has never got over his love for Allison. But when he declares his love for her after all this time, is she strong enough to walk away from the intense passion they share?
For years Nico, a handsome Italian, was committed to nothing but his work. Nico never expected he would meet an American beauty who would awaken in him a desire to love again. Once he finds her, Nico vows to never let Allison go.
It will be a Valentine’s Day to remember, but who will win Allison’s heart.
Reader Advisory: This book contains BDSM, M/F/M Menage, and light humiliation play.
Here’s an adult excerpt with BAD BOY COLE:
Upstairs, as they tumbled into his room, Cole warned her, “Allison, you are going to have to trust me tonight. Do you think you can do that?”
“Oh, yes!” she cried between his kisses, barely catching her breath.
“Okay, then hold on just a minute, baby. Do you want anything to drink? Do you have to go to the bathroom?” he asked.
“No, why?” she asked, her head clearing a little.
“Because I am going to tie you up,” he said. Then he bit her lip, fondling one of her breasts. Abruptly, he walked away, leaving her standing, shocked.
Allison wasn’t sure she’d heard him correctly. She needed to sit down. Wait, maybe she did need to go to the bathroom. Yes, then she could sit down. And go to the bathroom. Tie her up? Was he serious?
Allison knew Cole, and he didn’t kid around about things like this. What was she going to do? Well, she would let him do it, of course. She let Cole do…anything? That was why he had said she would have to trust him. She did trust him. She trusted him not to hurt her. At least physically. Emotionally, now that was a different story…
Okay, she could do this. It might be fun.
Cole had returned with some white silky ropes and a rakish grin. He looked like he was really going to enjoy this. Maybe a little too much. How long had he been planning this? Did he do this all the time? Allison wasn’t brave enough to ask that last question.
“Are you scared? You don’t need to be scared, babe. I promise I won’t hurt you.” He laughed. “Unless you want me to.”
WATCH THE BOOK TRAILER:
Pick up your copy of Venetian Love Knots today:
To celebrate the Bad Boys of Romance I’m giving away a Venetian Love Knots tote bag, and a $10 Amazon Gift Card. Enter in the Rafflecopter below:
You can also enter below to win the GRAND PRIZE!
a Rafflecopter giveawayStop by and visit the other Hop Participants and enter their contests:
The post Bad Boys of Romance Giveaway Hop appeared first on Normandie Alleman.
May 30, 2013
HK Carlton’s The Devil Take You
I’m so happy to welcome Author HK Carlton to the blog. HK is a fellow twitter lover and author of historical as well as erotic romances. She’s not afraid to tackle time travel, FMF menages, and just about anything. Let’s hear about her latest release, The Devil Take You.
HK, what was the inspiration behind this book?
The inspiration for The Devil Take You was a little challenge to myself, to write an anti-hero. We always read stories where the hero is just that; he swoops in to save the day. I wanted to write about this incredibly evil man, who still maintains a moral code of his own, warped, as it may seem to everyone else, there is still some good in him. He commits all these horrible atrocities but I absolutely fell in love with this guy while I was writing him. Of course, like any good woman, I wanted to fix him. But he made sure that we maintained his wickedness, all the way through. The idea for TDTY actually began with a violent scene that occurs in the second chapter and the rest just filled right in. And then came the research, which was not a hardship. I love my Scottish/British history. But I had to be certain that the actual historical events fit right with my fictional hero and heroine. I’d say about 90% of the rest of the cast were real people from 1307.
Which character spoke to you the most while you were writing this book or which was you favorite?
Definitely Gard. He didn’t really speak to me, he snarled at me. But I gave it to him right back with Brae’s help.
When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
I’ve been asked this before and I don’t really know how to answer. Being a writer was something that talented more educated people were lucky enough to do. I honestly didn’t think that I could be a writer. I never actually said or thought, I want to be a writer. All the stories that roll around in my head were for me. So being able to share them and have other people enjoy them too, is just astonishing and beyond anything I could ever have imagined.
Tell us about your favorite atmosphere for writing.
My favourite place to write is in bed with the laptop. But I don’t always get to do that, of course. The other setting is my husband’s office, which is also the mudroom in our home, at the old desktop computer. Which can get a little dicey when I have a rather racy scene going on and someone comes to the door. I have a bottomless cup of coffee and sometimes I break out the dry Honey Nut Cheerios for a snack.
Do you have a project in the works that you’d like to tell us about?
I have several things on the go. One that I’m really excited about but I’d rather not say anything just yet. Superstitious author, right here. (yes, I am pointing at myself.) It is just in the beginning stages. Outlining and scribbling ferociously as things come at me left and right. The full story has not developed completely. The way it is coming out in my head, it may not be a HEA. But I have run into this problem before, just recently, actually. But I stuck to my guns and didn’t change the ending. The story is being published the way I’d intended it to be from the beginning. And the way I see it, it is a happy ending. (shrug) But for this new project, I will see how things turn out. Sometimes the story can take an unexpected turn before the conclusion. I might see it one way right now, but the characters might direct me to a completely different ending. Who knows, perhaps there is a happy ending for this one too.
How do you make yourself stand out in a competitive market?
I haven’t been able to accomplish that one yet. Any pointers, I’d love to hear them. But then again, promo takes away from the writing time. And that just makes me grumpy. I’d rather be writing. The one thing that I do try, is to change things up. But perhaps that is more for me than it is to try and make myself stand out. I don’t always write in the same genre or sub-genre. Now this too can be tricky especially when just starting out and trying to acquire a fan base. People who primarily read m/m might not be interested in the m/f material that I write. And historical romance readers may shy away from my erotic works. By doing this, I limit the fan base, I suppose. But I just enjoy writing and I write what moves me at the time. If other people enjoy it too, it’s all good.
When you go from writing erotic fiction to a romance that’s not as racy, how do you tone down the heat level?
So, far this has not been too much of an issue. Both of the historical romance novels that have been published were written before I realised my passion for writing erotic romance. But I think I did take a few liberties with The Devil Take You. Since Gard Marschand is such a bad ass, some of the darker more explicit descriptions fit with his character. But I do have to watch the language when naming body parts between the two. You just have to remember that in historical romance, leave a little to the reader’s imagination; in an erotic story, leave nothing to the imagination. Let it all hang out. (so to speak) 
What do you do when you’re not writing?
I’m a mom. (but not super human mom, like you are, Normandie, Phew, I get tired just thinking about your day) And I help out my husband with his business, when he needs it.
(Blushes as she refers to my six kidlets.) But you write a lot more than I do, I’ll bet.
What are you reading right now?
I am not reading anything at the moment. I used to read all the time. I have several things on my to read list and a bunch of things just waiting for me on my kindle, for a free second to actually sit down and read. There are a couple of things I really can’t wait to dive into.
What is your favorite color?
Purple (Luv!)
Favorite food?
Ice cream
If you had to be stranded on a desert island – who is the one person you’d like to be stranded with, and what one luxury item would you like to have with you?
I don’t think I should say, but he knows who he is. So, I will go with my old stand by; I’d want to be stranded with My Highlander, but I haven’t met him yet. And is running water a luxury item?
Sure. You can have a flushing toilet too! I love playing fairy godmother.
If you could be any animal what would it be?
That’s a good question. I’ve never given it much thought. Our dogs have a pretty cushy life. They hit jackpot when they picked us.
What is something readers would be surprised to learn about you?
Well, I think the One Direction thing is out in the open my now. LOL. So, let me think. I’m really shy and introverted. Hiding behind H K is a really good place for me. It gives me a chance to try, do and say, all the things that the real me would never do. I can express myself without hurting anyone else. Even if it is only in my writing.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
I’d like to thank you for having me. You ask some tough questions, Normandie. This was a lot of fun! Thanks for allowing me to share release day with you.
You’re so welcome, and I’m glad the questions were a bit of a challenge. I’d hate to be too easy. Lol.
Here’s the Blurb for The Devil Take You ~
Scotland—1307—During the Scottish Wars of Independence
Gard Marschand will stop at nothing in his pursuit to regain what is lost. Concealing his true identity, he will associate with his enemies, kill his own countrymen, even sell his soul to the devil if all else fails. He will lie, cheat, steal, rape and siege his way across two countries gaining power and reputation in his malevolent wake. His determination all consuming, until King Edward commands Gard to lay siege on Ross-shire holding, where Braelynn Galbraith obliterates his single-minded purpose.
Braelynn Galbraith wants peace for her beloved Scotland, marriage to her childhood sweetheart, Callum, and a house full of children. In that order. But evil incarnate in the form of Gard Marschand, turns her life inside out and destroys all hope of a decent marriage.
Can Gard abandon his deep-seated need of revenge for a love that might just save his soul, or will he succumb to the demons that hound him and surrender to the devil within?
I believe your stay in purgatory has only just begun…
Read an Excerpt:
Gard Marschand rode alongside his second and friend, Hudson Grainger. Three more, Aidean Ferguson, Robbie Cowan and Hugh Chamberlain, rode with him, their fearless leader for this siege. They were en route to meet the others at Ross, where they planned to oust Overlord Ross himself from the shire.
This was the third siege in as many months. It grew tiresome. Gard was weary of siege, tired of war. He was more than ready to take, and accept his rightful place, to reclaim his name and property.
As instructed, they were removing the Scottish overlords who were not easily malleable and replacing them with select leaders. Not necessarily English overlords, just men who were more pliable. Gard was not particularly agreeable to these appointments but would do what was required in order to get back what was his. From the moment William was executed everything changed for Gard. He no longer wanted to fight what seemed to be a losing battle. He only desired to seize what was rightfully his, hold onto it, protect it, and endeavour not to let them change their ways.
“Gard,” Grainger uttered his name for the third time. Gard’s dark eyes swivelled to his friend. With a look Grainger silently reminded him to have his wits about him. Gard tuned back to the raucous conversation being carried on around them by the younger men.
“I canna wait to sample the new lot o’ lasses.”
“You will leave the lasses be, Cowan,” Hugh Chamberlain, the British Captain, commanded in his most regimented, authoritative voice. “You are here for one purpose only. Abusing the young lasses is not one of our goals. I am sick to death of compensating the irate papas. The next time, it comes directly out of your recompense.”
“Ya canna do tha’.”
“Aye. I can, and I will.”
“Ya forget who I am.”
“You are no more or less than any of the rest of us, Cowan. You are here simply as a guide and a Scot. You will direct us and help us with the language if need be. That’s it. Harming the women is not part of your post. Moreover, I’m sure your clan would be interested to know how you comport yourself in their name. I will be sure to put it in my report.”
Robbie Cowan glared at Hugh’s back. Hugh spurred his horse into a canter; the rest followed his lead.
Eventually, they met up with the larger contingent, attired similarly, in black.
“Fraser, take half and cross the river, take up the rear. Stuart take the others and head north east.”
“You want us to just ride right up to the front door?” Stuart asked.
“You’ve seen how lax Ross has become. We’ve scouted enough,” Chamberlain reassured them. “Ross’ stronghold and reinforcements are laughable at best. It will be just that simple.”
“Marsch and Hudson take the rest and go over the moors, around that burm.”
They rode toward Ross, closing down on it from three sides, a score of men with them now that Chamberlain had gone on with Stuart’s group.
Cowan kept up his incessant prattle. If he wasn’t rutting he was chattering. He enjoyed belittling everyone around him, picking out a man’s weakness and pointing them out to one and all. It was different from Grainger’s good-natured teasing. Cowan set out to mock and humiliate. They all let it go, on account of whom he was related to, but sooner or later, even that would not save him. He’d singled out everyone in the group so far before making his way to Marsch.
“Marschand is not human.” Cowan tried again to draw Gard into confrontation.
“I have yet ta see him partake in the bounty of lassies placed in front o’ us. E’en Grainger, a married man, na less has given inta his baser needs.” Marsch saw his friend cringe at the reminder of his indiscretion. “But no’ Marschand. It makes one wonder.”
“He wears out the camp whores, Cowan. How have you not noticed that?” Grainger interjected on his friend’s behalf.
“He has? I have no’ noticed. I keep them quite busy meself.”
“Aye, ’tis the reason half o’ them have hied themselves off ta greener pastures. Ya are a savage, Robbie,” Aidean Ferguson added.
“How do ya ken ’tis me brutalizing ‘em? Marsch is a beast, in evraway. Ye’ve all seen it. Ya canna tell me tha’ he is no’ when he’s ruttin’ as weel.”
Cowan was quiet for a moment, mounting a new attack and they all knew it.
“Or mayhaps Marschand canna maintain his manhood because he is inta young boys.” Robbie laughed hysterically at his own lewdness. “Tha’s why he abuses the whores, as if ’tis their fault tha he canna keep it up.”
Marschand turned black eyes to Grainger. “I will kill him,” he pledged matterof-factly. But to Cowan he said, “You had better ride faster, Robbie Cowan afore my beastly tastes turn to red-headed cocksure Scotsmen.” The deep coldness in his tone made even the most hardened warrior in their troop hasten the pace.
Gard struggled to rein in his anger. Robbie did not heed the warning tone and goaded Marschand further. “I wondered. But you Frenchmen have strange appetites anywho. Beastly, ya say. Are ya inta animals too then, Marsch?”
Gard seethed inside. Cowan was the animal. He’d stopped him several times from attacking more than one defenceless young woman in the last two sieges. Then there were the others that he had not been there to save. And the last one. Her face still haunted him. He thought he’d warned her sufficiently, but she’d gone out alone, unprotected, and the rutting bastard stalked her and cornered her. She’d already committed suicide by the time Gard returned to the castle. Hudson had saved Robbie Cowan’s worthless existence that day and since. And Gard’s as well, since Robbie Cowan was somehow loosely related to John Comyn.
“How ’boot tha’ one, Marsch? Ya canna tell me that doesna stir ya.”
A girl of no more than eighteen if a day wandered the moor. Alone. Where were her men? They should be hanged for lending her to the fate that was about to become hers.
She wore blue. He noticed immediately for it was one of his colours and always captured his attention. Long dark hair swirled around her waist as she put one foot in front of the other seeming to go nowhere. She picked a flower, thrusting it carelessly into her hair. Plucking another, she added it to the bouquet in her hands. She was lovely. It had been a long time and his body reacted. He was not the only one affected as they bore down on her like a pack of hungry wolves on the unsuspecting lamb. Why did she not hear them? She was completely unaware of her surroundings or the danger that lurked around her.
Run, lass. Run, he commanded her in his head and as if she heard him her feet took flight.
A plume of smoke became visible over the burm and the smell of burning rotted wood permeated the air, signalling the first troops had breached the village and the initial wave of the siege had begun.
Gard manoeuvred his horse to the flanks of the other horses. As usual Hudson anticipated his every thought and positioned himself to impede Robbie’s progress at the precise time.
Gard hazarded a glance at Cowan. His eyes were alight with eagerness; his mouth foamed in excitement of the chase. Gard was not about to let this happen again.
Each man had single-minded purpose.
“I dare ya, Marsch. Take her. Afore I do,” Robbie taunted, grinning. He spurred his horse, but Gard was faster.
The Devil Take You © 2013 by H K Carlton
Pick up your copy of The Devil Take You at MuseItUp Publishing today!
More links will be provided HERE as they become available.
Find HK here:
About HK -
H K Carlton is a Canadian author of historical, erotic and contemporary romance.
The post HK Carlton’s The Devil Take You appeared first on Normandie Alleman.
May 20, 2013
Cover Reveal – Whip It Up Anthology
I am excited to reveal the cover of the first anthology I am going to be a part of. My story, Subterfudge, will be accompanied by those written by talented Total E-Bound authors Wendi Zwaduk, Elizabeth Coldwell, Victoria Bliss, Ayla Ruse, and Caitlin Ricci.
This sexy BDSM anthology includes tales of lust in the kitchen, love on the countertops, and punishment in the pantry. You’ll find whips and canes, puddings and cakes (or in the case of my story burned brownies and blistered bottoms).
Read more about Subterfudge here. Whip It Up will be released by Total E-Bound this September.
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May 16, 2013
Kinky Bet by Maggie Nash
I’ve never lost a bet that led to an amazing sexual experience. How about you? Maybe I should bet more! Australian author Maggie Nash has written one hot book about the consequences of losing a wager. This one’s on my Kindle calling to me, “Read me next!” (I can’t wait.)
Here’s the BLURB:
Who knew losing a bet could be this much fun?
Erica Nielsen agreed to a bet with her best friend, but she never imagined losing would involve a weekend of punishment at Dangerous Liaisons, a BSDM retreat. But was it really punishment being trained by a sexy Irishman who takes her on a sexual journey of a lifetime?
Conal Brennan agrees to help a young woman find her submissive nature. He always enjoys being the one in control, but one look at the Nordic blonde he calls ‘Fire girl’ and he’s not sure who’s controlling whom.
Reader Advisory: This book contains scenes of light BDSM, spanking, bondage, voyeurism, group sex, public sex, M/F/M, some F/F action and a whole lot of kink!
EXCERPT from Kinky Bet:
©2013 Maggie Nash
Erica’s head was spinning a short time later when she found herself standing in a group of gorgeous people, drinking and laughing more than she’d ever done in her life. Maybe it was the new look her friends had thrust upon her. More likely it was the third margarita she was sucking through a straw like a Slurpee. She’d discovered that she didn’t even have to say all that much when half her boobs were hanging out of her blouse. Funnily enough the men were falling over themselves to speak to her. Considering she wasn’t showing any of her usual reticence, it must have been at least in part owing to the margaritas, but she really did feel different.
What the heck, she was having fun. She tapped Nicole on the shoulder, gesturing for her to join her in a recently vacated booth.
As Nicole sat down opposite her, Erica grasped her hand. “Thanks for a great night, Nic. You’re a good friend, you know that?”
“Hey, no worries, sweetie. You deserve some fun.”
“Yes, I am having fun. Who would have thought?”
“Yeah, who woulda?” Nicole giggled, as they clinked glasses. “I always knew you had it in you, and not just because of the margaritas. Just make sure you hold on to the new attitude, okay?”
“A few exotic drinks and letting my hair down on one occasion doesn’t really count as a life change, Nic, so I can’t promise I won’t go back to my old boring ways.”
Nicole gave her a wicked smile. “Not to worry, my friend. I have an idea that will blast those boring ways out of the water for good. Are you game?”
“Stop smirking at me, you’re making me nervous!”
“C’mon Erica. Play along, it’ll be fun.”
“I have a feeling I’m going to regret this,” she said before picking up her glass, draining the last of it and slamming it down on the table. “What did you have in mind?”
Nicole leant back against her seat. “For this to work you have to promise me you won’t back out on me.”
Erica laughed. “Now you’re really making me nervous.”
Her friend’s expression was serious. “You’ll just have to trust me. Would I ask you to do anything I wouldn’t do myself?”
A large flock of butterflies took up residence in Erica’s stomach, but one look at her best friend’s mischievous grin and she couldn’t refuse her. Not this time. Besides, she’d had fun so far tonight, hadn’t she? “Okay.” Gulp. “I think.” As her mother used to say— in for a penny in for a pound. She took a deep breath and spoke quickly before she changed her mind. “All right, let me have it. What do I have to do?”
“I was thinking of a little wager.”
“What? You mean a bet?”
“Bet, wager…the results are the same.”
“But why a bet? Why not just get me to do some little task?”
“Because a bet raises the stakes. Win or lose, it has more of an impact. Don’t look so worried. It’s just a little more incentive for you, sweetie.”
“I don’t know about this.”
“Oh come on, Erica. You can’t back out now, you agreed.”
She couldn’t resist her when she showed her that little girl pout. “Fine. So what do I have to do?”
“I’ve decided to add a bit of competition into the mix now that I’ve got your attention.” She checked her wristwatch. “Your task is simple. Okay, it’s nine thirty p.m. You have until ten thirty p.m. to pick a man you’ve never met before, grab him by the collar, and kiss him senseless.”
The blood rushed to Erica’s head until all she heard was the pounding of her pulse in her ears. Had Nic really just asked her to get up close and personal with a complete stranger? She reached out to take a sip of her drink, but her hand shook so much she gave up, putting her traitorous limb on her lap under the table. Breathe. Just breathe. “What happens if I don’t do it in time?”
“Oh this is the fun part. If you don’t make it in time, then I get to choose a suitable punishment.”
About Maggie:
I’m Maggie Nash and I write romance novels. Some of them are suspenseful, some are pretty hot, and some of them are a little bit kinky, but what they all have in common is a fun, romantic ending. I started writing more by accident than design when one day I ran out of books to read so I started writing one myself. And boy am I glad I did, because writing has become a huge part of my life. I live with my family on the beautiful south coast of New South Wales in Australia. You can find me most days having a cappuccino at the beach!
FIND MAGGIE HERE:
What about you? What’s the most exciting bet you’ve ever lost (or WON)?
The post Kinky Bet by Maggie Nash appeared first on Normandie Alleman.
May 9, 2013
League of Love’s Donna Gallagher Stops By
Join me today in welcoming the fabulous Aussie Author Donna Gallagher to Friends on Fridays. Donna’s fifth book in her League of Love series, Emily’s Cowboy has recently been released. A writer of steamy books about hot athletes, Donna is a woman after my own heart!
Hey Donna! What was the inspiration behind this book?
This is book #5 in my League of Love series. I love watching sport, any sport. So it was only natural that my heroes would be sportsman.
Which character spoke to you the most while you were writing this book or which was you favorite?
Brodie, from Caitlin’s Hero, was the first voice to speak to me but since then JT has been a non-stop companion, he never misses the opportunity to wheedle his way into another story – but I love him non-the-less 
How many League of Love books do you have planned?
There are six books so far and I’m writing book 7 plus I have book 8 in my sights!
When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
Lol! Me a writer, still coming to terms with that. It was more a case of writing down the words to stop the voices in my head. They were making my life difficult. I found it hard to carry out a conversation with a real person while Brodie was chatting away at me. I have my sister and eldest son to thank for giving me the courage to submit the manuscript.
Tell us about your favorite atmosphere for writing.
For me it’s a case of having to write when the voices start. I have used pen and scraps of paper while at the youngest son’s hockey game but my usual place is sitting at my computer in the living room of my house with the sports channel on the television. Yes that’s right sports not music! I get so caught up – when I’m on a roll, that I often forget to eat. Haven’t lost any weight though!
Do you have a project in the works that you’d like to tell us about?
I’m editing book #6 in my series for Total-E-Bound and a short story for an anthology with Secret Cravings. Edible Delights is a series of anthologies from Australian authors. My story, A Fruitful Intimacy, is included in the first of the three volumes.
What do you do when you’re not writing?
I work, I’m a wife, and mother of three. My house is full of males. And I watch lots of sport.
What are you reading right now?
Right now (which I will have finished when this blog goes up) – Mark of the Bear, book #2 in the Hades Carnival series, by my favorite author N.j. Walters. Kinky Bet by Maggie Nash is next on the TBR list. (Mine too!)
What is your favorite color?
Black, yes I know it’s not a color.
Favorite food?
Pasta
If you had to be stranded on a desert island – who is the one person you’d like to be stranded with, and what one luxury item would you like to have with you?
My husband, not only do I know I can get along with him and the obvious reasons but also he is very handy to have around. I’d probably have shelter and food very quickly. Not much point taking my phone/kindle/internet device with no power but maybe hubby could get some sort of solar thing happening.
If you could be any animal what would it be?
I don’t know – have never thought about it. I don’t think I’d want to be any animal, not with the way us humans are destroying the environment.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
Yes, thanks for having me visit with you today Normandie. I can’t believe you find the time to write, do a blog and wrangle all your kids, animals and husband. What a woman! I hope to get to a conference in the US next year and hope we can meet up and swap sporting tales. How’s that husband of yours doing playing footy? Scored any touchdowns or is he a defensive player? See I know the lingo. Lol!
Thanks, Donna! I look forward to meeting you in person too. You’re sweet to ask about my DH. He suffered a season ending injury in the fourth game this year (semi-pro football). He’s hobbling around on crutches planning his return. Lol. (He’s an offensive and defensive lineman, so no touchdowns, but he did sack the quarterback a few times.)
Blurb from Emily’s Cowboy:
It’s such a cliché — country boy moves to the big city to follow his dreams, leaving his girl and everything he loves behind – but that’s exactly what Gareth Andrews has done. Playing rugby league is Gareth’s dream and he’s signed with one of the best teams in the competition – The Sydney Jets. Of course that has meant a move to the big city and leaving Emily Mackenzie and everything he loves behind. Not that Gareth hasn’t begged her to join him in the city he has, on bended knee — but Emily needs to stay in Gunnedah and help her father on the family farm until her brother’s stint in the armed forces is over. But Gareth knew it’s more than that. Emily is hiding away, embarrassed by the scars that mar her body in a constant reminder of the bushfire that nearly took her life.
Can love give Emily the courage to face strangers again when her father is badly injured and Gareth shows up at the hospital to support her? Or will she let her fear and shame get the better of her and break her one true love’s heart for a second time?
Excerpt – 18+
Now, having achieved his goal of getting Emily away from the hospital for a few hours, Gareth had the tormented pleasure of imagining Emily in his shower. Naked in his shower. He could visualise the water sluicing down her nude body, and he had the rock-hard boner to attest to his vivid imagination.
Fuck, man, get it under wraps. The last thing Emily wants or needs, is you trying to get in her pants, Gareth scolded his lust-filled mind. Not that she’s wearing any at the moment, his ever helpful mind added, making him groan even more as that train of thought rampantly took hold.
He was trapped, unable to move, standing outside his own bathroom door. He could hear the sound of the water running, but could not for the life of him take a step away, although he was terrified that at any moment, Emily would open the door and see him standing there stupidly, sporting a boner hard enough to hammer nails into wood.
“Yeah, that would be awesome. She’d appreciate it, I’m sure,” he murmured, his feet still refusing to move. Then he heard it—soft sobs coming from behind the closed door. Emily was crying, and Gareth could not stop himself, was unable to ignore the sounds of the woman he loved in despair. He opened the door and, disregarding the fact he was fully clothed—cowboy boots and all—he stepped into the shower stall. The sight of her crumpled to the floor with her hands over her eyes as she wept was heartbreaking, and he gathered her into his arms.
“Oh, baby… Shhh… Don’t cry. Mac will be fine. He is going to be fine. The worst is over.”
Gareth held her to his chest, stroked the length of her wet hair, felt her chest, her breasts rise against him as her sobs wracked her body. Emily’s tears had more power to bring him to his knees than any opposition player’s tackle. The fact that she was naked in his arms was but a distant observation. He hated seeing her in pain, in distress. Would do anything to stop her tears. He didn’t care that he was now completely soaked, his clothes heavy with water. Consoling his Emily was Gareth’s only concern.
Then he felt her lips on the skin of his neck, their warmth as she kissed him there, and her arms as she reached around behind his head, drawing him down so his mouth was tantalising close to hers. Like a lightning bolt hitting him, awakening his body, Emily’s naked form came back to the forefront of his mind. Like a heavy hit lined up and delivered perfectly from an opposing forward, his need for her slammed into him, robbing him of any previous gallant intentions. He needed Emily, needed to feel her skin. Needed to feel himself buried deep, balls-deep, inside her.
“Love me, Gareth. I need to feel something other than the guilt that’s eating me alive. I should have done more, should have reacted quicker, found Dad sooner… Distract me. Make it go away. Make me think of only you, even if it’s just for a while… ”
“Emily, you did all you could. You probably saved your father’s life, got him help, did all the right things. Stop it. Stop trying to take the blame for everything that happens, every time life deals a blow that’s unfair. Mac’s accident is just one of those things. Working the land comes with its dangers. You know that.”
Gareth was not a saint, and he was not going to give up the opportunity of showing Emily how much he still loved her. If she wanted him to make love to her, distract her, he was going to do that…and more, until she had no doubt of his love.
He took her mouth with his as he steadied her head in his hands, drawing her body hard against his own. He turned her face gently to gain a better angle, a better connection. Their faces mashed up against each other, he devoured her, his tongue demanding as he laved every part of her mouth hungrily, eagerly. The sounds of her sighs—muffled by his mouth, but still audible—sent him into a sexual frenzy. He needed more. Needed to feel her orgasm, needed to be the one that brought his Emily fulfilment. Only him. Always him.
“More, I need more. I need you naked, to run my hands over your chest, Gareth, need to have that experience again,” she begged when she dragged her lips from his.
Caitlin’s Hero Total-E-Bound: Amazon: ARe:
Mandy’s He-man Total-E-Bound: Amazon: ARe:
Laura’s Light Total-E-Bound: Amazon: ARe:
Pippa’s Fantasy Total E Bound: Amazon: ARe:
Emily’s Cowboy Total-E-Bound: Amazon: ARe:
League of Love, Vol 1 Total-E-Bound: Amazon:
More About Donna
Sydney-born Donna Gallagher decided at an early age that life needed be tackled head on.
Leaving home at 15 she supported herself through her teen years.
In her twenties she married a professional sportsman, her love of sport — especially rugby league — probably overriding her good sense.
The seven-year marriage was an adventure. There were the emotional ups and downs of having a husband with a public profile in a sometimes glamorous but always high-pressure field. There were always interesting characters to meet and observe and even the opportunity to live for a time in the UK.
Eventually Donna returned home a single woman, but she never lost her passion for watching sport, as well as the people in and around it.
Now happily re-married and with three sons Donna loves coffee mornings with her female friends, sorting through problems from the personal to the international. But she’s on even footing with the keenest man when it comes to watching and talking rugby league.
Donna considers herself something of a black sheep in a family of high achievers. Her brother has a doctorate in mathematics and her sister is a well-known sports journalist.
An avid reader, especially of romance, Donna finally found she couldn’t stop the characters residing in her imagination from spilling onto paper. Naturally rugby league is the backdrop to her League of Love Series, published through UK publisher Total-E-Bound, spicy tales of hunky heroes and spunky heroines overcoming adversity to eventually find true love.
Donna Gallagher
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May 5, 2013
Italian Men! – Caliente Blog Hop
Welcome to the First Caliente Blog Hop hosted by Four Seduced Muses. I visited the Four Seduced Muses earlier this year, and I have to tell you – this is a fun blog! Definitely put them on your list to read. This blog hop has a wonderful Grand Prize. Enter the Rafflecopter below to enter. Then read on for my prize. (Hint: Book Swag and $20 Gift Card).
a Rafflecopter giveawayWhen I think Caliente (HOT) I think of hot men, the kind that get your motor running. How about you? In my book, Venetian Love Knots, that’s how Allison feels when she meets hunky Italian art shipper, Nico. 
Here’s an excerpt:
Looking around, Allison was expecting to see another kindly Italian lady, like the sweet one she had met on the plane earlier. She did a stutter step when she saw the man holding the sign that had ‘Allison Fox’ scribbled on it.
Nothing could have prepared her for the tall, handsome man in his exquisite Italian suit, searching the crowd with those piercing dark eyes. She saw him first, but when their gazes met the rest of the world seemed to melt away. He was so handsome, she was drawn to him immediately. She couldn’t quite believe this Adonis with the chiselled good looks was the person who was supposed to be retrieving her.
“Hi, I’m Allison Fox,” she said shyly. “Oh, so you are Allison then?” The big man grinned happily, giving her a once-over. Judging by his smile, he seemed to like what he saw.
“Yes,” She hesitated, thinking that she probably shouldn’t just go off with a stranger, even if he was a good-looking one…
“I am Nico,” he said. “Nico Vitallini. Alfonso’s cousin. They sent me to pick you up. You are to be Marcia’s maid of honour, in the wedding, no?”
“Yes, I am.” Allison smiled. It was hard not to smile at him. The way he looked at her made her feel as though she was the only person in the entire airport. Her heart beat faster than usual. Were those butterflies in her stomach? Or was she just hungry?
“Come this way and we will collect your luggage. Here, please allow me to carry that for you.” He took her heavy carry-on bag from her hand in one graceful movement. The bag had been weighing her down, yet Nico tossed it around effortlessly. Allison bit back a smile.
What People Are Saying About Venetian Love Knots
“Venetian Love Knots delights with its engaging characters and stunning plot twists, which lead to a wonderfully romantic conclusion in Italy’s City of Love.” – The Jeep Diva “The exotic delights that Allison gets to experience courtesy of Cole and Nico are every woman’s dirty little secret and are written with lots of sexual intensity. These scenes are full of BDSM and other erotic play and leave you parched!” – Joder, Words of Wisdom From The Scarf Princess “Let me tell you, this author does NOT disappoint in the sexual scenes… so be sure you are alone in a locked room before reading!” – Adaline with Spanking Romance Reviews Want more? Watch the BOOK TRAILER
Pick up your copy of Venetian Love Knots today:
I’m giving away a Venetian Love Knots Mug and a $20 Amazon Gift Card! Leave a comment telling me what trait in a man makes you the hottest (Italian, bookish, muscular, kind, rich, funny, etc.), then enter the Rafflecopter for your chance to WIN!
Stop by and visit the other Caliente Blog Hop participants and enter to win their giveaways!
The post Italian Men! – Caliente Blog Hop appeared first on Normandie Alleman.
May 2, 2013
Meet Debut Author Kate Deveaux – At Your Service Anthology
Join me today in welcoming debut author Kate Deveaux! I am so excited to chat with another “newish” writer, plus I’m dying to get my hands on the awesome Anthology she’s in, At Your Service. This sounds like a hot one – think Downton Abbey with more upstairs/downstairs shenanagins!
What was the inspiration behind your story The Butler Did It?
I loved the idea of a modern day Butler with a twist. I set the story in Miami in an opulent penthouse overlooking the ocean. I chose Miami as it has a great energetic vibe, just like the heroine Vivienne. She’s a seductive, take charge businesswoman, who meets her match when she hires a new Butler —he’s younger, drop dead gorgeous and runs the household as well as indulging her secret sexual fantasies. What more could any woman ask for?
Which character spoke to you the most while you were writing this book or which was you favorite?
Clarkson is my favorite, of course! Why wouldn’t he be? Adonis in an Ermenegildo Zegna suit.
When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
I always wanted to be a writer as long as I can remember. I think it comes from the love of reading combined with my having a vivid (some would say overactive) imagination so characters and stories were always swirling around in my head, looking for a way out. In college I dabbled in some erotic fiction writing but then put in on the back burner until I took a few writing classes and joined Romance Writers of America. That really spurred me on “to write that book.”
Tell us about your favorite atmosphere for writing.
I like to write in different locations in my house— a comfy arm chair is one of my favorite spots, and I write at my little desk tucked in the corner but there are those darn “to do” lists on my desk that are distracting! I usually have a cup of tea beside me and like to write in silence best. I just can’t write with music on, yet I can work with a TV in the background or a coffee shop and often do!
Do you have a project in the works that you’d like to tell us about?
I have a couple of projects on the go. I am just finishing up an erotic romance about a bride who never makes it down the aisle on her wedding day —she falls for the most unlikely but super yummy hero. And I am just doing final edits for “Academy of Love,” an erotic romance due out in August. Set in Hunt Country Virginia, the heroine, Cassianna, returns to her old boarding school— but this time not as student — but as the Deputy Headmistress. No sooner does she arrive then she walks smack into Lawrence, her sexy first love. He broke her heart twelve years prior and now their passion re ignites as these lovers play with fire!
What do you do when you’re not writing?
I love to play tennis, entertain, and travel whenever I get a chance.
What is your favorite color?
I don’t have one but I do love gold and ocean blue/green tones.
Favorite food?
Chocolate. I think it’s its own food group.
If you had to be stranded on a desert island – who is the one person you’d like to be stranded with, and what one luxury item would you like to have with you?
If I get stranded on a desert island it better be with my hubby otherwise I’d have to start swimming. I know, sappy, but true. And besides, who is going to build the hut, chase down dinner or keep level headed if we’re attacked by pirates? I think the whole desert island experience could be quite wonderful— my hubby would actually have to listen to me— I’d be the only person he had to talk to. (LOL) Finally! As for a luxury item: Tea. I love my tea, which is is not considered a luxury item until I’m stranded without it! Leaves, not bags — but I guess if I was on a desert island, I could make do with tea bags if I had to!
If you could be any animal what would it be?
Hummingbird. They get so much done in a day are stunning, and still have time to sleep on a branch high above the hubbub below. And their babies are so tiny!
Blurb for Kate Deveaux’s novella “The Butler Did It” – published in the “At Your Service” erotic anthology:
Vi Martin, a successful multi-millionaire businesswoman, is in for a surprise when the domestic agency sends her a new butler for her swanky Miami retreat. Drop dead gorgeous Clarkson Dale is the consummate professional butler until he meets his new employer. Strictly professional by day — all bets are off at night when they explore their fantasies. The sparks fly and their attraction is undeniable when they break all the rules when Michel, Vi’s gorgeous young French trained chef joins Clarkson and Vi in exploring her deeper sexual tastes.
Excerpt:
Vivienne Martin heard the door chime echo across her vast penthouse. She put the phone down and impatiently called for Marie to answer it. The bell chimed again but still no Marie. Just where had her maid got to? And how was Vi supposed to get any work done around here if she had to answer both the phone and door at the same time? A reminder of just why she had let the agency know she was desperate for a butler for her new sprawling Miami retreat. Exasperated, she left her office, her Ferragamo spiked heels clicking as she strode quickly across the marble foyer.
Smoothing her skirt, she opened the front door widely and smiled.
“Ms Martin?” Clarkson asked, with surprise.
“And you are?” she asked of the hunky well-dressed man before her. Damn the media, he was probably a reporter looking for the newest scoop on her Miami retreat.
“Clarkson Dale,” he stammered slightly, his eyes lingering on her silk blouse, unbuttoned to reveal ample cleavage. “The agency sent me. You requested a butler.”
“Clarkson, last name or first?” she said crisply, relieved that he was the new butler. He could deal with the snooping press from now on—he was tall enough and built well enough to take them on.
He just stared at her. He probably wasn’t used to an employer answering her own door. That made two of them. “Clarkson, first name, madam,” he said politely.
“Madam,” she snorted, and she saw a smile flicker across his chiselled face. “No one’s ever called me that. Now come on, Clarkson, I don’t have all day to stand here. The sooner you get to work the better. I’ll give you a quick tour—I don’t know where Maria got to. She’s the maid and she should really show you around, but I guess I’ll have to.”
“Yes, madam,” he said, following her into the lavishly decorated surroundings.
“Vivienne,” she said, “but I prefer you address me Ms Vi. Definitely not madam.”
“Of course, Ms Vi.”
She glanced back to catch him eyeing the sashay of her pencil skirt. It was one of her own designs and she was well aware that it accentuated her pert ass. But she also knew that as a professional butler, he knew better than to think of his employer in anything but a professional sense.
She smiled, sensing his gaze boring in-to her as she led the way, and paused in the middle of the grand room, with its unobstructed wall to wall view of the ocean. She turned to look at him. “This is the living room. I like the bar stocked at all times, I drink Lillet on the rocks,” she said, gesturing to the wall that housed fine art as well as a substantial bar, “sometimes G&T, Bombay Sapphire, lots of ice and slivers of lime.” She was uncharacteristically self-conscious as he stood close to her, aware of the rise and fall of his broad chest. Clarkson was the sexiest damn butler she’d ever seen. Here, she had thought she’d be getting some old fogey, but no, Clarkson Dale looked more like a GQ model than any butler she’d ever employed or had met at any of her friends’ houses. And that Italian designer suit fit him like a glove. She’d like to be a suit of his.
You Can Pre-Order the At Your Service Anthology now! The General Release date is June 7. Pre-Release is May 10.
Buy Link:
Kate’s story, The Butler Did It, will also be available as a single title release at Total E-Bound on June 10, with the general release coming July 26.
About Kate:
KATE DEVEAUX is a contemporary, erotic romance writer and die-hard romantic. It was after reading Jane Eyre in high school, that she became hooked on the idea of writing about romance, excitement and drama. Kate has been penning stories, from the sensual to the sinfully sexy, ever since!
A former wedding planner, Kate has always been “in love” with love! She was inspired to transition from writing racy short stories to writing full length manuscripts after meeting other authors in the romance world at industry workshops, conferences and events. Now a full-time contemporary romance novelist, Kate is a member of Savvy Author, Romance Writers of America (RWA) as well as their erotic romance chapter, Passionate Ink. Born in London, England, Kate has lived in both the U.K. and the U.S and she is a graduate of the University of Alberta in Canada. She and her husband currently reside in Arizona. Kate is currently busy completing two erotic romance novels and one contemporary romance novel for release in 2013 — each filled with sexy romance, heroines who are no shrinking violets, and heroes who make your heart skip a beat.
When she’s not writing or reading, Kate can be found on the tennis court—yes, there’s even “love” in that game too! For more about Kate, please visit www.katedeveaux.com
The post Meet Debut Author Kate Deveaux – At Your Service Anthology appeared first on Normandie Alleman.
April 30, 2013
Happy Mother’s Day (NOT) – The Odd Wiring of Men
Last Sunday I had a most unique experience. My husband and I were watching television and we saw a commercial that mentioned Mother’s Day. He turned to me and said, “It’s Mother’s Day, right?”
“No. That’s in May. In a couple of weeks,” I said.
“Oh,” he replied. “I thought today was Mother’s Day.”
In his defense the day before we had seen another couple and the husband was talking about the Mother’s Day present he had given his wife. So my darling assumed this was Mother’s Day weekend and went out and bought me flowers.
Yes, he presented me with flowers because he thought it was Mother’s Day. It was terribly sweet, but um, it wasn’t Mother’s Day.
While the whole thing was funny (and kinda cute), this incident exemplifies how my husband and I think differently. He has a terrible memory for interpersonal things. He conveniently has no memory of his sister making a dig about me behind my back the first time she met me. He rarely remembers to tell me when one of his buddies is coming over to work out with him. He forgets to tell me lots of things and it drives me crazy. It’s one of the few things we argue over.
This incident helped me realize that his brain really does work differently from mine.
I know when Mother’s Day is. I know when Father’s Day is. (I asked him. He doesn’t even know what month Father’s Day is in, and we have six kids!) Some things are just not on his radar. They don’t even occur to him. While this can be maddening, it’s clear that I really shouldn’t take these things personally. He’s just wired differently.
While your man might know when Mother’s Day is, I’ll bet there are some things he does that, as a woman, you don’t quite “get.” Sometimes we look at them, scratch our heads, and wonder what planet they’re on. (They do the same thing about us.)
In the grand scheme of things, it’s a good thing that we’re wired so differently. The yin and the yang, they fit well together and all that. Plus for me it means I’ll be getting flowers twice!
So what do you think about the differences between men and women? Leave a comment and tell me – What does your guy do that let’s you know men are wired differently than women?
The post Happy Mother’s Day (NOT) – The Odd Wiring of Men appeared first on Normandie Alleman.
April 25, 2013
Jen Wright Talks about Morvea, Cheetas, & Candy Plus A Giveaway!
Hi Jen, and welcome to The Racy Raconteur! In case my readers don’t know – on Wednesdays Jen hosts a smorgasbord of hot men called “Wake Up Wednesdays” so add it to your “to ogle do” list on Wednesdays to check out her blog. Now let’s see what she’s up to…
What was the inspiration behind your new book Morvea?
The inspiration for Morvea basically came from the first book in the series, Pavarus. I had the whole series planned out ahead of time except for this book. Morvea kind of snuck its way in when I was nearing the end of writing Pavarus. I hadn’t originally planned on writing a book starring Keddrick, but he grew on me throughout Pavarus and I realized he needed a story of his own.
Which character spoke to you the most while you were writing this book or which was you favorite?
While it had been Keddrick that had grown on me, it was Eli that stole the show. So far out of the three books (book 3 currently in the making), I’ve felt the closest with Eli. He has been the main one where it felt as if he was writing through me.
When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
I don’t really know. I used to write when I was a teenager – never actually finished a story, but I started quite a few. I’ve always had a very active and very vivid imagination, and a few years back I decided to start putting the stories in my head down onto ‘paper’.
Tell us about your favorite atmosphere for writing.
99% of the time you’ll find me in my home office typing away on my laptop. I almost never eat while writing, but I have to have a drink with me. There also has to be total silence – except for the few times where I have my ear buds in and I’m blasting the same moving song over and over to help me through a scene.
The other 1% is when I sit in the recliner in our living room.
Do you have a project in the works that you’d like to tell us about?
Yes! Airos: Finding Home Series book 3 is getting closer and closer to being finished! Woohoo! It’s coming, people, I promise! I really, really, really want to tell everyone what it’s about, but I can’t. It really is going to be hard to promote this one without giving too much away.
How do you make yourself stand out in a competitive market?
Pfft…yeah, I’m not so good at the promoting. I’m too new, still, to really be standing out. Someday, though. Someday…
What do you do when you’re not writing?
Working or taking a few moments to actually relax.
What are you reading right now?
Blackout by Joey Jameson
What is your favorite color?
Purple
Favorite food?
Pretty much any sweet/chewy candy. Ugh! I have such a terrible sweet-tooth. (Me too, Jen!)
If you had to be stranded on a desert island – who is the one person you’d like to be stranded with, and what one luxury item would you like to have with you?
I’d like to be stranded with my man and have a cold refrigerator that magically restocks itself with my favorite food dishes – and candy, of course – every week. (Smart girl!)
If you could be any animal what would it be?
A cheetah! Ooh, I just love cheetahs, they’re soooo cute!
What is something readers would be surprised to learn about you?
Well, I’m not too surprised by it, but some people say they’re surprised by my young age (well, at least how young I was when I got my first contract) – 28, how is that young? (Do you really have to ask that? From the author who’s about to have another birthday on the other side of 40. )
Otherwise, I’m pretty much a plain-Jane. There’s not much to me – at least nothing interesting that I can think of.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
Yes, I wanted to say thank you for having me as a guest! And, I’d like to give away an e-copy of my recent release, Morvea. I usually try to make things at least a little challenging for winning a prize, but this time I’m just going to have it be “Leave a comment – with your email address – and I’ll draw a winner on Sunday using random.org
It has been my pleasure, Jen. So generous of you dahling!
Here’s a little taste of Morvea.
Book blurb
Keddrick has denied claiming his mate for four years, separating them by worlds just to keep the man he loves safe…from him. Can he resist temptation when his love lands on his doorstep in need of help?
Eli has lusted after Keddrick from the moment the vampire stepped through the portal and into Earth. He had desperately wanted to follow along when Keddrick returned to Pavarus, but it wasn’t allowed—not to mention Eli was under the impression that Keddrick was straight. Four years later his wish has come true, but not in the way he wanted. Barely escaping death by the hands of Wayland, head of the human council on Earth, Eli flees to Pavarus in search of help. The line of events that get him there release a hidden secret deep inside him he never knew existed, and will soon change his life forever.
Keddrick’s restraint towards Eli is being seriously tested, and every day Eli stays with him at the coven, it gets harder. He wants to keep his distance, but at the same time he wants to do everything he can to please Eli. As time goes on, he feels his resolve slowly crumble, his love for the man too strong to ignore. When Keddrick finds out about Wayland’s threat on his and Eli’s life, he is determined to stop the madman anyway he can, even if that means going against Eli’s pleas for him not to.
Through blood and tears, years of love and moments of betrayal, can these two men find their way through the hardships and into a life of happiness in each other’s arms?
Excerpt
Rick wasted no time stopping a car. He moved in front of a vehicle, pointed his gun at the driver, and yelled, “Get out!”
The driver sat in shock as Rick came around and opened the driver side door and pulled the guy from his car. Rick quickly hopped in and hit the brakes before the car could roll away, screaming for Eli to get in.
On autopilot, Eli jumped in and slammed the car door closed. The tyres squealed as they took off. He heard more gunshots and ducked as the rear window shattered. Rick cursed and ordered Eli to keep his head down.
Eli began to get car sick as Rick whipped the vehicle around corners at an unreal speed, weaving through traffic. “Where are we going?” he asked.
Rick shot him a quick glance. “There’s only one place we can go.”
Eli nodded in agreement. He knew, as well as Rick, that they could never hide from the human council.
Not as long as they were still on Earth.
Eli risked a look out of the back window. “I don’t see anyone following us anymore.”
A cocky grin broke out over his friend’s face. “That’s because nobody can drive as good as me.” His face sobered. “But I have no doubt that they know where we’re going. We can only hope that we’ll get there first.” He shot another quick glance at Eli. “You do have your cross with you, right?”
Eli nodded. “Yeah, of course I do.” He always did. Keddrick may have given him the necklace as a means to hide the piloats chip, but Eli still cherished it like it was a personal gift. There wasn’t a day that went by that he didn’t wear it. It had come from Keddrick—he would never take it off.
Rick slammed on the brakes and the car came to a sudden halt. “We’re here,” he said as he looked into the rear-view mirror. “And we’ve got company. Come on, hurry!”
They both hurried out of the car and the deafening shots started immediately. Eli was in the mouth of the alley when he heard a painful grunt from Rick. He spun around just in time to see a second bullet pierce Rick’s chest. His friend dropped to his knees.
“Run!”
Eli froze.
“Run, damn it!”
But he couldn’t leave Rick.
As he took his first step towards his friend he stumbled, a sudden sickening feeling in his gut making him lose his balance.
“No!” He watched as Rick raised his gun and fired back at the enemy.
Eli swallowed hard and looked down at his stomach, at the deep red blossoming over his dress shirt. He staggered back, slowly tripping his way backwards down the alley. Clutching his stomach, tears blurred his vision as he looked back to Rick, who lay face down on the sidewalk.
His friends—his brothers—were gone.
And it was all his fault.
Sudden urgency floored him as he realised he was next if he didn’t move.
Hand shaking, he managed to pull out the little cross from beneath his shirt. Turning it so that the back faced outwards, he saw the little chip begin to glow. A ripple formed in the air before him, ever so slight—if he didn’t know what to look for he would have never seen it.
This was going to suck. Going through a partially opened portal was extremely painful, and he was already hurting enough.
The sound of boots pounding against pavement had Eli turning around. At the end of the alley a man came to a stop. The look on his face was feral as he raised his gun and took aim at Eli.
Without thinking, Eli lifted his hand towards the man. A vibration spread throughout his fingertips, the tingling sensation making his fingers twitch. Eli watched as the guy went flying backwards into the street, as if he’d been hit by a battering ram. The moment he hit the asphalt a car slammed into him, running him over.
Eli’s eyes widened as shock and fear and so many other damn emotions flooded through him.
What have I done?
He dropped his hand back down to clutch his screaming gut as he stumbled backwards and through the portal.
A falling sensation overwhelmed him, but nothing compared to the pain that surged through his body. His bones felt like they were being crushed. His body contorted, threatening to break in half. Every muscle screamed as if he was being burned alive. His heart pounded beneath his ribcage, his breath hitching in quick, short gasps. A hum sounded in his ears, growing louder and louder until it was piercing, making him scream.
Then it all went dark.
Buy Links
Total-E-Bound Amazon All Romance eBooks Barnes & Noble Kobo
Jen’s Bio
I was born in Arizona, but have spent the better part of my life in Wisconsin. While I enjoy living close to my family, my heart longs to live in the South – or anywhere where the winters are warmer, and I hope to someday get there. I love writing, and try to dedicate as much of my free time to it (ha! what free time?). If I’m not typing away on my laptop, you’ll find me with my nose buried in a book, or with my loving boyfriend debating on what movie to watch and the never ending back and forth decision of what we should have for dinner. I love spending time with my family and boyfriend, cuddling with my two cats, and laughing as much as possible (cuz I like to think I’m funny ).
Links—where to find Jen
Don’t forget to leave a comment to win a copy of Morea!
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