Erotic Gothic-esque Romance

It’s about to begin. This scary thing where I do an installments for the next foreseeable future. Not every month, but pretty close. I have the first one, it’s rough. I tried to edit, but my mind isn’t as clear as I’d like. Plus, you, dear reader, are my guinea pig. So, while you read this, know that the story might change, evolve, and become something different… because I am writing it almost as soon as you are reading it. So, the final version might be altered. But the basic sorry will remain. I don’t even have a name for it yet. It’s sitting in Scrivener as “erotic gothic.” I gave you two installments as the first just to get things going. Plus, I think October is the month that will see me the least able to post the next installment. So you get double– right now. And maybe nothing next month or something very small. Bear with me. Seriously, this is a good story. At least, I think so.

So, here goes.


The Beginning

The drive had been long and mostly quiet. The night noises were cut with the roar of the old engine. Both the quiet and the dark were uncomfortable. It seemed like they driven forever.

The moist air seeped in through the cracked driver’s side window. It was laced almost continuously with the scent of burning tobacco. The further they drove the wetter the air became. Her too small clothing shrank even further.

She thought that they might drive all night and watch as the sun rose over the eastern sky. But just as she came up with that possibility, the car turned. Not that they hadn’t turned off a road or two before this one. But the others were merges while this turn was abrupt. Sharp. The quality of the road had changed as well. The road wasn’t as smooth.

It was rougher. Slightly coarse.

She wasn’t sure how much time had passed when she saw the house. It was huge. The only way to tell anything approximating size was the blurry background a structure made against the night sky’s light. But this night, the moon wasn’t bright. Still, the house took up a good deal of real estate even from the faint feeling it gave off by taking up what little light there was to be had.

It was quiet around the house.

She wasn’t sure when the animal sounds had stopped. The chirping of night insects had also ceased their singing as well.

Still no one spoke.

She wasn’t expecting it. She could count on one hand the number of times the man beside her had spoken to her. He didn’t speak much as it was. But to her that little amount was close to nonexistent. She was grateful for that, however. Every time he had chosen to speak to her, bad things had occurred. Mostly, he beat her. She preferred it when he pretended as if she didn’t exist.

The last time he’d spoken to her had been two nights before, after they’d buried her mother. He told her she had to go. She hadn’t understood what he meant then. She’d still been reeling from her mother’s sudden death. Well, sudden if you didn’t consider the history of the man beating her on the regular. Sudden in that it wasn’t natural causes. It was man-made. By the man who told her she had to go.

She understood now. She should’ve left when she had a chance. Left everything and walked away. But she hadn’t understood then. He was making her go and now she didn’t have a choice as to where she was going.

To this house.

He said she was being traded for a debt. Labor for debt. Her labor and his debt. Then he’d thrown her in the car and started driving.

He drove up the long driveway that had turned off the coarse road. They passed the front of the house and followed a smaller driveway to the side and finally to the back of the house. The car jerked to a sudden stop. The man got out and opened the trunk. A few seconds later, the trunk closed. He walked around to the passenger side, opened the door and pulled her out.

“Stay,” he said as he cuffed her upside the head.

He walked around t the drivers side, got in and drove away. All without another glance or word to her. She knew because she hadn’t stopped staring at him or the car. Even when he couldn’t be seen anymore inside the car. And even until she couldn’t see the car anymore after it turned back onto the coarse road. No doubt he was retracing his steps.

She stared for longer than she should have considering she was still in her pajamas. And although it was hot, it was still wet outside. And it was still dark.

She looked around and saw a door.

She walked up to it and knocked.

The door thudded. It wasn’t an insubstantial sound. There wasn’t a doorbell on the back door, either.
She had no notice when the door swung open. The door had dampened anyone’s approaching noise.

“Who are you and what do you want at this hour?” asked an older portly woman in a cheap robe covering incredibly furry slippers.

“Annalise,” she whispered.

“Who?” the woman asked again peering around to look behind Annalise.

“Annalise,” she said in a louder voice, or at least she hoped she had.

“How’d you get here?”

“Aaron dropped me off,” she replied.

“Why are you here?” the woman asked.

“Debt.”

She couldn’t say anything more. But saw some small spark of knowledge dawning in the woman’s eyes. And pity. Annalise saw pity before it was squelched completely out.

Annalise swallowed.

“Come,” the woman said. “I’m Margaret. Call me Maggie. I’ll get you a place to sleep tonight and we’ll sort everything out in the morning. It’s too early to try and tangle this out now.”

She wasn’t sure what worried her more. The strangeness of where she’d been dropped off or that the own who answered the door hadn’t hesitated more than a minute before letting her in… as if her arrival wasn’t unusual or out of the ordinary.

Reflections of a Lived Life

I just recommended the Artist Way by Julia or Julie Cameron to a friend on Facebook. Now, most of the people on my personal FB page are friends from high school. I went to a weird, freak high school where people have stayed in touch with each other over the years. We still have a pretty good turnout for both kids and teachers at our reunions. Although, they’ve gotten grayer as the years have moved on.

Dating

I stumbled on the Artist Way due to a recommendation from my bff. It literally was a necessary thing at a period in my life when I needed it. I wrote stream of consciousness in the mornings for almost three years. Probably longer than I thought I needed, but looking back far shorter than I should have. My mother’s death, wherein I went into a deep, dark depression fora few years probably could’ve benefited from journaling every morning. I forgot during that period as I was in survival mode. I wish I had kept up the writing so it would’ve already been there. I have given a lot of thought to getting back to it.

I still take myself on dates and buy myself presents. I spend ALL of my $10. I leveled up from $5 because inflation, yo.

Weirdly, the one other thing which has helped my mind is an amalgamation of a short story I read in 9th grade and something I read many years later. When I was in 9th grade, Mrs. Sinclair, who was my 9th grade English teacher gave us tons of short stories throughout the year. The one I remember in relation to this thought was one that was a science fiction. It was about the invention of teleportation. Humans has invented a teleporter. But in order to have living things alive from one point to the other, anything alive had to be put to sleep. So, you are put to sleep, you are teleported, and then you wake up. Less than a minute or two. A smarty pants boys wanted to know how and why a person had to be asleep to teleport. So, he took drugs or somehow concocted to stay awake during the teleportation. He ended up completely insane when he arrived on the other side.

Although the teleportation took only a second or two, the human mind when it teleports and doesn’t have a frame of reference perceives it as infinity. His brain had live an infinite amount of time… alone and in a vacuum. He came out insane. In case you have figured it out by now, humans are community species. We are built to live together with others. otherwise, bad things happen.

The second thing which hammered this home was Stephen Covey’s first 7 Habits book. I don’t remember anything else about that book today. But I remember this: Infinity resides in the space between action and reaction. The old ways of doing something doesn’t need to be kept because you have all the time and choices in the world as you sit in that space between the initial action and the attendant reaction.

When you put that together with the short story, you get a complete thought, in my mind at least.

Now, when you put all this together, using stream of consciousness writing to help your brain gain more time between action and reaction. Making that period of time go in slo-mo.

Anyway, I woke up this morning thinking these things and thought I would share them with you.

Infinity resides in that space between breathes.

Breast Cancer and Other News Update

It’s been a while. I feel like it’s been an eternity. It’s been months at least. And that’s because cancer treatments kick your ass.

No, really.

I’m not sure if you’re aware of it, but it the treatments that’ll kill ya. Seriously, the business of fighting for your life against a vicious disease is a hard battle. And I am fatigued. But I am coming out of the fog.

My hair is the shortest it’s been since I decided I wanted to be a buddhist monk at 3 or 4 and had my mom shave my head. I tried to keep it, y’all. And if my chemo had not been the worst, most dangerous and strongest chemo around- they call it the red devil, if that tells you anything- I would’ve kept most of it. As it was, I kept about 25%. It just simply looked too terrible not to shave off into a boy cut and go all Audrey Hepburn.

Cold capping works. It just doesn’t work very well if you do the chemo I did. And then if you have a semi-formal event- like a college graduation that you can’t miss because it’s your oldest child and you wouldn’t miss that shit even if you were bald on the head and hairy on the leg- that you must attend without a baseball cap. So you go and get a nice short do. And proudly wear that shit to your son’s graduation. Proud and loud, bitches. I beat cancer.

I did. For right now. Cancer always comes back. They don’t talk about that. But it comes back. What you want is for it to not come back for a really long time, like 15 years or more. But my body scans tell the docs I have no other cancer hot spots. And the chemo plus radiation treatment plan kills rogue cells which have broken off and might be roaming free.

It’s been 5 weeks post radiation. The black skin is all gone off my chest. And almost all gone off my back. Soon, I will be back to my old self. Well, without one boob. And with a wicked fucking abdomen scar. But with my life. And my brain in tact. Not that my noggin has been much help lately. Chemo brain is REAL, yo. But slowly, I am coming back.

I attended a Master Class with Alexandra Sokoloff this past weekend. It was awesome. Got my creative brain and juices flowing. And I wrote the most words I’ve written since I started this whole cancer saga.

Anyway, here’s my new do. Hopefully, my hair grows quickly. And I am so glad this whole no hair thing happened now. If this had happened back when I was younger, I think I would’ve been completely devastated. As it is now, short hair is just another thing. I’m alive. And that is all that matters.

And here’s hoping I have many more words this week. And I want to do an update on my erotic gothic thriller story. I’ve got some ideas.

Now. I need to go write. And take supplements to try and get these strands GROWING!

Best Women’s Erotica of the Year

Release days are always special days. And this year starts off with a bang. I have a short story in Best Women’s Erotica of the Year, Vol. 1, called Date Night. The stories contained and curated by Rachel Kramer Bussel on behalf of Cleis Press are nothing short of brilliant. Go take a peek-see and I’m sure you’ll be as smitten as I am.

 

It’s a little steamy and a whole lot hot.

And here’s a little secret… the location I used is a pretty well-known Anchorage bar. One that I think has a cool, sexy vibe. So, for parents and lovers everywhere,  I hope that Date Night inspires one of your own.

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More Things You Should(n’t) Ask Your Favorite Author

Continuing the funny/not funny things you should say to or ask your favorite author are some more random shit that maybe you can think, but shouldn’t say. That is, if you like your favorite author at all. If you don’t, then all bets are off. Go to town. Ask all the squick questions in the world.

But if you like your author even a little, just think about the answers to these questions and maybe not say them to anyone. But if you do, youtube that shit and post it for all of us to see. Because laughter helps everybody. 😉

  1. Do you need some cool sex scene ideas or stories to include in your book? [Then proceed to state the most bizarre sex act known to mankind… until the next guy.]
  2. It must be really easy coming up with story ideas, why don’t you write faster? Art harder?
  3. Can you loan me some money? I know you’ve published some books so you must be filthy rich, or at least, have enough to give me some.
  4. I wish I could have such a cushy, easy job like you. All sitting around all day and daydreaming and fantasizing and doing nothing basically.
  5. Why aren’t you more famous?

See how it’s done? Tell me, do you really like your favorite author? Even if you do, please for the love of all that is good and holy take pictures and videos and screenshots and share that shit for the world!

Go forth and enjoy.

Romance on the Rocks

Martinis and Romance, Romance and Martinis. Which came first? And does it even really matter?

I don’t think so.

But what is coming first, middle and last, is Romance on the Rocks. It’s a new blog, yo. With some really great writers of all the things that are sexy and fabulous.

And the theme? You guessed it. Our favorite cocktails! Mine of course is the dirty martini. I love the olive juice as it cuts against the clear liquid. In the beginning, I began with vodka. Because it’s clear and tasteless. But I have since learned to love the gin. But… it has to be a softer gin. Like Boodles or Plymouth. Regardless, I am digging on regular martinis in addition to my dirty ones. Every once in a while, I still bust out the olive juice. But now, I use olives stuffed with blue cheese. I’ve heard of these being called dirty executives. I likey. So Dirty Executive, it is. Regardless of which martini drink you might favor, they are all delish.

Now, crack open a bottle and grab a man or a book and drink, people. Alcohol is the lube of life. And when it comes to Romance, alcohol makes everything go down far more smoothly.

Here’s the link to the fabulous new blog. Romance on the Rocks

Autism Awareness Blog Hop

April is Autism awareness month, with April 2 as its official “day,” and there’s an autism awareness blog hop going on… so. Here we are.

Click the pic to go to the main hop page

I’m not sure why there’s been such a huge increase in incident of autism. Seemingly rational people become not so much when discussing the same. Still, I don’t remember anyone being diagnosed with autism when I was growing up. But I do know several children today who have one form or another. So to increase awareness, to bring attention, and to generally be supportive, this blog hop is taking place.

Perhaps the best known form of autism is Asperger syndrome. People with Asperger syndrome are often of average or above-average intelligence. They have fewer problems with speech than people with other types of autism, but may find it difficult to understand and process language. I have two friends with sons who have Asperger’s. They are bright, funny boys. And because they have Asperger’s many times people can’t tell. But even the milder forms of autism need help and therapy and to have other’s made aware of this serious condition.

In honor of this month and all the fabulous people who are so supportive, I’m giving away an ebook copy of either FarSeen or Hat Trick, the choice is yours. I would supply a copy of Night Blind, but it’s not released yet (hint: I will be doing a hop later this month giving away an ebook copy of Night Blind). So if you pick FarSeen, and then Night Blind sometime later, you’ll have both parts of the OtherKind Prequel. So leave me a comment about anything, even if it doesn’t have anything to do with autism. I’ll draw the winner on April 15- TAX DAY! You know, cause SOMETHING good should happen that day. lol

 

 

Saturday Snippet: More Night Blind

NIGHT BLIND is available for immediate download over at the Totally Bound website. Click on the pic and it’ll take you right on over there. General release will be April 25, 2014. But why wait until then? Sheesh… instant gratification, peeps. ‘Nuff said. 😉
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Preorder: 14th March 2014 (preorder through TEB website)
Prerelease: 28th March 2014 (available to buy on TEB website)
General Release: 25th April 2014 (available everywhere)

BLURB:

As Lucien, Rory, and Ellie navigate the intricacies of a full triad, including one man new to man-love, they also have to seek and destroy the source of the sickness afflicting witches.

Every Vampire Lord needs a shifter bodyguard. Rory has been Lucien’s for a while now. And although Rory’s been protecting Lucien’s body, Lucien has been just plain lusting after Rory. Unfortunately, Rory’s been rebuffing Lucien’s advances. That is, until Ellie comes along with her witchy bad self. The Witch Council is sending her to Dallas in her capacity as Enforcer. And to make matters more interesting, they’re also sending Lucien and Rory.

Ellie’s mission is to find and destroy the source of the witch sickness. Along the way, she uncovers Rory’s reason for hesitating in accepting Lucien’s advances. Rory’s never been with a man before. As a result, Rory and his wolf are confused when Lucien comes on to him. But with Ellie’s help, Rory’s not confused anymore. Now, what happens in Dallas… Well, it’s not going to stay in Dallas.

As Lucien, Rory, and Ellie navigate the intricacies of a full triad, they also have to navigate the treacherous home of the Dallas Vampire Lord during the winter solstice. Because something is rotten. And Ellie’s pretty sure it’s the Dallas Vampire Lord.

 

Warning… maybe: One shifter new to manlove, one witch new to threesomes, and one vampire who’s been there and done that… a thousand times. At least. They’re all new to each other. Add in crazed bad guys unleashing diseases of mass destruction, and well… what happens in Dallas, it’s not gonna stay in Dallas. Light m/m action, some anal and LOTS of hot menage.

EXCERPT:

“Get the fuck out of my way,” she snarled at the bloodsucking asshole who had stepped in her path.

Christ, she hadn’t signed on for this. She needed to find who she was looking for then get the fuck out of this pit. Before she did something stupid. Like taking out a bitch not on her kill list.

Blood dens were a crap shoot at the best of times. Some were all about the sex. Drawing humans with the lure of the best sex they would ever have in exchange for a little blood during the act. In well-run dens, most of the humans were left alive, and mostly intact. This one was all about exploitation, however. So not a good time for her. She wouldn’t be surprised if some of the humans here, who had signed the liability waiver, didn’t end up dead in this joint.

What flowed through her veins called to vampires. Her blood was sweet and it smelled that way. Almost like catnip for bloodsuckers. But more than that, hers was strong. Given the choice, most of the vamps in the den would have opened her vein and drained her dry—with or without a liability waiver.

Initially, it was her sword holding them back. As well it should. She wasn’t carrying it for looks. It was for killing. And everyone who saw her and saw it, knew it. In a race of killers, her blade was well respected.

Most of the vamps, even in the throes of blood glut, got out of her way. Self-preservation was a miraculous thing. As high as they were, they still knew death’s scent. Permanent death, not the kind that made vampires. The kind that sent them over to the other side. For good.

She felt the power of an older undead before she saw him. Not too strong, but still old. There was enough power in the approaching blood drinker to be the one to run this place. The power signature pressed closer and closer.

“Morrie,” she greeted him, even though she couldn’t see him.

He was approaching her from behind. It was done on purpose. To check her blind spot. Now he knew. They all did.

“Lady,” he gave her the respect of her title. Smart man.

Even if his obeisance came after he had felt how much more powerful she was, she didn’t comment on the hesitation in his greeting. Mostly it was the magic in her sword. But she wasn’t without natural power. She was a witch, after all. Her goddess’s arm of justice. Maybe not as strong as Ellie. But Ellie’s talent lay in healing. Hers lay in enforcing the laws and hunting down those who broke them. Witch rogues, vampire rogues, shape-shifter rogues, elven rogues. All of them. If they broke the law and stepped beyond redemption, she hunted them down and killed them.

She was on the hunt tonight.

“There’s a diseased vamp in here, Morrie. Find him. Bring him to me and I’ll leave the place standing,” she ordered.

“Don’t know what you’re talking ‘bout, Enforcer,” Morrie shot back.

“Morrie, I’ve been chasing this bastard all over town. I followed him here. I can feel him in here. Find him, bring him to me before I tear this fucking place apart trying to find him myself.” She knew he was lying. He knew she knew he was lying.

Time to find out why he was lying later. Right now, she had other things to do.

Morrie looked set to argue with her again. She let some of her magic out. Electricity started sparking from her body. Morrie’s eyes got big. He took a step back, throwing up his hands in supplication.

“If you don’t bring him to me immediately, I will burn this den down,” she said. Her sight developed a slight film as her power filled her. “You make me burn this place down, I’ll do it with everyone inside. Then it’ll be known that you were harboring a rogue and refused to give him to me. You won’t be well liked, Morrie. I won’t even have to hunt you down myself. Your lord will do it for me.”

“Yes, Lady.” Morrie scurried off to do her bidding. “I shall endeavor to find the one you seek immediately.”

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Spring Fling Blog Hop

Today’s the first day of Spring. The Vernal Equinox for those of you wanting to use more astrological terms. lol It is the day the North American continent begins to tilt in a way as to bring the sun closer to that portion of the surface of our planet.Sepia Shot of a Young Kissing Couple.

Like little flower, the sun after the long cold season makes me turn my face up towards it. I dunno why  but Spring makes me think of going slightly crazy, a little punch drunk, a bit bonkers. Which shouldn’t be a surprise after being cooped up for the dark, cold months of winter.

Flowers make me think of the birds and the bees. Well, mostly bees. But if you get as far as the bees, you can’t help but think of the birds as well. So it shouldn’t surprise anyone when I say Spring makes think of love, romance and sex. Okay, lots of things–including Spring–makes me think of love, romance and sex.  I write the stuff for shitsake. 😀

In honor of Spring, I’m doing this fling to celebrate. So much to be happy for, but the one right now is that winter is gonna finally be over AND because I had two books release last month. Hat Trick is one of them and is the ebook on giveaway for this hop. It was serendipity to have an ebook about weddings and babies and best men and maids of honor come out just in time for Spring, but there you have it.

Leave me a comment and let me know why you love Spring, or just tell me anything at all for a chance to win my prize. And then go to the other blog hop participants for more cool things to win on their blogs and increase your chances for the grand prizes. The Rafflecopter link is below, and the main blog hop can be found here or by clicking on the Spring Fling Blog Hop button up above. When the Hop is over, check back at all the places to see what awesome swag you’ve won.

The blurb for Hat Trick is below. and you can find a snippet here.

Blurb:

Silas is a professional soccer player and Best Man at his best friend’s wedding. Emma is in upper management and Maid of Honor at her best friend’s wedding. When the Silas and Emma wake up the next morning in bed together, the worst thing they thought the night before had given them was a hangover.

Now the Maid of Honor is showing up to the wedding pregnant with the Best Man’s baby. On the way to their own happy ending, Emma and Silas have to overcome their dislike of each other and the situation. If that isn’t enough, the past always has a way of coming back to haunt the present making it anyone’s guess if Emma and Silas will play to advantage or commit a foul.

GRAND PRIZES:

*Special THANKS goes out to Blushing Books and authors Sue Lyndon, Patty Devlin and Cara Bristol for their contributions to the Grand Prizes!! 🙂

1 Kindle Fire (Donated by Blushing Books)
1 $75 Amazon (or B&N) Gift Card
1 $25 Starbucks Gift Card (Donated by Sue)
1 $25 Blushing Books Gift Card (Donated by Patty)
1 $25 Loose Id Gift Card (Donated by Cara)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

One Year Blog Anniversary

Today’s the one year anniversary of my blog. March is also the month I finished my first full length novel. Yes, that’s right. March of last year was when I finished my first full length novel. It amazes me that it happened at all. Still. Today.

This isn’t going to be a long post. Just a little something to commemorate today. So this is my jumping up and down for joy… in writing. 🙂

Hopefully, next year– I will be able to write another little post of goodness.