Characters in novels seem to always have the perfect witty comment at the tip of their tongues. I was wishing for that skill the other morning, and the exchange made me think of our latest heroine, who would have done far better than I. She was just interviewed over at the Romance Lives Forever Blog. You won’t want to miss her snappy repartee!
I was at our small town’s local market picking up eggs and tortillas. When I came to the cashier line, a good-looking Afro-American man in dreads motioned me to get in front of him; I’m sure he was at least two or three decades younger than I. I thanked him, and then he said “May I give you a compliment? I really like your hairstyle.” I thanked him for that as well and added, “and I really like dreads, so we’re even,” and he laughed.
What I wish I’d said? “I’m lucky enough to be old and gray, so I like to look sharp.”
I know that’s what Claire Johnson would have said – though since she tints her blonde hair to hide the gray, it wouldn’t have quite fit for her.
She and I have so many characteristics in common. I’ve loved writing her story in Ripening Passion (and her role in book one, Smoldering Passion) and am sorry she only plays a minor role in book three, coming August 18. She’ll be hard to let go of. She and I are both trim, look good for our age, take pride in what we look like, and are dedicated to health and fitness. I can’t claim to be as svelte as she is – I must be at least ten inches shorter. And I will say I’ve never cultivated the icy exterior she’s so skilled at. Oh, perhaps I should add another difference – I’ve never had sex on camera.
It’s been a great pleasure being inside her head and above all having the time to come up with her witty responses as her ice starts to melt. She’s recently been interviewed at a couple blog spots, so I thought I’d throw in one of her responses here (and thank you, Kayelle Allen, for this interview question):
Please provide a physical description of yourself.
Claire: Thank you for asking – call me vain if you like, but I’m really proud of the fact that I can still turn heads at age 59. I’m a tall trim blonde, and yes, I do touch up my hair color a tad. I used to keep a severe short hairstyle, but I’ve let it grow out a bit. By now I can rely on my presence and my stature to intimidate when I need to. Did I mention trim? I work out and I watch what I eat.
You can catch Claire’s entire interview HERE, and of course I hope we’ve tempted you into checking out Ripening Passion at this link:
Series: Passion Series, Book Two
Author: Adriana Kraft
Published by: eXtasy Books
ISBN: 978-1-4874-3813-5
Length: 254 pages, 75813 words
Publication Date: June 2, 2023
Genres: Erotic Romance, LGBTQIA, Contemporary Romance
Tags: Menage, Bisexual, New York City, Later in Life
Heat Level: Four Flames
Pairings: MF, FF, FFF, FMF, MFM
BLURB
Can Max melt the Ice Queen? Should he even try?
Claire Johnson’s dedication to sex—the cornerstone of her career—led her to help found the Center for Sexuality and Sex Practices. Now in her fifties, she knows the Center must keep pace with the rapidly growing Baby Boomer market, so she agrees to go back on camera for a series on sex and aging. But work with her nemesis?
Former English Professor Max Wilson has championed the cause of the Center ever since his now deceased wife sought the Center’s help to rekindle the nearly extinguished sexual flames of their relationship. He loves working on camera and welcomes the challenge to perform with the svelte but icy temptress.
Sparks fly immediately on and off camera. The jury is out on whether either Max or Claire can transform those sparks into a fire of sexual desire for their viewers—let alone for each other.
Supernatural Secret Service agents Owen Sharps and Calvin Springfield meet on the train to their new assignment in St. Louis, and sparks fly between them. But it’s 1897, and they need to be very careful—falling in love can be dangerous for men like them. It’s their first case together, investigating mysterious disappearances—including the two agents who preceded them. Grim evidence leads them to look for a darker purpose. Old ghosts haunt the railroad line, zombie rise, signs point to ritual sacrifice, and they suspect someone is trying to open the gates of hell. Can Calvin and Owen stop the mayhem, thwart the vampires, and find true love, or will everything go up in smoke? Peacemaker is a high-stakes steampunk MM romance thrill ride filled with found family, paranormal Pinkertons, intrepid reporters, mysterious disappearances, nefarious land brokers, hellhounds, zombies, vengeful spirits, dark spells, absinthe magic, a ruthless vampire railroad baron and a love that won’t be denied. Before Colt and Winchester, there was Sharps & Springfield!
Author Interview
Five random facts about the book/series.
The book is set in 1897, the same year that Dracula is published, and Owen is enjoying reading the new bestseller.
Fancy private passenger railroad cars, called Pullman Cars after the company that made them, were the private jets of their day. They could be very elaborate and extremely comfortable.
The TV show Wild Wild West was a favorite of mine and a definite influence, except that my MCs are *together*.
‘Sharps’ and ‘Springfield’ are brands of rifles.
Several side characters also show up in a big way in the Iron & Blood/Storm & Fury series written under our Gail Z. Martin & Larry N. Martin name. Sharps and Springfield is set in the same fictional world and there will continue to be overlap.
What is your advice for new writers?
Don’t give up. It always takes longer than you expect.
Make friends with other writers. Be allies, not competitors.
Always keep learning—new software, new promotional techniques, new ways to write better, etc. There’s always something you can benefit from learning.
Do good research. Your readers will know if you get details wrong.
Invest in a good editor. Everyone needs to be edited.
Excerpt
September 1897
Chapter 1
Owen
Owen Sharps chuckled as he read his book on the train to St. Louis. He had been waiting to get a copy of Dracula, the sensational new book from England, and had found one in a New Pittsburgh bookstore before heading to the station.
It’s got flair, and I like how splashy Van Helsing is, but it’s obvious Stoker never fought a real vampire.
Owen had heard about the book and its growing reputation for being frightening and violent. So far nothing he’s written compares to being covered in blood in an ice-cold cemetery at midnight, hammering a stake through a vampire’s heart, and trying not to get bitten. Then again, maybe I have a skewed perspective.
“Pardon me, is this seat taken?” A drop-dead gorgeous man waited for an answer. He had raven black hair, bright blue eyes, and plush lips that filled Owen with impure thoughts. The stranger carried a suitcase and an overcoat, with a newspaper folded under his arm. Owen took one look and would have booted his granny to the cargo car to free up the seat for the man.
“It’s all yours.” Owen gave a dismissive wave, tearing his gaze away so he’d quit staring. It wouldn’t do to drool.
“I think this might be the last open seat on the train.” The man stowed his suitcase and coat, settling in across from Owen with his newspaper.
Owen couldn’t help giving him the once-over. He figured the man to be slightly shorter than his own six-foot-two inches, and from the cut of his suit jacket, he had a trim, muscular build. Owen made a mental note to be sure to get a glimpse of what was likely a prime ass when they left the train.
“Where are you headed?” Owen thought that a little conversation couldn’t hurt. He wanted to remember the man’s voice to go with his image on nights when he sought relief alone with his hand. This fellow would never know he’d been promoted to the lead in Owen’s secret fantasies. Owen particularly liked the contrast between the man’s dark hair and athletic body to his own rangy build, blond hair, fair skin, and green eyes.
“St. Louis.” The man returned Owen’s scrutiny with an assessing gaze.
Owen sat up a bit straighter, oddly wanting to make a good impression on this person he was unlikely to see again. He felt the weight of the man’s inspection, which made him wonder. Is he a cop? Private investigator? Or maybe…like me?
They were both dressed equally well in suits that were department store quality but not bespoke. The stranger’s hair was fairly short but more fashionable than military, and he was clean-shaven. Owen wondered what a hint of dark stubble might do to heighten those high cheekbones and accentuate the impossibly blue eyes, and he felt himself chub in his pants.
None of that, he admonished silently. It wouldn’t do to raise suspicion. He probably just wants to make sure I’m not the sort to steal his suitcase when he’s not looking.
“I’m headed there myself,” Owen said. “Business or pleasure?”
The man looked amused at the question but not annoyed, which boded well. “Business. You?”
Owen nodded, surprised that he wanted to continue the conversa- tion instead of returning to his book. “The same. I’ve heard the food there is good, but I doubt I’ll have time to do any exploring.” He found himself at ease with the stranger. “Will you be staying in the city, or going on from there?”
“I’ll meet with my boss, but I spend most of my time traveling,” the fellow replied. “I don’t get to stay long in any one place.”
So we have that in common too. Makes it unlikely that we might meet up again the next time I come back to St. Louis. “Me, too. I’m a bit of a rolling stone.”
About the Author
Morgan Brice is the romance pen name of bestselling author Gail Z. Martin. Morgan writes urban fantasy male/male paranormal romance, with plenty of action, adventure and supernatural thrills to go with the happily ever after. Gail writes epic fantasy and urban fantasy, and together with co-author hubby Larry N. Martin, steampunk and comedic horror, all of which have less romance, more explosions. Characters from her Gail books make frequent appearances in secondary roles in her Morgan books, and vice versa.
On the rare occasions Morgan isn’t writing, she’s either reading, cooking, or spoiling two very pampered dogs.
Series include Witchbane, Badlands, Treasure Trail, Kings of the Mountain and Fox Hollow. Watch for more in these series, plus new series coming soon!
If bad things happen in threes, maybe good things come in twos.
Mr. Kraft and I have been actively promoting our most recent release, I Am Not for Sale, and we signed up for a pair of interview opportunities that were published just three days apart. Sometimes we find author interview questions boring – who really wants to know that stuff? But each of these, in its own way, was unique, thought-provoking for us, and gave us a window to share stuff we’re usually not public about.
We hope you like them!
Friday, January 14, we were guests at Seelie Kay’s Loft. If you’re not familiar with Seelie, she’s a fellow Extasy Books author, and we love both her feisty (sexy) lawyer series and her new vampire series (equally sexy). Here’s a snippet from our interview:
Joining me today in The Loft is the husband-wife writing team that goes by the name of Adriana Kraft. Breaking the mold of staid, fusty academics, the retired professors write erotic romance.
How did you meet your current partner? When did you know he was “the one?”
A: I was a graduate student and entry-level faculty member when he was hired onto the faculty of the program I worked in. I remember going, “Wow,” when I first saw him at the fall university gathering where new faculty were introduced. Evidently several other women did, too… In any case, the more we worked together, the more I liked him, and by the end of the academic year–with a push from one of our co-workers–he asked me out. We were married a year later, on the summer solstice. We’re still in love. Writing romance together both grows from and feeds into that love.
Then on Monday, January 17, we were guests Around the Campfire with D. V. Stone, an author we’ve just met, under her pen name Alana Lorens. We know you’ll like her most recent release, A Rose by any other Name, featured in our blog post earlier this month. I’ve downloaded this book and can’t wait to read it.
Here’s an excerpt from our interview:
What interests besides writing do you enjoy? For instance, what do you read or hobbies you have?
A:First, let me say how much we love the title of your “Around the Campfire” blog – we’ve always loved the outdoors, and we were each avid tent campers before we met. We took my husband’s three boys along on our honeymoon camping trip to the Rockies, and when we later lived in the west, often took advantage of the nearby forested mountains. I’ve attached a photo from one of those trips to the high Uintas.
When we lived in northern Minnesota, we tramped down a mile-long cross-country ski trail with our snowshoes and even skied it by moonlight one frosty night (as in twenty below…). Here in Arizona, we still love hiking, and we especially love exploring the many historic native sites across the state.
I hope you’ll check out our interviews and those authors!
Fellow Extasy author Maggie Blackbird is featuring I Heart The Holidays at her blog all this month, and Mr. Kraft and I stopped by to visit her today and talk about why we love writing holiday romances (and what’s tough about it).
Oh, and there’s an excerpt, too – hope you’ll stop by:
Martimus. An underwater habitat dedicated to pharmaceutical research.
Martimus. A facility that staffs its vessel with inmate labor.
Martimus. The place where inmates visit and never return.
Agent Cate Creighton is in love. Unfortunately, as the Agency honeypot, she is knee-deep in an assignment that tests the bounds of her new relationship. It seems eight socialites have gone missing, all wealthy twenty-somethings with influential parents. No one seems to care until a former vice president’s daughter disappears.
When the vice-president shares a tale of false arrest, a broken promise of deportation, an illegal diversion into a private prison, and an alleged trip to an unwater habitat called Martimus, Cate and her colleagues must find a way to follow the same path. In other words, they must enter the right prison, meet the right fixer, wind up on Martimus, and hopefully return in one piece. And it looks like Cate is the perfect bait.
That doesn’t sit well with Cate’s lover, former U.S. Navy Seal Warren Hazelton. He intends to protect her until death ‘til do they part.
Fortunately, another possibility appears, in the form of an MISix agent who has interfered in one too many Agency operations. Tillie Henderson owes them and they are all too willing to serve her up on a plate. It’s race against time as the Agency attempts to lure their adversary out of hiding and into their somewhat ambiguous trap. Maybe then Cate can finally focus on love.
Release Date: May 29, 2019
Publisher: Extasy Books
Romantic Suspense, Contemporary Romance, four flames
Tom cocked an eyebrow. “Warren, you’re a former Navy Seal. Isn’t there some sort of limit on the amount of time you can spend under the sea before it starts to seriously impair your health?”
Warren frowned. “Usually two weeks. After that, the lack of exposure to the sun and the constant high pressure oxygenated environment would begin to take a toll. There’s also a psychological impact. Think sensory deprivation. Your senses are out of whack because you’ve been dumped into a soundproof sponge. There is no normal sensory stimulation. No sunlight, no sound… Even taste and smell become compromised. Coming back to the real world would be an adjustment.
“In addition, those underwater stations are small. People are right on top of each other. Things we take for granted, like privacy, hot showers, home cooked meals, are in short supply. That can create anxiety, depression, and stress. No way he served that sentence consecutively. He had to take a break in between.”
Warren gazed at Tom. “That environment is more hostile than a prison. You may not be in danger from other inmates, but you are putting your life at risk. Three months sounds like way too much time to be stuck underwater though, especially if you’re not leaving the station for deep sea diving on a regular basis. They must be breaking up the time somehow, otherwise they’d have a pretty tough situation on their hands. A lot of contract workers would be headed to a rubber room. It would be extremely difficult to survive a month, much less three, down there.”
“Could they be treating the inmates like guinea pigs?” Hope asked. “Testing their limits? Tracking actual survival rates?”
Warren sighed. “Possibly. It’s not like they have to answer to anyone. They are located in international waters. No country in particular has legal oversight. I imagine they could be doing anything they want without recourse. Unfortunately, when the prospect of a reduced sentence is dangled in front of some people, they grab it, damn the consequences. If one or two inmates suffer some sort of harm or die along the way, they chalk it up to collateral damage.”
“And who’s going to know?” Cate shook her head. “Someone dies, they probably flush them down a chute into the deep sea and they become shark chum. No evidence left behind.”
Hope cringed. “God, that’s kind of evil. But that still doesn’t answer our original question. Where the hell is Fuzzy? Has he already served out his sentence? Has he been released, and if he has, where the hell is he? He’s the one we need to find. He could have a lot of the answers.”
“That lack of governmental oversight is troubling,” Tom said. “If Cassie McIntyre is down there, I can’t believe the CIA isn’t all over it. At least, our government should be doing a welfare check through the Red Cross or something.”
Warren grimaced. “Unless no one knows she is down there. Think about it. They are on the bottom of the ocean, more than two miles under the sea. It’s not like you can just go down there and knock on the door. Any regular monitoring would be impossible.”
Cate nodded. “And we haven’t been able to confirm that she embarked on the same path as Fuzzy. All we’ve got are suspicions. Right now, she’s missing. We need to sit down with her family and get more information. And we need to find other prisoners who contracted with Martimus.
“Otherwise, we’ve got nothing.”
About Seelie Kay:
Seelie Kay is a nom de plume for a writer, editor, and author with more than 30 years of experience in law, journalism, marketing, and public relations. When she writes about love and lust in the legal world, something kinky is bound to happen! In possession of a wicked pen and an overly inquisitive mind, Ms. Kay is the author of multiple works of fiction, including the Kinky Briefs series, the Feisty Lawyers series, The Garage Dweller, A Touchdown to Remember, The President’s Wife, The White House Wedding, and The President’s Daughter.
When not spinning her kinky tales, Ms. Kay ghostwrites nonfiction for lawyers and other professionals. She resides in a bucolic exurb outside Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where she shares a home with her son and enjoys opera, gourmet cooking, organic gardening, and an occasional bottle of red wine.
Ms. Kay is an MS warrior and ruthlessly battles the disease on a daily basis. Her message to those diagnosed with MS: Never give up. You define MS, it does not define you!
Because I am fascinated by the games people play to find and secure a lasting relationship, which is not always love. There’s the chase, the courtship, the falling, the surrender. That’s what I try to capture in my stories.
Q. Do you prefer a certain type of romantic hero?
I adore smart, dashing gentlemen who aren’t afraid to live on the edge. They can be a bad boy, a billionaire, a prince, or a secret agent. That hint of danger just hooks me! However, I they have to be paired with strong, independent women who aren’t afraid to fight for what they want, even love.
Q. Why did you write “Martimus?”
This is the final book in the series, so I needed a way to tie up a lot of loose ends. That meant the Feisty Lawyers needed a compelling story to accomplish that. Something in space was beyond the realm of believability, but something at the bottom of the ocean? The possibilities were endless. I went in all sorts of directions at first, but ultimately made Martimus a key step in a much broader journey. The bottom of the ocean is an unforgiving environment. Survival is never guaranteed. Divert a few socialites there to serve out a prison sentence, make then disappear, and you’ve got what I hope is an exciting story!
As a former lawyer, I also developed an interest in private prisons. These are institutions that are governed by a different set of rules, and not all institutions follow the same rules. In some cases, which private prison an inmate winds up in can mean the difference between survival and death. In addition, there have been several cases of prosecutors and judges who received a financial incentive to divert inmates to private prison. Some were so incentivized that people innocent of the crimes with which they here charged have been convicted just so the prosecutor or judge could get their kickback. It is an industry that requires serious regulation and monitoring.
Q. How does your former profession as a lawyer impact your writing?
My friends say I am obsessed with justice and I guess that’s true. After 30 years, the law and the legal world are so firmly embedded in my brain that I can’t flush them out. That has become the lens through which I view the world and that naturally guides my characters and plots. Injustice infuriates me, but it also leads me to great stories!
We’re thrilled to welcome
fellow Extasy author Seelie Kay to our pages this Valentine weekend, here to share
her newest release. Seelie’s characters are always dynamic, full of grit and
ready to take on the world. We can’t wait to see what she’s cooked up in this
Valentine romp!
I adore smart,
dashing gentlemen who aren’t afraid to live on the edge. They can be a bad boy,
a billionaire, a prince, or a secret agent. That hint of danger just hooks me!
However, I also love strong, independent women who aren’t afraid to fight for
what they want, even love.
Q. Why did you
write “The White House Wedding?”
It was a bit of a romp, really. I wanted to play off all the craziness
that is politics and Washington, D.C. The creatures in the great swamp have
become so predictable, a story about the political implications and hijinks of
a White House wedding just flowed from my pen. Plus, I always found it
interesting that a country that intentionally broke away from the monarchy,
goes crazy over royal weddings. Admittedly, I am one of them. I won’t get up at
4 a.m. to watch, like so many of my friends, but I will tape a royal wedding
and watch it later. And yes, I did seek teacups from Diana’s nuptials.
Unfortunately, none were to be found. At least stateside. I imagine once she
dumped Prince Charles, their value went up dramatically! Unfortunately, White
House weddings are rare and although we go crazy over royal weddings, I doubt
things would proceed so smoothly here. Every aspect of the wedding would be
dissected and criticized by the media and political opponents, making the
wedding itself a pretty negative experience, which is probably so few occur
here.
Q. The
characters in this book also appeared in “The President’s Daughter?”
Yes. “The President’s Daughter” is where the bride’s—Sarah Lee
Pearson—story first began. She had been kidnapped at age five and raised by her
nanny into her teen years. It was only after the people who raised her were
killed in a paper mill explosion that she began to search for other relatives.
A chance meeting with a presidential candidate, Jamisen Powell, leads her
search in a new direction and she discovers that he is, in fact, her birth
father. This is the continuation of that new relationship.
Q. I imagine in
this day and age, being the president’s daughter would not be an altogether
positive experience.
(Laughs.) As I observe the impact of the Trump presidency on his
children, I am exceptionally happy I was never put in that position. It must be
a horrible experience. We live in such negative times, a time when people seem
to place high value on their ability to shred reputations and destroy people.
All of the current chaos puts us one step away from anarchy. In fact, if you
think about it, it would be a perfect time for the Monarchy to attempt to
reclaim the colonies. We are so busy fighting each other, I question whether we
would band together to fight an outside threat. That’s just sad.
Q. How does
your former profession as a lawyer impact your writing?
In two ways.
First, my knowledge of the legal system permits me to predict the outcome of
certain events. Those events have played a key role in some of my stories.
Second, my friends say I am obsessed with justice and I guess that’s true. After
30 years, the law and the legal world are so firmly embedded in my brain that I
can’t flush them out. That has become the lens through which I view the world
and that naturally guides my characters and plots. Injustice infuriates me, but
it also leads me to great stories!
Blurb:
When
politics interferes with love, can love survive?
Getting
married isn’t easy when your father’s the President of the United States! After
reluctantly agreeing to a White House wedding, Sarah Lee Pearson, the
president’s daughter, finds herself swept into a political maelstrom of
unimagined proportions.
The
White House staff and the first lady see the wedding as a political event, a
way to sweep the president into his next term. Congress is complaining about
the collateral costs. The media is delightfully rehashing every aspect of
Sarah’s life, even those events that have nothing to do with the impending
marriage. And the American public? Visions of an American royal wedding have
swept them into a frenzy and vendors take advantage, making a quick buck off of
everything from limited edition t-shirts to commemorative teacups.
Sarah
and her fiancé, Sam, fight hard to ignore the craziness, but after learning a
bounty has been put on their heads by an anti-government militia group, they
have to decide whether a White House wedding is indeed worth it. And given all
the hurtful controversy, perhaps a better solution is to not get married at
all.
Excerpt:
“How does my
father feel about this?” Sarah asked.
“Your father wants you to do what makes you
happy.”
Jamisen Powell
entered his Chief of Staff’s office and nodded coldly at Jeremiah. He added,
“He would never ask you to do otherwise.”
Sarah smiled and
rose to kiss her father on the cheek. “Thanks, Dad. I knew you wouldn’t ask me
to be a political stool pigeon.”
Jamie Powell
chuckled. “No. That job apparently falls to staff.” He smiled at Sarah. “Look,
hopefully, you only get married once. Make a memory that will mean the most to
you and Sam. Nothing else matters.” He shook his head, “Maybe Jeremiah will get
lucky and your sister, Melissa, will hook some poor sucker before the next
election. She and her mother would be overjoyed planning a White House
wedding.”
Jeremiah scowled.
“I am only thinking about your re-election, Mr. President. Your first term has
been a bit rocky. You need a solidifying factor, something that will grab the
hearts and minds of the American public and provide a clear path into the next
term. Your story, a daughter lost and found after twenty-five years, especially
a daughter who just happens to be a stellar human being and a successful
international law attorney, won their hearts in the first election.
“Walking that same
daughter down the aisle, something you had never dreamed was possible? The
ratings alone will rival a royal wedding. No offense, but Melissa’s marriage—if
it ever happens—could never have the same impact. People don’t view her in the
same light as Sarah. Melissa is a flighty socialite. Her deep-seated sense of
entitlement offends. The ratings for her wedding would be nonexistent. But
Sarah? She’s the golden child. The American public loves her.”
The president’s
sapphire blue eyes, which mirrored Sarah’s, flashed with annoyance. “Be that as
it may, I am not about to force either of my daughters into something they
don’t want. Sarah has declined your request, and as far as I am concerned,
that’s the end of it. You will have to find another solidifying factor,
Jer. Surely I have done something that’s re-election worthy!”
When not spinning her kinky tales, Ms. Kay ghostwrites
nonfiction for lawyers and other professionals. She resides in a bucolic exurb outside Milwaukee,
Wisconsin, where she shares a home with her son and enjoys opera,
gourmet cooking, organic gardening, and an occasional bottle of red wine.
Ms. Kay is an MS
warrior and ruthlessly battles the
disease on a daily basis. Her message to those diagnosed with MS: Never give up. You define MS, it does not
define you!
If you follow author/publisher Emma Lai at all – and I do – you know she’s come through some tough times that have helped shape the power and depth of her stories. What I did not know, until I ran across it on Facebook a few weeks ago, was this:
“Want to know my life goal? Help 10 people become better, healthier people. Will I ever succeed? I don’t know, but I keep trying.”
I just knew there was a story there, and I’m pleased she’s willing to share it as part of our occasional Stay Sexy column, where my husband and I focus helping others stay vibrant, healthy, excited and sexy across the life cycle.
Adriana: For starters, could you tell us how long this has been your goal?
Emma: The day I wrote that was a couple of days after I had the thought, but if you ask my dad, it’s been my lifelong goal to make everyone around me happy. He was always telling me while I was growing up that I couldn’t please everyone. On its face, that statement could be read to mean that I wanted people to like me so I’d bend over backwards; but for as long as I can remember, I just wanted everyone around me to be as happy as I am (for the most part. I have my bad days, too.).
Adriana: And of course the next question is how it got started – what happened that made you take up this cause?
Emma: I’m a very empathic person, as opposed to just sympathetic. Sympathetic means you feel bad for other’s misfortunes. Empathic means you feel as if those misfortunes are your own as much as the other person’s. So being prone to mild depression, it behooves me to keep those I care about as healthy as possible because I can’t help but adopt their woes, which could send me deeper into depression—a place I prefer not to be.
Adriana: I’m assuming since you want to help others be “better, healthier people” that you have the same goal in your own life. What’s the story there – when, why?
Emma: I’m just now coming to terms with this, but I suffered from PTSD from traumatic delivery and postpartum depression for years. My son, who is four now, didn’t sleep much as an infant and toddler and then around 18 months went through a development reversal. (And yeah, people obviously thought autism, but it’s way more complicated a story than slapping so simple a label on it.) Anyway, my depression didn’t cause me to not want to take care of him, but rather I was hyper-aware of him and only him and doing whatever was necessary to help him overcome his obstacles. Needless to say, I had no thought for myself. I hardly slept; I ate junk; I didn’t exercise; and I ended up weighing as much as I did right before I gave birth to him—that’s an extra fifteen pounds of weight I didn’t need.
By the time he turned three, I was thirty-eight and got winded walking up one flight of stairs. My arrhythmia was making itself known. Anxiety and panic attacks were becoming my constant companions. I realized if I didn’t start taking care of myself I might not be around to fight for my son anymore. (Think I’m overreacting? Look up heart attacks for women.) Not to mention I didn’t relish the thought of leaving my wonderful, kind, caring husband to be a single parent.
So I decided to start taking care of myself. No one could do that for me. I had to realize that. I had to love myself as much as I loved everyone else.
Adriana: Wow. That’s a profound awareness – and no, not overreacting one iota.
Could you share the components of your own health regimen – exercise? Diet? Meditation? What’s key for you?
Emma: All of it is key. It’s not just enough to eat right or exercise or be self-aware. We are complex creatures and for balance, we need both physical and mental exercise, and it needs to be fueled with good food.
I started by cutting out any foods with high fructose corn syrup and sodas—that stuff is super-addictive and changes the entire way my taste buds functioned—and got out and walked (which is also when I would think about myself and how I was feeling and what I wanted out of life, etc) and started doing 10 minutes of Pilates every other day—two things I enjoy. That’s key—finding things to do you enjoy because it’s hard enough to stay motivated.
Nowadays, I try to eat fresh as often as possible, but I do allow myself indulgences. Perfection isn’t the goal, but rather feeling better. I can run a 5K. I still do Pilates, though it’s up to a 30- or 40-minute routine, and I lift weights.
Adriana: You started exactly where I did – cutting out the sugar, walking, and identifying which higher-energy aerobic activities you would enjoy. I agree. All of it is key.
I’m always looking for the bottom line – what keeps you motivated? What’s the one thing that keeps you going when you don’t feel like staying on top of your regimen?
Emma: This is a real tough one. (I just had a conversation with my sister’s boyfriend about this a couple of days ago. He’s in his mid-twenties and works out every day.) Even knowing my health is on the line and that my family needs me healthy sometimes aren’t enough.
Nike’s slogan fits well here: Just Do It. Even when I don’t feel like it, just starting the process kicks in the body’s muscle memory and once I get started I can’t stop until I reach the end. Though I’ll freely admit to reducing sets or time if my body’s not feeling it. (I listen to my body. It reduces the risk of injury. If something doesn’t feel right, I stop.)
Adriana: I’m with you, though my slogan is slightly different: Just start. Just begin. I have a warm-up and stretch routine that begins with simply standing in place and swinging my arms. Once you’ve started moving, it’s so much easier to keep going.
If you had one single piece of advice for others who struggle with this, what would it be?
Emma: Stop thinking of all the reasons you can’t do something and find the reasons that you can. Loving yourself enough to realize you can and should come first isn’t being selfish, it’s being smart–only you can do what needs to be done to get yourself healthy.
Adriana: Have you written a character who faces any of these same issues? Tell us about him or her.
Emma: I haven’t written any characters as complex as what I feel like I’ve been through because like I said, I’m just now coming to grips with all my issues. Maybe as time goes on and there’s a little more distance between me and the rawness of those emotions, I’ll be able to capture it in a story and do the character justice.
For now, most of my heroines are sexually self-aware and self-confident to a degree (much how I recall myself pre-pregnancy), but that doesn’t mean they don’t have their insecurities. People often don’t act the way they feel. We live in our heads a lot. I love writing because it gives me a chance to show others that people shouldn’t always be judged on the face of their actions; if you really want to know someone, you have to delve deeper than the surface.
Annabelle from At Least Once More was one of my favorite heroines to write. She’s coming into her own and brave enough to admit her attraction to an ineligible man, inexperienced enough to not know how to fight it, and smart enough to realize when the right man comes along. Some readers have hated her, calling her a slut, but to me, she’s so very real.
Adriana: And of course our readers would love a brief bio and your web links.
Emma: I like nothing more than a challenge. I’ve been an engineer in the oil services industry, worked in education at a military boarding school for high school and junior college students, owned an engineering consulting company, and now run a small digital press.
I write because it keeps me sane. I hear voices and if I don’t purge them, they nag me. The characters are very insistent about me remaining faithful to their individual adventures, and as a result, I write a range of genres and levels of heat.
And here’s my question to readers: how do you know when whatever you’re doing is enough? I never think I’m doing enough, but that’s a lot of pressure to be under all the time. That’s my latest project brought about by my endeavor to be self-aware, realizing when I’ve done enough.
Today we’re thrilled to welcome Mamie Center, here with an interview and a sizzling excerpt from her debut erotica novel, Hollywood Hook, released in December at Simon & Schuster.
Why don’t you start by telling us about yourself (Where are you from? What do you write/do in the publishing world? What do you do when you’re not writing — your “day” job, hobbies, obsessions, etc.?) I’m from a tiny town that even I haven’t heard of, in the middle of nowhere. I moved to Los Angeles when I was still jailbait so technically I am from LA. When I’m not writing, I’m traveling, having sex and wine tasting.
If you were stranded on a desert island with only five books and five CDs, what would they be? (We’ll just imagine you can play the CDs – after all, this is fiction!)
Janis Joplin, Etta James, Madonna, Donna Summer and Adele
The Story of O, Venus in Furs, You’ll Never Eat Lunch in This Town Again, Adventures in the Screen Trade, Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex-Drugs-and-Rock ‘N’ Roll Generation Saved Hollywood
Tell us one thing about yourself people would be surprised to learn. I don’t dare.
Tell us about your writing: How long have you been writing? What genre(s) do you write in? What have you written (short stories, novels, etc.)? What works are currently for sale? Where? I’ve been writing since I could talk, but this is my first book because most of the main players are finally dead so I can tell their stories without repercussions. Hollywood Hook is my first book and it’s only available digitally because it’s too hot for print.
What made you chose to write erotic literature in particular? Is there any other genre you’d like to write? And if so, why? I think erotica literature is the most freeing of genres. You don’t have to dance around the sex, you can embrace it. Plus, the classic idiom is ‘write what you know’ and I most certainly “know” my subject matter.
Any advice for those who want to write? Just do it. Writing is 90% discipline. Sit down at the chair and face your fears. If you do that enough days and months and years in a row (and have the passion and talent and determination to back it up) then you can call yourself a writer.
What’s the most useful book on writing you’ve ever read? I am working on a screenplay right now and I think Blake Snyder’s “Save the Cat” is genius.
What’s the sexiest feature on a man to you? And on a woman? Why? Lips. There is nothing more intimate than a man or woman’s full lips and imagining what they can do to me.
Who are your latest crushes (celebrity, book character, or otherwise)? Do you ever keep those people in your mind when writing your own works? Angelina Jolie. She is completely open about her sexuality, had extraordinary lips, is incredibly powerful, unapologetically passionate and to top it all off…a great humanitarian. I think she would make a wonderful Magali.
If you could pick anyone in the world to be the cover model(s) on your latest release, who would it be? Jessica Chastain. She is powerfully sexual while retaining a lovely vulnerability.
Are you a book hoarder? Yes. I don’t know any writer who isn’t.
Do you have a favorite character out of all the ones you’ve written? If so, who is it and why is s/he your favorite? I love Magali in Hollywood Hook. She’s gorgeous, smart, passionate and flawed. There is also a great deal of mystery surrounding her…making you want to know her better. I love that in a character. She is going to have a much bigger role in the sequel.
Is there a way for fans and others to contact you? (email, social networking links, etc.) They can find me on twitter and on pinterest
An erotic debut novel featuring a young actress who makes a deal with a hotshot Hollywood producer: in exchange for stardom, she’ll do whatever he tells her—including fulfilling his darkest desires.When promising young actress Jessica Barry moves to Hollywood in search of stardom, she gets more than she bargained for. Jacob, a Hollywood producer who knows everyone, assures Jessica that he will help her rise to the top of the business, as long as she does “exactly what he tells her.” She soon discovers this involves following every one of his sexually sadistic rules—including obeying his second in command, Magali, a gorgeous Frenchwoman who toys with Jessica, sexually teasing and tormenting her. In exchange for stardom, Jessica must seduce Hollywood superstar Thomas Mansell. Using the newfound powers taught to her by Magali, Jessica wins Thomas’s heart. But when Jessica actually falls in love with Thomas, Jacob cruelly reminds her that he owns her—body and mind.
Erotic and sensual, this is the side of Hollywood that no one dares to talk about.
EXCERPT
“Six!”
Jake toasted the monitor with a glass of champagne. “I’m impressed.”
Jessica’s naked, writhing body was displayed in full Technicolor HD with surround sound on a series of monitors that adorned the wall of Jake’s inner sanctum. A state-of-the-art security/voyeur system with several flat-screen monitors gave Jake access to each one of his private cabins.
“Keep going and you will soon hold the house record, my dear.” Jake smiled as he watched the monitor, which was connected to a hidden camera in the ceiling fan directly above Jessica’s bed. “C’mon, little Jessie, give us a seventh . . .”
On the screen, Jessica rolled over onto her back and looked up at the ceiling, staring directly at the invisible camera. Her left hand moved slowly now between her legs, disappearing into her flesh, while her right gently massaged her breast. She shuddered, back arching, belly and groin thrusting upwards.
“Seven.” Jake applauded and turned his attention from the bay of monitors to look at Magali, who was standing behind his left shoulder, staring intently at the screen. “She’s even better than I had hoped: young, passionate, and determined to get what she wants. Imagine the potential.”
“She is special, Jacob. We cannot toy with her,” Magali whispered demurely. “We shouldn’t.”
“No one is that special. We’re all just an illusion. And Jessica will have her fifteen minutes of fame . . . but she’s going to work for me in order to get it.” Jacob’s voice was harsh and businesslike. “She won’t need to train as long as the others. She’ll be ready soon, I can feel it. And my instincts are never wrong.” His left hand reached out, pushed under Magali’s open robe and cupped her buttocks. He squeezed gently, almost tenderly. “I wasn’t wrong with you, was I?”
Magali moved almost imperceptibly, shifting away from his kneading fingers.
Jake pushed a button, causing the monitor to zoom in on Jessica’s breathless, albeit still frustrated face. Her eyes, pupils huge and dilated with lust, filled the screen. “Oh, yes. I am guessing that our little Jessie will do whatever it takes to get to the top. She simply needs some nurturing.”
Jake reached into the drawer of his large oak desk and pulled out a wad of cash. He peeled off ten hundred dollar bills, then stood and pushed them into Magali’s limp fingers. He then kissed her gently on each cheek. “No personal attachments. You know the rules. Now, go. Vouz feriez mieux d’aller. Il est tard. Have fun, your work today is finished.”
A sobbing moan trembled through the speakers, and both Jake and Magali turned back to the monitor. “Eight,” Magali murmured in admiration.
Jake grinned. He brought his face close to the screen and stared into Jessica’s hooded eyes. “That’s right, little Jessie. Take care of your own needs for the moment. That’s a good girl. Soon we’ll take care of them for you.”
Find me two places today! Wicked After Dark Bloghop is at this LINK, now through November 1, and today I’m over at Romance Lives Forever, answering Kayelle’s wonderful interview questions and offering a contest!
Today we’re thrilled to introduce you to Layna Pimentel, here to share about her writing life and give us a peek into one of her works in progress!
Why don’t you start by telling us about yourself (Where are you from? What do you write/do in the publishing world? What do you do when you’re not writing — your “day” job, hobbies, obsessions, etc.?) Thank you for having me over, Adriana. I’m originally from Toronto, Ontario, but have since relocated to a small city bordering the upper peninsula of Michigan with my husband and two daughters. During the day I work in the telecommunications industry, which satisfies the geeky side of me. In my spare time when I find some, I collect tarot, gargoyles, gardening and researching new ideas for stories.
If you were stranded on a desert island with only five books and five CDs, what would they be? (We’ll just imagine you can play the CDs – after all, this is fiction!) Be prepared to be shocked. I listen to a wide variety of music. Sarah Brightman – Symphony, Fleetwood Mac – The Very Best of Fleetwood Mac, The Mediaeval Baebes – Mirabilis, Type O Negative – October Rust, Jesse Cook – Free Fall. As for books, here would be my choices: The Wedding – Julie Garwood, When Strangers Marry – Lisa Kleypas, Bitten – Kelly Armstrong, The Duke – Gaelen Foley, The Chief – Monica McCarty.
Do you read primarily print books, ebooks, or both? I read a combination of the two. Most of my historical novels are in paperback. As for my erotica/erotic romance collection, I prefer to keep those in ebook format, away from prying eyes (my daughters). lol
Tell us about your writing: How long have you been writing? What genre(s) do you write in? What have you written (short stories, novels, etc.)? What works are currently for sale? Where? I’ve been writing on and off since high school, but professionally for three years. I write paranormal romance, but I’ve dabbled with some sci/fi and contemporary. I have a few completed short stories, with one out on submission. Aside from that, I have one novella and novel in the works.
What made you decide to write? My obsession started only as way to relieve stress. Who knew it would eventually become an addiction/way of life.
What made you chose to write your genre in particular? Is there any other genre you’d like to write? And if so, why? I have to admit, I think the genre picked me. I love anything to do with vampires, ghosts, weres and demons. So why not? Now that I’ve built some confidence with my writing I’ve decided to try my hand at historical and contemporary erotica. They’ve always been favorites.
Are you a plotter or a pantser? I’m a little of both. Goodness knows though, no matter how many times I try and stick to a plan, things always change.
How do you get ideas for your stories? What inspires you? For the most part music plays a huge influence in what I write. When I’m in a classical mood, I write historical pieces, rock and ambient music inspire my paranormal and contemporary pieces.
Which comes first when you’re starting to write a new story: character, setting, plot, or theme? For me a character is what drives a new story. Nothing beats having fresh meat to work with. It’s those first moments with your characters that make it, or break it with the plot.
Any advice for those who want to write? This is going to sound cheesy but the only advice I can offer is to remember the three p’s. Patience, perseverance, pride. Writing doesn’t happen overnight, and neither does becoming the next hot release on the NYT bestsellers list. Take it one step at a time. The experience is humbling.
Perseverance should be that nagging devil on your shoulder, pushing you on to prove everyone wrong. Only you can put your ideas on paper, and only you can prove to the world your characters are worthy. So don’t give up. You’re the only person in-charge of your dreams.
While pride can have a negative definition, be sure that your work is the best it can be before you submit. You’ll save yourself a sh*t load of embarrassment, if find yourself a compatible critique group/partner to work with.
Is there a way for fans and others to contact you? Absolutely. You can find me at:
Tell us about your work – we’d love an excerpt, too! Here’s a sneak peek into a little something I’m working on right now. This excerpt is from Crushed Velvet, my contemporary erotic novella with some D/S elements.
EXCERPT
Brent gazed into her eyes, hoping she wanted him as bad as he did her.
“Tell me sweetheart, has there been anyone else since your husband passed?”
She studied him as if discerning whether it was safe to let the truth out. And what was the truth? Had she been with others, or had she found solace in being celibate? He waited for what seemed an eternity for her response when she finally shook her head. A subtle but noticeable blush swept across her cheeks, and she shook her head while cupping the bulge in his leather pants. Her response shook him to the core.
How was it possible for her to have gone so long without being kissed, loved by another man? Yes, she would have required time to mourn, but to isolate herself from human touch was unhealthy. Everyone had needs, and hers were no different from anyone else. He would have died if he’d gone without sex for such an extended time. The past three days he’d longed for her had been hard enough. Mental images of spanking her perfect ass, binding her to his bed and driving himself, hard and deep, tortured him. His throbbing cock would have to wait. He wanted to remind her of the simple pleasure life had to offer. Right now, he wanted her to need him.
Desire coursed through his veins. He slid his hands up her toned thighs, lifting the hem of her dress, until he cupped the globes of her ass. Understanding his queue, she wrapped her arms around his neck. He backed her into the draped corner across the lounge, not caring whether they were in public or not. They were in Crushed Velvet, and the likelihood of the patrons complaining was nil. He’d have her more focused on every stroke of his fingers sliding in and out, and every tweak of her sweet and swollen clit, instead of entertaining any of the clubs voyeurs. Not only would he reacquaint her with the sensations a man could bring her, but he would give her a lesson in submission.
Characters in novels seem to always have the perfect witty comment at the tip of their tongues. I was wishing for that skill the other morning, and the exchange made me think of our latest heroine, who would have done far better than I. She was just interviewed over at the Romance Lives Forever Blog. You won’t want to miss her snappy repartee!
Mr. Kraft and I have been actively promoting our most recent release, 
