The Steam Room

Food Addiction

The Steam Room welcomes Shelly Bell, a fellow Michigan romance author, who is here to talk about her new release, A Year to Remember, and her struggle with compulsive overeating.

In my debut book, A Year to Remember, the protagonist, Sara Friedman, suffers from the disease of compulsive overeating. It affects every aspect of her life, both professionally and personally, although she refuses to see it. Compulsive overeating is not about willpower. It’s not about vanity. It is merely a symptom of the disease of addiction. It takes different forms:

• obsession with body weight, size and shape
• eating binges or grazing
• preoccupation with reducing diets
• starving
• laxative or diuretic abuse
• excessive exercise
• inducing vomiting after eating
• chewing and spitting out food
• use of diet pills, shots and other medical interventions to control weightin
• ability to stop eating certain foods after taking the first bite
• fantasies about food
• vulnerability to quick-weight-loss schemes
• constant preoccupation with food
• using food as a reward or comfort 

Not every obese person suffers from the disease. In fact, many people who maintain a healthy weight may still suffer, only they are able to hide it. Losing weight doesn’t cure the disease and that’s why diets don’t work for everyone. Until the individual deals with the addiction, he or she will continue to suffer.

Since 1960, Overeaters Anonymous has provided support to those with the addiction. Based on the Twelve Steps, it is similar to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). In fact, those in OA use the Big Book, which is actually an AA book. The steps and the principles are the same. OA is not a diet, although the average person loses forty-five pounds.  Attending meetings o fOA and practicing its principles in all your affairs results in many positive changes including daily functioning, relationships, physical health, mental health, and spiritual connection. If you answer “yes” to three or more of the following questions, you may have a food addiction.

1. Do you eat when you’re not hungry?
   
2. Do you go on eating binges for no apparent reason?
   
3. Do you have feelings of guilt and remorse after overeating?
   
4. Do you give too much time and thought to food?
   
5. Do you look forward with pleasure and anticipation to the time when you can eat alone?
   
6. Do you plan these secret binges ahead of time?
   
7. Do you eat sensibly before others and make up for it alone?
   
8. Is your weight affecting the way you live your life?
   
9. Have you tried to diet for a week (or longer), only to fall short of your goal?
   
10. Do you resent others telling you to “use a little willpower” to stop overeating?
    
11. Despite evidence to the contrary, have you continued to assert that you can diet “on your own” whenever you wish?
    
12. Do you crave to eat at a definite time, day or night, other than mealtime?
    
13. Do you eat to escape from worries or trouble?
    
14. Have you ever been treated for obesity or a food-related condition?
    
15. Does your eating behavior make you or others unhappy?

Before I joined OA two years ago, I answered “yes” to all fifteen questions. Not anymore. I’m free from the compulsion, although I still have days when that voice in my head telling me to overeat won’t shut up. Luckily, writing has helped me quiet it. For more information on compulsive overeating, visit www.oa.org.

If you want to contact me with questions, you can contact me at shelly@shellybellbooks.com. My website is www.shellybellbooks.com.

Blurb

When her younger brother marries on her twenty-ninth birthday, food addict Sara Friedman drunkenly vows to three hundred wedding guests to find and marry her soul mate within the year. After her humiliating toast becomes a YouTube sensation, she permits a national morning show to chronicle her search. With the help of best friend Missy, she plunges head first into the shallow end of the dating pool. Her journey leads her to question the true meaning of soul mates, as she decides between fulfilling her vow to marry before her thirtieth birthday and following her heart’s desire. But before she can make the biggest decision of her life, Sara must begin to take her first steps towards recovery from her addiction to food.

Excerpt

Plunged into darkness as the door closed behind me, I couldn’t find the light switch. I hit my knee against a chair and groaned from the pain.The door opened and someone entered the room. I assumed it was Missy coming to rescue me once again.

“I can’t find the light switch, Missy. Do you know where it is?”

Without warning, someone yanked me tightly against his warm, solid body. I heard his slight intake of breath and then he kissed me .I know I should have fought against it, but whoever he was, he kissed sinfully well. At first, his soft lips whispered lightly against my own, seeking permission. When not only didn’t I stop him, but made a little moan of approval, his tongue caressed my lips until I opened my mouth. Only then did he allow his tongue to touch mine, first tentatively exploring the hidden depths of my mouth, and then hard and passionately, as though he’d never get enough of me.

He tasted like a heavenly combination of whiskey and cake. His tongue teased mine in sweet caresses, heating my blood to a fevered pitch. Desperately needing to learn the identity of my mystery man, I lifted my hand to touch his face. He grabbed it away, nibbling on each fingertip then gently brushed his fingers across my cheek. I licked my lips in preparation of more kisses, but instead of kissing me, he spun me around in circles, confusing my sense of balance. As the world tilted on its axis and I tried to regain my bearings, he silently left the room.

For a few minutes, I stood rooted to the spot, attempting to recover from the encounter and craving more from my mystery kisser. Blushing from my response to him, I knew although I never saw his face, I would have made love to him if he asked. Before him, no one in twenty-nine years made my body burn that way.

Suddenly, I remembered the room’s two floor lamps. I floundered around the room until I smacked into one. After finding our coats, I left the synagogue with Missy.

Ending the evening of my twenty-ninth birthday with a kiss from my mysterious suitor should have thrilled me. Instead, I wondered why he (as drunk as I was, I was pretty sure I would have noticed if it was a woman) didn’t unmask his identity.

Was he married?

Self-conscious?

Fifteen or eighty-five years old?

Or even worse, embarrassed to be discovered kissing me?  

A Year to Remember buy link for Amazon Kindle

Two years ago, Letting Go, my very first published novel, came out. I remember when I read that first email from Siren asking me to rewrite it in third person. (You thought I was going to say it was an acceptance letter. Ha! It wasn't a rejection letter, and that was all that mattered.) It had originally been written in first person from Sabrina's point of view. They wanted me to add some scenes from Jonas's point of view. I remember staring at the screen, thinking, "It's her story. Should I make the changes?"

It didn't take very long for that thought to morph into "How hard could that be?" The request was phrased in a very positive and encouraging way. They loved the story, but their house style demanded some changes. I thought about it for about a day, and then I sat down and began rewriting my story from the beginning. You might think all I had to do was change the pronouns, and you'd be wrong. I learned a lot about how point of view affects the kinds and tenses of verbs you can use and the kinds of observations a character can make. Sabrina was originally one intuitive woman. I tried to bring that out in the rewrite.  In the end, I thought it was a strong story. Personally, I still prefer it in first person, even though I do like the addition of the scenes from Jonas's viewpoint. When the rights revert to me, I plan to make some changes, expand the ending, but I'm on the fence about changing it back to the first person point of view.

I sent it back within three weeks -- did I mention that I'm a workaholic? -- and I had an offer for publication within two weeks. Ironically, I got the offer from Siren the same day I got a rejection from another publisher.  I was told to expect an April 2010 publication date. They sent my first round of edits in late December. I whizzed through them, only banging my head against the wall a few times, and Siren asked if I wanted to move my date up to February 2010. I wasn't going to refuse!

I was so excited. The day they sent my cover, I couldn't stop staring at my computer. It's one of Jinger Heaston's best.

Amazon Buy Link       BookStrand Buy Link

Readers have said some really nice things about this book, both in the reader reviews (see Amazon and My Earnest Reviews at BookStrand) and in letters they've written to me. At first I thought they were being nice, but then I realized that people who review don't pull their punches. Some of my other books weren't as well-received, so that underscores how much people liked this one.

What did I learn from this experience? Many things. I'll share a few:

1.  Siren is about the best place for a new author to start out. They are so supportive, and the author's group is just bursting with experienced authors who answer questions and cheer for you. I've made some strong connections and some good friends.

2. Promotions is a difficult undertaking because there's no proven or effective way to do it. I stopped wasting my time doing promotions. Now I just write. I may appear at another blog or do a radio show, but that's more for personal enjoyment. Plus, I got to talk to Tymber Dalton on the phone. How cool is that? Even my mother is a fan. (BTW- my mother's favorite book of mine is Irrepressible Force.)

3. People really, really, really connect with Sabrina. That makes me happy because she's a lot like me, and I like to be liked. (Who doesn't?) Almost all the letters I get are about Letting Go. Some people tell me they enjoyed it. Others share personal stories. Many ask me to write a sequel.

During the spring of 2011, I didn't have any works in progress. I sat back and took stock of the ten novels I'd published. Some things I'm proud of. Some, not so much.  I promised myself that I would only put out stories I loved from that point forward. I wrote a lot over that summer -- 3 novellas and a full-length novel -- and I loved each of them. Yes, Justin and By My Side have already been released. Out of My League will come out Feb 21st, and Re/Bound is scheduled for spring. Loose Id tells me it'll be part of the Men of Mystery Special Collection. I've always wanted to be part of a collection.

When I first put down my reflections on Letting Go, I tried to say that I couldn't write a 5th Awakenings novel because each attempt I made fell flat, so I let it go. It wasn't meant to be. However, since then, I've begun the 5th Awakenings book. I have about 24% written, and I have so many of the rest of the scenes playing through my head, begging to be written down. Part of what made it easier is embracing my decisions to focus on BDSM and to not force a story.  This one is titled Ana's Choice. Anastasia Morozov (sister of Lex and Stef from Two Masters) is home for good, and she's set her sights on exploring her submissive side. Who better to guide her in that life path than Stephen Galen, the object of her teenage crush?

Ana's Choice marks a new direction in the series, and I now have vague ideas for a 6th and 7th novel. These won't come out as close together as the first four because I'm also continuing the Oasis series, and I'm working on a companion novel for my BDSM romantic suspense novel, Re/Bound. 

Questions for you:

1.  What was your favorite Awakenings moment?

2.  Who would you like to see get the next Awakenings novel?

Good morning! I’m Lorelei Confer and I write romantic suspense. I wrote my first story in the fourth grade in the form of a play which actually was produced by my teacher for parents and students. I continued writing and majored in English in College. I practice every day to improve my craft.

An author of romantic suspense I love reading almost as much as writing. I have filled my book shelves with my favorites, i.e. Harlan Colban, Eliza March, Johanna Lindsey, Kathy Carmichael, Kathleen Woodiwiss, Andrew Gross, Terri Garey, Karen Rose, LuAnn Rice, and Bobbi Smith just to mention a few, as well as all the classics.

I live on a peninsula in the mid west coast of Florida with my husband, two cats, and AJ, my long haired Chihuahua.

I love hearing from readers so please visit my website: www.loreleiconfer.com or blog at www.loreleiconfer.blogspot.com.

In doing research for my first book, Deadly Deception, I learned so much about Human Sex Trafficking and I really wanted to get the message out that this horrific crime is happening in your own backyard. I met with an undercover detective assigned to our local task force for human trafficking and from all the information I gleaned from him and numerous other interviews I have been able to put together realistic stories.

My second book, Deadly Revenge, happens in the North Carolina mountains which is the eighth likely state for human trafficking due to their interstate going north and south and east and west. Who knew?

I’ve just finished my third book in the ‘Deadly’ series, Deadly Deliverance, which is also about human sex trafficking from an investigators point of view. It’s primarily located in the Washington, DC area and is available from Siren Bookstrand.

I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoy researching and writing them. Comment below for a chance to win a copy of Deadly Deliverance.

Lorelei Confer

Ringing In the New Year with D.H. Starr

Resolutions

I experience a mixture of emotions when I think of that word. On the one hand, I think it’s great there’s a time of year when people reflect on themselves and think about what they can do to improve their lives in some way. On the other hand, it seems like a limiting event which can lead to disappointment. Why is it only at the beginning of a new year that a mass process of goal setting takes place? Why aren’t we actively attempting to improve our lives and setting benchmarks along the way to measure our progress?

When I talk to people or read their resolutions on Facebook and other places, I notice a trend of highly specific or overly general goals. The more specific ones, like quitting a bad habit, are usually tied to an underlying condition which is leading to the behavior. If that underlying condition isn’t dealt with, most people don’t achieve their resolution. On the flip side, general goals like treating others nicely or being a better person are so vague they can easily be pushed aside because there’s nothing tangible to grab onto as a measure of growth and progress.

Out of curiosity, I looked up the top 10 New Year’s resolutions and here is what I found.

1) Spend more time with friends and family

2) Work out

3) Lose weight

4) Quit smoking

5) Enjoy life more

6) Quit drinking

7) Get out of debt

Learn something new

9) Help others

10) Get organized.

Of these resolutions, the first is the only one which seems to be specific enough to concretely measure, but broad enough to be incorporated into several steps along the way. For instance, you may create a calendar for yourself and begin to reach out to friends and plan various events. Maybe you like to cook, so you work in a dinner party. Maybe you like the theater and invite a friend to purchase tickets with you. Maybe you do something even more involved like set up a weekly family night. The point is, you can track how much time you are spending with family and friends, but you can also take several steps along the way toward achieving that goal so it becomes a natural part of your “lifestyle.”

When reflecting on my own life, I believe I don’t have a good balance between attending to my personal and professional goals. Specifically, I am so focused on the professional that I have allowed it to hamper my social life in ways that leave me feeling unsatisfied and a bit lonely. I could say I’d like to find a boyfriend or add going to the gym to my routine. Perhaps I could carve out regular time for my writing. On the flipside, I could simply say I want to have a better balance in my life. That is what I want, but it’s so general that I wouldn’t know where to start and would probably give up right away. While each idea is a step in the right direction, none of them, on their own, seem to address the overarching issue which has continually popped into my head…I’m not paying attention to the whole me.

So how can I find the right combination of broad and specific? What are the patterns in my life which have become too comfortable and easy? For me, it comes down to thinking about where I am, where I want to be, prioritizing, and mapping out a plan. Right now my career is taking up the majority of my life and I’m so tired and spent by the end of the day that I don’t have the energy to work out or write. I’m single and while I have great family and friends. I don’t want to build a “life” with them the way I want to build a life with a partner. So by New Year’s Eve 2012, I want to see that I’ve worked time into my life routines for working out, dating, attending to hobbies like cooking, and making sure I honor my characters and readers by writing every day. So for me, it’s about listing what I have and what I want, ordering them from most to least important, and planning steps along the way so my patterns change.

As you think about your resolutions and goals, try to see if they are too specific and daunting or too vague and elusive. Look at where you want to be in the coming year, and plan steps you know you can achieve. Celebrate small successes and know that we are all struggling with bettering ourselves so you’re not alone.

I wish you the greatest of luck and please check in with me to give me a nudge and encouragement on reaching my goals this coming year. I’ll be thinking of you too!

Check out Feed, Prey, Love at http://ai-press.net/

DH Starr is an author of gay erotic romance and LGBT young adult fiction. A hopeful romantic at heart, he thrives on creating characters who struggle and suffer as they work their way towards self-discovery and happiness. He’s been told by some readers that his tendency to torture his characters makes them want to kill him while reading, but they are relieved and happy by the end. You can learn more about DH Starr and his books by visiting his website at www.dhstarr.com or on his blog, www.dhstarr.blogspot.com.

What are your resolutions for the New Year?

Ménage à Do or Don’t?

Why do you think people are so fascinated by the idea of a ménage relationship?

Ménage à trois!  The very word can cause any number of reactions.  Giggling, blushing, raised brows, arousal, outrage.  So, why do so many people fantasize such a controversial subject?

Do you dream about four hands caressing your body?  If you close your eyes can you imagine two mouths, two tongues worshiping you?

Ménage à trois literally means “household of three.”  I wanted to find out why this phrase drew so many readers to buy books so I questioned one hundred readers through Survey Monkey.  The results were pretty conclusive.  67% said they were fascinated by the “forbidden” aspect of a ménage relationship. 

*****

Personally, it is the idea of having more hands on me to heighten the senses. More attention. Being in a relationship where I am the one who has to be in charge most of the time, I would so love to just be able to lay back and have someone else worry about me and what I get from the experience, and not have to worry about being unfulfilled at the end.

*****

Because it's something they want to participate in, but it's unheard of or can't find them. I'd love to go to some of the towns that I read about and find 2 people to love that would love and treat me like they do in the book. Loved and secured.

*****

Because it is considered 'forbidden' in today's society. It is also, I believe, the ultimate in sexual fulfillment for women as we are so often disappointed...if you know what I mean! We have more than one erogenous zone and more hands, mouths, tongues and cocks means more than one area is receiving pleasure at the same time.

*****

I’m guilty of the same fantasies.  When I started writing “Table for Three” I rolled every fantasy I ever had into the story.  I was an older woman who’d survived an abusive first marriage who dreamed of starting over and finding young love again.  From this, I developed “Cass Abernathy.”

Table for Three         Buy and/or Read an Excerpt

Cass Abernathy is forty-three and she's getting a second chance at life, and maybe even love. She's finally divorced, after years of abuse, when she learns an unknown uncle in Oregon has left her his estate, and more importantly, his house. Filled with hope for her future and excited to have a place of her own, Cass heads west not knowing what she'll find.

What she finds are hot and sexy twin brothers intent on making her a part of their lives. It's too bad they're so much younger because they bring out feelings she's never had before.

Meanwhile, there's someone else interested in Cass' inheritance, and he's willing to do whatever it takes to make sure he wins.

Will Cass overcome her fears and open her heart to the two men who love her, and will she discover the truth about her inheritance before it's too late?

I’m happy to say I’ve lived a lot of my fantasies now, even though it was late in life.  I will say I never experienced twin brothers, but I am happily living with my husband who is a decade younger than me.  Even that little bit of departure from normal can get some people in a snit.  Why are some people so threatened by alternative lifestyle relationships?  What is it they fear?

I have a friend who openly lives in a ménage F/M/F relationship.  She’s not bisexual; she merely “shares” her husband with another woman.  They live in the same house, sleep in the same bed, and raise their children side-by-side.  I asked her once why she would share the love of her life.  Since she’s not involved in a romantic relationship with the other woman, what would the advantages be?  She said, “Our house is always full of love.  Even if two of us are having problems, our children always have a parent they can turn to for love and guidance.  I never worry if anything should happen to me because I know my girls will always have a mother.”

I, for one, can’t imagine a life with that much inner peace.  I asked her if jealousy had ever been a problem.  She said, “In the beginning, we’d get our panties in a wad if one of us got a better birthday or Christmas gift. <she laughed>  Then, David wised up and started getting us similar, if not identical things for special occasions.  <she shrugged, and then sighed>  I really don’t think it’d be a problem now.  Everybody feels how much we love each other so nobody would ever get their feelings hurt.”  When I asked her what she could possibly find to fantasize about since she was living so many other people’s idea of a perfect life.  She grinned and said, “Having a house with four bathrooms!”

My friend is living in a relationship with one man and another woman.  The other side of the coin gives us relationships with two men and one woman.  In the survey I did, people seemed to think this type of relationship was more scandalous, and yet 68% of the hundred readers said this was the type of ménage they most liked to read.

My fantasies always ran to having two men making love to me.  The thought of all those hands and lips made me crazy.  Then, I read my first M/M romance and suddenly began to fantasize about two men making love to me, and to each other at the same time.  In all the books I’d read up to this point, the men never touched, they concentrated all their energies on the woman.  And believe me, when you have three people in a bed, making love, it’s not easy to keep the men from touching!

I bought my first M/M/F ménage about six months before I wrote the sequel to “Table for Three.”  I decided I wanted to try my hand at writing a ménage story that didn’t have any restrictions about the love scenes.  “Catch Her When She Falls” was born.

Catch Her When She Falls           Buy and/or Read an Excerpt

Serena Dammler is recovering from a savage beating and needs protection. Cowboys and lovers Marc Weller and Tony Estabon are taking jobs as bounty-hunters, and their newest assignment is to capture her attacker and return him to Texas. They take one look at Serena’s fragile beauty and decide she’d be the perfect third to their family.

Serena’s always dreamed of catching herself a rich man, and she’d do just about anything to make that dream come true. She’s not going to allow herself to fall in love with her two cowboy protectors, no matter how sexy they are.

Marc and Tony want Serena as their third, but they want her love to be real and not based on their bank accounts. So what will it hurt if they take her to a little cabin on their ranch and pretend to be simple cowboys?

I was a little nervous writing my first M/M scenes, and quite frankly, had no idea what I was doing.  I did a lot of reading, and even consulted a writer I consider to be one of the tops in M/M writing.  Stormy Glenn read my passages and gave me some invaluable advice in making my love scenes more realistic.

“Catch Her When She Falls” turned out to be my best seller as of this date.  Yet, when I surveyed the hundred readers, 100% of them stated they’d prefer reading M/F/M ménages over M/M/F!  What does that tell you?  It tells me that some people will never be comfortable admitting what type of romance novel turns them on.

Do I yearn for a ménage lifestyle?  No, I’m happy with my young husband.  I don’t think society is ready for people living in open ménage relationships, yet.  I do think the day will come when you’ll be able to find the perfect Hallmark Card for congratulating the union of a ménage couple.

Check out Missy's Website at  www.missymartine.com

Thank you so much for having me today, Michele. I’ve been a fan of The Steam Room for quite some time!

I’m a Summa Cum Laude graduate from the University of Alabama with degrees in Business Management and Dance.  I received a Master of Business Administration from the University of Mobile.  I live in South Alabama where I stay busy with running my two young children to way too many activities.  I also work as a dance choreographer, pageant coach, professional emcee and model, and certified Miss America preliminary judge.  I write erotic and spicy contemporary romances with the tagline “Sexy, Southern & Sassy.” 

 Anna Ryan makes a proposition Chase can’t refuse. Making love for each of the Twelve Days of Christmas.

Available through Loose, Id.    Coming Soon to Amazon and Barnes and Noble

Read an Excerpt: http://www.caseycrow.com/cant-fake-this-excerpt-2/ 

Watch the Book Trailer:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_mmVRr8YRc&feature=youtu.be

 TSR: Tell us about Can’t Fake This.

Casey: CAN’T FAKE THIS started out on a whim. At the last minute, I decided to enter this 10,000 word contest. I’d written spicy mainstream, but this was my first dive into erotic waters. I didn’t win the contest, but after having what I thought was a good start, I added some more words and lo and behold, this erotic became the first manuscript I sold. It also finaled in the 2011 Golden Claddaugh book contest and has my trademark “Sexy, Sassy & Southern” flair.

The story is about a divorcee ready to reenter the dating world. Anna Ryan is determined to be the best “product on the market,” which requires a lot more experience so she propositions sexy police officer Chase Harris to teach her how to make hot, passionate love  as opposed to just having sex. He takes it a step further, instructing each lesson based on The Twelve Days of Christmas.

TSR: You’ve long been a fan of romance novels. What prompted you to cross over to the writing side of things?

Casey:  In high school and college, I only read text books so I didn’t even get started on romance until I was twenty-five. Oddly enough, my mom, an avid reader of all romance genres first encouraged me to write. About the time I started thinking, “I could do this,” she said, “You can.” Thank goodness too, because I love it and turned the hobby turned into a serious career almost two years ago.

TSR: What are your three major addictions in life?

Casey: Aww, I have to pick just three? Okay, dancing (I used to own a dance studio) and working out are major passions and they compensate my Barq’s root beer addiction. I also love pageants. Seriously. I’m not kidding, but not the Toddlers & Tiara glitz kind. I’ve been an emcee and pageant coach for over twenty years, and I still get such an adrenaline rush teaching modeling and interview to girls of all ages. It’s incredibly rewarding to see one’s self-confidence grow with each lesson. Finally, I’m not a huge TV watcher, but I’m addicted to Castle, although Revenge is giving my mystery writer a run for his money.

TSR: You spent some time in pageant life. What was that like?

Casey: As a dancer and gymnast, I was on stage my whole life, but I began competing in pageants at fifteen to prepare for Jr. Miss (now Distinguished Young Woman). I’ve done everything from glitz to natural. I prefer youth development programs where talent is the primary focus. I’ve competed in the Miss America and Miss Universe systems. I have to say it was pretty cool being Miss University of Alabama, but my most memorable reign was Miss Motorsports, where I got to be a NASCAR spokesmodel and hang out with all the famous drivers.

Pageants typically have a negative connotation, but the friendships, public speaking skills, and confidence I gained make me a firm believer in the many positive aspects they provide, so much so that my eight-year-old daughter has been competing since she was a baby. She has performed in Branson, MO, opened a concert for CMA recording artist Ashton Shepherd, and is currently preparing for America’s Got Talent. None of that would have been possible without her pageant experience.    

I’ve worked with probably hundreds of girls throughout twenty years of pageant coaching. Nothing is more rewarding than seeing one’s self-confident grow.

TSR: What is one thing you’ve always wanted to do, but haven’t done?

Casey: Learn to play the violin, or as we say down South, the fiddle.  I’ve about convinced myself it should be my Christmas gift this year.

TSR: If you cook, do crafty stuff, or have a hobby, please share the details with readers.

Casey: I do cook and love crafts, but considering I’m about four years behind on scrapbooking, I don’t think it counts if it stays in a box under the bed. I really enjoy playing pool and golf, but since I’m fairly pitiful at both, I stick mainly to taking dance classes. I’m in a class with a bunch of other teachers and former dance competitors so it’s not easy by any means. The best part is that we rock the house during recital time. Old ladies, apparently, still have it. 

TSR: What’s next for you?

Casey: I have two other manuscripts on submission right now with agents and editors. HUSTLER’S DREAM is about a southern socialite pool shark who hustles the wrong guy, or is he? FEELS SO RIGHT is about a country music agent and her ex-boyfriend songwriter. I’m also half way finished with FAST DREAM, the sequel to HUSTLER’S DREAM, about a female NASCAR tire changer in love with the driver.

I recently signed a contract with Siren Publishing for DANCE WITH A MILLIONAIRE, which features a ballerina. It will be out March 2012 in ebook and print in July.

I swear these are not autobiographical! But, I’m passionate about the things I enjoy, and they invariably make their way into my writing. My tagline is “Sexy, Sass & Southern” and all my heroines are just that.

Find out more about Casey:

Website Link: http://www.caseycrow.com  

Festive Frolics in the Snow

Hello! Before introducing myself I’d like to say a huge thank you to Michele for hosting me. This blog, it’s a wonderful place to discover great new books and I’m truly honoured to post here and share a little of my work.

My name is Grace Elliot and I lead a double life. By day I’m a veterinarian and by night I write historical romance. I started writing to keep me sane, as a relief from the demands of being a working mother - after all there’s nothing like spending the evening with a dark and dangerous hero to forget your cares!

This is my second visit to The Steam Room,and rather than answer more questions, Michele kindly offered the opportunity to write a themed blog post. After some thought and given that Christmas is so nearly upon us I decided to introduce a little festive cheer and post on that seasonal opportunity for romance - snow!

As a child, snow at Christmas was really special, but living near London drizzle and overcast skies were more likely. To make up for this lack of snow, every year on Christmas Eve, Mum and I watched “The Snowman” on video. When I grew up and left home, I took this tradition with me but swapped a VHS tape for a DVD and snuggled up to my husband instead.

There is something magical about being snowed in at Christmas, especially if you pick your fellow detainee with care! In my latest historical romance, “Eulogy’s Secret” the hero, Jack Huntley, breaks his engagement to Eulogy and flees London. As a blizzard sets in, he ends up snowed into a tavern, with no idea that Eulogy has followed him.

In the warmth of the Inn, Eulogy’s redingcote  which had been stiff with ice started to thaw, dripping a trail of water across the tiles. Her petticoats sodden, her wet chemise clung to her legs and impeded her movements. Trying to make herself as insignificant as possible she squirmed through the press of bodies making for a heavy oak desk, behind which stood a ruddy faced man in a leather apron, busy leafing through a ledger.

            “Sir,” she spoke through chattering teeth. “A room if you please.”

            Without looking up the man shrugged and continued running a blackened fingernail down a column of figures. “All taken.”

            Eulogy recognized rudeness when she saw it and squaring her shoulders she spoke firmly. “Sir, perhaps you mis-understand. I have travelled through a blizzard…I must have a room.”

            The man frowned at his papers. “And you must understand Miss... there ain't one.”

Without a chaperone Eulogy soon attracts attention and Jack is shocked to find it is Eulogy who is the subject of drunken jeers, and rescues her. In the confines of an attic room, forced to share a bed to keep warm, mutual attraction takes over and the pair are reunited.

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Eulogy’sSecret - a story of greed prejudice and a stolen identity.

In the four weeks since her guardians’ death, Eulogy Foster has lost everything. Penniless and alone she seeks the help of her estranged brother, Lord Lucien Devlin. But Devlin throws Eulogy onto the streets and the mercy of a passing stranger, Jack Huntley.  As Eulogy seeks the truth behind her birth, she is drawn into the world of art and artists, where her morals are challenged and all is deception.

Jack Huntley: bitter, cynical and betrayed in love. He believes women are devious, scheming, untrustworthy creatures - and when he rescues a naïve Miss from being raped, his life is about to change forever. As his attraction to Eulogy grows, caught in a deadlock with both denying their true feelings, events take a sinister turn as someone seeks to silence Eulogy….forever.

Excerpt from Snowed In

Still the snow fell; no longer a blizzard, but cheery spinning flakes tumbling from a marbled sky. The attic room, which once had seen mean and bare, was now a glorious lair that met their simple needs. The straw mattress bothered Eulogy not, for what need had she for feathers and silk with Jack’s intoxicating body pressed against her naked hip? To wake with Jack’s possessive arm cradling her against his muscular bulk was indeed heaven.

Sometimes, after their lovemaking she lay awake just to listen to his breathing, determined to cherish every precious moment before the snow thawed and they must return to London. With a heavy heart she remembered that time in Hyde Park, when Jack had appeared devoted and yet humiliated her so…But she pushed dread aside; that was the past, she had sworn to trust him, and trust him she must.

That morning, a clear blue light filtered through the frost-crazed window. As Eulogy surfaced from a deep and nourishing sleep, she sensed a change in the air and her eyes flew open. There was Jack, stretched out beside her, all muscle and sinew, magnificent as a slumbering lion. But outside, in the stable yard filtered sounds of activity: doors banging and hooves crunching on snow. Her head fell back against the pillow. The storm had abated.

            “Whatis it my love?” A sleep drugged voice crooned in her ear.

            “A noise outside woke me. That’s all.”

            Jack yawned and stretched, throwing a muscular arm above his head. “Hmmm, and I smell cooking…bacon…and fresh coffee.” His eyes flicked open. “Lord but I’m hungry.”

            Witha swift peck on her cheek, Jack sat up, threw back the covers and swung his feet to the floor. Still unused to the vision of a naked man rising from her bed, Eulogy blushed transfixed as he flexed his toned muscles in a way that sent fresh shafts of desire winging to her core.

            “Breakfast, my lady?” 

            “If that’s all that’s on offer.”

            He threw back his head and laughed. “My little wanton...I need to keep my strength up.”

             Jack was already hopping into his breeches, tugging on a shirt and reaching for his hessians. Blowing at kiss at Eulogy he made for the door.

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/97616" target="_blank">Smashwords Buy Link

Amazon Kindle link (US)

Amazon Kindle link (UK)

What fun do you have in the snow? Comment for a chance to win a copy of Eulogy's Secret.

I would like to start off by saying thank you to Michele Zurlo for having me here.  As a new writer, I appreciate opportunities to connect with readers and other writers and I’m honored to be included among the great authors that have been here at the Steam Room.  So, thanks Michele for letting me share a bit about myself and my book, Painted Love.

Blurb: Layna Killian Hertz never breaks a promise. Now, a promise she made years ago is coming back to haunt her. It’s just a visit with an old boyfriend, but seeing the man she never quite got over could be painful. Perhaps it’s just the kind of pain she’s looking for.

Brendon Fordon has become the famous painter he always wanted to be. When his college sweetheart comes back into his life, he can’t resist the distraction of her company. She could be the only person who can save him. Will he be able to tell her his secret before it’s too late?

Can Layna heed the warnings all around her and stay away from the cursed man she loves, or will she enjoy the erotic torture? Will Brendon have to pay the ultimate price for his fame, or will Layna’s love be able to save them both?

Buy Link: http://www.bookstrand.com/painted-love

Kindle shortcut HERE

Website Link: www.kimberlyduncan.net

Excerpt:

He spun her around and kissed her deeply. She returned the need in his kisses with her own growing want. They stripped each other out of their clothes, desperate to be naked together.

He backed her to the edge of the bed still kissing her. She fell onto the bed and pulled him down with her. She wanted to feel the weight of his body on top of her. She wanted to feel his hard cock filling her. She wanted it. She needed it.

He kissed her fiercely, and his aggression ignited waves of flames in her. She reached down and grabbed his hard shaft. He groaned, and the sound fueled her need even more. She adjusted her position under him, then guided his cock to her wet and waiting sex.

He grabbed both of her wrists in one strong hand and pulled them up over her head. “Not yet,” he said.

“Brendon, please,” she whimpered. Unbridled lust flickered in his eyes at her supplication.

“Tell me what you want.” His voice was a low growl.

“I want you inside me,” she panted.

He pressed the head of his cock to the rim of her sex. She mewed and tried to arch up toward him, struggling in vain against his weight. Her desire threatened to consume her.

He smiled wickedly at her.

“Brendon…please…fuck me now,” she pleaded.

“Promise you will stay the whole weekend with me,” he whispered.

“What?”

“Promise me you will stay with me the entire time you are here in New Orleans.”

This was no time for chitchat. Her body ached for him. “Brendon, you know I can’t promise…” She wasn’t sure how she managed to think straight.

“Promise me you will stay with me, and I promise you I will give you everything you always wanted and more.”

His promises were not to be trusted, but the flames of desire scorched logic out of her mind.

“Promise me,” he hissed. He pushed the head of his shaft against her.

She whimpered again the ache of desire overwhelming her.

“Promise me,” he said again.

She would go mad if she wasn’t filled with him soon. “Yes,” she whispered.

“Say it.” His voice was too commanding to disobey. She had to comply, her reason slain by carnal need.

“Yes, I promise.”

TSR: Tell us about Painted Love.

Kimberly:  This is my first published book.  It’s a dark paranormal erotic romance set in New Orleans.  When her plan to seduce her college sweetheart backfires, Layna Hertz finds herself falling back in love with him.  Brendon is torn between getting closer to Layna as he introduces her to his world of BDSM, and keeping her at a distance for fear she will discover his dangerous secret.  Layna has to overcome her pride to save herself and the man she loves.

TSR: How doyou develop your plots?

Kimberly:  They kind of develop themselves actually.  I usually start a book with a basic premise, for example what if a vampire showed up in the deep south during the civil war.  Then I write a few key scenes and form a basic outline around those scenes. Then I start at the beginning and just write.  At some point along the way, the characters just take over and say “oh, wouldn’t it be fun to go to the circus tonight before the grand ball.” So all of a sudden there is an angry elephant on the loose and some zombie clowns, and that vampire becomes a minor character, or I kill him off completely.

TSR: Describe your ultimate hero and heroine.

Kimberly:  I have to admit I am cliché when it comes to my heroes.  I like them tall, dark, and handsome.  I like them to be strong and forceful, but flawed in some way emotionally. Maybe they are afraid of something, or too proud, or have a short temper.  Something that keeps getting them in trouble.  I generally like heroines that aren’t perfect.  Perhaps they are curvy or short or flat chested.  But the most important thing to me in a heroine is for them to grow.  I need to see a big change in them.  Perhaps they start out selfish and learn to be giving, or they overcome an emotional obstacle that has haunted them for a long time.  I want to see them become better people.  That is very satisfying to me.    

TSR: What’s the most important item on your bucket list, if you had one?

Kimberly:  Well, it used to be to get a book published, so I can check off the top item! Lol. Now I think it would be to travel more. I want to visit Mt. Fuji, see the pyramids in Giza, and I want to spend some more time in London.

TSR: How did you get into writing BDSM erotica?

Kimberly:  It just felt right.  I like my romance hot and erotic and the BDSM adds another level of heat for me.  The problem with writing BDSM is keeping it real and respectful.  So many times I read BDSM romance that makes me cringe.  The Doms are cruel to the point of abuse and the subs act like doormats. It’s seldom like that in real life. The exchange of power that happens between partners in BDSM is intense and, in my opinion, extremely sexy, but only if there is mutual respect at every moment.  It’s important to respect the other people’s limits, and capabilities, and feelings.

TSR: When you’re not writing, what’s your favorite thing to do?

Kimberly:  Dance. I am a Belly dancer.  I have a troupe and we perform locally about once a month and I teach classes during the week as well.  I’ve been dancing for about fourteen years.  It’s great exercise and a lot of fun!

TSR: What’s next for you?

Kimberly:  I hope to simply keep writing.  I have a few exciting projects in the works and can’t wait to finish them and send them off into the big wide world.

Hi Everybody!

As I do mundane things like dishes or laundry, I kick around writing ideas.  Last spring, I considered the concept that everyone has fantasies. Depending on your situation, those fantasies can have little to no chance of becoming reality. Perhaps you want to be tied up, but your significant other isn't into it. Maybe there's someone who makes you sigh with longing, but you don't have the courage to approach him or her. Then I decided it would be cool if there was a service whose sole (or soul) objective is to make those fantasies come true.

That's the birth story of the Safe Word: Oasis series.

So far, I have three novellas written and contracted to Loose Id. I'm working on the fourth, and I have an outline for the fifth. Because the series is founded on fantasy wishes, it's completely free of restrictions as far as characters and settings. Yes, Justin is set in rural Michigan. By My Side is set in California. Out of My League is set in the UP, rural Michigan, and a Caribbean island. Of course, there are some commonalities. For example, everyone's safe word is "oasis." 

Oasis works like this:( Customers submit their wish. During the selection process, they fill out mountains of paperwork the detail their preferences and limits. Once everything is in order, Oasis arranges for the wish to come true. Of course, there's always a twist. Oasis might advertise short-term fantasy fulfillment, but they're really a bait-and-switch operation. They will fulfill the wish in a way that gives the wishers what they need for long-term happiness.

The term oasis invokes a safe little bubble where you can feel free to explore those deep, dark urges you keep hidden from the rest of the world. It opens the door for honest communication and interaction. It forces you to come to terms with what you want and what you're willing to do to get it.

In Yes, Justin, Trish just wants to go back to the point in her life where she was the focus of a man's time and attention. She married that man, but life changes got in the way. Work and kids conspire to keep them apart most of the time. Then she takes a chance and asks Oasis to send a dom to kidnap her and whisk her away to a cabin in the middle of nowhere to live out her BDSM fantasy.

Click HERE to read an excerpt where Trish discovers the identity of her kidnapper. It can't help but lead to an extra interesting weekend! It's only offered through Loose Id for the first few months, so if you're not willing to wait for it to hit other distributors (Amazon, Barnes and Noble) here's the direct link to Yes, Justin at Loose Id.

In reflecting on the characters of Trish and Justin, I think they're my favorite couple since Sabrina and Jonas of Letting Go. I really feel like I'm returning to my roots with this series, and I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Thank you to Michele Zurlo for giving me this opportunity.  Promotion is even harder than writing a story in the first place. 

We writers have so many people in our heads.  Sometimes we'll be with family or other people and snippets of dialogue or plot will pop into our minds.  We talk to ourselves, forgetting that we're in public, because we're wound up in our stories.  I often wonder what "normal" people do with their fantasies.  How can you not want to make up stories, and even better, write them down?  Our characters are real to us.  They live and breathe, and we can't rest until they jump off the page to our readers. Because that's what we want when we, ourselves, read. 

Blurb:  Former gunslinger turned preacher Prescott MacKay now combines ranching with his own brand of preaching. Isis Garrett arrives in Paloverde, Texas with the other mail order brides, but she has no intention of actually becoming a bride. She plans to open a library with the two trunks of books she's toted across the country to West Texas. Pres offers her a spot in the church building. Attracted to the sweetly rounded Isis, he finds himself hanging around more than he should. She shows him no encouragement. In fact, she actively makes it clear she doesn't want anything to do with him or with any man. Can Pres battle past her antipathy and prove to her he's one of the good guys? Will Isis let herself forget the past and see the cowboy preacher for the man she’s been waiting for all her life?

Buy Link:  http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=195&products_id=4677

Check out Jane's other titles HERE.

Website Link:  http://www.janeleopoldquinn.com

Excerpt: 

“You’re beautiful when you laugh.”

She gazed back at him in dismay.

He released her neck, but cupped her chin instead. Her lips parted invitingly, his eyelids lowered to half mast, and he kissed her. He closed his mouth over hers and owned her. Lord, she was sweet, and, thank you, Lord, she responded. He lost himself in her. “Isis,” he murmured when he took a much needed breath. “I can’t believe how deep you’ve burrowed into my heart. I think about you all the time.” He brushed his lips down over her chin to her neck.

She shivered. Her fingers clutched his shoulders.

“I say the vows when I marry couples, and I want to say them to you.”

Her body tensed.

He felt her trying to bring her arms together, trying to close him out. Sweet little hands landed on his chest, delicately at first. Her fingertips brushed over his nipples.

By accident?

Again. Again.

Not by accident. He groaned. It ended on a sigh. Now he shivered. He just wanted to wrestle her to the ground and have at her whole body. Kiss her. Get back to her lips. Her mouth. He nibbled at her, gently bit at her lower lip. Her moan vibrated against his chest, the sexy throb in her throat resonated in his ears.

“Pres.”

God, he wanted to do lewd and wanton things to her. Take her hair down, lay it over her breasts, brush the ends of it teasingly over her nipples. Kiss her belly. Surely her skin there was as satiny soft as her breasts. Her dark woman’s hair would contrast against her white skin. His hand drifted down her body to press on her mound through the layers of skirt and petticoats.

She jerked, arching against him.

It was the jolt he felt. Her startled gasp that brought him to his senses. He pushed her away, arms straight out, fingers cupping her shoulders. Her face had every expression he could think of—shock, confusion, sensuality, desire. He had the same feelings in his heart. His cock ached, stretched out to the full length and breadth as it could be and still be confined in his pants. “I’m sorry,” he whispered.

Isis opened her mouth to speak but all that came out was a huff of breath. Her shoulders slumped. Defeated. Why did she keep doing this? Responding to him. And why did he always back off?

“Isis, I can’t seem to keep my hands off you.”

“I…I don’t understand.”

“I want you. You’re all I think about. I know you say you don’t want a husband. Why not? What happened to you?”

TSR: Tell us about Hot Under the Collar.

Jane:  Hot Under the Collar began when a group of writers decided to write a series of mail order bride stories.  We brainstormed a west Texas town where lonely cowboys and ranchers lived, but that town was the only connection. Each story would be independent.  My hero is a former bounty hunter turned minister.  In the dusty towns and deserts of Texas he found God.  The heroine is a prickly librarian raised in Egypt.  She comes west to escape a disastrous romance and swears she'll never get involved with another man.  All she wants to do is bring books to the Wild West.  She doesn't count on the gentling influence of the cowboy/preacher.  The past is just that.  The past. Life starts anew when you meet The One.

TSR: What inspires your characters?

Jane:  I seem to be attracted to heroes with rough backgrounds, loners.  My heroines are wary, slow to recognize that they care.  Hm…reflective of real life?  I love to try to bring together two emotionally wounded creatures, because I whole heartedly believe in Happily Ever After.

TSR: You’ve recently entered the world of the self-published. What led you to take the plunge? How do you like it so far?

Jane:  I received the rights back to two short stories that had been previously e-published. Since they wouldn't do anyone any good sitting in my file drawers, I appreciate that self-pubbing has become fairly quick and easy.  My long-time experience as a legal secretary made the formatting process understandable. I hired a cover artist who created two fabulous covers. The Smashwords site is easy to navigate, and they even respond quickly to questions.  At the moment, I've only published the two previously published stories, but using the three major self-pubbing sites, Smashwords, Amazon, and B&N will open up a whole new world for publishing backlists.  So far, it's too soon to wallow in my sales, but at least my stories are out there again.

TSR: You have an MM novel coming soon. What led you to dip your foot in that pond?

Jane:  M/M is a pond I never thought to write, but never say never.   I decided to respond to a call for submission about military men, cops, and other men of danger.  I've written several former military men and like the feeling that, in my own little way, I'm honoring their service to our nation.  Anyway, my mind spun around scenarios and characters.  Two gay Chicago cops appeared to me.  I considered turning one of the cops into a woman since I'm so much more familiar with writing M/F, but once you have characters in your mind, you just honestly cannot change them.  Names and book title came quickly after that.  I had to do some research and reading about man on man sex, but I never let myself forget that I'm writing a romance.  The growth of love in a relationship is an important part of my books no matter what the character pairings are.  Love is love, and everyone desires it.  I'll Be Your Last will be published by Siren in January 2012.

TSR: Describe your ideal vacation.

Jane:   Oh, wow, ideal vacation.  Although I'm an American, the country of my heart is England. There are so many areas there that are my favorites:  a person never tires of London, then there's Salisbury with its cathedral, Bath with the Roman baths and its connection to Jane Austen.  The Lake District is lovely.  The peaks and dales of Scotland are breathtaking.  But now that I'm thinking of it, Roman ruins are my real thing. That's why I love Bath, Rome, and a fantastic 2nd Century Roman villa in Southern Germany that's being restored.  

TSR: If you cook, do crafty stuff, or have a hobby, please share the details with readers.

Jane:  My idea of gourmet cooking is the George Foreman grill and the microwave.  Besides writing, my passion is miniatures and building and designing doll houses and room boxes.  I also love to create silk flower arrangements. 

TSR: What’s next for you?

Jane:  I have two series I've been working on.  One is historical western, the other small town contemporaries.  Both are favorite topics of mine, so it's kind of hard to decide which to pursue.