Join myself, JM Snyder, and Vincent Diamond in Roanoke, Virginia, where we’ll be setting up a booth from 11am-6pm at this year’s Pride in the Park. We’ll be selling copies of your favorite autographed books as well as handing out fun swag. For more information, please visit Roanoke Pride’s link below or contact me for details.

 

http://www.roanokepride.com

Happy Friday everyone! Today’s guest is author Wynter O’Reilly. Thanks for joining us Wynter.

Q: So…which genre do you write in, and why?
A:Oh all kinds, mostly paranormal, fantasy, & contemporary erotic

Q: So, if you don’t mind sharing, would you tell us about your latest work in progress?
A: It’s called Peppermint Kisses a contemporary with fantasy aspects. I’m working on it for the eXcessica Winter Anthology. I’m also working on a paranormal romance yet untitled, but it’s a vampire western type theme.

Q: Out of all the stories you’ve written, which is your favorite?
A: The Wingless Fairy

Q: Do you need to be in a specific place or atmosphere before the words flow?
A: Nope, but they seem to come faster with music.

Q: What’s the strangest source of inspiration you’ve found for a story?
A: My boss, lol, he wound up being a villain in a short I was working on.

Q: If you could offer one tidbit of information for new writers, what would it be?
A:Keep at it. Just keep working, don’t give up.

Q: Do you have an evil day job or do you write full time?
A: Well if you considered taking care of two kids and evil day job, then yup I’ve got one. LOL

Q: What do you like to do in your spare time?
A:Umm… Whats that? Well when I get some spare time I like to work in my garden or go hiking.

Q: What’s your favorite holiday, and why?
A: Halloween- because you get to dress up and get candy. Ok mostly the dress up part.

Q: Do you have any tattoos or piercings?
A: Yes, Three tats. One on my shoulder, one on my theigh and one on my ankle.

Q: If you could be intimate with three people (not necessarily all at one time *g*) without getting in trouble with your significant other, who would they be?
A: Tom Selleck, Sean Connery, and the lead sing from the band Bowling for Soup.

Q: If you were stranded on a desert island, what three things would you want with you?
A: My laptop, a generator to run the laptop and a wifi signal.

Q: If you won the lottery tomorrow, what would you spend the money on?
A: A house… I know it’s not grandiose but that’s what I want.

Q: Which household chore do you abhor and why?
A:Dishes, I hate them, all the little food chunks floating in the water grosses me out.

Q: What’s your favorite comfort food?
A:Fried Chicken

Q: Do you have a favorite book or movie?
A:Currently Blackmailed

Q: In closing, tell us a bit about your latest release (& share a yummy excerpt for those who aren’t yet familiar with your work)
A: My most recent release was The Wingless Fairy an erotic fantasy short. Here’s a excerpt and if interested it can be found on eXcessica.com

Excerpt
Derian stood before her his black eyes taking in every inch of her being. After a moment, he asked, “What are you?”
She swallowed the lump of fear in her throat. “I was an Ice Fairy
“Was? How did you lose your wings?”
“The Darigan…”
He smiled and actually laughed. “My pets enjoy having fun at the expense of others.”
Eiry’s heart quickened it’s already fast pace. His pets? The creatures had held her down and tortuously cut her beautiful wings from her. Leaving her this shell. Fear iced over into anger and rage.
Launching herself from the bed she attacked him with all she had. Still laughing he caught her, pinning her to him. Her small fists did nothing so she slapped him. The sound resonated throughout the room.
Derian let go of her suddenly and she stumbled falling to the floor. He’d stopped laughing but grinned down at her rubbing the cheek she’d slapped.
“So a fairy doesn’t lose all their powers with their wings.”
Eiry swallowed, trying to rid herself of the fear that had returned and balled in her throat. Something flashed in the Gods dark eyes that was gone before she could grasp what it was. Kneeling down he took her chin in his hand making her look at him.
“I’m going to teach you how to find pleasure in pain, my little wingless fairy.”
Letting go of her chin, he scooped her up in his arms and gently laid her back on the bed. Slipping his hand under her robe he caressed one of her breasts. She gasped but didn’t pull away.
“Let your lessons begin.” He pinched her nipple applying pressure till she whimpered.
Buy Link- http://excessica.com/index.php/books/the-wingless-fairy-by-wynter-oreilly/

You can find out more about me on my myspace- http://www.myspace.com/wynteroreilly or the blog I share with my alter ego Jade Twilight- http://www.jadedvixen.blogspot.com

I lucked out and received another fabulous cover from Anne Cain. What do you think?

 

“Don’t Look Back is a suspenseful thriller that kept me reading to find out who was committing the murders. Michelle Cary & Amanda Young did a fantastic job with this story, and I was quite surprised at who turned out to be the villain, having stayed in the background for so long. The electrical attraction between Braden and Cyndi left me hot and bothered, and I was rooting for them all the while.”
~Reviewed by Goddess Minx/Literary Nymphs reviews

I had a blast in DC this past weekend with Beth Wylde. She and I set up at The Crucible’s Leather Fleamarket, along with author DL King.

After fighting crazy traffic, Beth and I arrived in DC Friday evening. We visited the club and set up some and then spent the rest of the evening hanging out next door, at Zeigfelds. There we watched an awesome drag show and snuck a peek at the all-male review upstairs, where naked go-go boys were strutting their stuff.

On Saturday we set up at the fleamarket and sold some books. We met a ton of the nicest people I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. That evening we dolled ourselves up and went back for the club’s famous Play Party. Let me tell you, I saw things that night that I’ll never forget.

On Sunday we dragged our tired butts out of bed and started the long journey home. All together, I’d have to say it was an awesome weekend. Below are a few photos, but I’ll try to upload the rest to my yahoo group later this evening. If all goes well, you should be able to click on the thumnails and see the larger version of the pic.

 

 

Beth and I at the Fleamarket

 

Our table

 

 Me in my play party outfit

Dominic Mackenzie isn’t too proud to take advantage of the local gloryhole. As far as he’s concerned, there’s nothing better than a warm, wet mouth without any strings attached. It’s only by accident that he discovers the shocking identity of the man on his knees. Once the secret’s out, then all bets are off.

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Ebook available September 14, 2009 at

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Excerpt

Upon entering the bathroom, Dom was relieved to find it seemingly deserted. Amid the pungent aromas of sweat, piss, and cum, he quickly made his way to the back and slipped inside the last stall on the left. Although the room remained silent, a pair of scuffed sneakers could be seen beneath the panel separating his compartment from the next.

A shiver crept down his spine and lodged in his balls as he thought about what might happen in the near future. Things would either go well, as they had in the past, or he would find himself in a fantastically bad situation. If word of this spot had gotten out since the last time he’d come by, there was every likelihood that he might get his ass arrested. He could easily imagine a police sting being arranged to capture all the deviant men like himself who took advantage of a little anonymous action within the rest area’s semiprivate environment. Although it wouldn’t be the first time he’d found himself on the wrong side of the law, he didn’t relish the thought of being hauled in to the police station for lewd behavior. The rumor mill would decimate him faster than any outlandish charges the court system slung his way.

Nevertheless, he wasn’t about to turn back now. His dick was like steel inside his jeans. It knew what was up and wouldn’t accept any less than the warm, wet mouth that had serviced him so well in recent months. Actually, for all he knew it might be different men.

Frankly, he didn’t want to attach a face with the mouth that sucked him off. That would make the dude too real. As it stood, Dom could come in, blow his load, and leave. He didn’t have to make small talk or any of the inane gestures that came with meeting someone and trying to get into their pants.

Dom turned to face the dividing wall. A lewd hole the size of an orange was carved in the metal to the left of the broken toilet paper holder. He tapped his foot, impatience welling inside him as he waited for the stranger to make his move.

After only a moment, a slim finger with a square, trimmed nail appeared through the hole and made a come-hither motion. Not wasting any time, Dom unzipped his pants and pulled his cock out through the fly. He gave himself a nice hard stroke from root to tip, stepped forward, and slid his erection through the hole.

A heartbeat passed while Dom’s tension grew. Every muscle in his body felt strung tight, waiting…

 

Join myself, Beth Wylde, and D.L. King in Washington DC, where we’ll be setting up a booth from 11am-6pm at The Crucible’s Leather Fleamarket. We’ll also be at the Play Party later that evening, from 8pm until 2am. During the fleamarket we’ll be selling copies of your favorite autographed books as well as handing out fun swag. For more information, please visit The Crucible’s link below or contact me for details.

 http://www.the-crucible.com/LFandP19.htm

This week my guest is prolific author, Claire Thompson. Thanks for agreeing to answer my nosy questions, Claire.

Q: To begin, please tell us which genre you write in…

A: m/f romantic BDSM, m/m erotic romance, m/m BDSM, m/m/f vanilla and BDSM, m/m/m vanilla and BDSM.

I never tire of exploring the theme of the romance of D/s. I began writing BDSM as a way to explore my own dark, secret fantasies. My first novels were nonconsensual abduction sort of tales, the kind of thing that made me hot and uncomfortably aroused as a teenager and young woman. As I began to explore the scene in earnest, in real life, I came to appreciate the incredible power of a consensual D/s relationship, and my writing took a similar turn, trying to understand and explain that power. I’ve written many novels with BDSM and D/s as the backdrop. Each story and plot is unique, but the underlying theme of the power and romance of erotic submission is woven throughout.

My most recent work is not all BDSM. I’ve had great fun delving into the hearts and minds of gay men, offering stories of the conflicts and special difficulties they face when trying to find love in a society that is still blatantly homophobic and bigoted at its roots. I have found my readers are fascinated with the m/m genre. They become the consummate voyeurs, peeking in on sexy, strong men who aren’t afraid to be vulnerable and passionate.

Q: How long did you write before you received your first contract for publication?

A: A few months. I got lucky!

Q: So, if you don’t mind sharing, would you tell us about your latest work in progress?

A: It my very first cowboy story! The working title is Cowboy Blues, but that is probably going to change. It’s a BDSM love tale, though it’s not going to be quite as ‘sweet’ as my usual fare. The story opens when JD Reed both loses his job and walks in on his lover with another man on the same day. When his aunt calls that evening to tell him his uncle has just died, it’s the end of a pretty horrible day. When he gets down to Texas for the funeral, his aunt begs him to stay on just a little while to help run the small horse ranch.

Avery Dalton, the hired ranch hand, is less than thrilled to have the greenhorn nephew thrust upon him—though he has to admit the man is not at all hard on the eyes. The last thing he expects is JD’s uncanny ability to look right past his quiet Texas cowboy reserve into the secret masochistic yearnings he’s never shared with a soul, not even himself.

While Avery remains outwardly reticent and even hostile, JD has captured Avery’s imagination in the worst way, and his every waking thought is consumed with fantasies of the handsome, arrogant JD.
JD continues to keep him off balance at every turn, shocking and upsetting him with comments about what Avery needs, until one day Avery, goaded once too often, throws the first punch. In the pouring rain, in a muddy paddock, the men tumble and wrestle, struggling for the upper hand. JD finally gets it, slamming Avery up against the barn and twisting his arm behind him. Leaning in hard, he tells Avery to give up the fight—he knows he wants what JD offers. Avery is humiliated, angry and, to his utter mortification, more turned on than he’s ever been in his life.

That’s about as far as I’ve gotten, but the rest of the book will explore their developing relationship, a BDSM love affair with an edge of roughness suitable for Texas horseman who like their sex rough and dirty. Side plotlines of losing the ranch, and JD’s increasing unhappiness working as a temporary ranch hand are woven in, and I can’t wait to get back to work on it!

Q: Out of all the stories you’ve written, which is your favorite?

A: My readers’ favorite is Golden Boy, without question. I have had more email about that one novel than all the rest put together. People could really connect with Johnny, a clueless young man trying to come to grips with his sexual orientation and his submissive leanings, in the face of a disapproving father and his own confusion and denial.

For myself, I know this sounds corny, but I love them all. Every character is like one of my kids. I can’t choose a favorite. They are my babies.

Q: Do you need to be in a specific place or atmosphere before the words flow?

A: They are flowing constantly, in my head (I wake up thinking in narrative, it can be freaky!), but I write best on my bed, with my wireless keyboard by my side, my laptop beside and a cup of hot coffee at my elbow. I do my best writing early in the wee hours of dawn, when no one is stirring but me.

Q: If you could offer one tidbit of information for new writers, what would it be?

A: One tidbit? DO IT! WRITE IT! Don’t talk about it, don’t hem and haw, don’t spend several hours checking email and handling other stuff. Set a specific time aside, and just do it. Get the words on the paper, get the story down.

Q: Do you have an evil day job or do you write full time?

A: What a DREAM, to write full time. Sigh, but with an ill husband (who relies on my health insurance too), I am the sole breadwinner at this point and full time writing is not an option.

So, by day I work as an administrative assistant for a school district in a small town in upstate New York. No one there has any idea who Claire is or what she really does or thinks…their toes would curl!

Q: What do you like to do in your spare time?

A: What is spare time?

Q: Name one thing readers would be surprised to learn about you.

A: I’m really a guy in drag. KIDDING…

Q: What’s your favorite dirty word?

A: Fuck. Nice, earthy word.

Q: What’s your favorite holiday, and why?

A: I love Thanksgiving best. I love that time of year, I love the food (yum!), I love when we have all five of our children (a blended family) around the table, the dogs underneath waiting for scraps, and a fire in the hearth (if only we had a hearth, grin).

Q: Do you have any tattoos or piercings?

A: I do! A Celtic love knot the size of a quarter on my left breast, and a pretty scroll thing on my lower back. I fainted during both tattoos. I am a wimp.

Q: If you were stranded on a desert island, what three things would you want with you?

A: A really sexy guy who was hopelessly and completely in love with me (and very handy surviving in the wilderness), an ebook reader with 10,000 novels on it and a private plane so we could leave when we were ready.

Q: If you won the lottery tomorrow, what would you spend the money on?

A: I’d pay off all my debts and the debts of my children (college loans) and then I would travel the world. I would also like to do good works, and set up a foundation for worthy causes.

Q: What’s your favorite comfort food?

A: Rice pudding. Oh, and ice cream. And spaghetti. Mustn’t forget Oreos and a glass of milk. Oh, and Reeses peanut butter cups. Okay, be back in a while, I’m hungry!

Q: Do you have any guilty pleasures you feel comfortable sharing?

A: Why feel guilty about pleasure? Nope! It’s all good! As John Lennon said, whatever gets you through the night…it’s all right.

Q: Do you have a favorite book or movie?

A: I love the Lord of the Rings books and movies, and the Harry Potter ones too. I love everything written by Anne Perry and Walter Mosley, plus J.L Parker and Lisa See.

Q: Anything else you’d like to share?

A: Yes!! MY NEW LIFE as a publisher of my own work! I have recently started my own publishing site, www.romanceunbound.com. Here is the mission statement, which pretty much sums up what I’m hoping to accomplish:

Romance Unbound Publishing is a part of a groundswell of authors who are taking a more active role in the creative and financial direction of their writing careers. After publishing over forty novels in both print and ebook, I decided it was time to take control of my own destiny. With the help of dedicated beta readers, freelance editors, cover artists and sites like 1RE, I am doing just that!

1RE is www.1romanceebooks.com . It’s a brand new, barely opened ebook site (still in beta mode, but they have lots up books up and available for sale (including mine!) and more for sale each day. The cool thing about the site is not only publishers, but individual authors can put up their own work. It also has a neat feature called Marketing Partners, where people who have a 1RE link on their site or blog can earn $ when people click from there and go to 1RE to buy something. I won’t bore the readers with all the details here, but it’s a really great site, and I encourage all to visit it, and check out the FAQ for both Content Partners and Marketing Partners.
(http://1romanceebooks.com/info_12.html, http://1romanceebooks.com/mp/affiliates/faq.php)

I am taking my books to print on Amazon at the same time as I take them to ebooks. Wish me luck as I take the plunge into the indie life!

Q: In closing, tell us a bit about your latest release (& share a yummy excerpt for those who aren’t yet familiar with your work)
A Princely Gift came out on September 2. It’s not my usual style, in that it’s written with a stylized feel. I had great fun doing the research for it.

Here’s the blurb:

Set in Ancient Japan, two young men, separated by the nearly impassable boundaries of class and station, come together in a powerful liaison of sexual exploration and passion. With the delicate restraint of a Japanese ink painting on silk, this is a love story between men who dare to defy convention as they fulfill their romantic destiny.

And here’s an excerpt:

How had such a peasant, toiling in the mud of his rice fields, have come to speak with such gentle refinement?
Kisho stood patiently, waiting for Yukio to identify himself. He would certainly have never seen the prince, and Yukio was dressed now as a commoner. Though Kisho surely knew the royal entourage was lodged in his village for the night, he would never dream he was addressing the prince himself.
Yukio had learned the world was very different when one was not artificially elevated by the status of one’s position. People treated one differently, judging one on one’s merits, rather than being blinded by the opulence and power of a royal title.
It was the primary reason Yukio liked to slip in among the common people when he could. Now he said to Kisho, “I am called Yukio. I am with the entourage passing through your village, and had thought to take a stroll this night to ease my heart.”
Kisho replied, “I am honored you pass by my poor bit of land. My mother is sleeping or I would invite you inside my home. If you would be so gracious as to sit with me, I would be pleased to bring you some tea or cool water.”
Yukio smiled and bowed. “I would be honored to take tea with you, Kisho.” Yukio sat happily against the side of the house near the neatly tended flower bed while Kisho went into his tiny house to prepare refreshment.
Kisho’s invitation to a total stranger to stay and visit was not surprising, as a new face was probably rare in his village, and the chance of news from afar was no doubt appealing.
Kisho returned shortly with a small wooden tray containing two clay cups of steaming tea. He sat next to Yukio, his large dark eyes so like Kiyoshi’s that Yukio fancied he saw the gardener’s soul peeking through them.
They sipped their tea for a few moments, each silent. Yukio studied the young man, who gazed calmly back at him. Kisho finally said, “You seem to examine me, as if you were looking for something.”
Yukio felt his face heat. “Forgive my rudeness. It’s just that you look like someone—like someone I loved.”
“He has gone?”
“He died. Last year.”
Kisho nodded soberly. “I know much of death. Of my seven brothers, mother and father, only my mother and I remain.”
“You have no wife?”
“I have nothing to offer a wife.”
They looked at one another. Yukio set down his mug and moved his hand, reaching out to lightly touch Kisho’s leg. Kisho did not flinch or move away.
His thigh was strong. Yukio longed to move his fingers along the coarse cotton to his groin, but his hand remained still. Kisho’s hand moved with the delicacy of a swan’s dipping head, coming to rest on top of Yukio’s. Kisho’s hand was rough and calloused with labor, but its touch was gentle.
Yukio’s heart began to pound, and blood raced to his cock, engorging it as they sat together, still as statues. Softly Kisho said, “I saw a crane today. I believe my luck is changing.”

And here’s the buy link: http://1romanceebooks.com/manlove/a-princely-gift/prod_472.html

Thanks, Amanda! This has been fun! (It’s been a pleasure having you, Claire! )

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For more information on Claire’s body of work, please visit her website: http://www.clairethompson.net/

Join Author Michelle Cary and I for a chat tonight from 6pm to 8pm est at Whip Cream’s yahoo chat group. Michelle and I wil be giving away a copy of our co-written ebook, Don’t Look Back, as well other books and prizes.

You can join in on the fun by clicking on the link below…

 

 

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/whippedcream2/

Please welcome this weeks author, Christine d’Abo…

Q: Hello Christine. If you would, please tell us which genre(s) you write in, and why…
A: I primarily write erotic futuristics, but I’ve started to branch out into fantasy and urban paranormals recently. I love the flexibility all these genres offer me as a writer, along with the ability to sink my teeth into some great world building.

Q: How long did you write before you received your first contract for publication?
A: Like a lot of other writers, I think it’s something I’ve done since I was a kid. But the serious writing didn’t start until I was twenty-seven. I’d just moved to Virginia from Canada, was at home with two babies under the age of two, and really needed an escape. I sat down in front of my computer when the girls were napping and started writing a story. I didn’t know what I was doing, but it was something I wanted to try. After a few false starts, I penned The Bond That Ties Us. I sold it in January 2007, five years after deciding to do this seriously.

Q: So, if you don’t mind sharing, would you tell us about your latest work in progress?
A: I actually have a few on the go at the moment. The one that has captured my attention is a novella I hope to submit for the upcoming Space Opera anthology from Samhain. It has bounty hunters, gun, mind reading gems and hot men. We’ll have to see how it turns out.

Q: Out of all the stories you’ve written, which is your favorite?
A: Book three in my Eternal Bond series is called The Bond That Consumes Us. The hero, Taber, was a secondary character in my first novel and quickly became a fan favourite. When it came time to write his story, I wanted to make sure I did him justice. I spent a lot of time thinking about his character, flaws, and tried to give him a problem that would force him to grow. When I finally sat down to write the story, it simply poured out of me. It’s the one that I will actually go back and re-read myself, the one that gives me the most pride.

Q: Do you need to be in a specific place or atmosphere before the words flow?
A: Not really. I need some white noise if I’m going to write properly, so I tend to find myself at Starbucks when I really want to get stuff done. As long as I don’t have someone interrupting me when I get into a groove, then it’s all good.

Q: If you could offer one tidbit of information for new writers, what would it be?
A: My biggest challenge as a writer is self doubt. The rejections don’t stop even once you’ve been published, they simply change. If I can offer any advice at all, it’s to believe in yourself. Know that you may have areas to improve on, that your story that you slaved over might not sell, and that you’ll probably get feedback that hurts. You need to have faith in your own abilities because it’s the main thing that will keep you moving forward.

Q: Do you have an evil day job or do you write full time?
A: Oh yes, the evil day job and I are still good friends. As much as I love what I do full time, I do have the hope that someday I’ll be able to make writing my profession of choice. But until then, I’ll just keep plugging away and writing on my lunch hour.

Q: What do you like to do in your spare time?
A: I work full time, write when I can fit it in, have two girls, a husband, cat and a puppy. What is the “spare time” you speak of?

Q: Name one thing readers would be surprised to learn about you.
A: I’m totally insecure. When people meet me in person, I’m very outgoing and laid back. But in my head…totally freaking fifteen thousand times a day.

Q: What’s your favorite dirty word?
A: Fuck. Such a versatile word. Can be screamed as a curse or muttered against a lover’s ear. Love it!

Q: What’s your favorite holiday, and why?
A: Dude, seriously…Halloween. Candy and costumes…enough said.

Q: Do you have any tattoos or piercings?
A: I refuse to answer on the grounds someone may ask to see them. *grin*

Q: If you could be intimate with three people (not necessarily all at one time *g*) without getting in trouble with your significant other, who would they be?
A: Not get in trouble? Really?? *whispers so hubby won’t hear* Jensen Ackles…but only if he talked like Dean from Supernatural. Jeffery Dean Morgan…but he’d have to have the beard. Hugh Jackman…naked. I’d be okay with the all at one time bit…NOM Nom nom nom…

Q: If you were stranded on a desert island, what three things would you want with you?
A: First, my husband. Seriously, the man is an organizational king and I’d need him to, you know, hunt and gather and stuff. Second, I’d want my iPod with external speakers. And finally, lube. Enough said.

Q: If you won the lottery tomorrow, what would you spend the money on?
A: The evil day job would go away and I’d write full time. I’d also make sure the kids had money put away for university, and that my parents and sister would get some really awesome trips. Oh, and I’d buy a Mini Cooper S for myself. Jet black. With gray stripes.

Q: Which household chore do you abhor and why?
A: Cleaning the toilets. I mean, come on! Nobody likes that job. *shudders*

Q: What’s your favorite comfort food?
A: Salt and vinegar chips. I’m a fiend for them!

Q: Do you have any guilty pleasures you feel comfortable sharing?
A: I’m a huge Doctor Who and Torchwood fanatic. Love both shows more than anything! My OCD is currently fixated on the whole Jack/Ianto relationship on Torchwood. Series three is airing this June and I’m terrified they are going to kill Ianto. I will cry. Seriously.

Q: Do you have a favorite book or movie?
A: I have a large keeper shelf with tons of books I re-read all the time. Some of those include Colleen Gleason, Kelley Armstrong, Julia Quinn and Jacqueline Franks. As far as movies, I love the Lord of the Rings trilogy and 300.

Q: Anything else you’d like to share?
A: I’m a fairly active blogger and post lots over at Twitter. Please feel free to stop by my site www.christinedabo.com or http://twitter.com/Christine_dAbo

Q: In closing, tell us a bit about your latest release (& share a yummy excerpt for those who aren’t yet familiar with your work)
A: My most recent release is called All Bottled Up from Samhain. It’s the story of a call center worker who finds a genie in a bottle while she’s on a trip to Mexico (pre swine flu days). Here is a quick excerpt.

With her eyes locked on the bottle, she slowly made her way back to shore. Sand clung to the smooth glass and she had to rinse it in the water and rub away the quickly drying salt from the smooth surface. It was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen. She was so taken with her discovery she didn’t notice that someone was standing behind her. Until he snapped the elastic strap of her bikini top.
“What the hell!”
Viola spun on her heels, ready to unleash hell on the unwelcome juvenile delinquent. Her mouth dropped open when she came face-to-face with the most amazingly handsome man she’d ever laid eyes on.
“Good day,” he said and bowed deeply from the waist. “My name is Jerod. And what is the name of the goddess who awoke me from my slumber?”
The sound of his voice sent shivers of pleasure down her spine. Despite the warmth of the sun and water, goosebumps rose on her skin. Viola gave her head a shake.
“Pardon?”
Her brain felt like mush. He called me a goddess? He must be drunk on the rum punch. It was pretty good stuff after all. She gave her head a shake and tried to place his accent. Mediterranean? Italian? Not Spanish though. She really needed to become more worldly, especially if there were men like him out there.
His eyes were crystal blue, so light she’d almost swear he wore contact lenses. His hair was pitch black, as was his goatee. He wore no shirt, but instead had a midnight blue satin vest that did little to hide the perfect six pack and firm pecs. He stood with his hands on his hips drawing her attention to the mysteries below his golden belt. His pants were made of the same material, which hugged his thighs nicely. He stood barefoot as the water lapped at his toes.
Perfect and very yummy.
“Do I meet your approval?”
She snapped her eyes back to his face and prayed she wasn’t drooling. Shit, I’m acting like Bill. Viola felt her face heat and she wanted to crawl under a large beach towel and hide. Face to face conversations weren’t her strong suit. That’s why she loved working in a call center—she was braver when faceless.
Beth’s words began to ring in her ears—get laid. Viola straightened, looked this snacktastic man in the eyes and smiled.
“I’m sorry, that was rude of me. You surprised me. What did you say your name was?”
“Jerod.”
He looked amused, like someone who was initiating a new member into a secret club. Viola found her gaze constantly slipping over his body, checking out every inch of his half-naked body. When he chuckled, her brain finally kicked past her libido and she held out her hand.
“I’m Viola. It’s very nice to meet you, Jerod.”
Instead of taking her hand, he nodded his head, keeping his eyes locked on hers the entire time. The urge to squirm under the intensity of his gaze was strong. Instead she buried her toes into the sand and kept staring back. Think sexy.