Interview With Michelle M. Pillow
I sat down (virtually) with Michelle M. Pillow for a short interview. Michelle M. Pillow’s most recent release is His Earth Maiden: A Qurilixen World Novel. The hero is a space pirate. Yum!
Cynthia Sax: I LOVE your sexy heroes. What makes them so freakin’ hot?
Michelle M. Pillow: Confidence and loyalty. My sci-fi heroes tend to have alpha male qualities, but also a kind of innocence when it comes to dealing emotionally with women. (The sexy part they have down.)
Cynthia Sax: They certainly do have the sexy part down! Where did you get the idea for your Space Lords series?
Michelle M. Pillow: The Space Lords series is a series installment in the sci-fi romance Qurilixen World collection. It came naturally as the characters from previous series began leaving their planet for the high skies.
The Qurilixen World is an extensive collection of science fiction and futuristic romance novels that started nearly 15 years ago with the original Dragon Lords series and has since grown into a massive collection with 34 books within 7 series installments and growing. Each book in each series is a standalone story. The Space Lords are interconnected with the other series, as well as set in the same universe.
The book titles (His Frost Maiden, His Fire Maiden, His Metal Maiden, His Earth Maiden – Woodland is next) refer to a curse the crew received when the pilot insulted an ancestral spirit on a planet they were visiting. Each book is an element of the curse.
Cynthia Sax: That’s super cool! What genres do you write in? Are there any that you’ve yet to try but want to?
Michelle M. Pillow: As an author, I love being able to move around to different genres and I’m so lucky to have awesome fans who happily hop around with me. So far I’ve done Science Fiction, Futuristic, Paranormal, Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, Contemporary, Historical, Chick Lit, and Cozy Mystery. I would love to do a thriller or horror novel someday. I also want to publish a photography book.
Cynthia Sax: Wow. You do it all! That’s awesome. Do you have any advice for new writers?
Michelle M. Pillow: The best advice I have that is worth anything, is to do your research. Research everything—your book, marketing, promo, your genre—and think about the long-term goals, not just instant career gratification. That’s what separates career authors from hobbyists. Writing as a hobby is fine, if that’s what you want to do. If you want to be a professional, you just have to spend the time and study up. There is no magic formula or secret handshake. I so wish there was. (Well, there is coffee. That’s kind of magical.) You just have to put in the hours and do the work. Knowledge really is power.
Cynthia Sax: That is so true! Thank you for joining us today, Michelle M. Pillow!
Michelle M. Pillow’s Website: https://michellepillow.com/
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Former elite Federation soldier, now turned space pirate, Jackson Burke has done his best to turn his life around—for the better. He isn’t prepared when fate leaves a woman’s safety totally in his hands. Since heroes don’t leave a damsel in distress—and despite being outlaw pirates, the crew considers themselves the good guys—Jackson assumes responsibility for the beauty. It’s enough that his ship is held together by rust and sheer will, now he’s got to keep this good guy thing straight and not give into the urges the sassy female brings out in him. Raisa is everything a man could want and for some reason she seems to like him, rough edges and all, but he’s on the Federation’s wanted list and they aren’t known to back down.
Buy Now:
On Author’s Website: https://michellepillow.com/book/his-earth-maiden/
On Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BRC1CTX/
On Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/his-earth-maiden-michelle-m-pillow/1128306556
On iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/his-earth-maiden/id1364701541?mt=11%3Fmt%3D11
On Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/his-earth-maiden
Topics: Author Interviews | 1 Comment »
Interview With Regine Abel
I sat down (virtually) with Regine Abel for a short interview. Regine Abel’s most recent release is Escaping Fate, a MFM Sci-Fi Paranormal Romance!
Cynthia Sax: What makes Lhor and Khel so freakin’ sexy?
Regine Abel: The only way for an unmated male to slow down the Taint plaguing him is through physical exertion. Xelixians therefore train on average four times a day, giving them insanely hot bodies. But the best part? Their fangs. No, they aren’t vampires. Their fangs are mainly used as weapons to paralyze or poison their prey. However, in the right dose, their venom acts as a recreational drug that brings a woman’s climax to a whole other level. On the other hand, Amalia’s Veredian markings darken when she’s aroused, making them erogenous. Wandering fingers or a teasing tongue brushing over them will make her writhe and squirm. But beware. When she enters her season, woe onto anyone who stands between Amalia and her mate.
Cynthia Sax: Ohhh… VERY sexy. What do you find especially exciting about Escaping Fate?
Regine Abel: Escaping Fate has a lot of flirting, sexual tension and steamy scenes. But that’s not what the book is about. There is a strong story with tons of action, suspense, and unexpected twists and turns. Amalia and her boys each have a unique personality that create some interesting situations from pretty funny to insanely intense. They’re all strong in their own way, often mischievous and badass when needed. I’m in love with those characters. If only I could meet them in real life and hang out!
Cynthia Sax: Where did you get the idea for Escaping Fate?
Regine Abel: I’m a junky for any romance with the Mars Needs Women trope. There was no question in my mind I would write something in the genre, but what? I’m a huge fan of Nalini Singh’s Psy-Changelings series, Tracy St. John’s Clans of Kalquor and M.K. Eidem’s Tornians. The idea of a species where individuals could each have a unique psychic ability excited me. I loved the world building in the Clan’s series with all the political intrigues and how the Kalquorians revisited what constituted a family unit to delay the slow extinction of their species. Grim inspired me with the social impact of their own crisis due to the scarcity of women; how it reshaped their society, redefined a woman’s role, a man’s worth, and the importance of social status. Escaping Fate was an attempt to combine these concepts in a fresh new way.
Cynthia Sax: I LOVE that trope also. Yum! Is Escaping Fate part of a series and will you be writing more stories in this series?
Regine Abel: Yes, this is a series, although each book is intended to work as standalone. I’m currently halfway through writing the second book. There is an overarching story which should incentivize people to read the novels in order. Most main characters from the previous books will reappear in the sequels. However, each book explores the romance of a different Veredian female. While Escaping Fate is MFM, the rest of the series will be MF only. That said, I do plan two spin-off series set in the same universe, one of which is shaping up to be MFM. My new book, Anton’s Grace, part of my Dark Tales series, is actually set in this world though it takes place on the other side of the galaxy. I’m curious to see how many readers will catch the Easter egg there.
Cynthia Sax: My readers usually catch the Easter Eggs. (grins) Thank you for joining us today, Regine Abel!
Regine Abel’s Website: https://www.facebook.com/regine.abel.author/
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Born and raised on a slaver’s ship, Amalia plans to escape before she’s forced to participate in her master’s psi breeding program. She finds refuge on a foreign planet where she meets the cousins Lhor and Khel. Together, they fight against those hunting her down, while attempting to rescue the other victims of her master’s blood and sex slave ring.
Between her master’s dogged pursuit, deadly rivalries, assassins and corrupted nobles, can the cousins keep Amalia safe or will their respective feelings for her tear them apart?
This MFM novel is a constant toe-curling, action-packed thriller, and the first book in the Veredian Chronicles series. It is standalone with no cliffhanger.
Buy Now:
On Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XPPB5BW/
On Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06XPPB5BW/
On Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B06XPPB5BW/
On Amazon (All): http://smarturl.it/EscapingFate_Amazon
Topics: Author Interviews | Comments Off on Interview With Regine Abel
Interview With Cara Bristol
I sat down (virtually) with Cara Bristol for a short interview. Her latest release is Body Talk, a compilation of sexy excerpts from multiple erotic romance subgenres!
Cynthia Sax: What makes your heroes sexy?
Cara Bristol: They care for the heroine. Even in the BDSM romances, the hero is interested in her as a person. While a character may be conflicted about the relationship, he respects her as well as desires her. I create heroes who are worthy of the heroine’s love—although there may trauma in their past that makes them believe they’re not worthy of love. That’s something they have to overcome in the story.
Cynthia Sax: Where did you get the idea for Body Talk?
Cara Bristol: I’ve been a lifelong romance reader. As a teenager I used to reread the sexy parts over and over. I thought why not produce a book that was all sexy parts? Body Talk contains full chapter excerpts of eleven of my sexiest sex scenes! My current readers can reread some of their favorite passages—and readers new to me can be introduced to a sampling of my work. All for only 99 cents (or free with Kindle Unlimited). They’ll be introduced to some of my sci-fi romance, romantic comedy, paranormal, and BDSM (light).
Cynthia Sax: Where do your stories start?
Cara Bristol: Each excerpt begins with a lead-in to a sexy scene. In some cases, the characters intend to have sex; in others, but in others, they haven’t realized it themselves yet. What I’m trying to say is that it’s not a wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am. There is pursuit and seduction. Love and affection. Readers will get to know the characters, their motivations and bit of their stories. Each scene is complete; there isn’t a cliffhanger.
Cynthia Sax: What advice would you give new writers?
Cara Bristol: Don’t give up. Pace yourself. Realize that there is no sprint to success. It’s a marathon you have to run every day. Being an author is my dream job, but it is work. If you don’t love writing, you probably won’t have the discipline to see it through to success.
Cynthia Sax: Thank you, Cara Bristol, for joining us today!
Cara Bristol’s Website: http://www.carabristol.com
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Remember when your favorite paperback books used to naturally open to the scenes you’d read over and over, the ones that made you laugh, tugged your heart or got you hot and bothered? In Body Talk, USA Today bestselling author Cara Bristol has compiled full-chapter excerpts of the sexiest scenes from her most popular and favorite erotic romances. These story excerpts will tug at your heart, captivate your imagination, and stir your senses. You’ll visit the familiar…and escape to the unexpected in a variety of subgenres including: contemporary romance, BDSM/spanking romance, science fiction romance, romantic comedy, and even a historical romance selection.
Buy Now:
On Amazon: http://hyperurl.co/BodyTalkAmz
Topics: Author Interviews | 1 Comment »
Interview With Cara Bristol
I sat down (virtually) with Cara Bristol for a short interview. Her latest release is Destiny’s Chance, a paranormal with a twist (and a spark – grins)!
Cynthia Sax: I feel the excitement around Destiny’s Chance. What, do you think, is causing this?
Cara Bristol: The way readers react to the story! I took risks in writing Destiny’s Chance. It’s “out of the box.” If readers want to read something that isn’t a same-old, same-old trope, then they should give Destiny’s Chance a try. It has received the best reviews of any book I’ve ever written. Here’s a sampling of what readers are saying:
“Absolutely amazing and very romantic. This read had me going from the moment I started reading it. I read it front to back in one night. I just couldn’t put it down.”
“The reader will quickly learn that the author has crafted a story far outside the box, and it’s fabulous.”
“Moving on so many levels.”
“This is a beautiful tale of second chances at true love that really pulled at my heartstrings quite a bit. The romance was sizzling hot with just the right amount of kink to not be too dirty, yet definitely spicy enough to make my toes curl.”
Cynthia Sax: Where did you get the idea for Destiny’s Chance?
Cara Bristol: It evolved out of the idea of envy, desiring to walk in someone else’s moccasins. Did you ever want what someone had and wish you could be him or her? In Destiny’s Chance, that’s what happens. Destiny secretly loves her best friend’s boyfriend, Chance Everett. (I emphasize that Destiny never acted on her feelings, never betrayed her friend). But fate steps in. Destiny and Zoe (her friend) are in a terrible accident, Zoe is killed, and Destiny finds that her soul has taken possession of her friend’s body. Although she feels terrible about it and wishes she could bring her friend back, she realizes that in the eyes of the world, she is now Zoe and she can love Chance the way she always wanted to. Except….what Destiny’s doesn’t know is that Chance and Zoe had broken up and Chance had secretly loved Destiny. She’s expecting to pick up the relationship; Chance is thinking as soon as “Zoe” recovers, they’ll go their separate ways.
Cynthia Sax: How does Destiny’s Chance start?
Cara Bristol: The story opens with Destiny Grable waking up in the hospital. She doesn’t know yet that her soul has taken possession of her friend’s body and that in eyes of the world, she’s Zoe Richards. Zoe’s boyfriend comes to visit her, which surprises Destiny. Why would her friend’s boyfriend come to see her?
Cynthia Sax: Will Destiny’s Chance be the first story in a series?
Cara Bristol: It’s not a series, but there’s a potential for another spin-off story between Destiny’s sister Laura and Chance’s brother Roman.
Cynthia Sax: Thank you, Cara Bristol, for joining us today!
Cara Bristol’s Website: http://www.carabristol.com
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Fate gave her a chance for love. Is she brave enough to accept it?
Destiny Grable has loved Chance Everett for as long as she could remember, but he was never interested in her until a tragic act of fate grants her heart’s desire. Now Chance is all hers—body, mind, and soul. But once they’re together, she discovers he has a kinky side she never knew about. Is she ready for it? Can she handle it? And Chance isn’t the only one with a secret. If he discovers what she’s hiding, will he still want her?
Buy Now:
On Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01J0CU3S2
On Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01J0CU3S2
On Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B01J0CU3S2
On Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01J0CU3S2
Topics: Author Interviews | 1 Comment »
Interview With Lexi Post
I sat down (virtually) with Lexi Post for a short interview. Lexi Post’s latest release is Christmas with Angel, a holiday Contemporary Cowboy Erotic Romance.
Cynthia Sax: Where did you get the idea for Christmas with Angel?
Lexi Post: As usual, I am inspired by the classics and the classic that inspired Christmas with Angel was “The Outcasts of Poker Flat” by Bret Harte. That story focuses on the tainted and the innocent, and the relationship between the two. In my story, I ask the question: Is tainted a spectrum and is it a matter of perspective? I did this by focusing on Cole and Lacey’s conflict and on the former abusive owner of Angel, the rescued horse that Cole gave to Lacey.
Cynthia Sax: How does Christmas with Angel start?
Lexi Post: This story starts with Cole setting up a Christmas bower in the barn so he and Lacey can be alone. This was important to show the steadfast love these two have, and have had, since this book focuses on looking in on Cole and Lacey’s Happily Ever After 🙂 As it turns out, they haven’t had much “alone” time.
After Lacey moved in with Cole and his grandparents, his two cousins, one with a baby, and old Billy from Poker Flat also moved in. Cole and Lacey are building a house on the ranch, but it barely has outside walls. So Cole lines an empty stall with hay and sleeping bags and adds Christmas decorations and a bottle of wine and brings Lacey out there to start their first Christmas together. Let’s just say that it gets a little hot in there, especially for this firefighter cowboy 😉
Cynthia Sax: What causes problems between Cole and Lacey?
Lexi Post: This is a combination of Cole always doing what is right and Lacey being unable to forgive her future mother-in-law. It is Christmas, and as with many couples, the question of where to spend Christmas day becomes a serious issue. Cole expects Lacey to go to his parents’ house for his mother’s annual Christmas dinner party because it’s “the right thing to do.” Lacey isn’t yet ready to forgive Cole’s mother for making him dump her eight years earlier. Lacey would prefer to spend the day at Last Chance because no one else will be on the ranch and they can have some much needed alone time.
Cynthia Sax: Is Christmas with Angel a series and will you be writing more stories in this series?
Lexi Post: Yes and yes! Christmas with Angel is the first book in the Last Chance series and is actually a sequel to Cowboy’s Match which was book #2 in the Poker Flat series. There will be more books in the Last Chance series including Trace’s Trouble which comes out at the end of this month in a boxed set called Ring in a Cowboy. This series takes place on the Last Chance Ranch, hence the name, but it’s more than that. This is a horse rescue ranch and so it is the “last chance” for a decent life for the horses that are brought there, but it also becomes a last chance for the people who gravitate to it as well. Right now I’m expecting this to be a four book series, but you never know 😉
Cynthia Sax: Thank you for joining us today, Lexi!
Lexi Post’s Website: http://www.lexipostbooks.com/
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Cowboy firefighter, Cole Hatcher, is determined to do what’s right and take his fiancé with him to his mother’s annual holiday dinner party. After all, the two most important ladies in his life need to learn to get along and the sooner the better. Besides, the rest of the family will be there.
Lacey Winters can’t forgive her future mother-in-law for keeping her and Cole apart for eight years. While she loves Cole’s family, including the five they are living with, she wants to spend Christmas alone with Cole on Last Chance Ranch.
But there are worse things brewing than family drama. This Christmas day, nothing goes as planned…for anyone.
Buy Now:
On Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B018CLKQJS
On Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1ShMNw6
On iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1061507996
On Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/christmas-with-angel
On Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1NNjjSP
On Amazon AU: http://bit.ly/1LxxZUs
On Amazon DE: http://amzn.to/1lHqUfa
On Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1PX9xSJ
On Amazon ES: http://amzn.to/1QG5ifZ
Topics: Author Interviews | 1 Comment »
Interview With Lexi Post
I sat down (virtually) with Lexi Post for a short interview. Lexi Post’s latest release is Pleasures of Christmas Past, a holly jolly Paranormal Erotic Romance.
Cynthia Sax: What makes Duncan so freakin’ sexy?
Lexi Post: Where do I begin? I totally fell for Duncan Montgomerie, then again according to the heroine, who hasn’t? First, he’s Scottish but from the late 1700s so he has a lovely old-fashioned Scottish accent. Second, the man is built, barely fitting into his modern day t-shirt and jeans. Third, he has a good heart. Fourth, he is a good friend. Fifth, he will risk all for those he cares about. And in addition, his residence is a castle that has been in the family for six centuries! I just love castles :-} Of course, he “isna’ perfect” as he might say. He’s arrogant, far too sure of himself around the lasses, and has more sexual experience than a man has a right to. He was so much fun to write!
Cynthia Sax: Where did you get the idea for Pleasures of Christmas Past?
Lexi Post: I love this question! I write erotic romances inspired by the classics, so for Pleasures of Christmas Past I used Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. I don’t re-tell the classic, I get inspired by it. My thought on this story was, what if the Spirit was the one who learned something from the visit to the living person? So in my story, instead of a Scrooge I have Holly, a young grieving widow. Instead of Marley, I have her deceased husband, Cameron. And the Spirit of Christmas Past is Jessica Thomas a brand new Spirit Guide out on her first assignment, so she needed a mentor, and who better than Duncan?
Cynthia Sax: Tell us one super exciting thing about Pleasures of Christmas Past?
Lexi Post: As a writer, what I love about this book is the multilayered story. I hope it’s what my readers like as well. Not only do we see Jessica and Duncan’s relationship develop, but we also get to see Holly and Cameron’s story both in present time as widow and spirit and in the past as we witness the scenes the Spirit of Christmas Past brings us to. I didn’t realize what a challenge I had set for myself until I was writing scenes with both Holly and “young Holly” in them along with all the other characters. In addition to this, we get to witness Holly’s growth as well as Jessica’s and Duncan’s and all because Cameron didn’t want his wife to be so heartbroken on her first Christmas without him…or so it appears 😉 I have to say, I have a whole new appreciation for the talent of Charles Dickens!
Cynthia Sax: Is Pleasures of Christmas Past part of a series and will you be writing more stories in this series?
Lexi Post: Absolutely! This is only the first book in a 4 book series. Holly has just visited her past, and to be true to the classic story, she must visit the present and future as well, plus as far as I’m concerned, she has to have her own happily ever after. But like Holly, we all have to wait until next year for the second story when Desires of Christmas Present is released.
Cynthia Sax: Thank you for joining us today, Lexi!
Lexi Post’s Website: http://www.lexipostbooks.com/
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When present day American social worker Jessica Thomas is assigned her first case as a spirit guide, she’s excited to serve as the Spirit of Christmas Past for her client and prove she knows her profession well. Unfortunately, her mentor, the very hot, very single, and very Scottish Duncan Montgomerie has little faith in her ability and plans to catch her when she falls. As far as she’s concerned, he’s going to be waiting a very long time.
Bachelor Duncan Montgomerie hails from late 18th century Scotland where he enjoyed life to its fullest, something he continues in death. Having been dead a while, he is well equipped to handle the afterlife where time doesn’t exist and phasing is the norm. What has him stymied is his connection to the uptight Jessica and the strange feelings he’s experiencing being around her, even though she refuses to listen to his advice. Duncan needs to figure out what it all means and fast because the rules change after death and the path Jessica is headed down could cost her her soul.
Buy Now:
On Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B013EVYRV4
On Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1jICy8T
On iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1026485012
On Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/pleasures-of-christmas-past
Topics: Author Interviews | 1 Comment »
Interview With N.J. Walters
I sat down (virtually) with N.J. Walters, one of my favorite people in the world, for a short interview. As regular readers know, I’m addicted to her Salvation Pack series. Today, she’ll be talking about Wolf from the Past, book 4 in this awesome Paranormal/Werewolf romance series!
Cynthia Sax: What makes Gator Rollins so howlingly hot? See what I did there? (grins)
N.J. Walters: Gator Rollins is one tattooed, badass werewolf. He’s extremely protective of his pack and will do anything to keep them from harm. His laidback, witty personality hides a will of titanium. He’s tough and he’s loyal. He also loves to cook and whips up mouthwatering meals in the kitchen. It’s just another way for him to take care of the people he loves. It’s doesn’t get much sexier than that. And when he finally has a chance to claim the woman he wants, he uses every skill in his arsenal to make her his own.
Cynthia Sax: How does Wolf from the Past start?
N.J. Walters: When Wolf from the Past begins, Gator is lying naked on a rock enjoying the sunshine. He’s taking a short break from patrolling pack land. They’re all still on edge because of recent attacks from their former pack. He’s determined to keep his friends and their mates safe from harm. As he’s on his way back home to make lunch, he hears a car approaching. When he goes to check it out, he comes face-to-face with a ghost from the past.
I’ve known ever since I wrote book two in the series that the past and present would collide in Gator’s story. There’s a lot more to him than even his friends know. Gator has been carrying a secret around for years. He loved a woman years ago but never told her. Then she was mated and it was too late for him to claim her as his own. He never thought he’d ever get a second chance.
Cynthia Sax: You had me at ‘lying naked.’ Does someone in your story have a secret? What is it?
N.J. Walters: Sylvie LaForge Dubois has been deceiving her family for years. She had to fake her own death in order to escape her brutal ex. Now that he’s dead, she’s decided it’s finally safe enough to come out of hiding and face her brother and cousins. She’s tired of hiding and very lonely. Wolves aren’t meant to live alone but to be a part of a pack. She never dreams she’ll be forced to confront her feelings for Gator. Sylvie believed that after her forced mating she’d never be attracted to any man. She never counted on Gator.
Cynthia Sax: We know Wolf from the Past is part of a series. Tell me you’ll be writing more. Please!
N.J. Walters: I find it difficult, if not impossible, to write anything but series. I get involved in a world and the characters and don’t want to leave. I’d originally planned on five books for the Salvation Pack series. I’m currently finishing up work on book nine.
Book five—Wolf on the Hunt is due out in early January 2016.
Woot! More wolves! Thank you, N.J. Walters, for joining us today!
N.J. Walters’s Website: http://www.njwalters.com
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Playing dead is easy. Living is hard.
Salvation Pack, Book 4
Sylvie LaForge Dubois knew coming back from the dead wouldn’t be easy, but facing her brother and his friends is harder than she imagined. The way Gator Rollins watches her every move makes her decidedly uneasy and excited.
After surviving a forced mating to the abusive Andre Dubois, having a rugged, dangerous werewolf like Gator sniffing around her is scary and thrilling at the same time. She never imagined she’d want another man, but her bone-deep attraction to Gator is too strong to fight.
Gator never got a chance to tell Sylvie he loved her before she was mated with another and, well, died. Now that she’s back, there’s nothing he won’t do to protect her.
Once word gets out, Sylvie’s former pack will be coming for her. No one leaves the Louisiana pack, especially not a female werewolf. But Gator’s determined that this time he won’t let anyone or anything get between him and Sylvie, even if she can’t decide if his touch makes her want to jump his bones…or run for the hills.
Buy Now:
At Samhain Publishing: https://www.samhainpublishing.com/book/5595/wolf-from-the-past
On Amazon.com: http://tinyurl.com/qyhb9u3
On Barnes & Noble: http://tinyurl.com/q3b4flh
On ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-wolffromthepast-1857904-140.html
On Kobo: http://tinyurl.com/neb74t9
On Amazon UK: http://tinyurl.com/nlf3vv5
On Amazon Canada: http://tinyurl.com/nnrbanc
Topics: Author Interviews | 1 Comment »
Interview With Lexi Post And Contest!
I sat down (virtually) with Lexi Post for a short interview. Lexi Post’s latest release is Masque, a wonderful Paranormal Erotic Romance. She’s also giving away a Venetian mask to one lucky Taste Of Cyn reader!
Cynthia Sax: Where did you get the idea for Masque?
Lexi Post: I love this question because I write erotic romance inspired by the classics. The classic story that inspired Masque was Edgar Allan Poe’s short story “The Masque of the Red Death.” I had a university student turn in a paper on this story and since I hadn’t read it in a long time, I decided to re-read it before grading the paper. I’m so glad I did!
As I read about the 7 colored rooms that Poe created in his “Abbey” and about the partying that went on there, I knew I had to use the story and make each room a Pleasure Room. But I still needed a hero because the main character in Poe’s story was Prince Prospero who was a selfish man, and the only other clear character was Death, Red Death to be exact, and everyone died at the end. So I decided that the masked figure of the Red Death was really Synn MacAllistair, a friend of the Prince, who just wanted to scare him in to doing what was right, but it all went wrong. Unbeknownst to Synn, he was a carrier of the Red Death. So then I decided to keep 73 ghosts and added a modern day heroine who buys the haunted abbey and soon finds herself caught up in Synn 😉
Cynthia Sax: Where is Masque set?
Lexi Post:
The story is set in Nova Scotia on Cape Breton as I love that place and thought it the perfect place for a 160 year old Abbey. Ashton Abbey is named that to hide what really goes on inside, which is the Masque that occurs after midnight. That’s when the 7 colored rooms – the parlor, the concert room, the library, the billiard room, the tea room, the game room and the smoking room – change into different sexual Pleasure Rooms. The way the rooms are lit is by braziers behind colored windows (Poe’s idea). The Abbey has secret passageways for the servants, dual grand staircases and is four stories tall, complete with crenellated wall walk. It even has a small chapel, numerous courtyards, a pond, and of course, a graveyard with a headstone for every resident ghost. I can’t say what each room turns in to after midnight, but I guarantee it is very sexy 😉
Cynthia Sax: What causes problems between Rena and Synn?
Lexi Post: Rena Mills buys the Abbey for a song because it’s haunted. She plans to add electricity and hot running water and open up a haunted Bed and Breakfast. She is driven to prove that she can be successful on her own without the help of her family or ex-fiancé.
Synn blames himself for the death of every person in the abbey. He is determined to help the ghosts cross over to the other side. He’s spent over 150 years trying to make that happen but nothing has worked. When Rena arrives, he believes if he can get her to complete each Pleasure Room in exact order that the grandfather clock (another Poe item) will start working again and the ghosts will rest in peace. So obviously, he can’t tell Rena his plan because if he’s successful, her enterprise fails.
Cynthia Sax: What do you love about writing erotic romance?
Lexi Post: What I like about writing erotic romance is that the reader isn’t left wondering how that intimate relationship develops. She gets to see it develop. Sometimes the sex is intense, sometimes it’s loving, sometimes kinky, sometimes the couple laughs and sometimes they end up fighting. The sex is all part of the relationship and the reader sees how it brings them closer together or causes problems.
I don’t write erotica, though I do enjoy reading it. I write erotic romance and as my agent says, I write erotic romance with a “whole lot of story.” Because my romances are inspired by classic literature, it also allows me to follow where the chosen classic leads me. In some cases it’s down a paranormal path, like Masque. But other times it might be a contemporary cowboy romance or straight contemporary. Believe it or not, Emily Dickinson’s poems inspired my Sci-fi series that takes place on the planet Eden where all the hunky mean walk around naked. There are so many classics I absolutely love, that I can’t type fast enough. I guess that’s one of the drawbacks of having taught literature, I just have too much inspiration J
Cynthia Sax: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Lexi Post:October is my annual Venetian mask giveaway month and I’ve picked a beauty for Cynthia’s blog because Cynthia is such a beauty herself. So be sure to enter the Rafflecopter for a chance to win this mask made in Italy and hand decorated.
Cynthia Sax: Awww… you’re a sweetie. (big hugs) I love you so much, Lexi, and thank you for joining us today!
Lexi Post’s Website: http://www.lexipostbooks.com/
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Rena Mills plans to turn an abandoned abbey into a haunted bed-and-breakfast to prove she can be successful without her ex-fiancé. What she finds inside is Synn MacAllistair, the distinguished, self-proclaimed Ghost Keeper. Her dreams soon fill with sexual cravings for him. But are they dreams?
Synn, born in 1828, is determined to free the souls of the resident spirits, blaming himself for bringing the Red Death that killed them. When Rena steps into the old Pleasure Palace, he’s sure he can take her through the after-midnight Pleasure Rooms and stoke her passion to complete the Masque so the souls can cross over. Her innocent fire makes him crave more, but it’s far too late for him.
As Rena begins her erotic journey, her heart becomes more involved with every sensual caress until she discovers by completing the Masque she would lose her ghosts. Synn’s betrayal wars with her compassion for her ghostly friends. Torn, she must make a choice between her financial security and freeing seventy-three trapped souls. Either way, she could lose her Synn.
Buy Now:
On Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0157E67Z0
On Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1QEgdTR
On iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1038734956
On Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/masque-9
Topics: Author Interviews | 5 Comments »
Interview With Sam Cheever
I sat down (virtually) with Sam Cheever for a short interview. Sam Cheever’s latest release is Bedeviled & Beguiled, an awesome SciFi Paranormal!
Cynthia Sax: What makes Dialle so freakin’ sexy?
Sam Cheever: Dialle is the ultimate bad boy. He’s dark and dangerous and constantly fighting his devilish nature. But since the heroine is part devil too, when they’re naughty, they’re very naughty!
Cynthia Sax: What is your favorite line from Bedeviled & Beguiled?
Sam Cheever: Demon King Abrine says to Astra:
“somehow I expected someone a little more…shall we say, imposing?”
And she responds:
“Me too. I’m always a little surprised when I look in a mirror. I feel so much bigger and meaner to myself.”
I get a kick out of this because it’s the perfect representation of small woman syndrome. LOL I resemble that statement! Like Astra, I’m not nearly as big as my ’tude.
Cynthia Sax: How does Bedeviled & Beguiled start?
Sam Cheever: Astra Q Phelps runs the universe’s only demon exterminating company. So it made sense to me to start there. In the opening scene, Astra’s doing a training exercise with her partner, Emo. Emo is a halfling like she is, but unlike Astra, he was cursed in his youth to look like the traditional representation of a devil, red and scaly with horns. Here’s a bit of that scene:
I mentally cursed myself and forced my mind back to the present. My mind always wanders during training. Especially when my training partner is Emo, my longtime partner and fellow perfectionist in thuggery. Like me, Emo takes our little training sessions very seriously. Unlike me however, Emo doesn’t have any trouble concentrating on what he’s doing. I have a lot of trouble concentrating unless my life is in peril. Which certainly happens often enough, since I make my living hunting devils and demons.
Closing off my wayward thoughts, I cocked my head and tried to focus all of my energies into sensing Emo in the pitch-black space. I heard tiny pattering feet to the left, skittering along the wall that stretched across my back. My head swiveled just in time to spot the shimmering red aura of a large, black rat that was returning to his den with a tiny chunk of bread. I watched him closely to make sure he didn’t even think about coming my way.
I really hate rats.
When the rat was safely tucked into his little rat shack in the wall, I made a conscious effort to refocus my attention to the task at hand. I took a deep breath, tilted my head back and expanded my nostrils to scent Emo, but he was apparently using his masking power and I couldn’t get a fix on him.
Unfortunately, I did get a pretty good whiff of the Chinese takeout place on the corner up the street and I suddenly remembered that I hadn’t eaten any lunch and it was well past dinnertime. I closed my eyes and took a deep cleansing breath, shaking my head in an effort to regain my concentration. I focused on sensitizing my power to overcome the block Emo was apparently using. My power slid around the room, searching, but not finding my skulking partner. I clutched the object I held in my hand a little more tightly as my nose began to tingle and the skin on my back started to crawl.
I suddenly realized there was something standing just behind me. I jerked my head around but it was too late. A big, leathery paw with long, sharp claws clamped itself around my upper arm and tore me off my feet.
Angry with myself that I’d allowed him to sneak up on me, I used the momentum of his attack to turn my body so that I faced the wall. Then I pushed my feet into the wall and launched myself backward, flipping over his head and landing on the balls of my feet a short distance behind him. He turned with a snarl and dove toward my legs, tackling me to the ground and covering me with his thick, solid body. The wind left me in a rush but I managed to jam my knee deeply into the spot between his legs where he would least like me to wedge my bony limb. He growled as I connected with something squishy and heavy and one of his club-like arms jerked toward the ceiling and started to come down toward my head. It stopped in mid-air as I pushed the object I held in my hand into the middle of his chest. The object gave off burning sparks as it hit his leathery skin. He yelped and sprang off me.
Gasping to refill my lungs, I tucked my feet beneath my butt and launched myself off the floor. As soon as my toes hit the floor again, I pushed off and sprang toward the retreating devil. I hit him hard, knocking him back against the wall and holding him there with the cross. It began to vibrate in my hand and give off tiny, stinging, electric shocks that I forced myself to ignore.
Emo went completely still, as only his kind can do, and stopped breathing. The only sound in the lightless space came from my panting breath in his ear.
“You give?”
Emo gave a slight nod and slowly dropped his arms in surrender. I reluctantly lowered the cross, knowing all too well that devils weren’t to be trusted. Even if they were part angel.
I moved across the room on the balls of my feet, stepping sideways so I could keep an eye on his aura. When I’d managed to put about twenty feet between us, his icy, blue aura suddenly flickered and disappeared and I felt a whoosh of hot air as he moved, with a speed I hadn’t known he possessed, to a spot somewhere behind me. I turned to meet him head on, but he was faster. He hit me with a full body block that dropped us to the floor with me on the bottom, knocking all of the wind out of my lungs and sending us both skittering across the floor. I ended up with my head just inches from the rat hole and, like a reluctant gawker at a particularly grizzly air bus accident, I tipped my head back to see if the rat was anywhere near. To my vast chagrin, I came eyeball to eyeball with the disgusting thing. It opened its pointed, disease ridden mouth and hissed at me, lunging toward my face as if it would attack.
I screamed and leaped to my feet, dislodging a hilarious devil and jumping around like a moron as I convulsed in hysterical disgust. I did the revulsion dance across the room until there was a lot of space between me and that twitchy nosed, red-eyed attack rodent.
Emo lay in a giggling puddle on the floor as I commanded lights on full and returned the cross I’d used against him to my pocket. He finally wound down and, taking a deep breath, reached up to rub the spot on his scaled chest where the cross had rested. My sparring partner climbed heavily to his feet. “Damn, Astra. You promised me you wouldn’t use the platinum cross anymore. That sonofabitch hurts like hell!”
Forgetting my near death experience with the rat for a moment, I narrowed my eyes at him and grinned. “You would know.”
Cynthia Sax: Is Bedeviled & Beguiled a series and will you be writing more stories in this series?
Sam Cheever: This is a series I received my rights back on several months ago. I’m in the process of re-editing and re-releasing them right now. Currently the first 3 of the 6 books are available on Amazon and I’m working on number 4. They should all be available by the end of the year. I’m also working on a book of fun Christmas short stories based in this world. I anticipate releasing the book for sale in November. Will I write more in this series? I’m definitely open to the idea. I’ll wait to see if there’s reader demand for more books.
Thank you, Sam Cheever, for joining us today!
Sam Cheever’s Website: http://www.samcheever.com/
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Astra Q Phelps is on the side of the good guys in the war between good and evil. Unfortunately for her, the bad guys have been making inroads on her soul. And when a particularly dark and sexy dark worlder fixes his heated gaze on Astra, the lighter side of her nature quickly finds itself kicked to the curb by her slut-monkey side. But Astra doesn’t have time to deal with her love life. She’s in the middle of a war between two dark factions…a war that just might mean the end of the human population…and it seems the fate of the world rests uneasily on her shoulders. It’s a lot of pressure to put on one feisty halfling…but Astra Q Phelps is definitely…erm…certainly…ahh…possibly up to the challenge.
Buy Now:
On Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0145TLCN0
On Amazon.ca: http://www.amazon.ca/Bedeviled-Beguiled-Beyond-Book-ebook/dp/B0145TLCN0
On Amazon.uk: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bedeviled-Beguiled-Beyond-Book-ebook/dp/B0145TLCN0
On Amazon.au: http://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B0145TLCN0
Topics: Author Interviews | 1 Comment »
Interview With Aurora Russell
I sat down (virtually) with Aurora Russell for a short interview. Aurora Russell’s latest release is Bear Your Fangs, a sexy paranormal!
Cynthia Sax: What makes Randulf so freakin’ sexy?
Aurora Russell: First, I know I’m biased, but I think that Randulf is particularly sexy because he’s a tall, strong Viking werebear vampire. Beyond that, though, he’s honorable, compassionate, and cares deeply. So, he’s a warrior who’s delicious to look at and does a great job protecting Eva, but he’s soft on the inside. While he hopes they can be mates, and he wants to do everything he can to make that happen, including a good amount of scorching love-making, what he wants above everything else is Eva’s safety and happiness. The combination is pretty irresistible.
Cynthia Sax: What is your favorite line from Bear Your Fangs?
Aurora Russell: It’s too hard to choose just one favorite line, but I think one of my favorite exchanges between Eva and Randulf is this one, which is actually relatively early in the story:
“Is it always like it was between us?” Eva asked. “I mean, the pleasure? Is it always that good when you, um, drink from someone?”
Randulf groaned and shuddered, pulling her closer again, and leaning over so she could feel the warmth of his breath on her ear and in her hair. “It has never been even a fraction of that good with anyone else, little Eva,” he whispered in her ear, and Eva trembled, feeling his voice like a thousand tiny fingers brushing and caressing her skin.”
I think it shows the depth of passion and emotion between them, and also Randulf’s honesty. He’s old-fashioned, and you can tell that in his phrasing, but he isn’t afraid to express how much their first time making love to each other meant to him. And, of course, Eva is blown away by how good everything is with him, too. I think this really captures the immediate intimacy and passion that they have – with explosive chemistry!
Cynthia Sax: How does Bear Your Fangs start?
Aurora Russell: Bear Your Fangs starts with Eva, alone in a cabin in the remote woods of Maine, hearing a loud noise, which turns out to be an enormous and crazed werewolf who attacks her. Then, Randulf charges out of the forest, in his bear form, and saves her. It’s a very exciting opening scene, chock full of suspense, danger, and a hero who is then wounded and needs help after the battle. The setting is definitely important because two of the main characters are part of a shapeshifting vampire race called the melange, so they are most comfortable in a place that isn’t populated. The dark and dangerous beauty of the forest is something that continues to be an important theme in the rest of the story.
Cynthia Sax: Is Bear Your Fangs part of a series and will you be writing more stories in this series?
Aurora Russell: Bear Your Fangs is the first in the series of the Melange. The second book Ursa Major Hottie, should be completed soon. There will be at least four books in this series, and possibly more. Definitely be on the lookout for more wickedly sexy shapeshifting vampire heroes in the near future!
Thank you, Aurora Russell, for joining us today!
Aurora Russell’s Website: https://aurorarussellauthor.wordpress.com/
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When Eva rents a cabin in the woods to reassess her life after a painful breakup, she hears rumors of disappearing hikers. Despite the stories, she resolves to stay awhile. Until she sees a crazed-looking giant wolf outside her window—with a hiker’s leg in his mouth. Things get even stranger when an enormous bear fights off the wolf—and then turns into a gorgeous man.
Randulf is a shapeshifting vampire charged with tracking down the rogue werewolf and executing him before he can kill more humans. But he’s wounded in the fight, and only two things can help him heal quickly enough to save both him and Eva from a second attack: sex and human blood. Eva is happy to oblige—over and over again.
Reader Advisory: This story has graphic sexual language and scenes—no closed bedroom doors (or other rooms) here!
Buy Now:
On Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Bear-Your-Fangs-Aurora-Russell-ebook/dp/B01593TR8S
On Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/bear-your-fangs
On Ellora’s Cave: https://www.ellorascave.com/product/bear-your-fangs/
Topics: Author Interviews | 1 Comment »
