The Steam Room

Check me out at The Forbidden Bookshelf. I talk about the Safe Word: Oasis series and BDSM in my life.  http://theforbiddenbookshelf.net/interview-with-michele-zurlo-safe-word-oasis-series

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

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  

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.

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. 

The Steam Room is proud to welcome Savanna Kougar!

Ever have a yen to know more about Hellhounds, Hades and the Underworld, beyond the myth that is? How about real witches, those with the powers most of us think don’t exist? Ah, but they do. Magick is on the rise at this time, and I explore this new emergence in KANDY APPLE AND HER HELLHOUNDS.

[Ménage Amour: EroticParanormal Ménage Romance, M/F/M, shape-shifters]

Kandace doesn’t know why she’s a real witch. Despite her powers, she can’t find her biological parents. When the Tuxedo Twins tempt her with knowledge about her heritage at a charity event, Kandace agrees to dance with the mysterious Supernaturals. Unexpectedly, they are threatened by the omnipresent evil she’s been warned about in her dreams. To keep from being enslaved, Kandace brings forth her greater magick. But, to save her homeworld, she needs her Hellhounds.

Zolivar and Zindale, two of Hades’s most mission-accomplished Hellhounds, see a witch sliding down the bannister after her heist of a painting. Spellbound, they know they’ve found just the right Kandy Apple to lick for Halloween. With every passion, Zin and Zol woo their chosen witch. Will their Triad mate stay once she learns they can’t fall in love like humans? Or will she return to her homeworld?

BuyLink: http://bookstrand.com/kandy-apple-and-her-hellhounds

WebsiteLink: http://savannakougar.com &http://shapeshifterseductions.blogspot.com

Excerpt:

Determined to ignore the heebie-jeebies, she gave her hair a toss. Kandace knew they weren’t fully human. What they were, she hadn’t discovered, so far. She stayed out of their social orbit and kept her distance.

Oh, she’d made discreet inquiries, all right. However, whoever she gabbed with would end up smirking, then give her that knowing look. Yeah, right, she wanted to jump the twins’ Remington Steele-elegant bones.

Okay, true, the old TV show, starring Pierce Brosnan, remained one of her guilty pleasures.

Kandace dipped her tongue tip in her drink, scooping out a taste. Maybe if she knew what freakin’ dimension, planet, whatever, the Alien Tuxedo Twins hailed from she’d be interested in one of them. Maybe.

The only reason she inquired about the women in their lives was so she could politely interrogate them. However, Zol and Zin, as they were known, had been exceptionally discreet in their conquests. It’d been like pulling hen’s teeth with slick pliers—still, Kandace had gathered five names.

She’d made it a priority to speak with those women. Not one of them revealed anything of any consequence, and the dreamy smiles on their faces had quickly become too annoying.

Evenwhen she’d performed a gentle exploration of the women’s minds—nothing, except the sound of satisfied moans. Whoever the two peas in a pod were, they had the ability to keep an individual’s memory shielded, or some power she didn’t comprehend.

As Kandace admitted to whoever asked, she considered Zol and Zin to be living works of art. Whenever she caught sight of them at various artists’ events, a swoony thrill always raced her heart. Yep, fantastic to look at and admire, but that’s all.

Now, though, she had a whole new problem, other than keeping herself safe from the roaming security teams. The Alien Tuxedo Twins had been able to see her, despite her invisibility shield.

True, they didn’t seem overly eager to make her aware they knew about her witchy ability. Still, who the hell were they? What were they?

And did she need to be afraid of them?

To that end, Kandace sauntered ever closer.

“Might as well face the bad guys, if they are, and get it over with.” She whispered the words against the rim of her glass. Taking a sip, Kandace decided against an exploratory thought-form.

If they could see past her magic, they could probably stop her psi search of their minds, and would know she was onto their paranormal abilities. Kandace strolled before some artist’s attempt to fuse Picasso’s style with the voluptuous fantasy art of Boris Vallejo. Blinking several times, she stared at the horror of high strangeness.

The twin wearing the evening suit sidled next to her as if he merely examined the painting.

“Definitely not my cup of artistic tea,” she commented. “What do you think?”

“I think I’d rather get to know a spooky little girl like you.”

Kandace jumped inside, startled by his bold come-on. “Spooky. Isn’t that a song lyric?”

From the corner of her eye, she watched the other twin join them. Uh-oh, she’d just become the filling for a man sandwich. At least, they appeared to be men, given those high-rise bulges they both sported.

For her?

Certainly, they smelled like real men. Despite the expensive cologne that clung subtly to both of them, their virility slammed into her nostrils and reminded her a bit of her uncle’s Rottweiler dogs.

Damn! No wonder some women fell in a drooling heap at their well-shod feet.

Kandace tipped up a large swallow of her drink. Her throat had suddenly become a desert, and her traitorous hormones began to beg.

Okay, she was a witch. She could handle this. Whatever this exactly was.

“Yes, it is a song lyric. Shall I sing the tune for you?”

Mr. Evening Suit asked in the smoothest yet sexiest voice she’d heard since Cary Grant. Kandace knew because her sister had watched all of the suave actor’smovies during her girlhood crush on him.

Intrigued by what he would actually do, Kandace flirtatiously angled her shoulders toward him. “Please.”

“In the cool of the evening,” he crooned, “when everything is getting kind of groovy, I call you up and ask you if you want to go and see a movie.”  

Geez and tease her, Mr. Evening Suit’s sun-bronzed features were classically handsome, even more so, up this close and personal. Kandace avoided looking at his slightly wavy dark hair, perfectly groomed, of course. She had a thing when it came to a man’s hair. She wanted to wildly run her fingers through and not stop.

“First you say no,” the other twin sang, smooth as velvet, “you've got some plans for the night, and then you stop, and say, all right.”  

Kandace did make a tactical error, though. She met his gaze, instantly losing herself in his coffee-colored eyes, illumined by flame. So it appeared.

“Love is kinda crazy with a spooky little girl like you,” they sang in stereo.

Feeling halfway seduced, Kandace saluted with her glass. “That’s good. But a girl can only take so much from a pair of womanizers like you.”

“Womanizer?” the Tuxedo Twin inquired. “Do you mean as in a libertine or wolf?”

“Exactly. Quaint reference, libertine. You two aren’t time travelers, are you?” Kandace hoped her voice sounded lighthearted, joking. It was hard to tell, given their mighty testosterone effect on her.

For a brief moment, they glanced at each other, easy to do since they towered above her. Tiny golden vibrations emanated from their foreheads and Kandace wondered exactly how telepathic they were.

“We’re not time travelers by common definition,” the evening suit twin answered.

“But, you do travel through time,” Kandace persisted. Why not? If they knew about her, why shouldn’t she know about them?

She took a nervous sip, but hardly tasted her drink.

Again, the twins trained their gazes on each other for a bare instant.

“We have. However, not by our own power, little witch.” Mr. Tuxedo’s sexy croon had her shifting toward him.

“Witch.You say that as if you believe I am an actual witch.”

Probably not smart, calling them out so soon, especially when I’m sandwiched between them. And just how did they time travel? Kandace frowned mentally.

“You are.” They spoke as one, freaking her out and tingling her spine. It felt likea tray of ice cubes slid down it.

~~~

TSR: Tell us about Kandy Apple and Her Hellhounds.

Savanna: My witch heroine, Kandace, showed up one day with a sassy and spirited spark in her eye. Plus, she let me know right off she adored using made-up words like ‘fabtastic’, and loved making up new words herself.

My love affair with witches began with Samantha from the original TV series, Bewitched. Oh yes, I coveted her powers. After all, what fun-excitement that would be! A snap of your fingers and your room is clean, the chores done. A twitch of your nose and there’s the dress of your dreams.

You could right every wrong. Help others. Oh, the power was a heady fantasy.

However, more than her witchly magick, I simply adored who the character, Samantha, was as a woman -- the exception being whenever she cowtowed to her husband, typical for that time period.

And,yes, I even learned how to twitch my nose. Of course, not nearly as wonderfully as the actress, Elizabeth Montgomery, who played the beautiful real witch.

To be honest, despite all the Halloween ad hype I grew up with as a kid in the fifties -- where witches were portrayed as ugly evil creatures, often covered by warts because they handled frogs -- ya know what, I never bought into that view of witches.

I thought it was kinda ridiculous. Silly, even boring. No, some part of me never did believe or get on board with that horror-spooky, broomstick ride. The only witch who ever spooked me as a kid  was the Wicked Witch of the West in the “Wizard of Oz”.

Once the ‘beautiful witch’ arrived on the cultural scene... then when I learned about witches as women of the craft -- women who performed magickal rituals in accordance with nature to bring about a desired result -- well, I tingled. I resonated. And, I knew.

In that deep still part of me I knew, and that’s what rang true.

So, of course, it became irresistible -- the urge to write my own real witch heroine, my Kandy Apple. Yes, that’s her nickname, especially around Halloween. She adores wearing red, and has a riotous mane of red hair.

Each year the vibes of Halloween seep inside me more deeply, and under this spell, I  wrote my witch and hellhound erotic romance.

TSR: What inspires the shape-shifting characters you create?

Savanna: It’s the wild animal in me. I was born to run wild, which I did as often as Ic ould as kid, even though it was frowned upon by so-called society at that time.

Also, I’ve always had this strong affinity for animals, this deep love. No, it isn’t that icky-cooey, pets-can-do-no-wrong, humans-are-bad type of love that seems to be the fad now.

I respect animals. I strive to truly understand them -- their needs, their desires. There’s nothing better than stroking them, being able to give them a hug, and wrap my heart around them.

I’ve had a ‘few’ absolutely amazing experiences communicating with wild animals.Even though Animal Communicators are out of the closet, and doing a booming business these days... still, this gets into woo-woo land for some people. However, I’ll share.

Years ago, I was visiting my sis when she lived close to Washington DC. We spent one day at the zoo, and there was this huge, gorgeous, South American buzzard. He was all by himself inside his enormous enclosure, and perched high on a limb. Mentally, I asked him if he would please fly for me because I wanted to see his wingspan, his beauty as he flew. Well, lo and behold, he launched himself and magnificently winged through his enclosure. Of course, I thanked him profusely.

Another time I asked a pair of quarreling Macaws to kiss and makeup. I have photos of them doing just that moments later. Talk about an adorable sight.

And, I can’t leave out my dolphin story. I’ve never gotten to swim with them. But, when I was visiting San Francisco, my boyfriend at the time and I, went to the Aquarium. There was a beautiful little girl bottle-nose dolphin inside one ofthe tanks, along with lots of other sea creatures. She stayed in the back, so I mentally asked her swim close, in front of me, because she was so beautiful. By gosh, she did several times, and paused once to gaze at me. I could have kissed her.

These days, I also have shamanic experiences with wild animals. I live on what I call the tame prairie on about twenty acres. It’s just farmland and pasture all around me. Cows are my closest neighbors. So, there’s an abundance of wild critters around -- one reason I love being here.

And, sometimes, I really think the critters show up because they want to star as a shapeshifter in one of the flash scenes I write regularly. Like the giant-sized box turtle I accidentally threw a bucket of gray water on. Yes, SHE --according to the internet info I found -- had her flash fiction scene, and her character is ongoing.

Ic an’t leave out Zol and Zin, my hellhound heroes. While wolves are one of my favorite animals, there is a wonderful abundance of werewolf and wolf shifter romances already available for readers. Yes, I have several wolf shifter WIPs,and do I ever want to finish, then publish them.

However, what better for Halloween than hellhounds?

So, when Zin and Zol showed up as fiery ferocious beasts from the bowels of hell --so the myth goes -- and, also presented their human selves as gentlemen in the style of Cary Grant and Pierce Brosnan in the TV series in Remington Steele-- yes, I fell in love, and knew they were the perfect heroes for Kandace.

TSR: What is your idea of the perfect flaw and why?

Savanna: Now there’s a question I never thought of. The perfect flaw... hmmm. I don’t think in terms of flaws, truthfully, for my heroines and heroes.

I do think in terms of their natural strengths and weaknesses... the trials and tribulations they’ve been through... their personal history/herstory... and what their motivations are.

I ask: Heart, body, mind, soul -- what drives them in life? What doesn’t?

Whenever I ask myself ‘why do they act the way they do?’ Usually, my characters will answer, and I find out more of their backstory. I will say that since many of my heroines and heroes aren’t strictly human, their way of thinking and being, their way of acting is often different than what might be expected by readers.  So, there’s fair warning.

TSR: What are five things you want to do before you die and why?

Savanna: Wow, there are thousands. Hmmm... let me think of five. At this point in my life, I’d love to become as self-sufficient as possible, and get off the grid totally. I’ve always had this yen to be free in that way, and with the infrastructure not being taken care of these days... yeah, that would be a dream come true.

As far as fun, since I love dancing, I’d go for belly dancing lessons, dirty dancing lessons. I’d learn any style of dancing available, and also go dancing.

Sailing between the Greek Islands. [obvious why]

Sailing between the Virgin Islands. Again. To me it is heaven on Earth.

Atlantis has been a siren song in my soul ever since I learned about the antediluvian land. I’d love to go deep-sea diving where the structures of the Atlantean civilization still are. There are sites all over. One is off the coast ofJapan. Another site is off the coast of India, and also off the coast of Cuba.The Greek island of Santorini is likely a remnant of the Atlantean civilization, and would just be an exquisite place to visit.

TSR: What do you do to relax or decompress?

Savanna: Relax? Decompress? What’s that? Okay, since my health hasn’t been up to par for several years now, I have to rest, and try to get enough sleep.

Often I gaze out my favorite west-facing window. Nature is a balm to my soul. Seeing the sky, watching the birds fly and flit and feed... that does wonders for me. Just yesterday, one of our golden eagles swooped upward, winging toward the treetops in a way I’d never seen before. It was magnificent.

I have a fantastic scenic view in every direction on the tame prairie, and the sunsets are so beautiful I feel nourished at an emotional and soul level.

Of course, music is a great decompressor and mood changer. My taste is eclectic, so I enjoy about style of music there is.

TSR: You run two blogs. Can you tell us a little about them?

Savanna:I have my own personal blog, Kougar Kisses, where I post about every day. It has my books on the sidebar, and I have a feature called Authoress news and mews for info about what I’m up to as an author. I also include anything I come across that is helpful to other authors/aspiring authors.

I share the Shape Shifter Seductions blog with four exceptionally creative erotic romance authors ~ Serena Shay, Pat Cunningham, Rebecca Gillan and Solara. Through that magical-muse writers have, the five of us have created a fictional town taken over by a Werewolf pack. Serena Shay wrote the first flash that started it all, and now Talbot’s Peak, Montana is a haven for shifters, humans, and for paranormal beings of every type and stripe.  We have tons o’ fun posting flash scenes about every week.

Here’s one I wrote recently.

Predators Meet Prey ~ The Rabbit Trickster 

Standing before her bedroom’s full length mirror, Karly peered over her shoulder at her large fluffy white bunny tail. She gave her butt a shimmy-shake, appreciating how the realistic puff wiggled invitingly. She also took several long moments to appreciate how her trim athletic figure looked in her version of a Playboy Bunny costume. That is, what she could throw together at the last minute from lingerie shops, and the small costume boutique in Talbot’s Peak proper.

After a wicked little smile at herself, Karly strutted in her black stilettos across the floor and reached for her witch’s black velvet cape. With a flick of her wrists, she swirled it, draping it around her shoulders.

She gave her gently waving, sable-colored hair a toss, freeing it from beneath the cape before she grabbed her evening bag. Being a black coyote shapeshifter, the color was a close match to her coat.

Satisfiedher rabbit ears remained secure, Karly grinned, anticipating her trickster prank. After all, every now and then her perverse nature needed to assert itself.

“Predators Meet Prey, Hunters Moon Costume Party, here I come,” she murmured, moving down the winding staircase toward her brother.

Per the party rules, Kevin had made his shifter side obvious with a faux coyote tail and ears. He’d attired himself in the swashbuckling style of a Musketeer, complete with a rapier dangling at his side. To her sisterly eye, his handsomeness couldn’t be, and wouldn’t be denied.

Waiting by the front door of their parents’ well-to-do, newly constructed home, he jerked it open impatiently. “I should never have let you con me into this. You and that fox-sly tongue of yours.”  Kevin scowled at her as if she’d just caused him to lose a plump pheasant dinner.

Holding the door, the reluctant gentleman, he growled, “We’re going to be late. Late as in I don’t want Reba shaking her fluffy tail for any other predator.”

“Oh, geta grip, cavalier stud. We won’t be late. Not with the way you drive. Lead foota nd all.” Karly passed beneath his arm, smirking a smile up at him -- somec ombo of sibling irritation and her deep fondness for him.

With a soft snarl, Kevin followed her to his low-slung, expensive sports car, parked nearby on their circular drive. “Just remember, we don’t know each other.”

“Oh, don’t get your butt fur in a matted wad,” Karly sang, once she gripped the passenger side handle. “We don’t look like each other, and we’re new in town.”

***

Having politely fended off several men who wanted a piece of her bunny tail -- two wolves, a fox and a damn fine mountain lion -- Karly took a sip of her Flirtini. Keenly aware she had several, hard-panting admirers, Karly rolled her hips as she sauntered toward the spacious dance floor.

True, when she’d first arrived at the Pleasure Club, Dante, the werewolf obviously in charge, despite his low-key presence, had given her the once over as if he suspected she wasn’t playing by the rules. His intense gaze had raked her but good, and Karly held her breath for several moments. However, after a quick upturn of his lips, he’d looked away, attending to another matter.

So far, her little trickster game had been highly amusing, in a twisted, predator-mind bending way. Also, it’d proven entertaining to note the different approaches, the different come-ons predators used when flirting with the prey shapeshifters they wanted to jump, hump and bippity-bop bump to the lusty heights of orgasmic pleasure.

And, if it was one thing Karly enjoyed, it was learning for the sake of learning itself. Simply because it suited her, she taught online college courses --Animals in Myth and Legend. 

On the far side of the dance floor, an excellent samba ensemble played both recognizable tunes and their original music. The quality surprised her, given Karly hadn’t expected this level of sophistication in the backwater Montana town.

All about survival these days, her parents had decided on making the move to Talbot’s Peak while they could easily do so. Karly hadn’t protested too vigorously, given she realized a change was needed in her life. And, here it was.

And, yes, there it was. Twins by the nearly identical look of the two coyote shifters, who were costumed as Native American Skinwalkers. Holy damn, the two bronze-skinned, gorgeously sculpted men with shoulder-length dark hair, eyed her like a hunting prize.

Karly continued across the room at a leisurely pace. When they locked their gazes on her, both of them, she moved in their general direction, swaying in time to the samba music.

Only... why couldn’t she scent them? Karly had masked her own canine smell. Before she could think of how to sniff them, they suddenly darted toward her, striding powerfully, silently.

Karly froze in her tracks, an unusual reaction for her.

***  

Dirk angled around the woman shapeshifter he and his brother had decided belonged to them for the rest of the evening, and long into the night. With her sleek, yet luscious curves displayed to perfection by her Playboy Bunny costume... her long shapely legs begging for their caresses... her onion-round ass their loins ached to feel as they took turns mounting her... her pert breasts shaped for their hands and the roaming pleasure of their lips...

Deke roved his gaze over the woman’s refined lovely face first... then he stared at the shining beauty of her dark, red-burnished hair. Her wary gaze, the golden yellow glow deep within her black-as-midnight eyes gave her away now. His shaman senses hadn’t lied, despite the fact that he and Dirk hadn’t been able to determine her species scent.

She was coyote. Coyote shifting woman.

Stepping toward her, Deke took her drink and set it to the side. He captured strands of her hair, letting the heavy silkiness slip through his fingers. “Beautiful trickster, you are caught.”

“You are caught,” Dirk echoed, as he gently trapped her against his body from behind.

“Caught?” she burst out breathlessly, then made a move to escape them.

Deke pressed himself against her, halting her steps. He watched as his brother stroked his hands down her arms, and held her lightly. Feather-soft, Deke slid the back of his finger beneath her chin. “What’s your name, coyote woman?”

“Rabbit,” she accused instead. “You two are rabbits.”

“Hare, actually.” Dirk teased his nose down a strand of her hair until his lips brushed the rim of her ear. Her breath jerked inward, and her eyelids fell shut in pleasure. “Even though, we are called jackrabbits,” he rasped into the shell of her delicate human ear.

“Don’t tell anyone,” Deke cautioned in a joking tone. He touched his fingertip to thec enter of her full lips.

Her gaze flew to his, vulnerable yet wild and fierce with warning. “Why not?”

“For us, deception is often a matter of survival.”  Dirk cupped her shoulders, and caressed.

“Why is that?” she snapped with coyote haughtiness, even as her body became molten against Deke.

Dirk pressed closer, and she gasped a tiny whimper.

“Shamans have many enemies in these times,” Deke answered. Threading his fingers in her hair, he tenderly slipped his thumbpads along her lovely, lovely cheekbones.

“As your kind does,” Dirk added. “Dance with me, coyote woman.”

“Skinwalkers,” she murmured only for their hearing, even as she moved to turn toward Dirk.

Deke watched her, felt her flow into his brother’s embrace. Already her hips undulated to the Samba’s sensual beat. “You are caught. Tell us your name,” he gently ruled.

“I don’t know your names,” she protested, her voice husky with her rising heat. “Rabbits,” she uttered. “Hares,” she corrected herself.  “I am caught by Jackrabbits. It should be the other way around.”

“Didn’t you know?”  Dirk crooned to her, as his hands swept over his hips, then her sweet-riding ass. “Rabbits, Hares are the original tricksters.”

“So, it was decreed by the Goddess many, many moons ago.” Deke lightly gripped her thighs, and stroked upward. His palms claimed the full swell of her ass before he tugged her fake tail. Briefly.

Like the sassy woman coyote she was, their captured trickster shook her rabbit tail for him. Deke rumbled a carnal growl.

“Karly,” she announced in a queen bitch’s tone. “My name is Karly.”

~~~~~~

 I offer a free flashread about every week at SHAPESHIFTER SEDUCTIONS ~http/shapeshifterseductions.blogspot.com ~

These are the other blogs I belong to:

HAPPILYEVER AFTER ~ http://happilyeverafterauthors2.blogspot.com

LINDSAY’SROMANTICS ~ http://lindsaysromantics.blogspot.com

RomanceWriter’s Behaving Badly ~ http://romancewritersbehavingbadly.blogspot.com

TITLEMAGIC ~ http://titlemagic.blogspot.com

Siren-BookStrandAuthors’ Blog ~ http://sirenbookstrand.blogspot.com

~~~~~~

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

Savanna: These days I find my time for hobbies is severely limited. Since I do most of the cooking I sometimes come up with my own recipes. Some of them, like my Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe, end up in one of the flash scenes I write for my heroines and heroes. Their love stories continue after the happily ever after, and I love revisiting them.

Whenever I do get a bit of time I love to draw with felt tip colored pins. Two of my horse drawings are included in my book cover art. I also enjoy crafting with fabric paints, and use them to decorate old lightbulbs so they look like Christmas decorations. If my life had taken other turns I might have been an artist.

TSR: What’s next for you?

Savanna: That is such a good and complicated question right now. For various reasons, I came to a crossroads in my career after Kandy Apple and Her Hellhounds was released. Yes, I am working on the sequel to my western menage, BRANDED BY THE TEXANS, titled: Throw Caution to the Texas Winds. I also have a super-wolf shapeshifter novella about half finished that takes place in our ShapeShifter Seductions’ town of Talbot’s Peak. 

However, the world of ebooks is changing at a phenomenal rate, and I’ve been looking at different options, and deciding on which direction I want to go -- just where I might want to dip a toe in. In the meantime, I asked for and received my author rights back for RED LIONESS TAMED and BLACK CAT BEAUTY.

Given it’s sometimes difficult to find a good publisher who wants to republish books, I’ve been learning about Indie publishing -- no easy task since I’m tech-challenged. My first thought was to offer some of the erotic romance short stories I’ve written. As it turns out, to do that well will take a whole lot of effort and time, and for me the learning curve has been steep. So, right now, I have no idea how long it will take. Darn it.

Currently, I’m in the process of reading through Red Lioness. Since I no longer have to be concerned about word count, I’ve been adding to the story, making it a richer, more in-depth read. The plan is to Indie publish, but that could change. Everything is in flux for me, my WIPS, and my books -- which has been driving me nuts!

All I can say is stay tuned. Because I’m working really hard to get more books out there.

Greetings, Michele and lovers of steam and thrill. I’m happy to be here at the Steam Room today. Thank you for having me again. If my name is new to you, I write gritty, high-action Paranormal/Sci-Fi Romance for BookStrand Publishing, and I’m very excited to give you a sneak peek of my upcoming release, Gangbusters. This is the third book in my angels & demons/futuristic romance series, I-Marshal Stories. I invite you to explore the series on my web site. Where do the mortals fit in the war between Light and Darkness?

Blurb:

            Daniel Tierney and his fellow I-Marshals take down the organizations producing the most dangerous substance in the Alliance. But reporter Faith Vedder turns up at the worst times, including Danny’s near-assassination. He’s had enough of her interference and requires her source of information.

            Faith won’t tell him anything that compromises her Pulitzer-worthy story, not even under the magic of hot attraction. She doesn’t know she’s surrounded by fallen angels at war. Danny’s not finished making demands. She doesn’t understand until a giant, snorting, winged monster slobbers down her back, threatening to flay her.

            The gangbusters can’t delay in their mission to shut down gangs until Danny learns the new criminal kingpin of their world is a man who once held Faith’s heart. In the guise of a gangland executioner named Heretic, Danny will destroy him. Even if it destroys Faith.

            Angels are watching. Demons are plotting. Faith is the key.

Here’s the first bite of Gangbusters:

“Stand over here, in the candlelight.”

Faith went to the spot where Danny pointed, and she stood in her Pulitzer gown for his inspection. He gained his feet, produced a thornless red vine rose from the side table, and he twisted it around the dress strap, then he returned to the bed and took in the sight of her. A rose was a gift of love, not a gift of acquaintance or friendship. The flowery fragrance enhanced her longing for him. The candlelight silvered his gray sight in a tactile way, but she always did feel his eyes when they were fixed on her.

“Do you like the gown?” she couldn’t help asking. His concentrated attention through overlong salt-and-pepper bangs caused her nipples to rise and brush against the soft cloth, quickening her for his capture.

“Very much. You look stunning in the dress, Faith,” his baritone voice murmured. His lips pressed together, revealing the tension it gave him. “The threads of the lace shimmer in the flame glow.”

Oh… Soft, flickering light seemed to cling to him instead of illuminating much else in the room. His breathing livened. His study of her lasted so long, she began to shy from his devoted gaze. “Have you had enough yet?”

“No. You aren’t enforcing a time limit, are you?”

She broke into an embarrassed smile, and his sly gaze said he enjoyed his torture of her.

“I’m divided. I want you to eat, but I want to take that dress off you.”

“Some people think they have problems.”

Rising from the bed again, he collected the covered plate and eating utensil, and set them in her hands held out before her. Then he removed the cover to present a dish in the meatball family, brown sauce variety, and unrecognized vegetable-looking things. His smile bordering on the diabolical, he loaded the utensil and put it to her mouth. Her sharp eye on him, she accepted a flavor she’d never encountered before, savory, mysterious, delectable. So was Danny.

Stalking, he roved around until he was behind her, and he leaned and pressed his nose to her exposed neck, inhaling her freshly bathed scent as she chewed and swallowed. His draw of air sent a cool slide of breeze over her low-cut bodice, propelling a deeper tingle through her body. The act carried such an animal-feel to it. The alpha-male predator had brought his chosen a meal...and he savored his upcoming reward for that.

Having already been beneath him, arrested and detained by him, she chewed quicker. Was she sweating yet? She soon would be. Oh, gawd, she already throbbed, her body programmed now and eager for his possession. Did he know he owned her? She bet he knew.

His hair danced over her bare shoulder.  “You smell like delicious dinner.”

Every word he uttered with that deep voice was verbal chocolate, making her ache all the more for him. “You always have an invitation to feast upon me, Danny.”

She felt his lips thin into another secret smile against the sensitive flesh as he pressed sizzling kisses up her neck to her ear.  “Every night I’ll figure out a way to put you in my bed.”

Should she tell him how easy that will be?

Weakened, she scooped up a forkful of dinner and fed him over her shoulder. He groaned his approval, and he sent his big hands to span and stroke her figure in the silky gown, a sensuous experience that blotted out everything for the moment but his contact and body heat. She would memorize a list of the things that made him groan. Hearing it launched cascades of thrill through her. His exploration slipped downward from behind her and onto her belly, pressing her against his long, hard physique and sliding downward to the heat between her thighs. She almost dropped the plate.

Mm…Danny and good food together. That was total pleasure.

“Dinner’s very good.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

Again, he commandeered the fork, scooped up a bite,and sent it to her mouth. As she chewed, he placed a sucking kiss below her ear. Then she forgot to chew, taken by the fantastic shower of ecstasy he inflicted, and she had to remind herself again to chew. His breath on her body enticed her to a new level of want.

Another bite administered, he drew the zipper of the dress all the way down her back. His radiating warmth traveled over her newly exposed flesh, banishing any chill from the room. Another bite of meatball delivered to her mouth, and he lightly drew his fingertips down her bare back, as though he savored the sexy moment. She swayed under the spell he cast. Another bite, and he slipped his hands into the dress, around her, and cupped her breasts.

“Oh…” she muttered, and the rough surfaces of his palms and fingers abrading her tender flesh played with her nipples, stoking the fire.

“Take another bite..” His whispers rushed lightning through her body..

Hands slid from her dress, and she turned to watch him pull his T-shirt from his torso, all iron-worked muscle, pale flesh, a thin scatter of body hair she wished to feel scrubbed against her.  Again. His thick, salt-and-pepper hair skimmed broad shoulders as his silvery sight never left her.  Before they’d made love in shadows and in silhouette, and she hadn’t seen him wholly nude.  Just shirtless, he was beautiful, blessed with a holy kind of glamor that activated her soul.

Oh…

He fed her another bite of dinner, then he released the clip holding back her freshly dried hair, and his long, tapered fingers caught her tumbling tresses. Stirred to a corrupt snicker, he took in the scent of her hair as though it told him everything about her, as if it fed every hungry part of him.

“How can your T-shirt say you’re faster than light when you’re so torturously slow with me?”

“I know, the longer I take with you, the more you’ll moan in my ear.  And I like that a lot. It’s a triumph to feel you under my power, Faith.”

That just made her moan.

He took the empty plate from her hand and set it aside on the table, then he put her in his arms. Her hands went to his broad back ending in a V at his waist, sinew rolling like ocean waves over his big frame with his every action. Her fingertips tingled touching him. He’d said he wouldn’t let her go to Max’s without making love to her. The intent in Danny’s eye revealed his plot to ruin her freshly bathed scent.

Another shift of air made her conscious of the perspiration rising to her flesh just from being near his oven of a body, made worse by teasing caresses. “Are you enjoying the moment of marking me for the demons to detect?”

“Enormously. I’ll kick them in their heads if they touch you.” His demon-slaying grin gave away his entertainment. She knew he meant for Max to get that message, as well, though Danny didn’t need to send it. Max wasn’t a demon in disguise.

“This is like unwrapping the most fun present.”

She loved being explored by him, adored it, and she noticed each lithe movement of his heavenly warrior-body, marveled at how well he’d been put together for hunting criminals and hellish merchants of misery.  She’d never discourage him from doing that  duty. Those monsters better run and hide.

Danny wasn’t a monster. Was he? The only way to find out was to get as close to him as possible. She wanted to be in his mind, under his skin. She didn’t want secrets between them.

She reached for his jeans and unbuttoned them, feeling him hard beneath the metal teeth of the zipper. He pushed the jeans to the floor for the unwelcome interference they were. Her mouth went dry at the unveiled sight of him, worthy of an artist’s sketch, all muscle, brains, instinct, skill, action. And an abundance of heat.

Danny was better than perfect. He was physically superior.

But what was he on the inside? She’d need to get inside him to find out. She wanted to know who he really was. The progeny of an angel, the breed of a demon. She recalled her brief study of the heavenly races. If Danny turned out to be more angel, what would that mean? Angels did many benevolent things, but they also struck down populations with disease, disaster, and genocide. A single angel wielded the power to destroy cities, cause famine, flood a planet. Angels were heaven’s hit men.

***

Look out for Gangbusters, coming in November, just when you thought the monsters were gone for another year.

Buy Link: http://wwwBookStrand.com/gangbusters

Consider pre-ordering so you won’t forget. I mean, what if they run out? :-)

Website Link: Discover hot, peril-packed excerpts, watch a mysterious book trailer: http://www.michelehart.com/b28-book.htm   Write the first review!

TSR: Tell us about Gangbusters..

Michele H.: Investigative journalist Faith Vedder is chasing black-market cartels to earn her Pulitzer. Zeroing in on a pharmaceutical corporation distributing a new product designed to make crime undetectable, she’s captured by a dangerous gangland hit man who appears—at first—to be a cop in deep cover.  But Danny Tierney is not like any law enforcement officer she’s ever encountered. He has peril-appeal, a dark and disturbed past, and a body count that keeps rising. He compels her to react to his predator-lure. Just when she falls into his steamy embrace, she figures out Danny’s idea of a good day at the office involves making demons scream. And his friends are just as strange. Faith knows what’s coming when the man who’d once broken her heart rises to a criminal throne…and contacts her. A massive racketeering case becomes a battle between the Fallen and Nephilim demon hunters. Whoever walks away with Faith wins this war. Turns out, Danny’s the jealous type. Who knew?

TSR: You’ve written several myth romances. Did you read a lot of myth as a child?

 Michele H.: One of the first things I remember reading was all the Greek myth in my elementary school library, and I never got my fill. I’ve spent decades studying world myth, first biblical myth, then more ancient Mesopotamian and more modern European mythology.

I came into writing myth romance by serendipity. Originally, I was a sci-fi/fantasy writer when I wrote an angel romance for a friend who loved angels. Then I was invited into an anthology to write a story for Thalia, the muse of comedy. A couple of years later, I have an angels &demons/sci-fi romance trilogy. Just like that, sort of.  :-) I’ve a few more planned along with other ideas unrelated. It hasn’t been a planned strategy to write myth romance, but more of a tide that’s swept me there. I’m having the best time writing them. I hadn’t realized fifteen years ago when I was reading Babylonian demi-god myth that I could craft a romance from it.

TSR: Something for the angel fans. Tell us about the angels you chose for the I-Marshal Stories.

Michele H.: I didn’t want to use the Big Three: Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. They are mentioned because they do play big roles in many of the angel myths. There are hundreds of named angels. I wanted to use angels most people weren’t familiar with. I chose Dokiel, an angel of judgment, for Vigilant. Most people aren’t familiar with him, but if you’ve seen the movie Excalibur, you’ve heard Morgana call upon Dokiel in her spell-cast. In Gangbusters, Metatron makes a couple of appearances. Mostly unknown these days, Metatron was such an important angel, he had over a hundred names. To us, he sounds like a new Transformer. :-) The next few stories will have lesser known angels, as well. I hope it entices readers to look into the angel myths. They’re as fun as the more famous Greco-Roman mythologies. They are a kind of super-hero…with the Maker’s agenda.

TSR: What are some of your guilty pleasures?

Michele H.: I have some serious chocolate and peanut butter issues, both separately and together.  I’m dealing with it.  I’m onthe wagon now. It’s horrible, really really horrible..  :-) In fact, I might fall off the wagon before I’m done with this interview.  All I can think about is the Halloween candy on sale at the grocery store only a tiny, little, eensy-weensy, mere block up the road. I wouldn’t be too surprised if the manager stopped me at the door and told me my family forbids my entrance.

TSR: What kinds of stories do you like to read? Any favorite authors or novels?

Michele H.: I love all speculative fiction. I love the fantastic, the bizarre, the extreme.  Not to live it myself, but to watch. Favorite authors. Angela Knight,  Jennifer Estep, Katie MacAlister.

TSR: What are some of the things you want to do before you die?

Michele H.: My bucket list. I haven’t stopped to think about it until now. I’ve done so many strange things, I don’t really think of the next thing to do. I know it’s going to come to me.

I want to contribute to world peace. I want to maintain my weight for the next forty years, tested by the contents of my grocer’s candy aisle. I want to learn how to survive in a snowy environment. I want to sell one more book. (What could it hurt?)

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

Michele H.: If I’m not writing, I’m studying. Born with World Book Encyclopedia in my blood. My grandmother had been a WB salesperson. No doubt programming at an early age was involved. I’m so grateful for the Internet. My notebook comp weighs less on my lap than the entire set of World Book. I move from one project to another, learning something new. It’s difficult to take me away from it. It’s my favorite thing to do.

TSR: Do you have any advice for new writers?

Michele H.: Yes, but not about writing, more about career and skills. As you dream and prepare for publication, do yourself a huge favor and learn art programs, book trailer software, HTML. Along the way, learn to build your own web site. Why? On the other side of the contract, you’ll learn much of the cost and work of promoting your book is on your shoulders. What you cannot produce yourself will cost you money. There is a lot to pay for. Another great reason to do it all yourself is the total control. You decide what the bookmarks look like and you make them in your own timing. You can also make changes without annoying another human being and without breaking the bank. I learned art and HTML programs along the way, and am glad I did. I would have made a second person scream with corrections. Building your own promotions is another artistic outlet that feels wonderful.  There’s no better feeling than a reader or author seeing and admiring your creations and asking you who did them, and you being able to say, I did that. It’s like hearing your children are beautiful.

TSR: What’s next for you?

Michele H.: I’m break-neck busy during scary season. I invite you to follow my monsters and me! No torches, please. My hair will explode.

-On October 22nd, I’ll be at the St. Pete Times Festival of Reading. I’m very excited about that.

-On Oct 23rd, I’ll be throwing down excerpts at  the Creatures of the Night celebration at LoveRomances Cafe. That’s going to be a great show.

-Oct 29th, Halloween weekend, I’ll be at the Halloween Bash at The Long and The Short of It, LASR to you die-hard Romance fans. Another great monster show.

-Gangbusters comes out in November. Hours of tense adventure with big and handsome heavenly warriors for you.

 -On November 10th, it’s The 2011 Fall For Romance One-Day Event. Come chat with me and fine authors writing the stories you want to read. We’re giving away  e-books and other great stuff. Let’s talk about paranormal/sci-fi/fantasy, your favorite monster, the next great invention. Bring a cool subject with you or you can borrow one of mine.

-Then, I’m off to a secret adventure with an old friend. This is the only place a Torch is allowed. A little inside joke there. December should be filled with writing the next I-Marshal story, and rest, I hope. It’s been an action-packed year, ending in a sprint.

Thanks, everyone at The Steam Room, for spending a few minutes with me. I wish you a safe and exciting Halloween season. Investigate me. www.ILoveShape-Shifters.com.

Check out my book trailers: http://www.MicheleHart.com/booktrailers.htm.

Wishing romance and thrills,

Michele Hart

Gangbusters– Coming November 2011.

In the end, it’s either you or the demon that comes for you.

The Steam Room welcomes author Lauren Fraser!

I guess I should introduce myself before we get started so you know who you’re reading about today. My name is Lauren Fraser and I write contemporary erotic romance and contemporary romance. I’m published at Ellora’s Cave, Liquid Silver, Total E-Bound and Freya’s Bower.

I want to thank the Steam Room for having me as a guest. I’m thrilled to be here and I’m looking forward to chatting with you all.

Blurb:

When it comes to her career, Josie Sharp sees things with perfect clarity, but her love life? Well, that’s completely out of focus. Coming off a rough breakup, she’s insecure and hesitant about men, especially ones as sexy as firefighter Marco Patelli. Although she may be wary of his intentions, she’d have to be a fool to pass up the chance to be with a man like him. And foolishness is not in her genes.

Josie is nothing like the women Marco normally goes for, but something about the shy photographer’s vulnerability calls to his dominant side. As he helps Josie explore her sexuality, Marco realizes there is so much more to Josie than meets the eye.

But when lies and insecurities collide, Marco is going to have to fight to prove to Josie that what they have goes so much deeper than sex. 

Buy Link for Ellora’s Cave: http://www.jasminejade.com/p-9515-too-hot.aspx

Buy Link for Too Hot on Amazon Kindle

Check out Lauren’s Amazon page!

Her'es Lauren's Website Link: http://www.laurenfraser.com 

Excerpt:

Josie made her way toward the gym. The sound of old-school, AC/DC’s Thunderstruck, carried down the hallway. At the doorway she stopped and looked inside. Her eyes nearly bugged out of her head as she saw Marco running on the treadmill. Alone in the gym, he ran at a grueling pace. Sweat ran down his bare chest. She followed the path of one droplet as it snaked between the ridges of his abs, through the dark hair under his belly button and into the waistband of his shorts. She tried to swallow but her throat seemed to have closed tightly, forcing her to gulp for air. Holy mother of god, she wanted to lick every inch of his body.

His eyes met hers, heat flared between them. He must have seen the raw lust on her face because a slow, carnal smile spread across his face.

“Hey, Josie, give me one sec.” He flicked off the treadmill, grabbed his t-shirt from the handle and wiped it across his face.

“Did you get my message?” he asked.

Unable to drag her eyes from his chest, she nodded.

“So, what’s your answer?”

“My what?” Raising her head, she sighed. Oh the man was beautiful. Around him somehow her mind shut off and she became a bumbling idiot. His eyes twinkled with amusement and he winked.

“Are you up for coming out with us tonight?” he asked again.

She blinked, trying to clear the fog. God, he must think she was such a loser. She couldn’t even have a normal conversation. “Umm…sure,” she stammered.

Marco stepped toward her. Josie’s nipples beaded tightly, pressing against the lace of her bra.

A sexy smile curved the corner of his lips. “Do I make you nervous, Red?”

She squared her shoulders. “Of course not,” she said, forcing herself to stand her ground and not move away.

He grinned and moved closer. She could feel the heat from his body and the scent of his sweat turned her on better than any cologne ever could.

He tucked her bangs behind her ear and trailed his hand along the back of her neck, cupping her head with his palm to hold her in place.

“Then how come you’re shivering now?” he whispered against her ear. His hot breath sent another shiver through her body. “ Josie, clearly you’re as attracted to me as I am to you so why are you fighting it?” he asked.

“I’m not fighting anything.” Damn, the breathless sigh in her voice didn’t exactly add much validity to her statement.

“Liar,” he said and nipped her earlobe between his teeth. The touch sent an arrow of heat straight from her ear to her pussy and she clamped her knees together.

Marco ran a teasing path along the shell of her ear. It felt amazing. She closed her eyes and tilted her head to allow him better access.

“Don’t make me prove you wrong, Josie.”

Her eyes flashed open, meeting his. The heat burning in his eyes was almost enough to melt her on the spot.

Trying to hold onto some semblance of control, she said, “Guys like you aren’t attracted to women like me.”

He wrapped his muscular arm around her waist and pulled her hips against his. The hard length of his cock pressed against her stomach. “Clearly my body is telling you otherwise.”

Holy cow, he really wanted her. She grinned to herself. Without thought, she shifted her body and rubbed against him, loving the way she could feel his cock thicken through his gym shorts.

He hissed in a breath.“Damn, Red.”

She leaned back, putting alittle space between them and trailed her finger down the length of his chest,stopping at the waistband of his shorts. His breathing increased as he watchedher finger.

“So you seriously want to have dinner with me?”

His cock twitched beneath the fabric of his shorts. He gripped her hips firmly with his hands and rubbed against her. “What I’d like is to have you for dinner but we can start with grabbing a bite to eat. You seemed a bit umm…unsure the other day so I thought you’d be more comfortable with a group thing.”

Unsure. That was one word for it. Terrified of making an ass of herself was more like it.

“So what do you say, Josie? You free tonight?”

TSR: Tell us about Too Hot.

Lauren: Too Hot is my latest book out from Ellora’s Cave. It’s a contemporary erotic romance about a firefighter and a photographer.  The hero is a super sexy alpha male and I  think the heroine is the type of woman that most of us can relate to on some level, she’s got a few insecurities and hangups but she pushes past all those and the results are explosive.

TSR: What draws you to fire fighters?

Lauren: Oh goodness there are lots of things. They’ve got that whole alpha male thing going on, which let’s be real is very sexy. They’re strong both physically and mentally. They’re heroes, sort of a modern day knight in shining armor and yes I know it’s not politically correct to say it but how can you not fall in love with that kind of guy?

I’m a really independent woman and hate letting people do things for me, but I’d like to know  that my guy could swoop in and rescue me if the need arose and not dissolve into a puddle instead.

TSR: What is the thing you most want to do?

Lauren: That’s a tough one there are so many things I want to do still. When my daughters are a little bit older I would love to take them on a white water rafting camping trip. Kind of like in that movie The River Wild but without the killer. LOL I’ve done a lot of kayaking but I’ve never done a white water rafting trip and I’ve always wanted to so that seems like an amazing family trip.

TSR: What are your three favorite movies and why?

Lauren: My movie taste is pretty diverse, so let’s see my top three would maybe be. My Sister’s Keeper because that movie made me cry like a baby.  Highlander is right up there on the top of my list, no idea why, maybe it’s the Queen soundtrack and Sean Connery but I just love that movie LOL and third oddly enough probably The Sound of Music because it used to come on once a year when I was a kid and my mom and I would hunker down and watch it every single time it came on TV and sing along.

TSR: How did you get into writing erotica?  

Lauren: I’m a huge sucker for romance so when I started writing I naturally was drawn to writing those kind of stories and honestly I think sex is a huge part of a healthy loving relationship so it only seems natural to write about that part of the relationship as well.

TSR: What is the most unusual thing that’s ever happened to you?

Lauren: I lived in a haunted house for a couple of years.  It was an old house with an attic and a there was a bedroom built up there.  The previous tenants moved out because they swore there was a ghost and several people I know swear they saw a woman in the attic. She was always described the same way so who knows.  I personally never saw her but then I didn’t really linger in the open attic area, and I always turned the light on before I went upstairs. I wasn’t taking any chances. LOL

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

Lauren: I love to cook and I’m pretty much willing to try making anything. I get really bored eating the same type of foods so I’m always experimenting in the kitchen to find new things to make or putting a new twist on an old recipe.

My kids and I spend a lot of time watching The Food Network, and then of course, we have to try our hand at making our own variation of some of the things we’ve seen. Some of the stuff turns out amazing and some… well we don’t talk about that. *grin* but it’s always fun to try to make.

TSR: What’s next for you?

Lauren: I’m currently working on a cowboy menage story.  I grew up riding horses and spent a lot of time at rodeos in my teens and early twenties, so I’m a big sucker for a cowboy and oddly enough I’ve never written about one so I figured it was time to remedy that.

The Steam Room welcomes author Jan Springer!

After several years as a caregiver to her ill father, Jan Springer has now returned to full time writing once again. Jan thanks her readers for their wonderful patience, support and advice during her trying times. She’s also pleased to announce a new series called “The Desperadoes” releasing from Siren BookStrand and she plans on continuing her several series at Ellora’s Cave as well as expanding her stories to other publishers.

Blurb:

A fiery eruption of solar flares disintegrates most of Earth’s human population, frying electrical grids around the world and thrusting everyone into a cold, harsh land where only the strong survive.

Forced to become a pleasure girl in order to survive, Teyla Sutton reluctantly agrees to service dangerous desperado Logan Leigh and his two friends. White-hot pleasure becomes addictive beneath Logan’s tender touches and his hard, muscular body. What Teyla never expected was to fall in love. Logan knows he shouldn’t allow the Pleasure Girl into his heart, but he also knows it’s too late because she’s already there.

Soon three desperadoes are whisking Teyla away on an exquisite journey into her hottest dreams and forbidden desires. When she learns they are members of the notorious Durango Gang, can she allow them into her life, or will she send them away forever?

Buy Link: http://www.bookstrand.com/the-pleasure-girl

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

Buy Pleasure Girl for your Kindle

See the rest of Jan's books at Amazon

Excerpt:

“I do anal, oral and vaginal. Condoms are a must. No kissing on the mouth,” she said trying hard to keep the huskiness out of her voice. God, just talking sex with this guy was kind of exciting.

"Bondage. I want to do some bondage on you, plus you’ll have to accept three men doing you at the same time or there's no deal."

Three men at the same time! She’d never done that before.

Before she could mount a protest, he held up a hand.

"We want access to all of you, whenever we want for tonight, tomorrow and tomorrow night. You'll get half your money up front. The other half at the end of the second night. You'll wear no bra while we are here. You’ll dress the way I want you to dress. The first night is just us then tomorrow and tomorrow night will be the four of us. The next morning we’ll be gone. Is that acceptable to you?"

Teyla couldn't believe how warm her cheeks had gotten at what he’d said or how nervous she’d become too.

She'd never agree to bondage. They could tie her up and slit her throat or torture her and she wouldn’t be able to defend herself.

"No bondage. No pain," she said firmly

"No pain, and only your wrists bound. Your legs will be free."

“Yeah, like that'll help me if I need to fight you off."

"You'll be too busy fighting the pleasure. Mrs. Sutton."

She blinked at the sultry way his deep gravelly whispered through her.

His smile dropped into a serious frown. “Mrs. Sutton, if I wanted to harm you, I would have done it early this morning when I first saw you hanging up your laundry."

"Maybe you need an audience,” she replied, tartly, feeling spooked at the thought he’d been lurking around here all day watching her and she hadn’t even noticed.

"I enjoy watching a woman get fucked and I enjoy an audience when I'm taking a woman.”

He certainly got to the point, didn't he?

If Liz sent him to her then Teyla would have to trust he wouldn’t hurt her. She just wished Liz could have come herself with the guy and made the introduction. She shook away those thoughts. She was acting like a child. This would simply be a business transaction. No emotions. Just like all her other clients.

"We’ll see,” she said and she noticed the heat flare again in his brown eyes.  She’d expected an argument but he was pleased with her answer.

TSR: Tell us about The Pleasure Girl.

Jan: I really enjoyed writing The Pleasure Girl – Book 1 in my Desperadoes Series. The series is a post-catastrophe erotic romance and Teyla Sutton is one of hundreds of thousands of people who survive the solar flares that disintegrate people and knock out electrical grids world-wide. She’s lost her husband, her unborn baby and the rest of her family. The story picks up a few years after the solar flares. The weather has gotten colder due to the interruption of the magnetic layer around Earth and Teyla is struggling to make ends meet with a solar powered greenhouse. She has become desperate and in order to survive she’s a part-time Pleasure Girl, entertaining men in her secluded farmhouse. She doesn’t like what she has to do – that is until Desperado Logan Leigh shows up seeking her sexual services for himself and his two friends, who will show up a day later. Logan is the first man to put Teyla’s pleasure before his own and his tender yet rough lovemaking has her hooked on the guy from their first night together.

But Logan is a fugitive, a bank robber with the Durango Gang. The members of the gang are wanted by those people they rob. The last thing Logan wants to do is fall in love with any woman. He’s in pain from the loss of loved ones due to the solar flares, but realizes too late that he’s lost his heart to this lonely widow living in a valley in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. When his two friends show up, they take Teyla on a scorching sexual journey she’ll never forget.

TSR: How do you develop your characters?

Jan: For the most part I pick a hot picture of a movie star or TV actor and I draw my physical description from that picture. The character’s personality depends on what type of story I am writing. But usually I have a plot in place before I entertain how my characters will look and act. I guess you could say I am a plot-oriented writer.

TSR: Describe the perfect hero.

Jan: A hero for me is a guy who loves his partner unconditionally. He has to be confident, possess a sense of humor, is caring about others, and is sensitive.

TSR: What was the most romantic thing that’s ever happened to you?

Jan: A guy brought me gorgeous red roses on our first date. That was nice of him.

TSR: What inspired The Desperadoes series?

Jan: A year ago I saw an article online about what might happen if the sun’s solar flares went crazy. Word has it electrical grids could get fried world-wide from exploding solar flares. That got me to thinking about this really neat movie I saw when I was a teenager, about solar flares and people with certain genes disintegrating because of the flares. So I put the two scenarios together. I also have been dying to write westerns, but I figured that would be too much research, so I decided that with the above two scenarios; solar flares could put Earth into a western lawless type of life where only the strong survive. And that’s how my series “The Desperadoes” was born.

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

Jan: I love to bake. I also love to do vegetable preserves and make jams. Painting ceramics is a passion of mine and another hobby is keeping a couple of vegetable gardens going during the summer.

TSR: What’s next for you?

Jan: I’m very excited (and also sad) about completing my Heroes at Heart series (Ellora’s Cave). Currently I’m working on the final book “Captive Heroes”, which should be completed by mid-October 2011. The ending of this series is so intriguing. I hope the readers will be both pleased and pumped at how the series ends. Then I’m back to work on my other series.  The Desperadoes (Siren BookStrand), The Outlaw Lovers (Ellora’s Cave), and other ones that are currently ongoing. So, it looks like I am back in action and I hope to bring more exciting stories to my readers. Thanks so much for having me at The Steam Room!

Hello!  My name is Josie Dennis and I’m a new Erotic Romance author.  My characters find love in the most amazing places and the Happily Ever After is a guarantee. I believe that readers who like their romances hot, and their heroes and heroines open to ideas they’ve only explored in their fantasies, will find my stories very satisfying. I’ve recently launched my Classics Rekindled series, M/F/M ménage a trois stories inspired by the classics.

Blurb for Wild Heights:

Cathy Earling has loved Edward Linden and Henry Heath forever. When they are away, it is as if two pieces of her heart are missing, beating again only when they return. Edward and his late father’s ward Henry have shared women before, but now they want to make Cathy theirs. After a wild, storm-drenched afternoon on the moors, the three begin a liaison, bringing them more pleasure than any had ever imagined.

Together, Edward and Henry take Cathy to unexpected heights of passion, each encounter making them more certain that she is the only woman for them. As for Cathy, each time they are together she falls more in love with both of them. When gossip of their affair threatens to ruin her, Edward and Henry must convince her mind of what her body already knows: the three of them are destined to be together forever.

Blurb for Emmy’s Lesson:

Emmeline Woodson is an independent, strong-willed, and opinionated young lady. Gabriel Kingley, Emmy’s staid and stoic brother-in-law, is forever scolding her, even though he has secretly wanted her for years. When Stephen Churchill, Gabriel’s longtime friend and Emmy’s childhood chum, returns to town, he declares that he wants her as well.

Stephen proposes that he and Gabriel share her, and when they begin to teach her about desire and discipline, Emmy takes to their passionate lessons eagerly. Every skill she masters is rewarded, and every lapse is tantalizingly punished, until she craves the pleasure only they can give her.

But when Emmy learns that Stephen is engaged, she fears they will each find proper women to marry, and she will end up with neither, which will break her heart.

Gabriel and Stephen are determined they must teach Emmy to believe they love and want only her, but will this be her most difficult lesson yet?

Buy Links: http://www.bookstrand.com/josie-dennis                Wild Heights for your Kindle

Website Link: www.josiedennis.com

Excerpt from Emmy’s Lesson

“Bring the honey,” Stephen called as he led Emmy to Gabriel’s bedchamber.

Gabrielc omplied, his body thrumming with anticipation. With a tight rein on his own compulsions he would employ some of the leather items he’d had fashioned for their Emmy today, and given the manner in which she had taken to their lessons the other night he suspected she would be most receptive.

By the time he joined them Stephen had divested Emmy of her dress, stays, and stockings. Her thin linen drawers were visibly damp, no doubt due to Stephen’s play on her gorgeous breasts. Emmy reclined on Gabriel’s bed, moaning and purring as Stephen drew hard on one of her rosy nipples.

“Ah, Emmy,” Stephen growled, his mouth full of her flesh. A look of bliss crossed his face as he gave her breast a slow lick. “Honey, Switch.” He laughed softly. “Not that she needs sweetening.”

Gabriel stepped close to the bed and tipped the honey pot slightly, letting a thin lineof the sticky stuff drizzle down over her breasts. She gasped then gazed up at him. “Kiss me, Gabriel.”

He placed a drop of honey on her lips and then did so, letting his tongue stroke hers. He straightened and tore at his clothes, shedding his jacket and waistcoat, boots and shirt. He kept his breeches on for the time being, his cock straining at the fabric. It was the only thing keeping him from rutting on her like a beast. He wouldn’t do that today. No, Stephen would fuck her today.

Stephen sat back on his heels and took the pot from him. “Gabriel gets to taste you tonight, Emmy.”

Her eyes nearly crossed as she flushed in anticipation. “Yes, Gabriel,” she sighed, her eyes gazing dreamily up into his. “Do.”

Stephen placed a dollop of honey on her belly, bending his head to lick her there. Gabriel watched his tongue dip into her navel and noted the tell tale twitching of her legs. She was nearly there already, their Emmy. On the very edge of pleasure. He was nearly there himself. Joining them on the bed, he settled himself between her legs.

He’d thought to take his time, to bring her to pleasure slowly, excruciatingly, but he found he couldn’t wait. Stephen had talked of nothing but the sweetness of Emmy’s pussy, and Gabriel couldn’t wait to taste her himself. He tore her drawers from her, earning another delighted gasp from Emmy and a chuckle from Stephen. He grasped her slender thighs and spread her wide open, eyeing her beautiful pussy. The blond curls were dark and wet, the lips swollen. Her clit peeped out at him, and he took in a deep breath. He could smell her, sharp and sweet and Emmy.

“Honey,” he rasped.

“Yes, sweetheart?” Stephen teased.

Gabriel shot him a look of irritation, at which Stephen laughed. “All right, Switch.”

Another dip of the honey pot and a drop of golden honey fell on her flesh. She shivered in response and it was more than Gabriel could take.

Like a starving man, he fell on her. Driving his tongue deep inside of her he began a rhythm that soon had her bucking beneath him. “Gabriel!” she cried, grasping at his hair as she twisted and writhed.

“Bind her hands, Stephen,” he managed to say between licks. “Be gentle.”

Soft restraint tonight, just a taste of how giving up control can heighten her pleasure. He gazed at her, her hands bound with one of their cravats, her arms held over her head by Stephen and her legs held tightly in his own grasp. Heighten her pleasure? And theirs, most assuredly.

He lowered his mouth to her again. He faintly registered her sounds of passion, and Stephen’s of encouragement, as he sucked and licked and ate her like a madman. His cock throbbed as he thrust against the linens and he knew he’d disgrace himself if he didn’t cease. When she came in the next moment, a sharp keening sound coming from her as she climaxed, he drank every drop of her juices. Mingling with the honey, it was like nectar of the gods.

Lifting his head from her, he let out a shout. “My God, you’re incredible.”

Emmy murmured something in response, obviously still lost in the aftermath. Stephen met his gaze, waiting for his signal. Gabriel gave a nod and stood, adjusting his straining cock as he strode to the hidden cupboard in his dressing room.

He could hear Emmy and Stephen kissing, could picture every movement of the two of them, and his balls ached. He set aside a few waistcoats and opened the cupboard behind them, the scent of fresh leather hitting him. Running his handsover the various items within, he chose the short riding crop. It was tipped with a soft popper, slightly wider than one would employ when riding. The leather was supple, the handle well-wrapped and thick. He’d designed the handle as well, schooling his expression when the leathersmith indicated that it was decidedly phallic in shape. The seams were smooth, the leather warming beneath his touch. He flicked the crop against his palm, feeling a sting but raising no flesh. Excellent.

A smile teasing his lips, he returned to the bedchamber.

TSR: Tell us about Classics Rekindled.

Josie: The stories in this series are all inspired by the classics most of us read growing up. Wild Heights was inspired by Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights, and Emmy’s Lesson by Jane Austen’s Emma.  Tessa’s Redemption and Madison Park, to be published in November 2011, were inspired by Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the d’Urbervilles and Austen’s Mansfield Park respectively.  For me, the classics open an unending world of inspiration!

TSR: What kinds of liberties do you take with the characters or the story?

Josie: I have great respect for these books.  I try to expand on what I feel is evident in the heroine’s or hero’s character.  For example, in Wild Heights I’ve kept the wildness of Heathcliff (my Henry) but none of the tragedy.  As for Emma, who doesn’t want to spank the self-centered clueless heroine?  In Emmy’s Lesson , my Emmy learns more than she bargained for, and gains the greatest loves she could ever imagine. And the stern Mr. Knightley?  With my Mr. Kingley, we learn that he knows a thing or two about bondage and discipline to go along with those disapproving looks!

TSR: What draws you to these classic stories?

Josie: In so many of the classics there is a love triangle.  For me this is steamy conflict baked right in!  I love taking the characters I’ve grown to care about and make them dance to my tune, LOL.  Seriously, all great stories tend to stick with us.  How I love to rewrite the fateso f characters I’ve come to love (or hate) in literature! Turning a villain into a hero is particularly gratifying. Take the heroes (I use the term very loosely, LOL) from Tess of the d’Urbervilles. In my book Tessa’s Redemption, both men love my Tessa and hate each other. They have to learn to set their animosity aside if their threesome is going to last forever.

TSR: What is the most romantic thing that’s ever happened to you?

Josie: I can think of no grand gestures over my long relationship with my husband, just the caring little things and a constant connection.  I’m happy to say that my heart still jumps when I hear his voice.

TSR: What are the top 5 things on your bucket list?

Josie: Travel to Italy and see where my family originated, spend a year living in London, cruise to Alaska, live so close to the beach I can dip my toes in the surf every morning, and spend one entire day eating only chocolate.

TSR: Share one strange thing that happened to you or an odd quirk you have.

Josie: I have an incredible memory for things of little consequence.  I’m the person people call with trivia questions regarding TV and movies.  My friends have told me there is 2% of my brain dedicated to storing this information!  I love old movies (film noir and smart comedies are my favorites) and I grew up with TV as background music in the house.

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

Josie: I do love to cook, mostly Italian food.  I enjoy taking a recipe and making it my own.  I’m always experimenting in the kitchen. 

TSR: What’s next for you?

Josie: My series seems to taking off, I’m happy to say!  I have stories planned using many more of the classics as my inspiration, and I’m toying with the idea of a paranormal ménage series based on a magical race I “created.”  I’m thrilled to start this new journey and invite any interested readers to email me at josie@josiedennis.com Thanks so much for having me here in The Steam Room!