Teasers - Everything has a Purpose

I truly believe that everything that we do and everyone that we meet is put in our path for a purpose. There are no accidents; we're all teachers - if we're willing to pay attention to the lessons we learn, trust our positive instincts and not be afraid to take risks or wait for some miracle to come knocking at our door. ~ Marla Gibbs

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Ink Motions with Errin Stevens

Errin Stevens writes paranormal romance novels from her home in Minnesota, where she lives with her husband and son. Her first novel, Updrift, will debut with Liquid Silver Books in October 2015. For more information and updates, visit Errin’s web site at http://errinstevens.com.

How do you get an idea for your novel?

I’ll have a character in mind and sometimes a few scenes, and if these threads stay with me for more than a day or two – where I can’t stop thinking about them – I’ll spend a week trying to develop them into actual narrative during my daily writing sessions. If the story grows in a way I like and other characters and plot elements come to light as I work, I’ll commit to writing the whole shebang into a novel. And I’ve led myself down the garden path more times than I can stand to think about!

What is your writing style? Do you just sit down and write or do you create some other mechanism to help you?

I start out writing on the fly and then at some undefined point (20,000 – 40,000 words?), I create a story map, which is a Word document with a grid that shows plot progression by chapter. This often helps me realize what needs to happen next in my story when I’m stuck, as well as where I’ve left gaping holes.

Who is the “Writing Muse” in your life? I.E. who gets your juices flowing?

I have always loved to read, and I’m pretty indiscriminate in my tastes, since I truly do like almost everything. I do remember being blown away by “Three Junes” (2002 National Book Award winner) by Julia Glass. Blown. Away. Her use of voice, which I’m pretty sure is not admired by many editors nowadays was so crisp, so brilliant. And I’ve never seen the man or even spent much time hunting down info on him online, but I consider myself an Ian McEwan groupie. His writing is so dang fabulous.

How many novels have you written including all work in progresses you are currently working on?

I have three drafted, all in the same series.

Who is your “writing idol”? I.E. Who do you like and what is it about there writing that captures your soul?

In addition to the high-brow folks I mentioned above, I love reading passages from Kresley Cole’s “Immortals After Dark” series for fun, quippy dialogue. J.R. Ward does a rock star job on this front too.

What is you favorite plot line type?

Romantic suspense, no question.

Is there any advice you can offer to anyone who would like to write?

Just do it. If you’re digging for advice by reading through blogs like this one, you’re toast anyway, so why not give in and write it all out? ;-) Know your work will be rejected more often than you can possibly imagine, stay open to growing and learning regardless, and when you need to, check out those web sites that showcase rejections of well-respected authors, ‘cause they’re a hoot.

What is a good villain?

I remember one creative writing teacher telling me a novel can only be as strong overall as the antagonist is strong. I had to think about that for a year before I really understood it, but the professor was right. Make your bad guy/girl multi-dimensional, and more importantly, sympathetic. Give the reader relatable reasons for why he or she does all that evil. Your other characters – in fact your whole story – will be more compelling.

 
Blurb for Updrift

Since her father died, Kate Sweeting’s home life has been in the pits, her well-being on life support. Her future looks desolate until she and her mother, Cara, make another plan: abandon their shriveled existence for more promising prospects on the coast, where her mom can play small-town librarian-bachelorette and Kate can figure out what’s up with the secretive Blake family from the beach.

Everyone is eerily captivated with Kate and her mother, and Cara is the first to figure out why when the man of her dreams arrives all dripping and devoted and closed-mouthed about what he intends. Kate is willing to go along with their subterfuge for a while, but eventually makes a charge for the water to learn what her mother is hiding. Gabe Blake is there waiting for her…and so is someone considerably less friendly. By the time Kate navigates her way home, everything will have changed for her—what she feels, what she wants, and what she will risk to be with the man she loves.

 

|  Goodreads  |

Between the Covers - Power of Attraction

Today's Between the Covers is an excerpt from my book.

Here is a excerpt from Power of Attraction (Blackstone Haven, Book # 1). Enjoy.

Wesley was amused by the look of fury mixed with distress on Ian’s normally affable face. He turned, interested in seeing the person who caused such a reaction. Shocked emerald green eyes stared at him. His heart skipped a beat.

Wesley hungrily took in the woman from the forest. She was real. He wasn’t losing his mind. Unconsciously, he took a step towards her. She backed up a step.

Fury filled him. She had run from him once, and she wasn’t doing it again. With a determined stride, he closed the space between them and grabbed her arm. She tried to shrug him off. He changed his grip and yanked her against his body. A shudder racked him as their bodies touched. The scent of cinnamon and vanilla he had thought he imagined cloyed around them. He felt her shiver in reaction. Her eyes heated then went cool.

A click sounded behind him. Absently, he looked away from her compelling gaze. He stilled at the sight of the gun trained on him. The wrath in the other woman’s amber gaze let him know she was waiting for an excuse to blow him away. Her features, so much like those of the woman he held, told him they were somehow related.

The woman in his arms moved against him. The feel of her soft breasts against his chest drove all sane thought from his mind. He turned and jerked her up into his arms.

“Wrap your legs around me,” Wesley growled.

The woman’s eyes narrowed, but she clamped her legs around his waist.

“Don’t order me around.” Her husky voice stroked along his senses.

He put his face close to hers. “Don’t give me reason to.”

She jerked back. He clamped his hands on her ass to hold her against him. She stilled. Wesley gritted his teeth at the feel of her jean-clad mound against him. His mind flashed to the forest and their kiss. He saw the answering flare in her green gaze.

Copyright © Taige Crenshaw, 2011.
All Rights Reserved.

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Blog Feature: Uncovered

Starting next month I'm restarting a feature I used to do here on the blog. I'm usually asked many questions about my novels and from these questions I have decided to create a feature called:

Uncovered.

This is an under the covers look inside my novels. You’ll go behind the scenes, inside the mind of the characters, places and so on. So each week - on Wednesday's (at least for now) I'll feature one of my books or my WIP {work in progress}. Soon you can check each week for your uncovered look.

Come and join me as we get uncovered….

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Ink Motions with Haley Whitehall

Haley Whitehall lives in Washington State where she enjoys all four seasons and the surrounding wildlife. She writes historical romance set in the 19th century U.S. When she is not researching or writing, she plays with her cats, watches the Western and History Channels, and goes antiquing. She is hoping to build a time machine so she can go in search of her prince charming. A good book, a cup of coffee, and a view of the mountains make her happy.

Social Media Links:
Author Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest |
Author Amazon Profile Page

Interview:
When or what made you decide to become an author?

I’ve always wanted to be an author since I was four years old. I grew up telling stories long before I learned how to write. I never wavered by passing the doctor, vet, and ballerina stages. Naturally writing was the only career path for me.

How do you get an idea for your novel?

I got the idea for Midnight Caller by reading Black Life on the Mississippi by Thomas C. Buchanan. Many of my historical romances are inspired by true events. Sometimes fact is stranger than fiction, such as colored steamboat workers pleasuring white women at night.

What is the inspiration you use?

Do you mean what inspires me? Usually something I read or something I watch on TV. Many historical stories do not end well, and I reimagine them with a romantic happily ever after.

What is your writing style? Do you just sit down and write or do you create character sketches, outlines, or notes?

I work with a general outline of the beginning, middle, and end. I have notes with each character’s goals and motivations and the character arcs, plot arc, and romance arc for my story.

Who is the "Writing Muse" in your life? I.E. who gets your juices flowing when you are blocked?

When I’m blocked I go for a walk or a hike or try to immerse myself in anything mindless like watching a movie or listening to music. I have found forcing ideas to come rarely works.

Walk me though the way you create a novel from conception to completion.

I start by writing a very basic outline and sometimes doing brief character sketches. After I have written the first draft I dig deeper into my characters and make notes for revision, write a more detailed outline, and plot/romance arcs. I edit and refine the story accordingly and then send the next draft to my alpha and beta readers. I use their valued feedback to guide my next editing passes and refine until I feel the story is complete.

What is the type of voice you use and why?

I write with a serious voice and often tackle serious issues like racism and poverty in my novels. I think books can teach readers about the world they live in and even more about themselves. I like to think my books are educational and not just about history. There is a lot we can learn about the human condition.

How many novels have you written including all work in progresses you are currently working on?

If I count my works in progress that number grows weekly! I’ve published 21 stories and I probably have just as many WIPs. The plot bunnies keep coming.

Who is your "writing idol"? I.E. Who do you like and what is it about their writing that captures your soul?

I suppose my writing idol is Beverly Jenkins. She made African American historical romance popular, and has made a name for herself mostly writing in that genre. I love her books.

What is your favorite plot line type?

I enjoy reading many different tropes, but when it comes to writing I tend to gravitate toward forbidden love and star-crossed lovers.

What is your current work in progress and how did get the idea for the Work in Progress?

My current work in progress is a historical romance adaptation of a historical fiction novel I’ve already published. I’ve had many readers ask for the romance version. The Native American/African-American story was inspired by a dream.

Describe the major conflict between the hero and heroine in your novel?

The major conflict in Midnight Caller is the fact that southern society declares the hero and heroine should never be together. By lying with Emma, a white woman, Frederick is putting his life in danger and her reputation.

Is there any advice you can offer to anyone who would like to write?

Take as many writing classes as you can, read books on craft, constantly read books in multiple genres and just write. It often takes many novels which will never see the light of day before you write something worthy of publishing.

Where are the bodies buried? IE Is there any old work in progresses you threw aside and decided not to complete and why?

I have a few stories that need a lot of work. One I started in high school and others I wrote experimenting with plot devices. I doubt my historical mystery WIP will ever see the light of day. I apparently can’t write mystery!

What is a good villain?

A good villain is a well-developed character who is believable and has motivations behind their actions. A good villain will pose a difficult challenge to the goals the hero/heroine wishes to achieve.

Are there any last comments you may want to include?

Happy endings are not just for romance novels. Please do not give up on love.

 

Re-Release: (Midnight Caller, Haley Whitehall, Liquid Silver Books. This is a re-edited and lengthened version. It also answers one burning question readers were left with after reading the original story.)

Life without love is painful, but in the Reconstruction Era South forbidden fruit can be deadly. A fiery romance between a widow and an African-American man has more consequences than either of them imagined.

Slavery has ended, but racial prejudice remains in Kentucky. Emma Bennett guards a secret that could destroy her life. Until now she never considered the price of her security. Becoming a well-respected member in Louisville had seemed a dream come true, but at what cost?

Her husband’s death from a carriage accident releases Emma from her loveless, controlling marriage. Now she has a chance to find happiness and raise a family. But before she begins courting again she wants to experience her freedom. At the advice of the leading socialite in town, she takes a black lover to fulfill her sexual needs. His raw masculine power awakens feelings she didn’t know existed. After the first touch, she craves more.

Frederick works as a roustabout by day and moonlights as a prostitute. He knows better than to fall in love with his white client, but Emma enchants him the first time he calls on her. To keep them both safe, he works hard to put up barriers. Unfortunately, he can’t protect Emma from the slimy Mr. Hawthorne, who wants her as his bride. Frederick vows to keep her safe even if his forbidden love costs him his life.

Note: This novella contains explicit romance and is suitable for readers 18+

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An excerpt

He held his breath, his insides pressed together. Was she going to send him away?
Finally, her lips settled in a smile. “Shall we go to the bedroom?”
“As you wish, ma’am.” He managed to sound casual despite his hardening cock. When he took off his clothes she’d find out in an instant how attractive he found her, how much he desired her, the power she held over him. His entire body heated, embarrassment rivaling the fire of passion.
Already his thoughts had moved past coffee and to his delightful business. He couldn’t wait to see her naked, know the curve of her breasts, let his hands roam her hips. He’d laid with a lot of women, but never one as young and as sumptuous as this one.
“Strip to the waist and sit on the bed.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Frederick yanked off his shoes, and then he folded and piled his coat, vest, and shirt neatly on the floor before sitting on the edge of the mattress. The attraction between them was strong and undeniable. He was a bee and she was a beautiful rose. He was sure her nectar would be delicious, if only he would be granted a taste. Whether he would be granted a taste was in her hands. She was paying for an experience and it was his duty to give her whatever she wanted. It wasn’t in his nature to submit, but the sight of her beauty as she stood before him, made it more bearable.
He knew his job after more secret trysts than he could count and fell into his role with ease. He wanted to please Emma, satisfy her every desire. The excitement in her gaze tempered, and he sensed her hesitation. Hopefully she’d muster the confidence to play her part.
“Spread your legs.” Emma sauntered into him, standing between his splayed thighs. She traced every muscle in his chest. The pads of her fingers caressed him, almost teasing. He tightened his stomach muscles, but was unable to prevent a tiny shudder.
Her smile widened, revealing a row of perfectly straight teeth. A thrum of pleasure rushed through him.
He wanted to wrap his arms around her but resisted. He had not been given permission.
Amazon Universal Buy Link: http://getbook.at/MidnightCaller

Teasers - Finding Joy

Find a place inside where there's joy, and the joy will burn out the pain. ~ Joseph Campbell

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Weekend Plans

Happy Friday!

Weekend is here and plan to relax & spend time with my big sister and her hubby who is visiting. They'll be leaving in a few days so enjoying the time with them. We have some mischief to get into before they leave. :)

My big sis and I were talking about books the other day and got so caught up it was three in the morning and we didn't realize it. We're both avid readers (got my love of reading from my mom and big sis).  We're going to have another lively discussion about the book we both just read. I love how people can read same book but get different things or views on the story. :)

What are your weekend plans?

Between the Covers - Hurricane

Today's Between the Covers is a few lines from my book.

Here is a few lines from Hurricane (Singleton, Book # 1). Enjoy.

Julianne wrenched open the door, gesturing for him to leave. Keenan took her silent urging and passed her. Julianne followed. He turned suddenly, crowding her. Gasping, she stepped back instinctively before she caught herself and stood her ground. Scowling, Julianne glared at him.

“I unsettle you.” His grin was smug.

“You startled me,” she retorted.

“Deny it all you want, but you’re intrigued by what there might be between us. I’m a patient man. I can wait until you come around. You have my number. Call me when you change your mind.” Keenan shrugged, turning, then strode away.

Copyright © Taige Crenshaw, 2012.
All Rights Reserved.

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Teasers - Positive

Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow. ~ Helen Keller

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Ink Motions with Zenobia Renquist

Interview ~ Zenobia Renquist

How do you get an idea for your novel?
I get ideas from everything. Most of my ideas start with the phrase “wouldn’t it be funny if…” or I’ll just be sitting watching TV and characters will start arguing in my head. It’s then my job to figure out why they are arguing, how they met, and where they are going.

Sometimes my friends will give me a prompt to write about, like in the case of Or Current Resident (Soul Debt) and the Assistant’s Position Series. Both of those came from Flash Fiction Friday prompts. Rite Men for Maya, my first novella with Changeling Press, came from a challenge Stephanie Burke gave me to write a story for the “gayest tattoo ever.” Do a search. That exact phrasing and you’ll see what I’m talking about. Other times, it’s just a matter of wanting to write a specific type of character, like a unicorn, and building a plot around that character.

What is your writing style? Do you just sit down and write or do you create an outline?
I used to just sit and write whatever came to mind first. Stream of consciousness is a great way to get words on the page. I’ve found it’s not so great when trying to finish a book in a specific amount of time. For that reason, I’ve taken to creating a rough outline of points I want to hit in each chapter so I keep myself on track.

I have a lot of books I want to finish in the next few months, so I need a plan of attack that will optimize every second I’m in front of my computer. It’s great when inspiration hits and the words just flow but that doesn’t happen all the time with a predictable amount of consistency. Sometimes it’s just a matter of getting words down and hoping inspiration hits when it’s time to edit.

Who is the "Writing Muse" in your life?
I write. It’s something I have to do. Writing is to me what smoking/drinking is to others. It’s my vice, my addiction, my way of dealing with reality. I become very irritable and hard to be around when I’m not allowed to write, like when life obligations pry me away from my computer. Whether I write the story I’m supposed to be working on (ie – in the case of a deadline) is a different matter entirely.

How many novels have you written including all work in progresses you are currently working on?
Written. Wow. Let me count. Under my real name D. Renee Bagby I have written 8 novels. Of those eight, 5 have been published and the other three need to be brought up to my current standards before I try to get them published. One was recently reverted to me but will be re-published after I tweak it. Under Zenobia Renquist, I have written 2 novels and about 42 novellas. Of those both novels and 36 novellas are published. A few titles have been reverted back to me. I have plans to tweak them all and re-publish those as well.

Who is your "writing idol?" I.E. Who do you like and what is it about there writing that captures your soul?
I would have to say it’s a toss up between Jayne Ann Krentz/Amanda Quick and Jude Deveraux. Both ladies filled my high school years. They released books and I read them. Their characters weren’t perfect people falling into fated love. They were flawed and combative and worked at getting to the happily ever after. Not only that, their plots kept me turning pages just to find out how they would be resolved. I strive for the same in my stories and use both ladies as my template for achieving that goal.

What is you favorite plot line type?
Always and forever, my favorite plot type will be Beauty and the Beast. I like for my heroines and heroes to clash before they fall in love. I never understood those stories that had the main characters in love from the first moment they meet and everything is roses and chirping birds. If life is happy from the jump for the main characters, why am I still reading this book? I want conflict—man vs. man, man vs. nature, man vs. self. Beauty and the Beast has all three and I love playing with those major conflicts to create a great story.

Is there any advice you can offer to anyone who would like to write?
If you want to write, WRITE. Talking about writing isn’t writing. Reading about writing isn’t writing. Telling people you want to write a book isn’t writing. Writing is writing. Butt in seat. Fingers on keys. Words on the page. Beginning. Middle. End. Write. Finish. Publish. Repeat. Anyone can be a writer. Only those who get published get to call themselves authors.

What is a good villain?
I recently returned from Dragon*Con in Atlanta, GA. Great convention, if a tad on the crowded side. At the convention I attended the Sleepy Hollow panel when John Noble (Henry) sat in until Tim Mison (Ichabod) showed up, since he was late. Mr. Noble was asked which he preferred to play, the hero or the villain.

His answer has become mine when asked what makes a good villain. He said this (paraphrasing)—a good villain is a person who is doing what s/he feels is the right thing but goes about achieving it the wrong way. It’s easy to point and say someone is a bad guy because they are evil and kick puppies and take candy from babies. What makes a great villain, those villains we absolutely love, are the ones who are acting to achieve a goal s/he feels is worthwhile. But the way the villain goes about getting to that goal is usually the most direct (ie – evilest) route possible.

My best example of that would be dealing with over-population. A hero would try to find some way to convince people to have fewer children and spread out to less urban areas so there isn’t overcrowding. That’s a solution that may work over time. A villain would simply poison half the population. Same outcome (as it were) but different ways of going about it.

VIP Room Service (Other Related Duties #1) by Zenobia Renquist

A hotel erotica tale hot enough to set the screen on fire.

She offers satisfaction above and beyond what is requested.

Lexie's job as a maid at a five-star hotel doesn't normally include the unique and risqué form of room service that rich guest Mr. Malena has requested, nor the generous tip he's offered. Submission and exhibition and a ménage. Lexie can't resist. What should have been a one-time thing turns into an introduction into the sensual world of customer satisfaction. This is one workplace encounter that could get her fired...or will it?

NOTE: Title previously published as Wine Service (Professional Courtesy 1).
Genre: Contemporary BDSM Erotica, MFM, Exhibitionism/Voyeurism
Publisher: DZRB Books
Length: Novella - 37K (approx. 83 pages)
ISBN: 9781634750004 (ASIN B00V8RE64K)
Price: $2.99 99¢ - On Sale! (Ends 26 Sep 2015)

** Read an Excerpt **

She drew in a long gasping breath and then choked on it as someone knocked at the door.
“Room service.”
She widened her eyes, and her pleasure dropped to nil.
“Ah. Right on time.” Mr. Malena dialed off the vibrator, removed it, and set it aside. He called, “One moment.”
“What?” Lexie asked in a frantic whisper. She clutched at the comforter, debating if she should hide in the bathroom or under the bed. Had the server heard her? Had he recognized her voice?
She looked at her uniform draped over the back of the chair. He would know a housekeeper was with Mr. Malena. A housekeeper who was undressed with a wide variety of toys out in the open. No deductive reasoning was needed to figure out what was happening or who the housekeeper was.
Mr. Malena patted her belly. “Shhhh.” He held his finger to his lips. “Just relax.”
“I can’t relax,” Lexie whispered back. “He’ll see me.”
“No, he won’t.” He grinned. “Not your face, at any rate.” He urged her to lie back before draping a towel over her head. “There.”
“Wha—”
“Shhhh. You don’t want him to recognize your voice, if you know him. So long as you stay still, he won’t see your face.”
“What about the rest of me? What about my uniform? And the cart outside?” Lexie could see her job ending. She should have known this was too good to be true.
“I’ll take care of it. Now hush.”
Clothing rustled. Lexie peeked under the towel in time to see Mr. Malena fold her uniform into one of the dresser drawers and close it. He slipped on a robe and then glanced back at her. She yanked the towel back down. She wanted to roll herself in the comforter. Wanted to and didn’t at the same time.
She only had to keep her face covered, and the server wouldn’t know who she was. The idea of letting a virtual stranger see her naked titillated her. Her clit throbbed and ached to be touched. She clutched at the towel and waited.
Mr. Malena opened the door. “Thank you, my good man. I am famished. This way.”
Lexie frowned. When had he ordered room service? Had he done it before she arrived and known it would get here while they were playing? He did seem less flustered by this turn of events than she was, as if he’d planned it.
The server asked, “Where do you want— Whoa!”
A long pause followed that exclamation. The server had seen her.

Want more? Read the full first chapter online at DRB1stChp Blog:
http://drb1stchp.com/2015/03/vip-room-service-by-zenobia-renquist/

** Buy Links **
All Romance eBooks  |  Google  |  iBooks  |  Kindle  |  Kobo |  Nook  |  Smashwords (use coupon code FH44L at checkout to receive sale price)

 

** Bio **
Zenobia Renquist is the alter-ego of D. Renee Bagby. Call her Zen or Renee, she answers to both. Air Force brat turned Air Force wife, she was born in Europe, has lived in Japan and in several states of the US, including Virginia, Florida, North Carolina, Texas, California, Maryland and Hawaii.

She moved a lot in her younger years and remembers all too well being the new kid in fish-out-of-water situations. But those experiences only made her better able to adapt, as well they gave her a love of travel, preferring road trips over flying.

Turning her favorite pastime into her career, Renee loves to build worlds and torture her characters for the enjoyment of her readers. She can’t fill everyday with writing alone, and also enjoys watching anime, reading manga, crocheting, knitting (yarn and mail), and binging shows on Netflix. She’s a Whovian (David Tennant for the win!), a trekkie (DS9 because Odo rocked), and a fan of pretty much every Marvel live action movie and DCU animated movie.

She has a wacky imagination and tends to write all over the place. In order to keep up, she only asks one thing—Leave Your Reality Behind to Discover Different and Unique Romance & Erotica.

Visit her website: http://zenobiarenquist.com

Follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ZenobiaRenquist

Like her Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/Author.DRBagby.ZRenquist

Like her Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Zenobia-Renquist/e/B002BWYVW8/

Review her on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/zenobiarenquist

Get her Authorgraph: http://www.authorgraph.com/authors/ZenobiaRenquist

Sign up for her Newsletter: https://signup.ymlp.com/signup.js?id=geusujygmguu

Between the Covers – Power of Instinct

Today's Between the Covers is an excerpt from my book.

Here is a excerpt from Power of Instinct (Blackstone Haven, Book # 2). Enjoy.

“Ian!” she screamed.

“No need to shout. I’m in here.” Ian’s voice came from her living room.

“What is Einstein doing with McGee and Reid? Heck, what is your whole animal farm doing with them? You—” Sinai stepped into the living room, then stopped.

She walked over and examined the big screen TV that took up the whole wall between her two bay windows. There was a lot of space between them, meaning that was a whole lot of TV. She had heard tales of Ian’s TV from her various family members and friends who went to his house to watch games or a movie. Sinai took a breath, trying to be calm.

“What’s going on?” she asked slowly as she turned to Ian.

He was leaning back on her couch, his arms behind his head and his crossed legs extended before him. Her gaze dropped, taking in how his jeans cupped his cock and encased his legs. Heat flooded her. She shifted.

“Since I’m moving in until after your birthday, I’ll need my things.”

Sinai blinked, sure she had heard him wrong. She shook her head. Ian nodded, a smug smile on his face.

“Hell, no!” Sinai roared.

She smacked away the soap. Ian’s hand flashed up, and he caught it. He stood in a lazy motion then walked in a loose-legged gait. Sinai’s heart started to race. She felt as if she was being stalked. She stood her ground as Ian walked right up to her.

He leant down and said softly, “Don’t test me, Nai.”

“You’re not moving in here. It’s not necessary,” she insisted.

Ian’s eyes dilated, then he said in a low tone, “Are you challenging me?”

Sinai raised her head. “On this I am.”

Copyright © Taige Crenshaw, 2011.
All Rights Reserved.

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Teasers - Life

Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced. ~ Soren Kierkegaard

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Ink Motions with Kayleigh Sky

Interview with Kayleigh Sky

How do you get an idea for your novel?
Good question! It’s a somewhat mysterious process for me. I don’t generally start out to tell a particular story though I might want to pursue a specific sub-genre or approach once I have the glimmer of an idea. Glimmer. I like that word—a faint or unsteady light. I rely on visions, or I guess you could call them flash images. They come very quickly. For Backbone, I saw my protagonist, Brey, naked and chained to a floor. Zoom! There and gone. Just a quick picture. For a book I recently placed with Pride Publishing, which will be released early next year, I saw a man being formally presented, almost like an offering, to another man. And for my WIP I saw a face in shadow. These images have to be compelling, have to make me want to grab on, and then I start to ask questions. For Brey, I wondered how he came to be chained. I asked him. “How did this happen?” “What were you doing before this?” “Where were you going?” “What do you want?” “What are you being kept from?” And a question important for the other hero of the book—“Who is going to save you?” With that latter question I was able to start to build out my other protagonist. Asking these questions sets my imagination free, and the story begins to grow.

What is your writing style? Do you just sit down and write or do you create?
It depends. I wrote a lit fic work under a different name that was completely seat of the pants. It also took me about ten years. Who has that kind of time?!! LOL. I plot now, but this is after I brainstorm and work out various scenarios. I might also have a particular sub-genre I might want to try out. Usually the vision dictates the sub-genre but not always. So I brainstorm, free associate, go crazy, and as I do this, I will start to see patterns. This will be the big picture. I like to have my beginning, a couple of scenes, and then a rough idea of my ending. From there I’ll either begin writing, or I will plot the story out scene by scene as I did for my WIP. With this approach, I end up with a tagline, short synopsis, long synopsis, character sheets (of about 10-15 pages for each character), a detailed outline, and short descriptions of each scene. I use Scrivener to keep everything together. Love Scrivener!

Who is the “Writing Muse” in your life? I.E. who gets your juices flowing?
Thankfully, I don’t have one. What would I do if my muse got hit by a bus?! Just joking. I fall totally in love with my bottom boys. My guys are never versatile (never say never, I guess, but… ). Always a top, always a bottom. I love my tops, but my bottoms are probably my “muses”. They tend to be the drivers of my stories. It’s their mysteries, their secrets and hopes and dreams, and especially their demons, that draw me in and keep me going until I can get them to their happy endings.

How many novels have you written including all works in progress?
Including works in progress, seven. I have the lit fic I mentioned earlier, and as Kayleigh, there’s Backbone, the book currently under contract with Pride Publishing, my actual WIP, and three others in various stages of “evolution”.

Who is your “writing idol”?
Wow. Tough question. In the genre, probably Josh Lanyon for simplicity of language and complexity of character. In my youth, I was greatly affected by Hermann Hesse. Partly for the homoerotic undertones, but also because I found the portrayals of personal and social alienation to mirror my own interior life at the time. I’m a huge Raymond Chandler fan. I can’t get enough of Marlowe’s dry, cynical humor. And for sheer, exquisite mastery of language—Hemingway.

What is your favorite plot line type?
My favorite plot line is the one I pretty much stick to in all my stories—something horrific happens or has happened to the hero. Brey was kidnapped, brutalized, and sold into slavery. His happiness and true love came after struggle and sacrifice. I love HEA endings, but they really don’t mean much to me unless they come after unhappiness. There has to be a struggle. The hero has to show that what he wants matters. That he’d do anything for it. And in the process of the struggle he needs to learn about himself, to grasp with conviction what is really important to him in life. He can’t be a passive player. He needs to choose and fight. So I like plot lines where the hero experiences some pretty terrible trials on his way to a HEA. And he must get the HEA!!

Is there any advice you can offer to anyone who would like to write?
Learn the craft. Buy all the books on craft. Read them, practice them, commit them to memory. Go to workshops. Take classes. Buy more books on craft. Never stop learning about story. Story is magic but a real and tangible thing too. You don’t pull it out of thin air. Ideas on the other hand—those you can pull out of thin air. Give your readers a magical but well-crafted story. And write. Write every day. You might not have time to write a lot but you can write 500 words every day. That’s about a half hour. Sit down. Write. Writing isn’t a job, it’s a vocation. It’s the air you breathe, the dreams you dream. Give it its due. Write. Every day.

Blurb:

A universal vaccine eradicates all known viruses from the human population, but in the wake of this miracle, a deadly new virus suddenly surfaces. As the death toll rises, people riot in panic and civilization collapses. Brey Jamieson, a convicted felon, is suddenly set loose in this violent new world. Desperate to reunite with his family, he sets out on a journey across the country but is captured by a brutal man who plans to sell him into slavery. Hank Kresnak is a cop in the new world. It is his job to preserve the law. But when he sees Brey, his belief in everything he has built his new life on begins to crumble. Memories of a dark and terrible time reawaken. He was the cop who arrested Brey, and with one look into Brey’s eyes, he knew his life would never be the same. He was a married man with two daughters, but he couldn’t forget a man he barely even knew. Now his wife and daughters are gone, and he must struggle to save the man of his dreams from a nightmare fate.

Excerpt:

The man was bent over inside the gas station. Naked. Tied down.
Fuck. A slave.
Hank gave a tug on Trixie’s reins and pushed on through scrubby brown hills. The sky was a high, flat blue and a dry, astringent smell filled the air. Hank breathed deeply, inhaling a faint tickle of dust. Below was a spit of a town—just a gas station and an unused diner.
All familiar.
His life now. But, fuck, he didn’t want to see this. He was a cop, for godsakes. He was supposed to break up fights and put bad guys away. In his old life, he knew the homeless man who rummaged in the alleyway behind the Thai Palace by name. He guarded a social worker named Joy who came to take a five-year-old in pink barrettes out of a crack house where her daddy knifed her mommy to death for forgetting to put ice in his Pepsi. He dodged a TV somebody tried to drop on his head out of a fifth floor window. He took complaints and made reports. He hauled in pimps, drug dealers and drunk and disorderlies. He went after bad guys.
Guys like Thom—who bounced and wobbled in the too-hot sun. Animated. A friendly salesman.
Laughter floated in the air.
Christ, he wanted to go get that naked man. Wanted to grab him and run off with him.
Save him.
Like he couldn’t save anybody else.
He wanted his old life back. The life with the dance recitals, soccer, movies with Beth, game night with the girls, work, bills.
He liked that life. It was a good life.
Then a company called Bio-Gen Tech came out with a vaccine called Pox Vac and for only pennies a shot, almost all viruses—flu, colds, HIV—disappeared. Conspiracy theorists claimed that Pox Vac was really nanotechnology funded by corporations to control the purchasing habits of consumers. To them, that was the only way Pox Vac could make sense. Otherwise, it was un-American. There was no profit in cures. Hank scoffed at that. The girls got their shots. Beth too, but he didn’t. Lazy, he guessed.
It didn’t matter. Life went on—piano lessons, school plays, a trip to the Grand Canyon, work.
Then Beth’s affair.
He didn’t like to think about that, but it was a part of the end—like summer’s last barbecues and early twilights.
Then people began to die.
They called the new virus Eve. By spring, shell-shocked survivors scattered out of almost-empty cities. Now, three years later, he lived in a half-dead world with people like Thom Donnell, the bulbous, waddling former insurance salesman, because that’s what Thom was before—a salesman. Still a salesman. Gesticulating avidly to his customers between slaps to the naked man’s ass.
It made Hank’s blood boil.

Brey didn’t know where he was anymore. He thought he used to know. But now he wasn’t sure. His face scrunched up, but he didn’t feel it. All he felt was that bar under his belly, and he wanted to get away from it, but he couldn’t. His position confused him. He didn’t like it. He couldn’t get a good breath in, and his legs shook. He was hot, too.
Lemonade, he thought. That would be good. Under the veranda by the pool. A ball game on TV.
“Giants an’ Dodgers.”
“No Dodgers.”
He didn’t like that voice.
Metal clanked.
Fuck, that bar hurt.
Sweat stung his eyes, and he blinked grit away. There was concrete beneath him. A concrete floor. Oil stains. Oh yeah. A garage.
His legs shook again. Fuck. Fuck. “I have to go!”
Nobody looked at him, though. His voice wouldn’t come out. Only a raspy breath that he couldn’t quite catch. Noise rang in his ears—booming, raucous, shrill.
Fuck!
He struggled, metal bit into his wrists, and the pressure on his belly made his head swim. He was tired. Too tired for this. He didn’t want to do it anymore. Shame flooded him like hot water—itching, burning and stinging. Surreal. Out of nowhere. His memories of getting here swirled with images of swimming pools, orange and yellow leaves, a cell with bars, a blue strobe light, bare dry hills and a fat man smiling brightly.
Thom.
He couldn’t remember coming here, undressing or bending over the bar. Panic fluttered inside him, and he began to pant again. Please God, please. I don’t want this. I don’t. But he wasn’t really sure of that anymore.
“Stop!”
His breath rasped, and that laugh came again. High-pitched. Shrill. “Wakey-wakey.”
He thrashed. No!
One of the men grabbed onto him and slammed him against the bar. Pain burst inside, and his thoughts scattered again. He tried to grab on. Imagined a pool, lemonade, Goldy chasing tennis balls.
Sunshine.
The drone of a TV.
Beautiful things like autumn leaves.
His breath exploded. Oh please, God. Please. I wanna go home! Please, please.
But all that came out was a rasp, a whisper—“Help me”—followed by a voice that grunted in his ear. “Who’s gonna help you, pretty boy?”
Him, he thought, painlessly now, floating away again. Him.

 

Buy Links:

AMAZON   |   BARNES AND NOBLE   |   KOBO BOOKS   |    PRIDE PUBLISHING (TOTALLY ENTWINED GROUP LTD)

Bio:

Kayeigh Sky is a m/m erotic romance writer.

Kayleigh’s stories are tales of struggle and pain, loss and despair. Love is won in the battle to rise out of the depths of darkness. Victory is in the sweet bliss of happily ever after.

Once upon a time Kayleigh hid out in a cold dark garage reading a book her parents forbid her to read. She was nine years old. The book? Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin, a story of love between two men–well, actually the story was a little more complicated than that, but hey, she was nine.

In the dark of the garage, a light, a passion, a sheer joy for love in all its manifestations awoke.
And love between two men–Hot!

Kayleigh’s men are often broken, always brave, and always memorable.

Contact and Social Media Links:

kayleigh.sky.writer@gmail.com
http://www.kayleighsky.com
https://www.facebook.com/pages/kayleighsky/766385570110391
http://www.twitter.com/skyboundlove