Rambling On...

By Raven McAllan (Guest Blogger)

There's a page in one of the UK Sunday supplements, where they pose not quite run of the mill questions to famous people.

Now, okay I'm not famous, and I'm terrible at answering most questions, because well, I don't really have a favourite group, don't like going to the Cinema, and have no idea where my ideas come from. rolls eyes

See what I mean? A nightmare.

However this question thing is different, so I thought I'd give you the Raven Rundown of Fascinating (well let's pretend they are) facts. (Or as my friends say, Raven's Ramblings)

So in no particular order, here's we go.

I was born in Corby in England, which was more Scottish than Scotland. Seriously there was only about 3% English there and I was one of them. My best friend and I pricked fingers so I could say I had some Scottish blood in me.

I move to Scotland around 25 years ago with my DH. At first, I had to translate at times, especially the slang. Now we both have the slang in us, as they say.

Our kids are grown up, and we rattle round in a house much too big for us, on the edge of a forest. It's not that far from the ruined castle I based my Diomhair series in. It's a beautiful area, except we're to the west of the country, and are bombarded, from June to October by the scourge of Scotland. The Midge.

The children all had gap years. We tell them we are doing our 'gap year' in two (or three) week chunks. Great fun and I've been all over the world.

Favourite city…Hong Kong, followed by Singapore.

Favourite island…Sri Lanka and/or The Maldives.

Favourite beach…Anywhere in The Caribbean I reckon. Though I do love walking along Long Sands in St Andrews. We've done it in all weathers, even snow, which looked pretty surreal.

I relax by reading, writing, and no 'rithmetic. Listening to music, drinking fine wine (in moderation of course), and travelling. I'm one of those people who love flying.

Now we have eReaders, I have space for clothes in my suitcase, instead of a book for each day and few extra just in case.

My first memory is sitting in a big pram and holding (okay chewing) a hardback book. I wish I knew which one it was.

I always insist I'm growing old disgracefully. I have no particular style unless you call it Raven Chic. Which pretty much translates into I still love maxi dresses, or shock horror showing my knees. In the winter it's Uggs and in the summer Havianas or Birkenstocks. I suppose you could say I'm an aged hippy, except where I lived the swinging sixties hardly swayed let along swung.

When people ask me if I wish I'd started writing at an earlier age (I now have my bus pass) I have to say no. Oh don't get me wrong; part of me wishes I have 40-50 years left to write. However I know me. At when I was younger, I didn't have the confidence to write as I can, not as I thought I should. There's a big difference, and the couple of miserable attempts I did, and found not so long ago showed that. Stilted, wooden, cardboard, you name it and I was it.

Now, well I don't know if I'm better? I hope so.

What I do know is my voice is so not what I thought it would be. If you had asked me, even five years ago, if I thought I'd be writing erotic romance I probably would have laughed. I never thought I had it in me. But I do, and I do and boy am I enjoying it.

I just hope my readers do as well.

When I took my daughter to visit a friend years ago, and we had to pass a ruined castle, I would never have thought that one day I'd use it for the setting of a series of BDSM books. However when the idea for Secrets Shared popped into my brain, I thought of it, and knew it was the perfect place, even though in the books it's been restored.

Secrets Shared by Raven McAllan

Diomhair is Gaelic for secret. What happens there, stays there…. Whether you want to learn or teach, be in control or controlled, Diomhair could be the place for you.

Jess is looking forward to her night out. Anticipation turns to dismay when she finds out she is being taken to a BDSM club. After a disastrous experience in her past, Jess wants nothing to do with the life style.

David is doing a favour for a friend, and he is instantly attracted to the fiery Jess. The experienced Dom recognizes Jess's bluster for what it is—Fear. There is no doubt in his mind that Jess is submissive, but getting her to accept that fact will take some doing.

When Jess does give into her secret desires, can she truly let go, and be the sub David is looking for, or will she hold onto her secrets?

David is determined to help her, but it is up to Jess to accept. Will she break his heart or can they find a common ground from which to build a relationship.

At Diomhair you never know what will happen in the end.

Excerpt.

“I’ve promised Jeff I’ll take you both to him, and I don’t go back on my promises. I’ll hold your hand.”

Jess paled even further and shook her head. David reckoned it was hard to believe so much colour could leach from a person’s skin, and them still be conscious.

“And I should accept this why?”

He raised one shoulder. “Because your brother and friend have your best interests at heart maybe? Whatever. But listen well, you do not take it out on Kathleen. How about I give you my word? Once we get there, if you wish, you can leave and I’ll take you wherever you want to go.” He could tell she was thinking over his words. Her eyes were cloudy, and she twisted one red ringlet between her fingers. Behind her, Kath was silent. She must have understood how crucial this was.

“Like this?” she waved her hands over her face. “Eyes wide open and not covered?”

Shit. What had made her ask that?

“No, not quite.” He waited. She waited, and David realised he had to speak.

“Blindfold. It’s the rule.” Why was he being so arsy about it? He could bend the rules if he wanted to. David realised it was because he needed Jess to trust him. Is it just because it strikes at my ego, or because it would be the first step to a Dom-sub relationship? He evaluated his feelings. Definitely the latter.

Jess shrugged. “Then sorry, no dice. I will never, ever be blindfolded. So either I go sighted or not at all.”

And therein was his dilemma. As much as he wanted it, David accepted it was asking too much for her to put all her trust in him without any good reason. Why should she? He knew damned well if he was in her position he’d tell him to go to hell. Something was seriously wrong, and he was determined to help her get over the hurdle or phobia. For both their sakes.

“Would you agree to keep your eyes shut?” he asked, trying for a compromise. “If I promise no one will touch you?” David hadn’t realised until that moment how crucial he considered her answer would be. “No one except me that is, and I’ll only touch you to guide you.”

The silence stretched. With infinite patience, he counted off the seconds in his mind. He would give her two minutes and…then kiss her senseless maybe. Why this woman should affect him the way she did, he had no idea. In truth he wasn’t enamoured with the fact she appealed to him on more than one level. Not only was his cock hard and his balls tight with arousal, David’s dominant—and emotional side demanded he make sure she was okay with everything that happened. It was a pity he was busy, too busy to give her the care and attention she needed. He grinned to himself. Just whom was he kidding? If she did interact, show even the slightest interest in him, he’d do his damnedest to have her. Under him, writhing in pleasure as he fucked her every which way possible. Bent over the spanking bench, his hand caressing her as he made his mark on her shapely ass. With him every step of the way, as he explored her limits and pushed them further. However, he had a feeling the River Clyde would freeze over before that happened.

Beside him, he saw Kath wipe her eyes and wait with him. Jess paced up and down and nibbled her top lip once more. How he’d like to reprimand her and tell her not to mutilate herself. Already a red mark had appeared on her skin, and as far as he was concerned, he should create the only red marks, and they wouldn’t mar her face.

Jess halted abruptly and turned to stand in front of him. He might be a good six inches taller than her, but he noticed she was in no way intimidated. Most women looked somewhat apprehensive when he was in full Dom mode. Not his Jessica. The thought hit him like a lightening bolt. His Jessica? Way too soon for that.

“You promise? No blindfold if I shut my eyes?”

“I never renege on my promises.” He heard what Jeff called ‘David’s Dom voice’ in his tone—reassuring, confident and gently insistent—and winced inside. Was that the right way to reassure her?

She took a deep breath, and nodded. “Okay then, but I want it on the record, I’m not happy—with any of you.”

He mentally applauded her attitude. Her skin now had a grey tinge, and she looked as if she could throw up at the slightest provocation, but she stood her ground. “And I’ll make sure I tell Jeff, he’s not getting off the hook easily. Let’s get going then, and get this bloody evening over and done with. There’s a gin and tonic and a good book with my name on it waiting for me at home. It was going to be cocoa, but now it’s alcohol, a double. I reckon I’ll deserve it.”

It was as well she wasn’t his sub, because if she was she’d be tied up and punished for her bratty attitude. And love it, they both would. Poor Kath, she looked more than worried, as he opened the car door for them. She scrambled in and Jess followed at a slower pace. Every movement told of her unease, and there was nothing he could do to help alleviate it.

“Close your eyes. Kathleen is going to make sure you keep them closed, and if you don’t, she’ll be punished as well as you. Do you understand?” He hated that he had to persist with such a hard attitude. It wasn’t him at all. But he understood it was the way to get Jess though the journey. If it went against his chances, well, so be it. David looked through the rear view mirror and watched her face colour.

“Bastard.”

“Not at all.” He put the car into gear and set off. “My parents will celebrate their fortieth wedding anniversary later this year. I’m only thirty seven.”

She snorted. “And I need to know that why?”

Oh, how he was looking forward to showing her. He decided it was time to needle her in a nicer manner—well, he believed it was nicer.

“Surely it’s better to know a little about the man who’s dominating you?”

Her splutter was all he could have wished for.

You can find Secrets Shared at…

Totally Bound

Amazon US 

Amazon UK

All Romance Ebooks

You can find me on https://www.ravenmcallan.com

To celebrate Secrets Shared, I'm giving away three books from my backlist. All I ask is you leave a comment with your email address, and tell me where your favourite city, beach or island is and why.

Happy Reading,

Love R x