Guest Author Day with Gwen Campbell

Good Afternoon everyone and welcome one of my favorite authors, Gwen Campbell, to Dawn's Reading Nook. She has TWO sexy tales that were just released and frankly, I am always eager for more from this author. Now without further adieu.....

Can you tell me a bit about your most recent release?

Hi, Dawn! Thanks for having me as a guest today. Breakdown Of A Pack is the second book in my Wyoming Wild series and the sequel to When A Pack Dies. Sergeant Owen Wells has just retired from the Army, is repressing his grief over his mother’s murder, oh and he’s a werewolf with a massive case of large-and-in-charge. Your quintessential lone wolf, he avoids packs instead of joining them. Still, he needs to find a niche for himself in the civilian world…a job, a place to live, a frisky no-strings attached female or two to run with.

He thinks he might have found those things in Wyoming. (Always the last place you look, right?) There’s a babe of a female deputy sheriff who looks incredibly hot with her service revolver strapped to her hip. There’s a werewolf pack willing to welcome him, only somebody’s just murdered their Alpha and Beta weres. There’s also a male deputy sheriff Owen is interested in—the “don’t ask, don’t tell” kind.

For any readers who may not have read any of your books, can you just give us a little sneak peak into your world (i.e. the type of genre you write, type of stories you like to write....etc)?

The book has to have a happily ever after ending, and it’s going to be a romance. Beyond that, I’m all over the place. I’ve done contemporary, futuristic, paranormal, time travel because no matter what weird storyline my brain comes up with, I love to explore it alongside a romantic thread.

How much of yourself, if any, do you put into your characters?

Well my imagination’s in there for sure. I like to think my principal characters are, well, people of good character. They give trust where it’s deserved, have flaws, quirks and scars but work to rise above them.

How do you keep sex scenes fresh and exciting so they don't become stale or repetitive?

Research. Seriously. I sit up late on Friday nights and watch the Showcase channel with its steady after ten p.m. stream of erotica and quasi-informational sex shows. Rough life, huh? I also keep track of which positions my characters have used in a book, the settings, the pairings, and don’t repeat.

Is there one series/author you feel is a must read for readers to explore (can be e book authors or print NY house authors)?

Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters. I’m a massive Barbara Sheridan fan. Jan Springer too. Recently, I’ve gotten into JR Ward. Now there’s a writer who knows how to build a world and keep spinning good stories around it.

Do you listen to music when writing? Do you feel like some stories write themselves a soundtrack with specific music? If so, what book and what kind of music influenced it?

No. But some of my friends who are writers swear by it. Kind of like some friends back in school had to have the radio on while they did their homework. Me? I just get distracted.

Do you feel your writing is character driven or plot driven? How do you balance these two elements?

A bit of both. Usually I start off with a scene or plot element then tailor characters who’ll experience a lot of conflict when I throw them in. Some stories just lend themselves to being character or plot driven, much like some stories just lend themselves to being told in first-person voice, from multiple points of view, present or past.

Is there a genre you haven’t done that you would like to explore in the future?

Oh yeah. Horror. Don’t know if I’ll be absolute rubbish at it but I do love the spooky stuff.

What is your favorite movie of all time? The one where you can watch it and still get affected at the same spots each and every time?

The Changeling with George C. Scott. I actually bought two copies of the DVD…you know, in case one broke.

If you were stranded on a deserted island, what 5 things would you have with you?

My husband, of course, and the dog. My laptop with a satellite dish and solar panel. (Is that one or three choices?) Chocolate, natch. And a top-notch construction crew who could get started on my dream tropical hideaway. Hey—my attachment to indoor plumbing is deep and abiding.

What is the one era you would love to go visit and why?

Late Victorian. Manners are important to me. But late enough in the era that indoor plumbing is common. (See comment above.)

Out of all your books, do you have a favorite one? If not, then which one is closest to your heart?

Ouch. That’s kind of like asking which kid I like best. I suppose Fina from When A Pack Dies holds a special place in my heart. She survived a massacre, took it upon herself to rescue a child when she escaped, made hard, logical decisions that ensured that child’s welfare and future prospects, even though they conflicted with her needs as she struggled through her mourning. In other words, she put the welfare of a child before her own. Fortunately, she eventually found love and stability too.

What character out of all your books is the closest to your personality?

While my heroes and heroines have characteristics I value, they’re not much like me. I’m really boring.

What do you feel is the most important aspect a new author should remember when writing/creating their own stories? Any advice for aspiring authors?

Just write. Seriously. Plunk your backseat in the chair and pound something out. It’ll be way better than that sentence floating around your head that never gets out. After that, work really hard at squeezing out a good story idea. Stuff like syntax, grammar, spelling and punctuation are just details and if you suck at that, hire an editor who doesn’t. Join a local writers’ group. I recommend Romance Writers of America, for starters. Oh and after your butt’s in the chair and you’ve pounded out that first sentence, there’s no aspiring anymore. You ARE a writer.

What can we expect to come in the future from you? Want to give us a tease of your upcoming projects?

I’m working on a BDSM ménage. Ah the naughty stuff I read in the name of research. I’m also finishing up a paranormal where the heroine’s falling in love with a hot, contemporary guy…and the ghost of his great-grandfather. It gets a little confusing in and out of bed but she has a heck of a good time.

Where can we find you on the net?

www.GwenCampbell.net. I love to chat with my readers!

Sneak Peek into Breakdown of a Pack

Now available at Shadowfire Press

Book 2 in the Wild Wyoming Series

Buy HERE

 

Sergeant Owen Wells is finally stateside from Iraq. He goes home to a place he’s never seen and tries to fit into a werewolf pack that doesn’t take kindly to interloping males. But Owen’s got some skills they need and he’s sent on a covert mission to find out why a neighboring sheriff was murdered, and why the hierarchy in that pack is crumbling. Problem is, he can’t keep his paws off a certain dispatcher. She’s got a body that would make Barbie jealous and a mouth that makes him want to dive into sin. Unfortunately, the pack’s reluctant leader’s got it bad for her too. Now they just have to figure out who the bad guys are, why they’re gunning for Owen all of a sudden, and why three werewolves in bed feels just right.

When Owen awoke, his human eyes registered the growing, pale differentiation between land and sky. The air had a particular stillness and feeling of cold. It told him sunrise was less then twenty minutes away. He smiled. A woman, soft, rounded and pale was spooned into his body. His hips cradled her ass and his morning wood nosed at her warmth with singular pleasure.

An untidy mass of soft, blonde, female hair protected his face from the pine needles beneath them. Owen inhaled deeply, letting his chest swell into her smooth, delicately muscled back. He smelled his seed on her, and the other wolf’s. Lifting his eyes, he saw the sleeping profile of Deputy Sheriff Tom Ray beyond her. Tom was sleeping on his back, his mouth open, just a little. He snored softly. The female was curled up into Tom, her arm draped over his chest so that her body was sheltered and warmed on both sides.

Slowly so he didn’t startle her into wakefulness, Owen slid his hand over her breast. Firm mounds, soft skin and definitely more than a handful. Were they real? He squeezed gently. Oh yeah. Definitely real.

Releasing her reluctantly, Owen reached across the woman and nudged Tom’s shoulder. The other were woke with a muffled snort. He looked up at the sky as if gauging the hour like Owen had then smacked his lips. His nose bunched like he was scenting the air before he turned his head to look up at Owen.

Tom blinked then the corners of his mouth quirked up. “First time I share a woman and it turns out to be with some tenderfoot from back East.”

They chuckled and it carried the sound of irony, swaggering male satisfaction and a hint of adolescent titillation.

The female stirred, passed a small, pale hand over the dark hair peppering Tom’s chest, and squirmed her ass back into Owen’s erection. “Now that’s a fine good morning,” she whispered.

Owen froze as soon as he heard her voice.

“Shit,” he deadpanned. “Not you.”

“Wh…?” With a jerk, she rolled toward him.

In the thin pre-dawn light, Deputy Sheriff Suzanne Young stared up at him, then snarled. She jerked again, this time trying to get away from him. The movement shoved her hip into his testicles.

“Easy, Blondie.” Owen grabbed her hip, stilling her. “You were pretty enamored of them last night so don’t go disappointing yourself by crushing them now.” Despite the anger in her eyes and his previous, less than stellar encounters with her, he liked the feel of her skin. Her breast swayed, drawing his eye to a peak so pink and luscious he stared and drew his tongue over his lower lip.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Suzanne demanded. “Who told you you were welcome?”

Owen could always tell when a party was over. Stretching out the tightness in his muscles, he climbed out from beneath the spruce and stood. She crawled out right after him. The light caught the paleness of her eyes. Disheveled and with a few pine needles sticking to her arm, she was still the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.

Too bad he couldn’t stand the sight of her.

Breakdown Of A Pack is available at Shadowfire Press: http://www.shadowfirepress.com/excerpts_2011/WW2_Breakdown_of_a_Pack_gc_excerpt.html

Guest Author Brandi Quick

Why don't you start with telling us a little about yourself? What genre do you write in and why?

 

I grew up an only child on a farm north of Atlanta, Ga. There were no other children around, so I made up my playmates. We had great adventures together—some are still friends. (LOL) Sometimes I wrote down the stories of our exploits and sometimes I just played out the script. Then, I began high school and met my husband—although he didn’t know he would be—and my attention moved away from writing. After high school I went to the University of Georgia and he went to Georgia Tech. Away at school without him, I turned to my old friends from childhood, began to write again and never looked back. I have been writing ever since. I sent him stories and he would add or subtract, then send them back.  It was great fun to work together that way.

I write romances—to be blunt, erotic romances. Growing up alone left me naive about some things—like dating. It took me a while to learn the do’s and dont’s, like how to interact with boys. Don’t get me wrong. I got the hang of it real quick, like most young girls do. It’s just I had to rely only on myself. Writing romances, I can take situations back then and write them with the outcomes I want. Haven’t you ever thought of a date you had in high school and wished you had done it this way or that way? Well, that’s what I do. When I write I can control the outcome—that is, until my characters come alive and do what they wish.

 

Tell us a bit about your latest book, and what inspired you to write such a story.

 

That would be  Unexpected Love, published on April 6, 2011, by Secret Cravings Publishing. You just don’t expect to meet your true love at an apartment complex swimming pool, but that is exactly what happened to Robin Bishop—a career girl in Atlanta, Ga. It’s scorching sex from the very beginning—until Chase Dixon disappears and all the lights goes out in her world.

This one was easy for me to write because it happened to a close friend of mine.

 

Did your book require a lot of research?

 

Not a lot. Like most girls fresh out of the University of Georgia, I moved to Atlanta. There were four of us in our apartment so what happened to one more or less happened to all. One of my roommates worked for a bank and when her boyfriend betrayed her, she threw herself into her work. She became the payroll manager in no time. Everything was going well at work until she met a guy at our pool. I must say we all had our eye on him. He was what we all write about— tall, dark and of course, handsome.

If you could have any vice without repercussions, what would it be?

 

Prostitution. I would like to be a Madame for a while just to have the experience. I think it would add so much to what I write.  

 

If you could have been the servant to any famous person in history, who would that be and why?

 

Cyrano de Bergerac. With his reputation that has held up though history, I would like to have watched and learned from him. Think about how knowing him and how he did things would improve a romance novel.

 

 What do you see for the future of publishing and e-books?

 

As we go forward, I think fewer books will be in print simply because of the production cost. And the ease of having an e-book on a flash drive, always handy, in your pocket.

Which of your characters do you love/hate/fear/pity the most and why?

 

In Murder on Marsh Island, one of the best characters is Linda Lopez. She retired from the army as a warrant officer at thirty-six and is hired as a deputy sheriff to set up and run the department’s CSI unit. She looks like she would be at home at the playboy mansion, but she doesn’t know how beautiful and sexy she is. She turns out to be one hell of a cop and becomes Chief Deputy Sheriff. Linda is what every little girl wants to grow up to be. She is the alpha female.

Do you get along with your muse? What do you do to placate her when she refuses to inspire you?

 

Most of the time. Sometimes she wants to go one way and I want to go another. More often than not she is right, so I let her have her way.

Do you have another book in the works? Would you like to tell readers about your current or future projects?

 

Absolutely—thanks for asking. Here are the books I have coming out this year.

 

My French Teacher (6-1-2011) - Chad Allen, freshman at State University, looks forward to having fun with girls, playing football, and making grades that satisfy his parents and coach. The first day, he meets his French teacher, Jade Turner and it’s infatuation at first sight. Their age difference is less important than the student-teacher prohibition.

 

Ecstasy's Touch (7-11-2011) - Have you ever meet Mr. Right only to find out his rightness doesn’t extend beyond the bed? Well, that’s what happened to Jenna Cartwright, who had put her personal life on hold to build her career. Who hasn’t done that at one time or another in their career? Jenna was quite successful becoming the manager of the payroll department in five years. While she wasn’t looking for Mr. Right, he turned up on her very door. Or was he really Mr. Right?

 

Cajun Lust (8-15-2011) – Sometimes your guardian angel is not an angel at all, but a creature of the night.

 

In the hot, steamy Louisiana Bayou, two sensual young women, Kim and Jenna, fall in love with irresistible young men, Tommy and James. What happens when the young women find out their handsome lovers are vampires? This revelation takes the girls into worlds they never knew existed.

 

As far as what is coming a little further out in the future, is a story that’s been rolling around in my head for quite a while. Many years ago I had a neighbor in the apartment next to mine. I call her Geraldine. She was tall and an ex-model. She had gotten hooked on drugs and, I think, may have been a prostitute, but I’m not sure about that. She was an expert in martial arts and worked for a loan shark. I think he was involved in other things but she was his collector. I know there is a story there. I just have to think it through. Just keep your eye on www.BrandiQuick.com for more about Geraldine.

 

 Have you ever experience weird cravings while you write? If so, what kind?

 

Don’t laugh, but that happened once while I was writing An Occasional Warrior. The heroine became pregnant and began eating crazy things. I consumed half a jar of pickles and washed them down with red wine before I knew what I was doing.

 

What is the most ridiculous thing that you have thought about doing to any of your characters but never did?

 

I had a teacher who just didn’t like me and was really hard on me. Years later, I wrote a book with her in it and did bad things to her. If you haven’t done that believe me it really helps. I don’t even care anymore. I had her captured by Indians and the things I had them doing to her! But I didn’t leave them in the final cut—if I had, I doubt it would have been published. God, was writing that therapeutic!

 If you had to write yourself as a heroine/hero, what kind of heroine/hero would you be? What would you be named?

It would be about the neighbor in the apartment next to mine a long time ago. And I would be called Geraldine. She was tall and an ex-model. She had gotten hooked on drugs. She had gone through hell and came out a much stronger person. When I knew her, she was so sure of herself and comfortable in her own skin. I was so envious. I think, she may have been a prostitute at one time, but I’m not sure about that. She was an expert in martial arts and worked for a loan shark. I think he was involved in other things but she was his collector.

 

If your muse were to talk behind your back, what secrets would he/she tell?

 

Brandi has lived a lot of her stories.

 

If someone hasn't read any of your work, what book would you recommend that they start with and why?

 

Start with Unexpected Love, because it is a feel good romance. It has all the things you look for in an erotic romance—likeable characters, hot sex and, of course, a happy ending.        

 

If there was a soundtrack to your latest novel, what genre/songs would be included?

Pop and standards—not old-fashioned or elevator music, but contemporary love songs and soft rock.

 

When you're not writing, what do you like to do to just kick back and have fun?

 

I play bridge with my girlfriends, play golf, and cook. I love to cook. I could have been a chef in another life.

If we peeked at your bookcase(s)/e-reader, what kind of books/authors would we find there?

 

Everything from National Geographic to a complete collection of Stuart Woods’s books, I do love to read and I like the feel of a paper book. 

 

Where can we find you on the web?

 

www.BrandiQuick.com

 

 Unexpected Love - You just don’t expect to meet your true love at an apartment complex swimming pool, but that is exactly what happened to Robin Bishop—a career girl in Atlanta, Ga. It’s scorching sex from the very beginning—until Chase Dixon disappears and all the lights goes out in her world.

E-book ISBN: 978-1-936653-47-8

Published by Secret Cravings Publishing

Buy here

Blurb: Robin Bishop is Vice President/Controller of her company—quite an accomplishment for someone in her twenties. Spurred to focus on her career by the breakup of a long-term romance, she revels in her success, but longs to find the right man. Chad Dixon and Robin notice each other at their apartment pool and the attraction is immediate, sensual, and intense. Handsome, smart, sensitive, and unattached—he is everything she wants. They soon realize neither of them needs anything or anyone else. 

Robin’s obsession with her new love leads to her neglecting her job responsibilities. An unethical co-worker takes advantage of her distraction to blame her for his own problems, and Robin is forced to give her attention on defending herself against his office politics. Then, Chase simply disappears into the night without any notice. She fears for his safety because of the danger in his government job and also wonders whether they will have a future. Despite her despair over Chase, she vanquishes her professional enemy. Chase returns as suddenly and smoothly as he left, surprised at her concern, because he had left her a note she never got. He proposes to her and she quickly says yes.     

 

Adult Excerpt: “Who do you work—” Before I finished my question, he scooted over next to me and gave me a long, wet kiss. Softly sucking my lower lip in his mouth, his tongue slid in, finding mine. Lord, he tasted sweet. Finally, he broke the kiss. Too late—I was already under his spell.

“Wow. What was that for?” The energy drained from my body along with any resistance I might have had. “You don’t waste any time, do you?”

“Didn’t you like it? I’ve wanted to do that since I first saw you this afternoon. I’m usually not this forward.”

“That’s not the point. You’re a great kisser but…”

“Sorry. I thought you wanted me to kiss you.”

“Again, beside the point. I don’t really know you.” I couldn’t take my eyes off him.

“But I want to know you and want you to know me.” He laid his hand on my upper thigh and my skin flashed hot at his touch. His hand moved up and down my thigh as I sat looking at him. Jesus, he was gorgeous—blue eyes, tan skin, sun bleached hair. Make no mistake, I really wanted him. The blade of his hand stopped at the top of my thigh in the crease where my thigh stops and the skin that becomes my fleshy folds begins. My clitoris jerked. It knew exactly where his hand was. All I could do was sit and look into his eyes as his finger slowly moved over to my clitoris, where it was greeted like a long lost lover. Damn, that’s not fair. A sensation like an electric current shot from my clit to every nerve in my body. With each breath, my nipples rubbed on my tank top, acting like little electrical generators. I closed my eyes, enjoying the feeling. My heart was racing; each beat sounded loud in my ear. It had been a long time since I’d felt any kind of sexual sensations, much less actually had sex.

“It was a nice kiss. What are you doing?” I said. I was having a hard time breathing. His hand was wandering over my body; he knew right where to go and exactly what he was doing.

“Admiring your beauty. I think you’re very nice looking. And, your skin is so smooth.”

As if to make the point, he squeezed my upper thigh then moved his hand over to gently rotate his finger over my clit. God, did that feel great. Gently, he pulled his hand up over my belly under my tank top, cupping my breast with his thumb on my nipple.

“You’re so soft, yet very firm. Your thighs…” He leaned over and kissed my thigh.

My heart rate shot straight up.

“Thank you, but I’m not sure we should be doing this. We just met.” I reached for his leg to push him away and accidently grabbed his penis—big mistake. It was huge and I instantly wanted it.

 

 

Guest Author Day with Drea Beecraft

Can you tell me a bit about your most recent release?

The Thrice Princess is a paranormal romance about vampires, gods, fairies, demons, and just about every other paranormal being you can think of.  Its a story of love and the beginning of a new life and new series.

For any readers who may not have read any of your books, can you just give us a little sneak peak into world?

I write mostly a paranormal/contemporary.  I tend to like the modern technology to much to venture any further then that ;0).

How much of yourself, if any, do you put into your characters?

It just depends in all they have a bit of my characteristics but some have more then others.

How do you keep sex scenes fresh and exciting so they don't become stale or repetitive?

I haven't had that many books come out that this is an issue yet but I think its just imagination and fantasy mixed in.

If you could throw a party with any five people (living or dead) who would you pick and why?

Wow this one is a hard one. My choice is everyone on my yahoo loops in one room that would be a blast lol.  (Since I can't pick five cause yeah that is just to much.)

What are at least five things you have on your bucket list and have you done any of them?

1. Meet Someone Famous

2. Travel to Scotland and Ireland

3. Make a difference in someones life

4. Dance in the rain

5. Show love and be loved in return

Now if you account for all the authors I have met (which I do) I have most definitely meet tons of famous people. Travel is just not in my cards at the moment but once my kids get older we will never know. As for making a diffrence in someones life I think I am but I am not to entirely sure. I have played in the rain but never danced and as romatic as it sounds I really want to try it out.  I show love every day to my children and family and I believe they love me in return.

Is there one series/author you feel is a must read for readers to explore (can be e book authors or print NY house authors)?

Oh my that is hard to pick just one. I am going to have to go towards The Black Dagger Brotherhood series by JR Ward it was my first ever series and I love them.

Do you listen to music when writing? Do you feel like some stories write themselves a soundtrack with specific music? If so, what book and what kind of music influenced it?

Sometimes I do but most of the time it is totally quiet except for the kids screaming and yelling lol.

What is coming up for you in 2011?

Hopefully more books if I get to writing.  Oh and I have my eye on a few confrences, what can I say I am a social creature.

Are any of your characters just like you or have personality quirks/traits of you or someone you know?

Some are like that yes they have my funny sense of humor or my no filter of a mouth tendency lol.

Where can readers find you on the web?

My Website: www.dreabecraft.webs.com

My Blog: www.dreabecraft.wordpress.com

My Facebook: www.facebook.com/#!/andreabecraft

Facebook Fan Page: www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Drea-Becraft/103481939716429

Twitter: www.twitter.com/dreabecraft

Publisher’s site: www.secretcravingspublishing.com/DreaBecraft.html

The Thrice Princess

Available at Secret Cravings

Buy HERE

While her fate was set during the previous great wars of immortals, Anastasia Gruff is nothing but mortal until the night she stumbles upon a scene that turns her world upside down. Now, she struggles to adjust to a world where nothing is what it seems, and feels more at home than ever before.

Devlin Miconis, heir to the vampire throne, is facing certain death. When a mortal woman saves his life, and gives him back his soul, he must figure out how to repay her. Now that she has given him something to live for, can he protect her from those who mean her harm?  

Adult Excerpt:

Stasia woke up with her muscles sore and her head pounding. Slowly taking stock one muscle at a time, starting at her toes and working up to her neck, she rotated and squirmed until most of the kinks were out. After each body part was stretched to satisfaction she turned onto her side to take in the room.

Staring aimlessly around the room Stasia arched her back and met a hard body behind her. Warm and hard, it took only seconds for fright to make her limbs contract and ready to blot from the bed. As if sensing her distress, strong arms banded around her waist.

“It’s all right, it’s just me, you are safe. I would never harm you, my Bandia.” The deep timbre of his voice comforted her.

The memories from the night before slowly leaked into her mind. One by one, the dots began to connect, remembering being carried to Devlin’s bedroom, being stripped down and him lying beside her, skin-to-skin helping to alleviate the pain of her turning.

Loosening her muscles, she slowly turned in his arms to look at his face. Handsome wasn’t enough to describe him.

Slowly lifting her hand to trace his nose, Stasia watched him with weary eyes, as she continued to his lips and down his strong jaw to the side of his neck.

“I can see the gears working.” Devlin spoke while rubbing his face onto her hand. “What’s going on in that beautiful brain of yours?”

Before she lost the nerve, Stasia ran her hands down his chest next stroking her way to his nipple.

Removing his hand from her hip, he caressed her lips gently with his index finger following each touch with a kiss. Making his way slowly down her neck, he nipped and licked while cupping one of her breast in his hand, making her nipple stiffen in response.

Fireworks shot through her body, and every nerve ending felt like pure lightning shot through. Feeling most of the heat concentrated on her now wet pussy, Stasia rubbed into his touch, grinding her hips against his long hard body.

Releasing a strangled moan, he looked into her eyes. The ice blue of his irises seemed to darken into a more aqua blue. The most astonishing part of them were his corneas, they now glowed bright red.

The sight should have scared her, but only added more arousal to her already drenched panties. Grabbing his hand from her breast and pulling it to her mouth. Kissing each digit then took the index finger into the recesses of her mouth. Swirling her tongue around the end and popping it back out just as fast.

When did she become so wanton? It must be the man that did it to her., either that or the power running rapid through her veins; Stasia secretly hoped it was the latter. With a groan, she began to rain peck like kisses down his arm, until she reached his mating mark.

 Beginning to trace the tribal design with her tongue, showing each line very detailed attention and earning a very male groan for her efforts.

Leaning over she felt the warm air as he spoke softly into her ear. “Woman you must stop. I can’t contain myself if you continue to do that.”

Looking up into his irresistible eyes, she gave him the sexiest smile she could muster. “Who says I want you to contain yourself?”

Guest Author Day with Rachel Leigh/Adult Excerpt

Tell us a bit about your latest book, and what inspired you to write such a story.

Explicitly English is my debut erotic romance novella – published by The Wild Rose Press. It is set in the English countryside and starts with the heroine’s inbound train journey. This naughty girl can’t even take a train without getting herself into mischief!

What inspired me? Well, I was becoming anxious about a solo train journey I had to take…and starting thinking what a girl could do to make it something a bit more exciting to look forward to! 

If you could have any vice without repercussions, what would it be?

Wine, wine and more wine!! Hmm, that doesn’t make me sound too good, does it??

If you could have been the servant to any famous person in history, who would that be and why?

Marilyn Monroe or Princess Diana – both completely fascinating women who’d I would love to see behind closed doors. They seemed so confused and vulnerable at times, and at the same time beguilingly sexy, yet I suspect both were extremely intelligent, strong and ferociously ambitious.

Which of your characters do you love/hate/fear/pity the most and why?

I love the hero from Explicitly English – Stephen Cambridge is intelligent, fair, hard-working and deliciously horny!

Do you get along with your muse? What do you do to placate her/it/him when she refuses to inspire you?

So far my muse and I have gotten along famously. We have been working together for five years now (I write mainstream romance under a different name) and she has never failed to deliver an idea or writing solution when I need one.

I keep her in chocolate, jam donuts and wine so she’s quite happy – and surprisingly slim!

Do you have another book in the works? Would you like to tell readers about your current or future projects?

My second novella is under consideration as we speak so I am very much hoping to hear some good news soon. Here’s the blurb, enjoy…

Kelly Hampton loved and lost him – for the last two years she’s looked for him in other men but now she refuses to emotionally cripple herself any longer. No more sex until she knows for sure she is in love.

And then the love of her life walks back into her bar claiming to still love her. Her heart hitches and her body heats – no-one has ever come close to understanding her, or satisfying her like him.

When Sean McKenzie left Jessop Hill with his mother to protect her from his father’s fists, he should’ve known he would never love again after his explosively erotic relationship with Kelly. But now his father is dead and Sean is back for the only woman he ever wanted. Their reunion is full of fire, pain and passion – and once they touch, the sexual connection is too much for either of them to resist…

What are the most challenging and the most rewarding aspects of writing?

Most challenging for me is the plotting. I have loads of ideas but making sure they are plausible and I keep all the loose ends in place is a challenge every time I write a new story.

The most rewarding? Seeing the wonderful covers the artists’ create with my name on the front for the first time. Nothing beats that feeling, ever!

What are your top 3 favorite paranormal books and movies?

 Ooh, I’m not a huge paranormal fan, to be honest.

I do enjoy the Twilight books and films and I intend to buy the rest of J R Ward’s Black Dagger series after loving the first one which I only read recently.

I can’t see myself writing paranormal but never say never!

What character (s) in any of your books is most like you?

As I have only written one novella so far, I will have to say Laura Markham, my heroine. Although I promise I am not quite as wanton as she is…well, not often anyway. 

What is the most ridiculous thing that you have thought about doing to any of your characters but never did?

I really can’t think of anything! Um…let me come back to that!

How do you keep track of your world building?

I write quite a detailed character sketch over the course of writing a novel, adding bits and pieces to it as I go along knowing that I need to keep the continuity of their physicality, their likes and dislikes, their loves and fears etc.

Other than that, the main thing I rely on to keep track is the working synopsis that I write BEFORE I start writing the book. This keeps me focused and is my referral point if I feel myself going off course.

What do you feel are the benefits of the new electronic readers such as Kindle 2 or Sony Digital Book Reader to the environment?

The lack of paper, less energy being used to physically make books, less waste…  

Have you ever experience weird cravings while you write? If so, what kind?

Hmm, not really – if I write in the morning, I love my cup of coffee, if I write in the evening, a glass of wine is kind of nice! 

Where can readers find you on the ‘net?

www.rachelbrimble.com

www.rachelbrimble.blogspot.com

www.twitter.com/rachelbrimble

Sneak peek into Explicitly English
Available at The Wilder Rose Press

Laura Markham needs to forget. Just for awhile. Be someone else. Live as her parents would have wanted. And for Laura, that means escaping the city for the English countryside and leaving her inhibitions behind.

British stockbroker, Stephen Cambridge knows that by going home to his country retreat two days early, he's likely to startle the new interior designer. And when he discovers she's the woman who masturbated for him on the train, Stephen will do anything to convince her to stay with him forever…

Excerpt:

Laura’s portfolio thudded to the hardwood floor when his lips crushed hers.  She had no idea if what she was doing was good or bad, but knew this was the freest, the happiest she had felt in a very long time.  And she knew in that moment, nothing would stop her from taking what she could of this man for as long as possible.

As though reading her mind, they tumbled to the floor as one.  Laura’s body burned, her breasts ached.

They clawed and ripped, grasped and tore.  Laura cupped his stubbled jaw in her hands, scoring her fingers into his hair.  She wanted to possess him, own him, have him.  She felt fabulously petite in the span of his huge hands.  She felt alive, vibrant and sexy as hell.

She writhed across the floor, and he crawled over her.  Then her breath caught when he yanked open her blouse and drew her breasts from within the confines of her bra.  He closed his mouth over first one nipple, then the other.  The soft yet masculine scent of his shampoo wafted to her nostrils and Laura inhaled deeply.  She clasped her hand to the back of his head, holding him to her as he sucked and nipped, bit and caressed the heavy weight of her breasts.  The high-voltage shock of pain versus pleasure soared through her bloodstream, sensitizing every inch of her flesh.  All too soon, he moved away and kneeled above her.

Talking with Author Shiela Stewart

1.    What do you write and why?

For the most part, I write paranormal romance. I prefer ghost stories and vampire tales with suspense mainly I guess because it’s what I grew up with. I lived in a haunted house as a child but that aside, I grew up with a brother that loved to scare the hell out of me and my little sister by placing a glow in the dark skull head in my closet, or hiding under the bed and grab my feet when I went to bed.  One of my older sisters also got me into loving suspense by taking me to see Stephen King’s Cujo. One could say I was desensitized to scary stuff at a young age but it sure inspired me to want to create my own terrifying or spooky tales. J

 

2.    What do you read and why, especially if it's different from what you write?

Obviously, I love to read paranormal romance, given I write it, but I also like reading non-fiction works like Jack the Ripper and Elizabeth the first. I’m also a die-hard Nora Roberts/J.D. Robb fan and have read every single In Death book she has ever written. I love reading about her cop stories, how she creates the story from a death and investigates it with such realism you the reader feel like you’re right there with her doing it.

 

3.    What publisher do you write for?

Right now I’m writing for two publishing houses. Breathless Press and Decadent Publishing.

 

4.    How long have you been writing?

I’ve been writing as long as I can remember. I wrote little stories when I was in grade one, two and three, then delved more into it when I became a teenager. I’ve always had a vivid imagination and the only way to stay sane was to put those ideas down on paper. LOL My nickname in school was Dreamer. Instead of listening to the lessons, I would make up stories in my mind. (G)

 

5.    it’s the month of love and romance. What was the funniest/ greatest Valentine your Significant Other ever gave you?

I would have to say the best Valentine’s gift I ever received was from my hubby several years ago. He was out of town on Valentine’s day and I was feeling pretty down with him being away. Around noon, the doorbell rings. I think nothing of it and answer the door. Much to my surprise, there’s a delivery person on the other side with a bouquet of the most beautiful flowers I have ever seen.  Baffled, I take the flowers, thank the gentleman and close the door. I’m sure there must be a mistake because no one ever sends me flowers, but as I pull out the card, my eyes begin to tear up. Because we couldn’t be together, my hubby ordered flowers for me. He’d NEVER sent me flowers before. NEVER!  For the rest of the day, I was on cloud nine. That was the best Valentine’s day ever. J

 

6.    How do you build characters and their personalities and looks?

When a story comes to me, the characters are instantly created in my mind. They’ll have specific hair color, style, eye color, features and characteristics. I can actually see them as I write their story. I know how they’ll react to a joke, or to bad news. It may seem odd, but they’re prebuilt with the story.

 

7.    Tell me about some of your heroes and heroines:

My heroes are often flawed and my heroines are almost always strong and free willed.  I grew up in a Mennonite family where women did as they were told by their man. Women didn’t work, or drive. That was a man’s job and women certainly didn’t work unless they had to because the husband was incapable or insisted they work.  My father wasn’t as strict a Mennonite as his family, but it was still there. It always bothered me that the women had to wait to eat until the men had finished. So when I started writing, I wrote my females strong and often, getting the man out of a jam.

Trinity Ford in Seducing the Darkness actually stepped in front of a dangerous evil vampire as he tries to kill her love, Basil.

Cassie Evans from Discovery in Passion uproots and moves to a town she points to on a map and starts her life over all on her own.

Thomas Healy from Discovery in Passion was raised by a single mother who he doted on. So when he falls in love with Cassie, his instinct is to protect her. It takes him some time to realize Cassie can take care of herself for the most part. I like to make my heroes sweat for their love by giving them headstrong women. (G)

 

8. Are you a pantser or plotter?

 

I’m a little of both. When I first get an idea for a story I just sit down and let it flow. Sort of writing by the seat of my pants. LOL But if I’m doing a series, then I’ll do a rough outline of what those next stories will be.

 

 

9. What's your latest release and tell me about it:

 

Horsing Around is the first book in my Carnal Desires series.

Mistress Bella owns a hotel and starts up a sex dating service. She’s had nothing but failed relationships because the men have never been able to give her what she wants in bed. She figures she can’t be the only one that feels that way and voila Carnal Desires is opened.  She brings people together who have similar sexual needs and if love blooms from it, all the better.

 

I got the idea from seeing on-line and TV ads for dating services. I thought to myself that is was great to enter yourself into a database that matches you with others who have similar likes as you, but what if you’re not sexually compatible? Voila Horsing Around came to be.

 

 

10. What genre haven’t you tried, yet, that you would love to explore?

 

I’ve often thought of writing a historical novel based in the Tudor era. My fear of getting the language, clothing and timeframe accurate are all that prevent me from doing it. Maybe someday. J

 

11. If you could take one of your characters out on the town, who would it be and what would you do?

 

Oh this would definitely be Draco Starr from my upcoming novel, Awaken the Demon. Draco is a demon who also happens to be a direct descendant of Satan’s. Draco was a tough-ass demon who collected souls for Satan. After years of doing his masters bidding, he wanted more from his life and started his own business in real estate. He’s worth more than Donald Trump and owns real estate across the world. But beneath the tough guy persona lies a softy. I think it would be a hoot to have dinner with him and learn all of his secrets from when he was a soul collector.

 

13. Favorite naughty dessert and decadent drink.

 

It’s not really naughty, just an indulgence. Triple chocolate cake. Just thinking about all that sweet chocolate makes my teeth ache but hell, you only live once. (g)

 

 

14. If we looked on your bookshelf right now, what are some of the titles we would find?

 

Plenty of In Death books. Black Dagger Brotherhood series. Criminology for Dummies. Wicca for Dummies. Jack the Ripper. Elizabeth, and some local non-fiction stories. Just ignore the dust please. J

 

15. Where can we find you on the internet? (Please list your links here)

 

You can find me at www.shielasbooks.ca

Or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/shiela.stewart

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/ShielaSue

I share a blog with two other authors called BSB Hot Romances: http://bsbhotromance.blogspot.com/

 

 

Horsing Around Blurb:

 

Carnal Desire’s: We've got a match for all your sexual pleasures.

 

Sara Miller needs a real man. One who can give her what she desires in and out of the bed. So far, none have met her expectations. She’s hoping all that will change after submitting her application to Carnal Desire’s Web dating service.

 

The owner of several prize-winning horses, more money than he knows what to do with, Andy McDonald has it all. Except for the love a good woman. He’s sick of flighty bimbos wanting only his money and not satisfying his sexual desires.  After a friend pressures him into looking on line for a woman, Andy gives in and submits his application.

 

Sex takes on a new twist when Sara and Andy get together and nothing is taboo.

 

 

 

Horsing Around excerpt:

Sara’s heart was beating so hard, she was sure Mistress Bella could hear it. She could very well turn tail and run. Why did she need a man in her life right now, let alone someone she might consider for the long haul?

Then the door opened. Before her stood the most gorgeous man she’d ever seen.

He wore nothing more than a towel around his hips, dipping low enough to reveal a thin line of hair from his navel down. . His chest was glistening with moisture from the shower he’d obviously just stepped out of and was firm and muscular. His sandy blond hair was damp and messed up. He had a bit of stubble on his face, which made the ruggedness even more prominent. And when he smiled, those big blue eyes twinkled. He was definitely yummy. His picture didn’t do him justice by any means. Sara nearly swallowed her tongue.

Then he spoke.

"Well howdy, ladies."

Her heart calmed. His slight Southern drawl, with its deep resonance, was soothing and somewhat relaxing. And very arousing. She loved a man with an accent, and even though Andy’s was faint, it was still enough to turn her on. Between her legs, her flesh began to swell and moisten.

"Good afternoon, Andy. Looks like we caught you in the middle of your shower."

He stroked the damp sandy-blond hair from his face and Sara nearly swooned. "I just stepped out. I’m running a bit behind, I’m afraid." He turned his attention to Sara and her pulse pounded in her ears. "Pleasure to meet you in person, Sara."

She took the hand he held out to her; he completely surprised her when he turned her hand over and brushed his lips across her knuckles. "Pleasure’s mine." Like tiny electrical charges zapping every sensitive nerve in her body, he had her quivering with that one simple gesture.

"Well, come on in and make yourself comfortable while I go change."

He stepped aside to let them in and as Sara walked past him, the scent of the woods after a light rain shower wafted off of him, like fresh, aromatic greenery touched by a kiss of sunlight. She was going to have no problem at all being with this man.

She and Bella headed to the sitting area of the suite while Andy headed to the bedroom. It was spacious, and came complete with a mini kitchen, sitting area, TV and plush sofa and chair. Almost identical to her own suite.

"Pretty easy on the eyes, isn’t he?"

Sara smiled at Bella’s comment, taking a seat on the sofa. "I’m not having any trouble looking at him."

"And what better first meeting than to see him practically naked." Bella winked and beamed a huge grin. "Well, I’ll leave the two of you to get acquainted now. If you need anything, you know where to find me."

"Thank you so much, Mistress Bella."

"I love making people happy. I’m heading out, Andy," she shouted at the bedroom door.

"Catch you later, sugar." He stepped out of the bedroom, dressed in jeans and a dark blue t-shirt just as Bella left the suite. "Looks like it’s just you and me now, doll."

God, he was going to make her come, just by speaking. "Looks like.” She got to her feet. “So…how should we start this?"

"Let’s start with this as an opener."

He swung his arm around her waist and she gasped when he yanked her against his chest.