Embracing the Shadows - #Paranormal #TheDarkSide #Power

What makes paranormal romance so popular? I've been pondering this question for a while. Readers, it seems, are happy to consume as many tales about vampires, shape shifters, ghosts and psychics as we authors can produce. You'd think that they'd get bored, but that doesn't seem to happen. Why not?

I've got a theory. We're all tempted by the dark side.

The realms of paranormal romance are vast, but most books offer characters with dual natures, torn between normal humanity and―otherness. The “other” aspect conveys special powers ― unnatural strength, heightened sensation, hidden knowledge―but always at a price. The characters suffer because of their power. Blood-drinkers and half-beasts are ravaged by conscience because they maim or kill. Immortals bear the weight of lonely, isolated centuries and the pain of watching mortal companions wither and die. My prescient hero Kyle in NecessaryMadness can see the future but the fury of his visions drives him insane. Jorge in Serpent's Kiss is the incarnation of an ancient god but each time he makes love to his human mate he comes close to killing her.

In the paranormal genre, power and darkness go hand in hand. Yet somehow, we are attracted to the darkness. We brush the suffering aside; we want to feel the power. A vampires isn't sexy when he's fighting against his blood craving. Only when he sweeps his victim into his arms and buries his fangs in her flesh does he make us breathless and moist.

How many books have you read where the human hero or heroine willingly submits to “the change”, the transformation that will make them “other” as well? How many characters, in contrast, manage to resist the pull of the dark side? Not many. Normal mortal life seems absurd, bland and empty after you've tasted power. This is especially true because sex on the dark side in erotic romance is always more intense, more extreme, transcending the limits that bind ordinary humans.

Even a villain with supernatural powers tempts us. A well-written antagonist should invite enough identification that the reader can understand what moves him to do evil. The best bad guys are ambiguous, able to justify their deeds so well that they draw our sympathy. They dazzle us with their logic and their beauty, until we can't see their wickedness. Lucifer still looks like an angel as he bargains for your soul. Stefan Aries, my villain in Necessary Madness, is handsome and brilliant enough to make Kyle want him, despite his being a murderer.

We're drawn to the dark side, I think, because it's an escape. Sometimes the real world leaves us feeling so powerless―we can't help wanting the ability to take control, to bend the world to our will the way our paranormal characters do. Who wouldn't want to leave the dirty dishes and the unpaid bills behind and slip away into the night, to slink through the shadowy streets scenting for blood or to howl, unfettered, at the moon?

The dark side calls to us in paranormal romance. Every time we open a new book, we flirt with the possibility of ecstatic surrender.

Here’s a bit from one of my darker paranormals, Fire in the Blood. In this MMF erotic romance, neither Maddy nor Troy can resist the vampire hero – despite his own warnings.

His entry was swift and silent. She didn’t even know he was behind her until she noticed his fire-cast shadow on the bed. “You may wear this.” He handed her a brilliant garment of multi-coloured silk. “It belonged to my mistress.” The dressing gown was soft as a cloud, so delicate that Maddy feared it would tear at her slightest touching.

“God, it’s exquisite.” The jewel-toned robe shimmered with a twining pattern of blossoms and peacocks. “But I can’t wear this. I’ll destroy it. It looks like an antique.”

“Put it on.” Power rang in his voice. There was no way she could disobey. She slipped the gown over her shoulders and belted it around her waist. The silk caressed her breasts and belly like secret hands. Her pussy dampened again. “Sit down now, and I will bind your ankle.”

She seated herself on the bed. The giant perched on a wooden stool and drew her foot into his lap. Maddy struggled to hold still. Every time he brushed his fingers over her flesh, electric thrills sizzled up to strike between her legs. She wanted him to push the slithery silk up her thighs, to spread them so wide that it hurt, then dive down to feast on her juicy sex. Surely he must smell her. He must hear her heart, so loud in her own ears that she could no longer hear the crackling fire. However, he appeared to be completely occupied with his nursing duties. He wrapped her foot and ankle in layer after layer of taut muslin, a reasonable substitute for an ace bandage, then secured his efforts with several safety pins.

She couldn’t stand it anymore. She laid her palm on the kinky nap covering his head. He raised his eyes. In their depths, she saw wisdom and pain. “I’m Madeleine,” she said. “What’s your name?”

“Etienne.” He settled back on the stool. “Etienne de Rémorcy.”

“I want to thank you, Etienne. For all your help.” Casually, with one hand, she loosened the sash holding the robe closed. She leaned forward, so the silk gapped open and revealed her gleaming white breasts.

“I could hardly do otherwise. My mistress taught me how to be a gentleman. You obviously needed my assistance.” His rich voice sounded strained.

“Oh, I did.” Maddy shifted on the bed. The dressing gown slipped off one shoulder. “I still do.” The peacocks slithered away, exposing her pale thigh and her wound, crusted with dried blood.

Etienne’s eyes glittered. His blunt hands shot out and grabbed her wrists. “Do not play with me, girl.” Lust gushed through Maddy’s body. Etienne’s nostrils twitched. He tightened his grip until she cried out. “Do not tempt me.”

“You’re hurting me,” she whimpered. “Please…” Dimly, she understood that she was not begging to be released.

“Believe me, I will hurt you far more if we continue.” Etienne forced her down on the bed, her captured arms above her, and straddled her with his massive thighs. “Although I was taught to be a gentleman, in truth, I am a savage beast.” The fragile silk tore away from her nakedness.

“Don’t you want me?” Maddy’s eyes swam with tears.

He brought his mouth close to her ear. “You could not possibly understand how much.” His breath was the icy exhalation of a glacier.

She shivered under his weight. His coolness only stoked the fire in her pussy. “Then take me.”

He freed her wrists and sat back on his heels, searching her face. She cupped her ripe breasts and offered them to him. Please, she prayed silently, let him see my need. She opened herself to him, letting those luminous eyes probe her deepest desires.

He licked his full lips, and his white teeth gleamed in the fire light. He reached for his belt. “Let it be as you will, then,” he growled. “I am no longer responsible.”

Sizzling Sunday: Fire in the Blood --#vampire #MMF #giveaway

Welcome to another Sizzling Sunday! Since it’s almost October and Halloween is on the way, I’m sharing a sexy sequence from my MMF vampire ménage romance Fire in the Blood. Starting tomorrow, this book will be on sale for only 99 cents, as part of my Month of Magic promotion. Or you can leave me a comment on this post... I’ll give away a copy to one lucky reader!

Blurb

Maddy and Troy hope that a care-free vacation in tropical Jamaica will re-ignite the passion in their five-year relationship. On a scenic mountain trail, Maddy's horse bolts and carries her deep into the jungle. Injured and lost, she is saved by a seductive giant of a man whose mere presence kindles unbearable lust. By the time she understands his dark nature, it is far to late for her to escape.

Bitter and alone, Etienne de Rémorcy haunts the forest around the ruined plantation of Fin d'Espoir. He has sworn to never again taste human blood, but when slender, raven-haired Madeleine begs him to take her, he cannot resist.

Troy is hugely relieved when Maddy makes her way back to their hotel after her ordeal in the mountains, but he finds her greatly changed—fiercely passionate in bed, restless and disturbed at other times. The tall, elegant stranger he meets on the beach hold the key to her transformation, and soon has seduced Troy as well. Even Etienne's most potent magic can't extinguish the fire in Troy's and Madeleine's blood.

Check out the trailer!  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzVRy4LTQe0 

 

Excerpt

Etienne dragged his belt from the loops of his dungarees. “Give me your hands,” he ordered. Madeleine held them out, palms turned upward in supplication. “I plan to bind you to ensure that you cannot escape me once we have begun. I will give you one more chance. Do you still want this?”

Maddy shivered, imagining herself restrained on the rough bed, powerless and at his mercy. Lust and fear warred in her body. Liquid dripped from her pussy, soaking the satiny robe bunched under her buttocks. She and Troy had played at bondage, silk scarves and velvet blindfolds. This was real.

She sought Etienne’s eyes, seeking reassurance. Fire flickered in the depths of those dark pools. His face was a beautiful mask that offered no solace. He gripped the belt in both hands, twisting as if testing it. “Et bien, Madeleine?”

She wanted it. She could not pretend otherwise. She wanted him, on any terms, wanted whatever he would do to her. Nothing mattered, not his terrifying strength, not his grim warnings, not the feeble image of Troy awaiting her back at the hotel. She reached for the bonds he offered. “Take me,” she whispered.

In an instant, he had slipped the end of the belt through the buckle and caught her wrists in the resulting loop. She felt the leather begin to bite into her skin as he pulled her arms above her head and a further tightness as he secured the other end to the metal bedstead. She tugged at the restraints, verifying the stark fact she could not, in fact, work herself free. Terror and arousal swept through her in alternating waves.

Her heart slammed against ribs. Her nipples and her clit throbbed with her pulse. Without being told, she spread her damp thighs. An oceany scent rose from her exposed pussy.

He shrugged off his vest and pushed his trousers down over his hips. Naked, he was even more formidable, his ebony thighs corded with muscle, his sculpted chest and flat belly gleaming like black marble. His erect cock sprang from the wiry thicket of his groin, on the same gigantic scale as the rest of his massive body.

The shaft looked thick as her wrist. Veins meandered along its endless dark length like creepers on a tree branch. The cap was dusky pink, taut, polished flesh that glistened with moisture.

Maddy moaned at the mere thought of that cock invading her. Saliva gathered in her mouth. “Etienne…” she pleaded, splaying her legs wider in lewd invitation. “Please…”

“Little harlot! Have you no shame?” Even as he chided her, however, the black giant climbed back onto the bed, positioning himself between her thighs.

She expected ferocity, his power unleashed. She imagined him forcing that awe-inspiring cock deep into her body. Instead, he bent his head and flicked his tongue along the sensitive skin on the inside of her knee.

“Ah…” Pleasure rippled through her, converging on her pussy. He licked again, moving upward, painting her with his cool saliva. She squirmed under his mouth, wanting to feel those thick lips on her aching clit. Gradually, he came closer to her centre, yet still he lingered on her thighs, kissing, nibbling, lapping up the juices that spilled from her hungry, empty sex. She arched up, pushing her pelvis towards him. Without effort, without removing his mouth, he forced her back onto the bed.

Leave me a comment and I’ll enter you in the drawing!

Sunday Snog 250: Fire in the Blood (#pnr #vampire #mm #giveaway)

Happy Sunday once again!

My Sunday Snog for today, the last Sunday before Halloween, is a dark, searing MM excerpt from my MMF vampire ménage Fire in the Blood.

Leave me a comment with your email address, and I’ll include you in the drawing for a copy of this book.

And don’t forget to visit Victoria’s Sunday Snog central, for more oral action!

“You make me hungry, boy,” Etienne spoke softly, but Troy could not mistake the passion that vibrated in his refined voice. “She—she woke my hunger. Now it rages inside me, howling for satisfaction. All my good intentions—my decades of self-denial—brought to naught.”

He loomed over Troy, a massive presence, his huge hands clenched into fists by his side. Troy cringed, sinking into the cushions. He should have trusted his instincts. Etienne was dangerous. At the same time, Troy couldn’t tear his eyes away from those bottomless pools of blackness in the stranger’s face. His cock leaped and struggled, eager for freedom.

“I want you,” Etienne growled. Two fingers under Troy’s chin, Etienne tilted Troy’s face up so that their eyes met. The huge palm of his other hand cupped Troy’s erection. Troy nearly shot his wad as the cool weight settled on his hot flesh. Etienne wouldn’t let him look away. “From the feel of it, you want me as well.”

“Yes,” Troy managed to gasp, his cheeks burning with shame. “God help me, I want you.”

“God?” laughed Etienne without any real mirth. “Do not expect any help from that quarter, petit.”

He tore open Troy’s shorts with such force that the button flew off into the darkness, then yanked the zipper down. Troy’s cock sprang out, the tip grazing Etienne’s silk shirt. Troy struggled for control. Etienne grinned, his lips stretched to reveal his teeth—blinding white, impossibly sharp.

The chair toppled backward. Troy landed on the splintery deck, his legs splayed, his dick waving in the air like an obscene flag. Then Etienne was on top of him, driving the breath out of his lungs. The giant nuzzled Troy’s neck while grinding his pelvis against Troy’s swollen cock. Etienne was hard, too—Troy could feel the unyielding bulk of the black man’s huge erection through the tailored trousers. His butt cheeks clenched as pleasure rippled up his spine. The giant could do anything to Troy, anything he wanted. Troy was powerless to stop him. Even if he wanted to.

Being helpless only made Troy hornier. Etienne nipped at the tender skin under his ear. Troy started at the sudden pain, mashing his cock into Etienne’s hardness. Etienne made a savage sound deep in his throat and reached down to capture Troy’s penis is a vise-like grip. Troy moaned and writhed in Etienne’s hand as the black man pumped him. He felt the needle-sharp points of Etienne’s teeth just pricking his skin. The sensation drove him wild. “More,” he groaned, thrashing under Etienne’s weight. He wanted to know what it would feel like to be pierced, opened, torn apart.

Being taken by Etienne, used for his pleasure, was the most erotic thing he’d ever experienced. He hovered on the edge, tension coiled in his balls, blood pulsing in his captive cock, waiting for Etienne to consume him. The world was blurry and gray around him. Etienne’s chill fingers, Etienne’s mouth, Etienne’s massive cock—these were his only realities.

But reality shifted. The other man pulled back to kneel between Troy’s thighs, still gripping Troy’s rod. Troy whimpered in disappointment. Etienne gave an evil chuckle. “Don’t worry, petit. I am not giving up. Your jacques is just too delicious to ignore.”

He bent over Troy’s prone form. Troy watched Etienne’s back muscles shift, straining the fine cloth of his shirt. Ghost-cold flesh flickered over Troy’s knob, making him groan. Then his whole cock was submerged in ice water.

He went rigid with shock. Acute delight sliced through him, fierce as pain. An arctic whirlpool caught him, sucking and pulling at his heated flesh. The cum rose in his stalk, brought to a boil by Etienne’s frigid mouth.

He didn’t fight; Etienne had stripped away all choice. Troy just let go. Violent shudders rocked his body as he poured his cum down the other man’s throat. Every nerve sparked, a thousand sensations building into a storm of pleasure that thundered around him.

As the tempest ebbed, when he thought that he’d known every possible variant of pleasure, he felt Etienne’s teeth enter his flesh, and he knew that he had been wrong. 

 

The Unpopularity of Infidelity (#cheating #romance #reviews)

Two weeks ago for my Sunday Snog I posted an excerpt from my MMF vampire novella Fire in the Blood. (That’s the post that has received more than eleven thousand views. I wish I understood why!)

Anyway, when I was over at Amazon confirming the buy link, I noticed a new review. Unfortunately, it is only three stars. The reviewer objected quite strongly to the fact that my heroine gets involved with another lover while she’s on vacation with her long-time boyfriend.

So while Maddie is riding a horse on a mountain trail she gets hurt and her horse bolts which is when Etienne finds and save her. He is a vampire who has been wandering alone for a long time. There was also Troy who is her lover waiting for her and worried.

It felt too much like cheating and like Maddie did not care enough about Troy her lover to not sleep with Etienne while she was lost. So that is one of my no's I am just not a fan of that personally so that ruined this story for me unfortunately. So I while I did think this book was very hot with a lot of steam, sadly this story was just not for me.

I was a bit surprised by this reaction. First, other reviews have been really positive. No other reader has mentioned this issue.

Second, this is a paranormal erotic romance. One of the tropes in this genre is what I like to call “supernatural lust”. Vampires, shifters and other deliciously sexy creatures of the night are outside the rules of normal human relationships. Their power calls to mortals, body and soul, and can be almost impossible to fight.

Third, Troy and Maddie are not married, or even engaged. In fact, the first paragraphs make it clear that their relationship has run into problems. That’s one reason why they’re in Jamaica for vacation—to spend some relaxed, quality time together and try to repair their bond.

Finally, it turns out that Troy is just as attracted to Etienne as Maddie is. The lovers reunite in a passionate threesome with the tragic but irresistible vampire.

Still, I know that many readers of romance view infidelity on the part of a hero or heroine as the ultimate sin. I suspect that this may be partly due to unfortunate real life experiences with cheating spouses, either their own or those of friends and relatives.

Humans are not fundamentally monogamous, though. I don’t have any definitive statistics, but I wouldn’t be surprised to find that the majority of marriages experience some issues related to one or the other partner having sexual interests or activities outside the relationship. In fact, proponents of open marriage argue that it’s more realistic to accept our polysexual natures and be open and honest with one’s partner about attraction to others.

Traditional romance, however, tends to embrace the concept that the connection between the hero and heroine (or hero and hero, if we’re talking about MM romance) is somehow special and unique—that the members of the couple are in some sense soul mates. Of course, not all romance subscribes to this appealing fantasy, but it’s a very popular notion.

Personally, though I’ve been married more than three decades, I don’t believe in the concept of “soul mates”. I’m enormously grateful for my marriage. I love my husband deeply. I also value his intelligence, his competence, his compassion and his sense of humor. I would never hurt him by taking a lover behind his back (not that this is at all likely anyway, given my age).

Still, I had quite a few relationships before my husband and I met. I’m not convinced that he’s the only man with whom I could have been happy, as romantic as that might be.

And personally, I enjoy stories where a character is torn between several lovers (as in my first novel Raw Silk), because this mirrors what I see in reality. Different individuals fulfill different needs. 
 

I agree that it’s hard to like a character who’s dishonest, who sneaks around behind her (or his) lover’s back, who doesn’t care about her partner’s feelings. Maddie is not like that, though, or at least I don’t see her that way.

That’s the thing about reading, though. Everyone brings her own perspective to the story, and interprets it in the light of her own experiences. This review has reminded me that even a hint of infidelity can be the kiss of death to a romance book.

Sunday Snog 239: Fire in the Blood (#vampire #MMF #interracial)

My snog for this Sunday comes from my MMF vampire ménage, Fire in the Blood. It’s a rather dark book, with a vampire hero who’s quite different from the norm.

Here’s the blurb:

In the heart of darkness, eternal passion burns.

Maddy and Troy hope that a care-free vacation in tropical Jamaica will re-ignite the passion in their five-year relationship. On a scenic mountain trail, Maddy’s horse bolts and carries her deep into the jungle. Injured and lost, she is saved by a seductive giant of a man whose mere presence kindles unbearable lust. By the time she understands his dark nature, it is far to late for her to escape.

Bitter and alone, Etienne de Rémorcy haunts the forest around the ruined plantation of Fin d’Espoir. He has sworn to never again taste human blood, but when slender, raven-haired Madeleine begs him to take her, he cannot resist.

Troy is hugely relieved when Maddy makes her way back to their hotel after her ordeal in the mountains, but he finds her greatly changed—fiercely passionate in bed, restless and disturbed at other times. The tall, elegant stranger he meets on the beach hold the key to her transformation, and soon has seduced Troy as well. Even Etienne’s most potent magic can’t extinguish the fire in Troy’s and Madeleine’s blood.

Check out the book video, here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzVRy4LTQe0

When you’re done with my snog, don’t forget to head back to Victoria’sSunday Snog page for more sexy kisses!

* * *

She expected ferocity, his power unleashed. She imagined him forcing that awe-inspiring cock deep into her body. Instead, he bent his head and flicked his tongue along the sensitive skin on the inside of her knee.

“Ah…” Pleasure rippled through her, converging on her pussy. He licked again, moving upward, painting her with his cool saliva. She squirmed under his mouth, wanting to feel those thick lips on her aching clit. Gradually, he came closer to her centre, yet still he lingered on her thighs, kissing, nibbling, lapping up the juices that spilled from her hungry, empty sex. She arched up, pushing her pelvis towards him. Without effort, without removing his mouth, he forced her back onto the bed.

He rasped his tongue over the gash she’d received during her wild ride through the forest. Pain sliced into her cocoon of pleasure. The rum had probably disinfected the cut, but her bath had prevented it from clotting. His touch made it throb. When he licked again, the pain intensified.

“Ow! What are you doing?” Etienne ignored her. It felt as though he was probing the wound with his tongue, opening it further. “Wait! Don’t…”

Without warning, there was a hand dabbling in the moist folds at the entrance to her sex. A bolt of pleasure seared her. A finger rocked her clit back and forth, making her shudder and moan. Her lust flooded back, washing away the pain. She felt an odd pulling sensation at the wound site, and her nipples responded, as though he were sucking on those sensitive nubs instead of her thigh. He pushed several fingers deep into her pussy. She clenched around him. Delight rippled out to her extremities as the pull of his mouth intensified. Now she felt the suction in her clit as well as her breasts. Her whole body trembled, balanced on the edge of release.

Etienne plunged what felt like his whole hand into her depths. Something sharp tore into the flesh of her thigh. Her climax hit her, as sudden as a breaking storm, thundering through her, scattering every thought in its wake.

Before she could recover, he was on top of her, his cock nudging against her still-quaking opening, his face inches from hers. His eyes glowed with a fierce, wild light. His lips stretched wide in a grimace of triumph, exposing the pointed teeth of an animal. Blood smeared those lips—her blood. Its rusty scent mingled with his aura of roses. She shuddered, even as her pussy wept tears of new desire.

“Do you still want me, cherie?” he growled. “Now that you know what I am?” He ground his rock-hard erection against the softness at her centre, striking sparks that burned away her fear.

“Yes,” she had time to whisper, before he fastened his gore-stained lips on hers.

She tasted iron, mingled with the crystal freshness of new fallen snow. His tongue snaked into her mouth, savouring her as though she were some exotic delicacy to be consumed. His teeth raked across her lip. The metallic flavour grew stronger. One hand cupped the back of her head, holdingbringing her face to his. The other traced a ghostly path down the side of her neck, from her earlobe to her collarbone. The feathery touch made her nipples throb and her pussy clench.

His fingertips came to rest against just below her jaw. Her heartbeat quickened as she realised he was seeking her pulse. 

He broke the kiss, rearing back and locking his eyes on hers. Raw power burned in those eyes, naked and inhuman. Madeleine had no choice but to surrender. She did so gladly.

Sunday Snog #196: Fire in the Blood

Just a few weeks until Halloween! I figured it’s time to bring out the spooks, so today I’ve got a brand new excerpt from my M/M/F vampire ménage, Fire in the Blood. This dark, sexy romance, set in Jamaica, may be just what you need to get into the mood.

Watch my thrilling video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzVRy4LTQe0

Oh, and I’m giving away a copy of this book over at Jessie Clever’s blog: http://wp.me/p33WNt-BK I’ll draw the winner later this week.

Anyway, here’s the snog, a bit of intense orality that takes place the morning after Madeleine’s and Troy’s encounter with the vampire Etienne.

Ruby light danced on Madeleine’s closed eyelids, teasing her awake. She resisted the call of the morning, grasping at voluptuous images that skittered away like the little lizards on the bungalow walls. She had dreamt—something marvellous and sensual, full of magic. If only she could bring it back…

The visions fled, though, leaving only the emotions—awe and longing. She sighed and opened her eyes to the sunlight streaming in the window. The warm beams gilded her bare skin. She stretched luxuriously, deliciously aware of every sensation—the fine cotton of the sheets under her buttocks, the breeze from the ceiling fan tickling her nipples, the sweetness of tropical blossoms hanging in the morning air.

Troy sprawled beside her on the bed, as naked as she was. His beauty made her chest ache. One arm lay across his eyes, as though he was trying to keep out the sun. He appeared to be asleep, but he was fully erect. His sleek cock reared up towards the ceiling, trembling with the small motions of his breathing.

Sudden hunger overwhelmed her. She had to taste him. She couldn’t wait. She scrambled onto his body, her face in his groin and her ass in the air. Troy shuddered when she flicked her tongue across the taut bulb. When she pulled his whole length into her eager mouth, he moaned.

“Maddy, baby…Ah…”

She buried her nose in his pubic hair, drinking in the musk of his night-time sweat. He tasted salty, with a faint metallic tang that was oddly exciting. She swirled her tongue around the rock-like shaft then turned on the suction. He gave a hoarse groan and jerked his pelvis, forcing his cock down her throat.

It was just what she wanted. She swallowed him, opening wide and taking him deeper than seemed possible. The blood swelling his organ pulsed against her tongue as she held him for motionless for a long moment. The sensation drove her wild. Her lips pursed in a tight ‘O’, she worked her head up and down, licking, sucking, nipping at his tender flesh until he was thrashing beneath her.

Maddy’s pussy throbbed in time with the cock she was devouring. Her thighs straddled Troy’s chest. She crouched down, bringing her spread sex closer to her lover’s face. He understood immediately what she wanted. A muscular wetness stroked its way between her lower lips. She trembled, her moan vibrating around Troy’s cock. Firm hands gripped her rear cheeks, holding her open. An impossibly long tongue swept through her folds and across her aching clit. She dove down into Troy’s crotch, gnawing at his flesh as he consumed hers.

***

Don’t forget to visit Snog Central today, where you’ll find lots more sexy snogs!

Pride Publishing Has Launched! (25% off!)

Great news for those of you who love LGBTQ fiction! Totally Entwined Group has officially launched their new imprint for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered fiction: Pride Publishing. 


The new website is http://www.pride-publishing.com. And all my gay and bisexual stories previously published with Totally Bound are available there. Just go to:

http://www.pride-publishing.com/index.php?route=product/author/info&author_id=17


To celebrate the new site, Pride is offering a 25% discount on all books purchased this week. What a deal! You can get your a copy of my M/M paranormal Necessary Madness, or my dystopic sci fi romance Quarantine, or my M/M/F dark paranormal menage Fire in the Blood, at a super price.  

Author friends -- want to write with pride? Pride Publishing is actively seekin submissions, not just of romance but any fiction that involves who identify as GLBTQI. Send your submissions to submissions@totallyentwined.com.

Sunday Snog #91: Fire in the Blood

Greetings, readers!

I took a trip back in time looking for my snog today, looking for a juicy kiss to share with you. Today's offering is from my 2010 M/M/F vampire ménage, Fire in the Blood.

Maddy and Troy hope that a carefree vacation in tropical Jamaica will re-ignite the passion in their five year relationship. On a scenic mountain trail ride, Maddy's horse bolts and carries her deep into the jungle. Injured and lost, she is saved by a seductive giant of a man whose mere presence kindles unbearable lust. By the time she understands his dark nature, it is far too late for her to escape.

Bitter and alone, Etienne de Rémorcy haunts the forest around the ruined plantation of Fin d'Espoir. He has sworn to never again taste taste human blood, but when slender, raven-haired Madeleine begs him to take her, he cannot resist.

Troy is hugely relieved when Maddy makes her way back to their hotel after her ordeal in the mountains. But he finds her greatly changed - fiercely passionate in bed, restless and disturbed at other times. The tall, elegant stranger he meets on the beach holds the key to her transformation - and soon has seduced Troy as well.  Even Etienne's most potent magic can't extinguish the fire in Troy's and Madeleine's blood.

After you've finished with my snog, head on back to Blisse Kiss Central for more delicious kisses. And get ready for Victoria's huge 100th Sunday Snog blog hop, starting on the 22nd of September. Dozens of authors, dozens of prizes - just for enjoying our kisses!

By the time she got back to the hotel, it was past noon. The manager of the stable looked more relieved to see his horse than its rider. With a combination of pleas and threats, Maddy succeeded in convincing him to give her a lift back to the resort. She knocked on the door of the room, not wanting to shock Troy too badly. Nevertheless, he gave a little yelp when he saw her standing there, filthy, sweaty and smeared with dried blood.

“Maddy! Oh God, you’re okay!” He held her tightly to his chest, as though he was afraid she’d vanish. “I was so worried. We tried to follow your horse, but we couldn’t see anything in the storm… The guide wouldn’t go into the woods after it got dark, no matter how much I offered to pay. The police just smiled and had me fill in a report, but other than that, they haven’t done a damned thing. ‘She’ll come back,’ they kept saying. ‘No problem, man.’”

“Well, I guess in some sense they were right.” Maddy buried her face in Troy’s neck, breathing his fresh, clean scent. His body was warm and hard against hers. She relaxed into his strength as he stroked her hair and murmured endearments. He raised her face to his and started to nibble at her bruised lips.

He felt so incredibly good. Her nipples peaked under her shirt. Moisture gathered between her thighs. She rubbed her chest against his. The friction sent sparks skittering from her breasts down to her sex. He captured her in a deep kiss. She forced her tongue into his mouth, relishing the familiar peppermint flavour of his toothpaste.

Troy groaned, responding to her sudden ardour. She groped blindly between his legs, seeking the swelling bulk she knew she’d find there. He was hard already, his cock straining against his zipper. With dexterity borne of practice, she unbuttoned his waistband and opened his fly. His eager erection sprang out into her waiting hand.

She stroked up and down his rigid shaft, swirling her thumb across the slippery bulb each time she reached the tip. He moaned into her mouth, jerking back and forth inside her circling fingers. He seemed bigger and harder than normal. His velvet-soft skin sheathed a pillar of stone.

Maddy broke the kiss. Still holding Troy’s penis, she pulled her jersey over her head with the other hand. The fabric caught for a moment on her distended nipples. Pleasure arced through her. Liquid welled up in her cunt.

“I want you.” Her voice was husky with lust. “Now.” Using his cock like a handle, she dragged him to the bed and pushed him down onto his back. He lay there, his cock bobbing, obviously fascinated by her uncommon passion, as she struggled to remove her shorts.

The sweat-damp fabric stuck to her skin. Her clit beat inside the crotch like a fiery heart. Frustrated and impatient, she tugged hard. The garment tore away from her hips and fluttered to the floor, a useless rag.

Maddy didn’t care. She crawled onto the bed and straddled Troy’s rampant cock. With a throaty growl, she sank down onto his body, impaling herself. Troy arched towards her, meeting her halfway. Hands on his shoulders, she forced him back against the pillow. “Let—me—ride—you,” she managed to gasp, driving his cock deeper into her cunt with each word. She clenched his swollen stalk and ground her clit against his pubic bone. Fierce pleasure raged through her.

Troy reached for her breasts, moulding their fullness with both hands. He brushed his fingertips across her taut nipples. “Harder,” she growled between clenched teeth as she bounced up and down on his cock. Her lover obeyed, capturing and pinching the tight knots between his thumb and forefinger. She moaned her encouragement. He dug his fingernails into her flesh. The pain added a high note to the symphony of sensation ringing through her body.

Back List Blast: Fire in the Blood

Fire in the Blood by Lisabet Sarai

M/M/F vampire ménage

In the heart of darkness, eternal passion burns.

 Maddy and Troy hope that a carefree vacation in tropical Jamaica will re-ignite the passion in their five year relationship. On a scenic mountain trail ride, Maddy's horse bolts and carries her deep into the jungle. Injured and lost, she is saved by a seductive giant of a man whose mere presence kindles unbearable lust. By the time she understands his dark nature, it is far too late for her to escape.

Bitter and alone, Etienne de Rémorcy haunts the forest around the ruined plantation of Fin d'Espoir. He has sworn to never again taste taste human blood, but when slender, raven-haired Madeleine begs him to take her, he cannot resist.

Troy is hugely relieved when Maddy makes her way back to their hotel after her ordeal in the mountains. But he finds her greatly changed - fiercely passionate in bed, restless and disturbed at other times. The tall, elegant stranger he meets on the beach holds the key to her transformation - and soon has seduced Troy as well. Even Etienne's most potent magic can't extinguish the fire in Troy's and Madeleine's blood. 

Excerpt 

His entry was swift and silent. She didn't even know he was behind her until she noticed his fire-cast shadow on the bed. "You may wear this." He handed her a brilliant garment of multi-coloured silk. "It belonged to my mistress." The dressing gown was soft as a cloud, so delicate that Maddy feared it would tear at her slightest touching.

"God, it's exquisite." The jewel-toned robe shimmered with a twining pattern of blossoms and peacocks.

"But I can't wear this. I'll destroy it. It looks like an antique."

"Put it on." Power rang in his voice. There was no way that she could disobey. She slipped the gown over her shoulders and belted it around her waist. The silk caressed her breasts and belly like secret hands. Her pussy dampened again. "Sit down now, and I will bind your ankle."

She seated herself on the bed. The giant perched on a wooden stool and drew her foot into his lap. Maddy struggled to hold still. Every time he brushed his fingers over her flesh, electric thrills sizzled up to strike between her legs. She wanted him to push to slithery silk up her thighs, to spread them so wide that it hurt, then dive down to feast on her juicy sex. Surely he must smell her. He must hear her heart, so loud in own ears that she could no longer hear the crackling fire. However, he appeared to be completely occupied with his nursing duties. He wrapped her foot and ankle in layer after layer of taut muslin, a reasonable substitute for an ace bandage, then secured his efforts with several safety pins.

She couldn't stand it any more. She laid her palm on the kinky nap covering his head. He raised his eyes. In their depths she saw wisdom and pain. "I'm Madeleine," she said. "What's your name?"

"Etienne." He settled back on the stool. "Etienne de Rémorcy."

"I want to thank you, Etienne. For all your help." Casually, with one hand, she loosened the sash holding the robe closed. She leaned forward, so that the silk gapped open and revealed her gleaming white breasts.

"I could hardly do otherwise. My mistress taught me how to be a gentleman. You obviously needed my assistance." His rich voice sounded strained.

"Oh, I did." Maddy shifted on the bed. The dressing gown slipped off one shoulder. "I still do." The peacocks slithered away, exposing her pale thigh and her wound, crusted with dried blood.

Etienne's eyes glittered. His blunt hands shot out and grabbed her wrists. "Do not play with me, girl." Lust gushed through Maddy's body. Etienne's nostrils twitched. He tightened his grip until she cried out. "Do not tempt me."

"You're hurting me," she whimpered. "Please..." Dimly she understood that she was not begging to be released.

"Believe me, I will hurt you far more if we continue." Etienne forced her down on the bed, her captured arms above her, and straddled her with his massive thighs. "Although I was taught to be a gentleman, in truth I am a savage beast." The fragile silk tore away from her nakedness.

"Don't you want me?" Maddy's eyes swam with tears.

He brought his mouth close to her ear. "You could not possibly understand how much." His breath was the icy exhalation of a glacier.

She shivered under his weight. His coolness only stoked the fire in her pussy. "Then take me."

He freed her wrists and sat back on his heels, searching her face. She cupped her ripe breasts and offered them to him. Please, she prayed silently, let him see my need. She opened herself to him, letting those luminous eyes probe her deepest desires.

He licked his full lips, and his white teeth gleamed in the fire light. He reached for his belt. "Let it be as you will, then," he growled. "I am no longer responsible."
 
Read Fire in the Blood today!

Just A Spanking - Free Today and Tomorrow!

Greetings, readers!

Today and tomorrow (March 9 and 10), you can download my collection of BDSM short stories, Just a Spanking for free! Just click here.

This book isn't really hard core BDSM (though it's plenty explicit). Most of the stories are playful and romantic, and focus more on emotion than on the physical trappings. I believe that the real thrill in BDSM comes from the communication and trust between the Dominant and the submissive. I find nothing as arousing as the interlock of complementary fantasies.

To give you a feeling for the book, here's an excerpt from the title story, "Just a Spanking":

****

He meets me at the airport with a kiss tender enough to reassure me that I'm more than just his slut. His lips wake every inch of my flesh. By the time he releases me, I'm flushed and tingling all over. After that initial embrace, however, he doesn't touch me at all.

He leads me to the parked car. I remember him taking me once in a sweltering parking lot, his fingers crammed into my cunt while he whispered all the indignities he planned to inflict on my poor body. As I fluttered helpless around his hand, I knew that he could ask anything of me and I'd obey. Now he is asking something new, a kind of restraint that I find more difficult than any bondage.

I am dressed as he requires, short skirt with no panties, silk blouse with no bra, and my favorite lace-up boots. I fidget on the seat as he drives up 101. The plastic is sticky against my bare skin and getting stickier by the minute. He stubbornly keeps his eyes on the road.

I part my thighs. The car fills with the ripe scent of my pussy. His nostrils twitch but otherwise he ignores me. My nipples feel huge and hungry as they do when he winds them with rubber bands. I try to keep still. Each whisper of silk across my breasts makes my cunt clench and weep.

He opens the car door--a gentleman Dom--and helps me out. The brief contact of palm on palm makes me shudder with want. I follow him up the stairs to his apartment, watching his strong buttocks shift in his trousers as he climbs. I think about how they tense and relax when he fucks me. I'm panting by the time we reach the third floor, but not from exertion.

The door swings open. He steps aside, gesturing for me to enter. Normally he'd have me pressed against the wall, knee in my crotch and hands under my blouse, before the lock clicked shut. Today he simply stands beside me, a half-smile on his full lips, as I survey the familiar room.

He has already set things up. In the dining area, the table has been pushed out of the way. Two of the chairs face us, side by side, flanked by the ottoman that normally sits in front of the armchair. That armchair is the usual location for his spankings, but I can see that tonight will be different. He's trying to minimize my contact with his body. Clever man.

****

Tempted? Go get your copy now!

And speaking of free books, I'm giving away a copy of my vampire ménage novella Fire in the Blood over at Amber Kell's blog today! Drop by, leave a comment, and you're automatically entered to win!

Sunday Snog: Fire in the Blood

Ooh! I have a truly intense snog for you today, from my vampire ménage Fire in the Blood!

Don't forget to visit Victoria's snog page, for her weekly kiss and links to lots more snoggery. And speaking of Victoria, I want to remind you that Blissemass starts in just a few days, with tons of prizes including your chance to win a Kindle! I'll be offering my Blissemass post on the fifth of December!

She expected ferocity, his power unleashed. She imagined him forcing that awe-inspiring cock deep into her body. Instead, he bent his head and flicked his tongue along the sensitive skin on the inside of her knee.

“Ah…” Pleasure rippled through her, converging on her pussy. He licked again, moving upward, painting her with his cool saliva. She squirmed under his mouth, wanting to feel those thick lips on her aching clit. Gradually he came closer to her centre, yet still he lingered on her thighs, kissing, nibbling, lapping up the juices that spilled from her hungry, empty sex. She arched up, pushing her pelvis towards him. Without effort, without removing his mouth, he forced her back onto the bed.

He rasped his tongue over the gash she’d received during her wild ride through the forest. Pain sliced into her cocoon of pleasure. The rum had probably disinfected the cut, but her bath had prevented it from clotting. His touch made it throb. When he licked again, the pain intensified.

“Ow! What are you doing?” Etienne ignored her. It felt as though he was probing the wound with his tongue, opening it further. “Wait! Don’t…”

All at once there was a hand dabbling in the moist folds at the entrance to her pussy. A bolt of pleasure seared her. A finger rocked her clit back and forth, making her shudder and moan. Her lust flooded back, washing away the pain. She felt an odd pulling sensation at the wound site, and her nipples responded, as though he were sucking on those sensitive nubs instead of her thigh. He pushed several fingers deep into her pussy. She clenched around him. Delight rippled out to her extremities as the pull of his mouth intensified. Now she felt the suction in her clit as well as her breasts. Her whole body trembled, balanced on the edge of release.

Etienne plunged what felt like his whole hand into her depths. Something sharp tore into the flesh of her thigh. Her climax hit her, as sudden as a breaking storm, thundering through her, scattering every thought in its wake.

Before she could recover, he was on top of her, his cock nudging against her still-quaking opening, his face inches from hers. His eyes glowed with a fierce, wild light. His lips stretched wide in a grimace of triumph, exposing the pointed teeth of an animal. Blood smeared those lips—her blood. Its rusty scent mingled with his aura of roses. She shuddered, even as her pussy wept tears of new desire. “Do you still want me, cherie?” he growled. “Now that you know what I am?” He ground his rock-hard erection against the softness at her centre, striking sparks that burned away her fear. “Yes,” she had time to whisper, before he fastened his gore-stained lips on hers.

She tasted iron, mingled with the crystal freshness of new fallen snow. His tongue snaked into her mouth, savouring her as though she were some exotic delicacy to be consumed. His teeth raked across her lip. The metallic flavour grew stronger. One hand cupped the back of her head, bringing her face to his. The other traced a ghostly path down the side of her neck, from her earlobe to her collarbone. The feathery touch made her nipples throb and her pussy clench.

His fingertips came to rest against just below her jaw. Her heartbeat quickened as she realised he was seeking her pulse.

He broke the kiss, rearing back and locking his eyes on hers. Raw power burned in those eyes, naked and inhuman. Madeleine had no choice but to surrender. She did so gladly.

Using Reviews for Marketing

A few days ago a friend who's an excellent writer but new to promotion asked me a bunch of questions about reviews. How do you go about asking for them? Whom do you ask? Where do you get the books to send? There must be a tutorial on this, he commented.

Well - there may well be, but given the scattered nature of the web, it might be tough to find. Since I wanted to post to my blog today anyway, I figured I would kill two birds with one stone and talk about what I've learned regarding reviews and marketing.

Let me start with a caveat: in no way am I claiming to be an expert in this realm. I am just sharing what I've learned so far in my twelve years of publishing. I hope that commenters will add their own insights. I should also say that given the dramatic changes wrought by the Internet, best practices will undoubtedly continue to change. However the principles remain the same:

1. Get your book out and reviewed as many appropriate places as possible.

2. When you receive a favorable review, broadcast that news widely.

I've divided my comments into four sections: finding potential reviewers, requesting reviews, using reviews for marketing, and follow-up.

Finding Potential Reviewers

Where can you send your book for reviews? Clearly this depends on the genre. There are dozens of websites that publish reviews for romance of various flavors. I know a few for erotica (specifically the Erotica Readers and Writers Association, Erotica Revealed and Erotica For All). I strongly suspect that there are similar sites for mystery, suspense, young adult, chick lit, and other genres.

In addition to websites, many individual readers post reviews on their blogs. Some focus on particular genres while others read more widely. Some individual book blogs get as much traffic as the major sites.

Thus, your first step has to be research. Use the sub-genre or topic of your book to narrow the possibilities. For example, if you have an erotic story set in Japan, look blogs or sites devoted to Japanese-related topics. If you write speculative or science fiction erotica or romance, spend some time searching out sci fi reviewers. If you have a book set in Pittsburgh (as I do), maybe you can find some dedicated fan of the city who'd be interesting in reading and reviewing it.

Be somewhat selective. It won't do you any good to send your book to an inappropriate review site or reader. If a site focuses on gay erotic romance, don't send your heterosexual book. If a site does not review fantasy, or historical, or paranormal, and that's what you write - skip it, for now. Target the review sites in the same way you'd target a publisher. Look for a good fit with your book.

It can be dangerous to send a book to the wrong sort of reviewer. For example, a reviewer who expects romance will be upset by erotica that does not have a happy ending. He or she may still review your book, but express negative opinions because of lack of understanding or failed expectations.

What about print reviews? For most of us, a review in print is an unrealistic dream. If you can get a reviewer from your local newspaper interested, great. I've more or less given up on the New York Times! A digital review has some advantages in any case. Despite the volatility of the web, an electronic review tends to have greater longevity than print. You can link to it. You can tweet or share it.

And what about reader reviews on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or other bookseller sites? I know some authors and editors who solicit such reviews from friends and family, to the point that they'll give away a free copy of the book to anyone willing to do a review. Reader reviews do help book sales, from what I've seen. However, I find myself a bit uncomfortable with the notion of actively soliciting them. It's a slippery slope. At what point does it become unethical? At what point are you "paying" someone to give you a favorable review?

Your mileage may vary, as they say. I'm always delighted to get a favorable review on Amazon. I have had situations where a reader contacted me raving about a book he or she had already read and I gently suggested that they might share their opinions on Amazon. That's my limit.

Requesting Reviews

Once you have a list of target reviewers, you need to submit your book to each one. Read the instructions provided by each review site or blog. In some cases, they will have a special email address. In some cases they will provide a web form. Pay attention to the details. Do they want a blurb? A buy link? A cover? If so, what size? Sending a 1200x1600 JPEG to someone who wants 200x320 will not win you friends.

For review targets that don't use a web form, develop a simple, professional query letter that includes:

- Book title

- Author name

- Publisher, publication date and purchase information

- Genre/sub-genre

- Book length in pages or words

- A blurb - 100-300 words briefly summarizing the book (but not revealing the ending!)

- Your contact information (email at least)

- Your links (blog, website, etc.)

Do not talk about how your other books won awards. Do not discuss the other five star reviews this book has received. Really, the only message you need to convey is: I have a book with these characteristics - would you like to review it?

Don't beg or grovel, either. A review site needs books to review. Often they support themselves via ads. The reviews are the content that pulls visitors who will see the ads. The sites are not doing you a huge favor for which you must be eternally grateful.

Do you send a review copy with the query letter? That depends on the site. Some sites will want only print. In this case, definitely wait until you get a confirmation of interest. Mailing print books is expensive. Ebooks are great because they are so easy to distribute. Watch out, though. When you send out free copies of your book, you are definitely increasing your risks of being pirated. Weigh that risk against the benefits of a positive review.

Some publishers regularly send out review copies to a pre-determined list of sites. Find out whether your publisher does. Don't duplicate your publishers' efforts. But at the same time, don't just sit back and assume that they're going to do all the work. My publishers tend to send books to the big, general romance review sites. I try to find smaller or more specialized venues to complement their work.

Some publishers will send out review copies upon your request. Others require you to send some of your author copies. Find out the policy for each of your publishers and make sure that you follow that policy.

When should you request reviews? Ideally, you'd like to have reviews hit the cybersphere around the same time as your book is released. So lining up your reviews ahead of time can be useful. There are some potential problems with this strategy, however. If your release is delayed, the review may come out before readers can actually buy the book. Talk about frustration! Also, if you are soliciting reviews in advance, you will need to send what's known as an Advance Reader's Copy (ARC) or "uncorrected proof". If this pre-release version of your book has too many grammar, spelling or formatting problems, the reviewer may react negatively.

One more thing: keep track of where and when you send out review copies. You can make a spreadsheet or just have a simple list. You don't want to send a book twice to the same place!

Using Reviews for Marketing

So you've received a stellar review of your book from SuperReviews.com. Now what do you do?

First of all, how do you find out in the first place when the review is posted? The Google Alert service does a pretty good job of informing me of newly published reviews. Set an alert on your name (if it is distinctive), your title, or some other diagnostic phrase. Sometimes the review sites will also send you a note, but in my experience that is pretty rare. Some review sites (like Erotica Revealed) schedule their reviews months in advance, so they'll be able to tell you when to expect yours.

Once you have a review, you want to share it with the world. Post a quote and the link on your website, your blog, your Facebook page, or whatever. Talk about the review in your monthly newsletter. Tweet it to your followers. Announce it (with a quote and a link) on Yahoo groups or email lists that are relevant to the genre.

Oh, and make sure that you send a copy or link to your publisher. They will want to keep track of who reviewed you, and may want to add favorable quotes to your buy page.

What else? Is that it? I've used review quotes to develop advertising banners. "Edgy, dark and smoking hot..." one reviewer said of my vampire ménage Fire in the Blood. I've used that quote in two animated GIF banners so far.

You can use review quotes in a trailer. Include them in your email signature. Order pens or keychains or other promotional material with the quote included. Seriously, when you get a favorable review, flaunt it! Don't be shy. Wallflowers don't sell books.

What if the review is not so favorable? First of all, don't get discouraged. There's no book that every reader will adore. Sometimes a reviewer won't understand what you're trying to do. Sometimes a review will hone in on real flaws. View that as a learning opportunity.

Even reviews that aren't 100% positive can be used for promotional purposes. Focus on the complimentary things the reviewer says. You don't have to post the link to the full review. Does this seem dishonest, taking things out of context? Well, maybe, but as I see it, marketing is the art of accentuating the positive and de-emphasizing the negative. You should always cite the source of review quotes. If a reader is really interested, he or she can find the full review.

Follow Up

Once you've got a review and you're actively using it to promote, you're mostly done. Here are few additional actions that I recommend as follow-up:

1. If possible, write a quick note or leave a blog comment thanking the reviewer. Do not defend yourself, if the review had negative things to say. Don't gush if the review is positive. Just be polite, positive and professional.

2. Update your list or spreadsheet to indicate that the review was published. Add the date and the URL if possible. You might want to make a note of the specific reviewer. I definitely have repeat reviews from people who seem to like my work.

3. Make a local copy of the review web page if possible. I used to simply bookmark reviews, but I've found that over time, every site or blog needs to reorganize and to purge old content. Just choose "Save As" from your browser's File menu. Create a special place on your computer for storing copies of reviews. And be warned - they can take up quite a bit of space because the browser will normally save all the images and other content.

Conclusion

I know, I know. Writing is hard enough work as it is. All this promotion stuff just seems like a distraction from creating new books. It does pay off, though. Personally, I don't spend nearly as much effort as I probably should on promotion (including soliciting reviews) but I have increased my activity over the last year or two. My sales have increased, too.