Guest Blog: Tempting and Teasing The Pages

A touch. A lick. A tickle. A slap… or maybe forget the foreplay and get right down to penetration.

It is all a matter of preference. Depends on what some find makes for a good love scene?

Tastes vary and so do characters. Sometimes you have to listen to what the characters want.

What? Who cares about the characters! What about the reader? What about what they want?

Well, I try to take into account that some readers like it hot, and some like it slow and simmering, but I can’t read the readers’ minds.((Sigh)) Alas, all I can read are my characters’ minds and figure what he or she is thinking at this particular moment in this particular scene.

To me the characters are very much like a lover in my own bed. I have this desire to fulfill their needs, understand their cravings and do my best to satisfy their wants.

Not every lover is the same and it is a fine line to dance when you have two lovers and making sure they are pleased. Sometimes it is not always possible to give them the release they so rightfully deserve and it hurts me but I have to admit I like making them pant and writhe in agony, pent up with frustration and screaming for more.

Naughty author! Yes, I am. And no, I’m not.

I tend to write on the sensual side. So my characters tend to love the slow build up, the errant touch, the side glances, the smell and touch of hair brushing over a shoulder. My heroine’s find the way a man’s legs look encased in jeans sexy as hell and if she catches a peek at some flesh and tight abs, she is salivating. My males let their hands and lips explore in the dark and the whispering sound of clothes being shed turn him on and get him hard.

Bringing them to new heights, getting them to that pinnacle where their senses turn to mush and their bodies so hot they can ignite the sheets is my mission but not my ultimate goal. Passion is not just two bodies wrapped around each other and interlocked, it is more of sense of being wanted, desired, craved and elevated. I try to listen to each a character and infuse their thoughts and feelings into each stroke of their fingers and thrust of their tongues.

Still the seduction and the salty taste of flesh in the throws of ecstasy are not enough for me or my lovers, they still require more. Such needy and greedy lovers! They want the emotional aspect, that inner-soul-deep-penetration that only a true lover can reach; that inner massage that goes below the surface of the skin and squeezes the heart and tightens the groin muscles simultaneously.

I like to look beneath the beautiful veneer and ask my characters to open themselves up in a way that is more vulnerable than just spread their legs or standing for all to see nude. It is more than the slow tease, it is the sneak peek inside their hearts, the way their eyes reveal secrets long buried, or deciphering the sound of their sighs, or sometimes it the scars, bumps, and lines on their palms that tell tales. Characters are secretive creatures, never wanting to reveal too much, it is up to me to coax and tempt them to show what they truly want and give them love that they crave. The desires long dormant brought to the surface and satisfied with more than just an orgasmic release but coupled with the soul satisfying knowledge that they have bonded with another soul that will love them forever.

About the Author:

Gabriella Hewitt is the pen name of creative writing talents Sasha Tomaszycki and Patrizia M.J. Hayashi. Together they weave tales of romantic suspense and dangerously sensual paranormals. Check out their new paranormal romance series: OUT OF THE SHADOWS, the first book in their Shadow Warrior Series from Samhain Publishing. Visit the Gabriella Hewitt website www.gabriellahewitt.com for their blog tour schedule.

Print Releases and Torchwood!

Happy Friday everyone!! It’s a beautiful day here in Christineland and I’m looking forward to enjoying it. This weekend I’ll be puttering around my new house, doing a lot of the outdoor things I’d been putting off. Weeding, watering and clipping.

But while I’m out doing that, I’ll be working on my latest WIP in my head. I’m nearly done the first draft and would like to get everything wrapped up by the end of July. Then, I’ll be taking August off. I hope. :)

Today marks the print release of Don’t Ask, Never Tell. This is the anthology that Chasing Phoenix will be appearing in. I’m there along side my good friends Wylie Kinson with her story Law Of Averages, and JK Coi and her story The Morning After.

Of course I would hope you would like to read Chasing Phoenix, but if you haven’t read the other two stories in this antho, you really must. Let’s say I’m completely honored to be included in a book with these two lovely ladies.

I’ve also learned that The Bond That Consumes Us is making it’s way to print on Tuesday, July 12th!!! This is book three in the Eternal Bond series, and I think my personal favorite. Taber was one of those characters who came to me complete, brooding and very male. To be able to hold this book in my hands will be a treat I can’t explain.

Finally, I’m excited about Torchwood starting up tonight. Now, I’m still torn. I hated the end of Children of Earth.

SPOILER ALERT – Stop reading if you don’t want to know.

*waiting*

Okay, so Ianto was my favorite character. Yes, I was devastated that he was killed off. That wasn’t my issue with the show. They killed kids. I don’t watch any shows that hurt children. It’s my own personal quirk. There is enough of that shit going on in real life, that I don’t want to see it in my entertainment. I honestly didn’t think I would even want to see the show again.

*okay spoilers done*

However, I’m an addict. And I love Captain Jack. So….much to my husband’s tease about me flip-flopping…I’m going to give Miracle Day a shot. If they behave themselves, I’ll keep watching.

Predictions from me…

Rhys will die by the end of the series.

Knowing me, I’ll post some reactions a bit later on. :D

Have a great weekend everyone!

Release Day – No Master!!

It’s here! It’s here!!

For those of you who have been following my Bounty series, I hope you are as excited about today as I am. No Master is a dark, sexy, m/m BDSM story about Korbin, the Admiral of the Black and his second in command, Zain.

Here’s a little taste of what you’ll find!

Blurb:

No man in the galaxy inspires more fear than Korbin, the Admiral of the Black. His life as leader of the pirates leaves little room for trust, so when Korbin’s second-in-command disappears without a trace, he suspects the worst.

Zain Strand has left his life as a sex slave behind and risen within the pirate ranks. But he’ll abandon it all to rescue an old friend from recapture by the slavers—even if that means a suicidal confrontation with his old master. He doesn’t expect Korbin’s arrival, doesn’t want Korbin’s help…but Korbin gives Zain no choice.

Posing as Master and slave to infiltrate a slave auction, Korbin and Zain embark on a journey of lust that rapidly reveals their deeper feelings. When Zain’s old master discovers their ruse, Korbin must do everything in his power to save both their lives and their newfound love.

Excerpt:

“Clayson wouldn’t be Prem’s only client. If he is here on Markarian, then he’d attend the slave auctions. Prem would setup a retreat before the big event to loosen up the buyers.”

Korbin didn’t need Zain’s memories to know what that would mean. The image of his young advisor, a spiked metal collar welded around his neck and lash marks scoring his back, would forever be engrained in his mind.

“You know if you want to get her back we’ll have to go in there. We need information and that’s the best place to get it.”

Zain closed his eyes and turned his head away. “I know.” I have to do this. I can do this. I will, to get her out.

“If it’s a retreat, I can always go alone. Pose as a trader looking for some new stock.” Without thinking, Korbin rose and crossed the room to Zain. “It might be better.”

The tremulous thoughts stilled in Zain’s mind, until they were gone completely. When he straightened and opened his eyes, Korbin was shocked at the complete calm radiating from him.

“You won’t get in the door on your own. Plus, I’ve done some prep work we can use.”

“Oh?”

“When I was tracking Prem, I had to set myself up as a trader to gain access to certain information. You can use that identity to get into the retreat.”

Korbin sucked in a soft breath at the image of himself splayed out on a large bed, Zain crawling slowly up his body. The younger man could no longer make eye contact, his hands fiddling with a data pad.

“I have the details here, sir. You’ll need to review them and let me know if we need to make any slight modifications. No one on Prem’s crew has seen me, so there won’t be any problems for you to assume the identity.”

Korbin didn’t say anything. In his mind, Zain was licking a trail across his stomach, but he didn’t know anymore if these were Zain’s thoughts or his own. Pain radiated from his groin, his cock trapped at an odd angle in his pants. He needed to get into the shower to relieve himself soon, or else there would be serious damage.

“Do you have any questions, Admiral?”

“What are you not telling me, Zain? You think I don’t recognize that tone?”

“What tone?”

“The one you use when you’re trying to placate me long enough to fix a problem you don’t want me to be aware of.” Korbin snorted and leaned back in the chair, giving his cock a bit more room. “I’m always aware.”

Zain’s soft sigh said nearly as much as the Gods, I hate him some days thought. “You will need a sex slave.”

Somehow, he figured it would be something like that. “There’s no way around it?”

“No. You won’t be accepted without one. Most of the traders are their own best clients. You can learn a lot about them from how they treat their slaves. What they do and where they do it. If you go alone, you won’t be invited into any of the inner circles. That’s where we’ll find the most useful information.”

“So I need a slave.”

Zain nodded.

“You don’t have to do it. We can find someone else.”

“No time. They will know if you bring in a fake anyway.”

Before he could ask how, Zain rose to his feet and pulled his tunic up over his head. Korbin had never seen him in any state of undress, an impressive feat given the close quarters they all shared. Other than that first day and the glimpse of Zain’s abused back, the young man had been very careful. Now, starting at the black symbol—a brand—scored into the smooth flesh of his chest, Korbin understood why.

“While I know a few people willing to get one of these, I don’t think it will be necessary when I am already equipped to do the job.”

Fear mixed with determination washed over Korbin. Wolf hadn’t mentioned the stone’s ability to project a subject’s emotions along with his thoughts. If he had, Korbin wouldn’t have been so quick to connect to Zain, knowing the darkness that lurked below his cool exterior.

“No one but me will touch you.”

You can buy No Master Here!

Happy Days, Release Week!

This week is going to be awesome! I have more than a few good things going on in my world over the next few days.

Today is actually my husband’s 40th birthday. I met him when he was 17 and he’s been in my life ever since. We had a wonderful party for him on the weekend and today we plan on taking it easy.

Happy Birthday sweetie!!

On Wednesday I’ll be celebrating the release of No Master. This is book three in my Bounty series (space pirates) and I’m scared/excited for it to hit the cyber-world. Writing this book was a love/hate thing for me. It challenged me in many ways as a writer. I wanted the story to be dark, but I needed to make sure I could find a way out for both Korbin and Zain. I hope the end result will be enjoyable for everyone.

I just found out this morning that my novella, Chasing Phoenix, will be available in print on Friday! I’m excited for the story to be in an anthology entitled, Don ‘t Ask, Never Tell,  with my good friends Wylie Kinson and JK Coi. These are all very sexy and fun stories, so I hope you’ll check them out.

Finally, on July 8th the new Torchwood series premiers! Now, we all remember my bitterness toward my favorite show at the end of Children of Earth (still sad), but after two years of mourning, I’ve decided to give it a shot. I mean, Bill Pullman is the villain in this…and I still have a soft spot for John Barrowman as Captain Jack Harkness. I’ll be doing some spoiler free reaction posts for anyone who cares to see.

Sooooo that’s me this week. As always, you can check out my insane daily musings on Twitter, and see what I’ve been reading over on Goodreads.

Summer Days

I have to say, I’m very happy that summer is here. This past spring was incredibly busy for me on many fronts. But with June almost done and July around the corner, I’m looking forward to taking some much needed time off.

My edits for most of my fall releases are done. No Master will be out in seven days (OMG!) and I’ve decided to take it easy on the writing front for a few weeks.

My master plan is to play video games and hang out with my children. World domination will soon follow.

I also want to take the opportunity to get caught up on my reading. I’ve been able to get through a number of novellas and short novels that have been sitting on my e-reader for a while in recent days. I’ve posted some reviews over on Goodreads, but I’d recomment getting the following if you are looking for something new.

Do Over by Mari Carr. If you have been married for any length of time, you will appreciate this beautifully written novel. It’s about a couple who have a special weekend getaway to get reacquainted with each other. I cried more than once.

Sweet As Sin by Inez Kelley. This is another book that had me crying. The struggles of the hero and heroine in this book prove that sometimes love isn’t enough. The resolution was immensley satisfying.

Outcast Mine by Jamie Craig. A well written m/m sci-fi romance that had be flipping the pages at a rapid rate. Great action and hot sex.

I’m traveling for work this week, but when I get back I’ll officially slide into summer mode. How about you? Any special plans for the summer?

What do you mean no coffee???

Everyone here knows how much I love coffee, right? RIGHT?!?! I love coffee so much I’ve based my upcoming series around a coffee shop.

I’ve been drinking the wonderful black gold since I was 12 (someone told me it would stunt my growth. I was 5′ 10″ by that time), so I would have a cup a day.

But two weeks ago, I was told by my doctor I had to give it up for a while (stupid stomach issues). I wanted to cry. You see coffee is more than the taste for me. The ritual of getting up in the morning, making a perfect cup which I then take and enjoy it while reading (or writing).

I miss that warm fuzzy feeling I get in my chest (not a caffeine rush!) that I’d get when enjoying a cup. The way my whole body seemed to relax when I was enjoying a mug. *sigh*

And for the record, I’m just as hyper off coffee as I ever was ON coffee.

Am I nuts? I know not everyone drinks coffee, but there must be some of you out there that have a favorite beverage that you’d give up your left arm, rather than have to stop drinking it?

Release Dates, Moves and OMG Edits!

Wow, it’s been a while since I’ve been on the old blog. Very busy few weeks for me. Good news for you if you’re looking for some new releases from me. :D

I’ve just found out that No Master, book three in the Bounty series, will be released on July 6th from Ellora’s Cave. This story focuses on Korbin, the Admiral of the Black and his second in command Zain Strand. Here’s the blurb!

No man in the galaxy inspires more fear than Korbin, the Admiral of the Black. His life as leader of the pirates leaves little room for trust, so when Korbin’s second in command disappears without a trace he suspects the worst.

Zain Strand has left his life as a sex slave behind and risen within the pirates’ ranks, but he’ll abandon it all to rescue an old friend from recapture by the slavers–even if that means a suicidal confrontation with his old master. He doesn’t expect Korbin’s arrival, doesn’t want Korbin’s help…but Korbin gives Zain no choice.

Posing as Master and slave to infiltrate a slave auction, Korbin and Zain embark on a journey of lust that rapidly reveals their deeper feelings. When Zain’s old master discovers their ruse, Zorbin must do everything in his power to save both their lives and their new-found love.

I’ve also been diligently working on edits for a number of my fall releases. The first two books in the Long Shots series are done and off, and I’m nearly done the edits for book three. While I always love the books I write, I’m finding myself particularly excited about this series. Not only because it will be my first with Carina Press, but also the characters really jumped to life for me. I can’t wait to share them with everyone.

My release schedule for the year is currently the following:

No Master – July 6th, Ellora’s Cave
Girls Who Bite – September 13th, Cleis Press
Double Shot – October 3, Carina Press
Steamlust: Steampunk Erotic Romance – October 11, Cleis Press
A Shot In the Dark – November 7th, Carina Press
Agony/Ecstasy – December 6th, Berkley Heat
Pulled Long – December 12th, Carina Press

I’ve also been moving this week. It was an insane weekend of packing and lugging, but we are 99% done. One room left to finish and some cleaning. Then the unpacking fun begins. My kids are settling down and the dogs are slowly adjusting. The only one who doesn’t seem thrown off by the whole affair is my cat. She’s a trooper!

And don’t forget my new blog! I post every Tuesday over at gee/k/ink, a place where we discuss all things geeky and kinky…and trust me when I say the conversations have been very interesting! Stop by and say hello. :D

So how is everyone doing? Let me know!

Steamlust Lineup and Fright Night

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m still bouncing from the Carina Press anniversary yesterday. I hope a few of you visitors have decided to stick around and say hello.

Two things came across my plate today that got me silly excited. The first is the official story lineup for the Steamlust: Steampunk Erotic Romance anthology I’m a part of. Check this out!

Foreword Meljean Brook
Introduction: A Passion for Steampunk
Iron Hard Sylvia Day
Heart of the Daedalus
Saskia Walker
Fog, Flight and Moonlight Sacchi Green
The Undeciphered Heart
Christine d’Abo
Mr. Hartley’s Infernal Device
Charlotte Stein
A Demonstration of Affection
Elizabeth Coldwell
Undergrounded
Vida Bailey
Sparks
Anna Meadows
Green Cheese
Lisabet Sarai
Lost Souls
Andrea Dale
Golden Moment
Lynn Townsend
Liberated
Mary Borsellino
Make Your Own Miracles
Nikki Magennis
Rescue My Heart Anya Richards

*does a snoopy dance*

I’ll be pre-ordering extra copies of this bad boy and I hope you will too!

The other thing today that got my crank going was this trailer for the remake of Fright Night. The original version of this movie kicked all kinds of ass and was one of my favorites when I was younger. This version as David Tennant playing Peter Vincent, the part originally made famous by Roddy McDowall!

I have a feeling the new version is going to be darker than the original, but I hope it’s as funny! You can check out the trailer showing a SHIRTLESS DAVID TENNANT right here.

Happy Birthday Carina Press!

Hello everyone! I am thrilled to be a part of the first anniversary celebration for Carina Press. Though my books have yet to be released, I have been so impressed with every aspect of working with Carina. Congratulations Angela and all of the writers, editors and staff who have worked so very this past year to make Carina Press the success its become.

I’m thrilled to be hosting Angela and Alissa today on my blog. Don’t forget to check out the details on the free book giveaway at the bottom of this post.

*does a snoopy dance*

In celebration of our one year anniversary, I asked as many of our Harlequin team members and Carina Press freelance editors as possible to write a short blog post, talking about what the past year or so has been like for them, working on Carina Press. I deliberately didn’t provide any direction other than that, because I wanted to see what people came up with, in the spirit of Carina’s 1st anniversary. I was so pleased when I saw what they’d all come up with, and had to say (and some of these posts made me just a little teary)! I hope you enjoy the post, and look for your opportunity to win a Carina Press book at the bottom of this post. ~Angela James

Alissa Davis is a freelance editor for Carina Press. You can follow her on Twitter.

Bring on the Good Books

I enjoy attending conferences—meeting authors and colleagues, going to parties and workshops. I especially like sitting on editor panels—talking about books, trends, new technology, the submission process and my personal pet peeves. But then, inevitably, someone asks the editors, “What are you looking for?” And some of us squirm in our chairs. Editors get asked this all the time and we don’t always know exactly what we want—beyond a gripping plot, tight pacing, detailed world-building, realistic dialogue, good conflict, well-developed characters and a memorable voice—until we see it.

Every year I tried to come up with a few specific things I wanted to acquire, but I usually also told the authors, “I just want good books.” It was an easy answer, a stock answer. And not entirely true. I did want good books. Really, no editor wants a pile of lousy submissions! But some good books, no matter how much I believed in them, weren’t a good fit for my publisher.

It’s usually a huge thrill to find a good submission. But until I began working for Carina last year it was lousy if, for whatever reason, my house wasn’t the right publisher for that book. Sometimes the sex was too edgy, sometimes the genre hadn’t sold well for us, and sometimes the lovers were both male or both female. And then there wasn’t any getting around it. Yes, I loved the book. Yes, it was worthy of publication. And yes, I wrote the author a really nice rejection letter encouraging her to keep submitting her story until she found the right home for it. Months later when I went on Amazon and purchased the book I’d fallen in love with, I was happy for the author—and sad that I’d missed out.

But now I’m here, celebrating both Carina’s one-year anniversary and the anniversary of my ability to recommend for acquisition any good book that hits Carina’s inbox and falls within our much broader submission guidelines. And oh, does it feel great to have so much more leeway! Some of the fabulous Carina books I probably wouldn’t have been able to acquire before include Tia Nevitt’s The Sevenfold Spell, Hunter Raines’s Paradise Found,  Julie Moffett’s No One Lives Twice, and Robert Appleton’s The Mysterious Lady Law.

If you’ve got a good piece of genre fiction, send it my way! It can meet one of my specific requests for this year—epic fantasy romance, foodie romance, and an m/m romance featuring heroes who are pitted against each other professionally—or it can just be the best damn book you’ve ever written. Either way, I’d love to take a look.

Carina publishes some incredibly talented authors, and I’m proud of every book I acquire and edit. But as I look over my list of titles, the ones that make me smile the widest are the books that I loved and, finally, didn’t have to reject.

To celebrate Carina’s one year anniversary of publishing books, we’re giving away some prizes. Today, on each of the nineteen blogs our team members are featured on, we’re giving away a download of a Carina Press book to one random winner (that’s nineteen total winners!) All you need to do to be entered to win is comment on this post. You can enter to win on all nineteen posts. In addition, on the Carina Press blog, we’re giving away a grand prize of a Kobo ereader and 12 Carina Press books of the winner’s choice. Visit the Carina Press blog to enter to win, and to see links to all 19 of today’s blog posts.

And a sincere thank you from all of us, to our readers and authors, for making Carina Press’s first year a success!

Author Interview – Leah Braemel

Hello blog! Yes, I know I’ve been absent for a bit, but I have had good reasons. I’m starting edits on my last novella for Carina Press, due out this fall. I’ve done a first round for No Master, and I’m hoping that will be finalized shortly.

But enough about me. That’s not why we’re here today. :D

I’ve had the great pleasure of knowing Leah Braemel for a few years now. Her books are passionate, sexy and wonderful reads. Leah has been generous enough to let me interview her today.

Thanks for coming, Leah!

What or who inspired you to first start writing?

When I was about six or seven, my sister wrote her own Star Trek episode (she was ten and had a huge crush on William Shatner – this was during the original run of the original series in the 60s, and back then we had no idea this was known as fan-fic) That’s when I realized that all the books I’d been reading had been written by someone, and that I could write down the stories that played out in my head while I was supposed to be trying to get to sleep at night. So I wrote my own story and showed it to her. That’s when I learned the concept of Critique Partners – emphasis on critique.  I kept writing those stories, but didn’t dare show it to anyone for forty years.

If you could go back in time and lay claim to any book written, which one would you want and why?

Oh that would have to be Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. I LOVE the world Tolkien created, the characters, the quest, the whole idea that he’s taken myths from our world and created his own.

When you are writing and hit a stumbling block, what do you do to try and get over the hurdle?

For some reason I have solved a lot of plot problems soaking in a bath. If that doesn’t work, I start writing an email to one of my CPs outlining the stumbling block. Usually as I’m writing out the issue, something clicks and I can solve it myself. If that doesn’t work, then I’ll IM them and we hash it out in a brainstorming session.

If you could have supper with any of your characters, which one would you choose and where would you take them?

Sam Watson from Personal Protection (and also Private Property)  He is such a larger than life character, with a natural charisma and a great sense of humor.  Where would I take him is more of an issue. I think I’d ask him to cook for me in his apartment so he could be as uninhibited as he wanted. ;)

Is there a type of story you would like to write, but are terrified you wouldn’t do a proper job? What is it and why?

I have an idea for a story set in Kingston during the 1838-39 rebellion that I started to write a few years back then stuttered to a stop because the task of getting all the details down pat was  daunting. There are so many history buffs who knows so much more than I do, I’m afraid I’d be sunk by some of the simplest details. But one day I’ll tackle it.

If someone gave you a minion tomorrow, what would be the first task you’d ask them to complete?

Clean my house!

E-books vs print books? E-readers vs. paper? Can’t we all just get along? What’s your preference?

I like them both. I’ve had a Sony Reader 505 whose battery recently died, and currently own both a Kobo and a Kindle 3; I also have bookshelves filled with print books. If there’s a book I particularly like that I bought as an ebook and it’s also available in print, I’ll buy a print copy too. And if there’s a print book I particularly like I buy an ecopy so I can take it with me when I travel for re-reads. My husband recently suggested that publishers need to start giving away an ecopy of a book with the purchase of a print copy the way some movies come with a digital copy of the movie to download onto your tablet/phone/computer. ;)

What project are you working on next?

I’m working on a series of related novellas following a bridal party. The last two manuscripts I’ve written are fairly heavy, so I’m enjoying working on something with a lot less angst.

How can readers find out more about you?

Readers can visit my website at http://LeahBraemel.com and can follow my blog there, or they can follow me on Twitter http://twitter.com/LeahBraemel or on my author page on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Leah-Braemel/95697551732 My blog also feeds to Goodreads and to my Amazon page as well.