TEACH ME: Interview with author Cassandra Dean & Giveaway!!
It gives me great pleasure to welcome fellow Decadent Publishing author, Cassandra Dean to the blog today. Cassandra, why don’t you tell us about your new release?
CD: Well, I’m lucky enough to have a few new releases! I have two short stories appearing or appearing soon in anthologies, a full-length historical western, and a print version of my story, TEACH ME!
‘By Moon and Sea’ is a short historical erotic tale appearing in the Smut by the Sea anthology, featuring a wife staring out over the ocean, awaiting her husband’s return…sexy times ensue 
‘Glory Box’ is a short contemporary story appearing in the Smut in the City anthology, featuring a jaded singer and a lonely man, making what could be a lasting connection in a cabaret club.
ROUGH DIAMOND will soon be released by Decadent Publishing as part of their Western Escape series. A lady saloon owner is bedeviled by an empty-headed Englishmen wanting to buy her saloon, however she can’t shake the feeling there is more to him than what he’s willing to show…
Finally, my Early Victorian erotic romance, TEACH ME, will soon be available in PRINT! PRINT, peeps! How super uber exciting!
What was your inspiration for these stories?
CD: ‘By Moon and Sea’ just popped into my head. I wanted to do a story about the beach, but something different from sun and sand. Thus, there’s moonlight and a balcony, and some sexy fun times…
‘Glory Box’ was inspired by a song, about a jaded woman finally choosing to love someone. Make her a singer in a smokey room (sorry, couldn’t resist!) and you have ‘Glory Box’!
ROUGH DIAMOND came about as my editor on TEACH ME suggested I write a western for Decadent Publishing’s Western Escape series. I went away, had a bit of a think, and came up with Alice and Rupert’s story!
TEACH ME came about during a bus tour of Scotland. Something about the staring at the back of heads just wasn’t that enthralling, and so my mind wandered…
What genres do you write in, and what appeals to you about those genres?
CD: I’m a bit of a hodgepodge writer! When I first started to seriously consider this writing caper, I thought I’d create stories set solely in Regency England, as that was what I read predominately at the time. However, my first published novel was a romance set in Ancient Rome, my second an Early Victorian romance, my third will be an American Western, and my two short stories are set in Late Victorian and contemporary times. Hodgepodge, right?
As well as all that, I have plans to write a steampunk/timetravel/detective/kitchen sink story, as well as sequels to ENSLAVED, TEACH ME and another story in Victorian England.
…I have yet to write a Regency.
What other titles do you have published?
CD: ENSLAVED – Lucia teaches a slave, a gladiator in her father’s ludus. Never did she expect to fall in love, and when she is forced to wed, she believes she will never see him again…
TEACH ME – Ever curious, Elizabeth has turned her curiosity to erotic pleasure, but she never expected her education at the hands of the notoriously dissolute Earl of Malvern…
What are you working on now?
CD: Roman Man, a sequel of sorts to ENSLAVED, as well as THE DUCHESS AND THE TUTOR and a story featuring secondary characters in ROUGH DIAMOND.
What author(s) have influenced your writing style?
CD: Probably the writer who has most influenced me isn’t an author per se, but he is frakking awesome. He’s created my favourite TV shows of all time, has been directly involved in influencing a host of other TV and film writers, challenges himself to create an episode of TV with 27 minutes of no dialogue, then turns around and writes an episode that morphs into a musical, and on his break from writing and directing the third highest grossing movie of all time (*cough*The Avengers*cough*) directs a black-and-white modern version of Much Ado About Nothing.
Joss Whedon inspires me to push myself to be the very best I can possibly be, simply by doing what he loves. I was lucky enough to hear him speak at the Sydney Opera House and my wordy, it was the most fantastic, honest, inspiring dialogue I have ever heard.
Oh, and Barbara Cartland. Seriously, all…those…ellipses…when…I…was…a…teen…were…blimming…fantastic.
What is the best piece of advice you would give to aspiring authors?
CD: Persevere. Seriously, it’s the hardest thing to do, but it’s the most necessary. When you’re submitting your work, submitting your work, submitting your work, and no one is accepting, it’s so easy to get disheartened. To feel you are never, ever, seriously never, going to be published. You feel like crap. You whine to your friends. You think “What’s the point of sending a submission, they’re only going to reject it.” It’s a tough, tough thing to keep putting yourself out there with no certainty of success.
But, it’s something we’ve all had to do, and it doesn’t stop once you receive you’re first contract. You have to do it again with the next book, and then again, and then again. You must be tenacious, ignore the voice telling you to give up, and persevere.
Also, try and get free stuff. Free stuff is AWESOME.
Where can my readers find you?
CD: They can find me in places of a virtual nature!
My website / Facebook / Twitter
Where can my readers find your books?
CD: Again, places of a virtual nature!
Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, All Romance eBooks, and finally, my publisher, Decadent Publishing!
Thank you so much for having me, Jessica, I had a blast!
Teach Me by Cassandra Dean:Ever curious, Elizabeth, Viscountess Rocksley, has turned her curiosity to erotic pleasure. Three years a widow, she boldly employs the madam of a brothel for guidance but never had she expected her education to be conducted by a coldly handsome peer of the realm.
To the Earl of Malvern, the erotic tutelage of a skittish widow is little more than sport, however the woman he teaches is far from the mouse he expects. With her sly humor and insistent joy, Elizabeth obliterates all his expectations and he, unwillingly fascinated, can’t prevent his fall.
Each more intrigued than they are willing to admit, Elizabeth and Malvern embark upon a tutelage that will challenge them, change them, come to mean everything to them…until a heartbreaking betrayal threatens to tear them apart forever.
Excerpt:
Moments passed, the Earl’s impassive gaze weighing heavy upon Elizabeth. An overwhelming urge to twist her fingers assaulted her, but what if her fidgeting made him refuse?
He seemed to make some decision. “I shall show you carnal pleasure, madam. As you say, both to receive and to give. However, pregnancy should be avoided at all costs.” His eyes flickered, the first sign of something resembling emotion crossing his face. “I will not marry you, no matter the circumstance.”
Well, of course he wouldn’t. She wouldn’t wed him either. In any event, conception was not a concern for her, not after a marriage that had never yielded—
Good Lord. He spoke of practical application. He spoke of touching and kissing and—Was it warmer of a sudden?
He continued with barely a pause. “Actual penetration will be avoided. While many people extol the virtues of withdrawal, I remain unconvinced. We will discuss methods of contraception during your education, but the most effective method is always avoidance. You are in agreement?”
Still confused but now with cheeks aflame, Elizabeth nodded. In all her life, no one had ever spoken so frankly. This, combined with his matter-of-fact manner and lack of emotion, banished any lingering apprehension and left only the excitement. Glorious, thrilling excitement.
“Excellent.” Stepping close to her once more, he brushed his hand from her neck to her shoulder, the back of his fingers now warm against her skin. “Shall we begin?”
Author Bio:
Cassandra grew up daydreaming, inventing fantastical worlds and marvelous adventures. Once she learned to read (First phrase – To the Beach. True story), she was never without a book, reading of other people’s fantastical worlds and marvelous adventures.
Fairy tales, Famous Fives, fantasies and fancies; horror stories, gumshoe detectives, science fiction; Cassandra read it all. Then she discovered Romance and a true passion was born.
So, once upon a time, after making a slight detour into the world of finance, Cassandra tried her hand at writing. After a brief foray into horror, she couldn’t discount her true passion. She started to write Romance and fell deep.
The love affair exists to this very day.
Cassandra lives in Adelaide, South Australia.
Author Giveaway!!
One lucky commenter will win a USD$5 Amazon.com Gift Card, as well as a signed ENSLAVED postcard, a signed TEACH ME postcard, an ENSLAVED magnet and TEACH ME magnet. International entries are welcome. Please leave your email address so you can be contacted should you win. Good luck!
