Author Interview - Elizabeth Morgan

There aren’t that many authors out there who have written romances based on Rapunzel. That particular Grimm’s fairy tale is just not as popular as Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast. Therefore, imagine my surprise when I discovered fellow Decadent Publishing author Elizabeth Morgan and I had that in common. I was even curious enough to do a comparison post!

But that’s not why I have Elizabeth here today. She has a brand new book out, and I want all the details on Truth or Dare!

1. I was about to ask you something  about writing and publishing, but I seem to be fixated on shot glasses, lime, salt, and the bare-chested male on your cover. Would you mind elaborating on how all these elements go together?

I’d be happy to elaborate. Basically, Dani is having a house warming party – not by her choice – and once she has gotten rid of all her nosey neighbours, Cameron – the bare-chested male, whom she hates ;-P – decides that they – including his brother and Dani’s best friend - should all have a tequila fuelled game of Truth or Dare?

Refusing to look like a coward in front of Cameron, Dani agrees, but the games turns mighty sexy not to mention serious, fast.

2. Since we’re on the subject, care to give me a detailed description of Cameron? Let me specify—what exactly does he look like with his shirt off?

Cameron with his shirt off . . . *fans self* I think I will let Dani handle this question.

Cameron with his clothes on:

He walked round the sofa and into my line of view. As hard as I tried, I couldn’t stop from taking in his well-formed profile, broad shoulders, and a trim waist ending on the tightest arse I had ever seen on a man. He made jeans look good, real good.

He shot me his killer grin and my insides knotted. Why did he have to be good looking? It wasn’t easy hating someone who resembled sex, straight up and hard. He had sharp cheekbones and a stubble-coated jaw made for nibbling, all of which were complemented by his eyes—the warmest shade of brown. And his hair, jet black and falling to his ears, just the right length to tangle your hands in and hold onto. I could still remember how soft the strands felt running through my fingers….

Cameron with his shirt off:

He pulled his T-shirt over his head, and my mouth dried at the way his six-pack rippled with each movement. He was solid, perfect. His skin was a healthy bronze. A fine dusting of dark hair ran from his navel and crept down into his jeans. I couldn’t help but follow the teasing path with my gaze….

“See something you like?”

Did I ever. I hated to admit it, but he was the kind of guy you just wanted to lick—well, anything off of.

3. I’ll drop the pretense of this being a serious interview and roll with the current theme. How would you categorize the heat level of your book--sweet, spicy, steamy, or more?

I want to say naughty. Cameron is crude and blunt, but in that special type of way that would have your insides knotting and your knees weak. So, naughty and . . . hot. Yeah, this is definitely a hot little story.

4. I’m not so sure one sexy short will be enough for me. What projects are you working on that you are at liberty to drop hints about?

I am currently reading through – editing/tweaking & polishing – my paranormal erotic romance book She-Wolf, which is the Prequel to my Blood Series.

I got the rights back for this book in September last year, along with the rights to Book 1 in the series, Cranberry Blood, which I will be working on next. (Cranberry is more of an Urban Fantasy with Paranormal elements.)

This series is set in England and Scotland, and features scary vampires, a sarcastic slayer, and sexy Scottish werewolves. I do plan to start the untitled second book in the series this year, but my attention has been nabbed by a submission call from Decadent Publishing called, “Beyond Fairytales.” There was no way I could ignore it. So, I have my assigned fairytale and plan to start on it as soon as I have handed She-Wolf and Cranberry Blood to my editor.

5. Huh. I think we might be related–our writing preferences are pretty much identical. Anyhow, I'll end with the only writing-related question in this interview. How did your get your start as an author? Did you trunk any manuscripts along the way?

Although I have wrote on and off since childhood, it wasn’t until January 2009 that I decided to have a go at writing a book and with the intention of getting it published. I had about 60 rejections across the following year and a half, and then in February 2011 I received my first contract offer, and since then I have just kept writing, and submitting.

Oh yeah, I have trunked a lot of manuscripts. I actually have a lot of stories started, but have had to leave them to one side because I have hit a wall, or haven’t had time to continue with them. I have to say that is one of the frustrating things about being a writer; you have more ideas than you have time to write them, but I will get round to completing them one day.

Since Elizabeth is busy promoting her new release, I won’t keep her. Oh, did I mention she has a giveaway going on? 

RaffleCopter Giveaway

For more information about the book and author, just scroll down. Comments are always much appreciated.

Truth or Dare?

Do you dare tell the truth?

A tequila fuelled game of Truth or Dare is not Dani’s idea of fun, but when Cameron, the jerk who rejected her a year ago is the one provoking her into playing, how can she say no? Not that he’s giving her the option in the first place.

Bravado compels her forward, but when the dares get physical and their friends leave them alone, Cameron’s questions turn to her feelings for him, and unfortunately, lying is not part of the game.

Will a dare give Dani the courage she needs to tell Cameron the truth?

Buy Links: Decadent Publishing | Amazon US | Amazon UK | ARE 

Excerpt

“Fine, I will take a dare.” I glanced at Ben. “What do you want me to do?”

A wicked grin spread across his lips. It was almost as sexy as his brother’s. “I want you to lick salt off Cameron, and then take the lime from his mouth.”

He had to be fucking kidding. “What?”

“You heard the man.” The amusement ran clear in Cameron’s voice.

An idiotic bout of nerves skipped through me. “And do I dare ask where I will be drinking the tequila from?”

Ben’s gaze flicked to Cameron, who I couldn’t bring myself to look at. Holding up my hand, I cut Ben off before he suggested anything else.

“Never mind. I’ll do it.” Untangling my legs, I slid off the sofa, levelling a look at Cameron.

He pulled his T-shirt over his head, and my mouth dried at the way his six-pack rippled with each movement. He was solid, perfect. His skin was a healthy bronze. A fine dusting of dark hair ran from his navel and crept down into his jeans. I couldn’t help but follow the teasing path with my gaze….

“See something you like?”

Did I ever. I hated to admit it, but he was the kind of guy you just wanted to lick—well, anything off of.

“Nope. I’m just wondering why removing your top is necessary. Scared I’m going to spill my drink on your T-shirt?”

His lips turned upward. “Man told you to lick salt off me, but he didn’t say where you would be licking the salt from.”

About Elizabeth Morgan

Elizabeth started life wanting to be an actress because she loved entertaining people. She enjoyed nothing more than being able to make people laugh and to help distract them from reality for a few hours.

She studied Musical Theatre in college, but during her second year, her mind started to overflow with story ideas, so she began writing plays. Slowly, over the following three years, she was writing more and more, channelling every ounce of her imagination into the written word.

Now here she is, years later, hiding away like a hermit in her little cottage in Cheshire, England, writing like crazy and loving every minute of it.

Website | Blog | Shared Blog | Goodreads | Facebook | Pinterest  
Twitter: @EMorgan2010

Author Interview - Haley Whitehall (Valentine's Day Edition)

 Haley is back for another round of grilling.  If you don’t remember, she was here a little over a month ago to chat about her book, Midnight Heat. Being a prolific writer, she has another new release to talk about today. This one is part of the anthology, Love, Valentine Style, and it’s titled Civil War Valentine.

1. Before we chat about your book, let’s start with some personal stuff. What’s your favorite Valentine’s Day memory?

Oh boy… I can’t think of any favorite memories… still waiting to get a box of chocolate and a bouquet of roses from Mr. Right. The first Valentine’s Day memory that comes to mind was baking a heart shape cake when I was a child. It was a chocolate cake with white frosting and chocolate chips on top. I was so proud to show off my cake, but before I could my dog found it and decided he needed the cake for himself!

2.  How did you come to be involved in this anthology? Did you know the other contributing authors beforehand?

I found out about the call for this anthology through a romance authors Yahoo group. I did not know any of these authors beforehand, but through the process of publishing Love, Valentine Style they have all become good friends.

3.  Onward to your story. I probably wouldn’t survive a day in the Civil War era, come to think of it. Does your heroine have a background that would make her more knowledgeable about life back then?

My heroine Charlie Bristol is well-educated. She works as a museum curator and has a Ph.D. in history. I’m sure she learned about the Civil War in the course of her studies and knows more of what to expect when she is thrown back in time.

4.  Aside from being the author of these Civil War valentines, what does Elliot do? When Charlie has her time-traveling dream, does she appear at his house or someplace else?

Charlie appears at her house so to speak. Elliot visits her while he is on leave thinking she is his beloved fiancée.

5. Let’s end on a more technical note. Are there any particular challenges unique to writing time travel romance as opposed to historical fiction?

Yes, I had to explain the time travel element. And I had to know how time travel affected both my hero and heroine. For instance, she travels back in time wearing modern clothes. Obviously that will pose a problem.

I’d like to thank Haley again for dropping by. For more information on this anthology, keep scrolling down. Comments are most welcome.

Love, Valentine Style (Civil War Valentine by Haley Whitehall)

Recently divorced museum curator Charlie Bristol comes to Seattle to set up a display at the Fine Art museum chronicling the history of Valentine’s Day. The director of the museum surprises her with a package of Civil War valentines from an anonymous donor. She reads the heartfelt messages and is touched by his words. Does such powerful love still exist?

During a nap she dreams she’s alive during the Civil War and meets Elliot Lowery, the author of the valentines who mistakes her for his fiancée Charlotte. She and Elliot negotiate the murky waters of wartime romance. When she wakes she’s still under the dream's spell and Valentine’s Day love is in the air, but Charlotte has no reason to celebrate. The man she loves died 150 years ago. Unless love works some miracle even time and death cannot overcome.

Available exclusively from Amazon: Amazon.com | Amazon.uk

About Haley Whitehall

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

Haley loves to connect with readers. You can find her here:

Twitter: http://twitter.com/HaleyWhitehall
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LightonHistory
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5752677.Haley_Whitehall
Blog: http://haleywhitehall.com/blog/
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Haley-Whitehall/e/B0078EO6CE

Author Interview - Lucy Felthouse

Lucy Felthouse is an established and remarkably prolific erotica and erotic romance writer. I'm thrilled she was able to pop by and chat with me today. She's here to talk about her M/M Erotic Romance from Ellora's Cave, Illicit Relations. If we manage to pique your interest, you can find all the book's buy links beneath the blurb or on her website.

 1. Okay, I know you're here to talk about your book, but a newbie author's got to ask--what's your secret to success? When you first started out, did you think you'd end up with over seventy published titles?

Thanks so much for having me here today, Tara!

In terms of success... can I let you know? ;) I’m not exactly making oodles here, despite having quite a few publications out there. I’m just writing what I enjoy, making it the best I can and sending it out there. I’ve been very, very lucky, and I’m also very determined. I won’t stop!

2. I must say, that's a great recipe for happiness. What inspired you to write Illicit Relations? Did the idea to make Terry and Justin think they were second cousins (at first) come to you out of the blue, or did you encounter something that spurred your imagination?

It was an idea that had been floating around in the back of my head for a while. I can’t really answer the question properly without giving away a major part of the plot, but let’s just say there are elements of truth in the story and leave it at that. Sorry, I can’t give a spoiler!

3. It looks like Illicit Relations is part of a multi-author series. What ties all the Boys Will Do Boys books together (besides the obvious)?

It’s a very loose series. Basically we were given the brief to write m/m or m/m/m (etc!) erotic romance stories and send them in to our editors. They were released as part of a series, but there’s no link other than the pairings.

4. After years of nursing a crush, Terry and Justin's first kiss must have been scorching. Would you mind sharing a few juicy details?

This was so much fun to write! Terry and Justin had literally been lusting over each other for years, despite the forbidden fruit element. So when the opportunity came for them to actually be together, well... it practically wrote itself!

Here’s a little snippet:

Terry looked up at his cousin, who still looked pretty mad and had spots of color high on his cheeks. He felt color coming to his own face due to Justin’s proximity. It also sent blood rushing to his nether regions at a rate of knots. If Justin didn’t kiss him, didn’t do something, he wouldn’t be able to stop himself. He’d grab the other man and slam him onto the wooden boards, then take what he’d been longing for for so long. He’d kiss him until he either kissed him back or threw him off. One way or the other, he’d know if they had a future.

He didn’t need to make the first move. He was still thinking dirty thoughts when rough hands gripped his head and held it still while an equally rough mouth captured his.

His first thought—finally. His second—fuuuck! Shortly afterward, his mind went blank of anything but arousal—of anything but want, need, desire. It grew rapidly as their lips melded, their tongues battled and explored and their hands wandered. Before long, Terry had a firm bum cheek in each hand and wanted nothing more than to render them naked and push his tongue between them, to taste, tease and lubricate the tight hole before pressing his cock past its resistance and deep inside Justin. He couldn’t of course—not here, not now. Their entire family was out there, including lots of impressionable young minds. They’d have to stick to slightly more innocent pursuits.

There was nothing innocent about their passion, however—their eager lips, the way they fit together so well, so perfectly. He was consumed—the fact he was kissing a man at all was new, never mind the one he’d been in love with since he was old enough to know what love really meant. He had to fight incredibly hard to hold on to his rational thoughts, to hold back, prevent himself from going too far.

Eventually the fire between them grew so hot, so powerful, that they had to pull away before they got burned. Gasps and murmured expletives filled the air.

5. Let me take a moment to fan my face. Ahem...now that you've whetted my appetite, I'll end the interview with this final question--What works do you have in the pipeline (that you are at liberty to drop hints about)? 

My debut novel, Stately Pleasures, just released, so I’m busy promoting that. Fortunately it’s had a good reception so far.

My most recent m/m release is an erotic romance short story in a paranormal anthology from Evernight Publishing – Alpha’s Claim: Manlove Edition. That came out on the 24th January. Another m/m story, this time a military erotic romance, Letters to a War Zone, is released by Totally Bound on the 28th March.

As I write this interview, I’m waiting for edits for A Taste of Rome, which is the third book in my A Taste Of... series from Ellora’s Cave. I’m hoping that’ll be out in the first quarter of 2014.

I have a m/f erotic romance novella coming from Decadent Publishing on 1st June, as part of their multi-author Calendar Men series. Mine is called The Other Brother.

As well as that, I have lots of other bits and pieces contracted, both as single-author pieces and other stories appearing in anthologies. I certainly keep busy!

Oh my, you are a very busy lady. I've heard great things about the Calendar Men series, so I'm very much looking forward to your release. Thank you again for dropping by!

For more information about the book and author, just scroll down. Comments are always much appreciated.

Illicit Relations

Terry’s had a crush on his second cousin Justin for what seems like forever. He’s hidden it as well as possible, knowing that the other man is out of bounds, forbidden fruit. Second cousins getting together isn’t actually illegal, but for Justin the relationship is too close—he just can’t contemplate them being together.

But when some new information comes to light about Terry’s birth and his place in the family, the whole game changes. Suddenly the relationship isn’t so impossible, and things soon begin to get hot and heavy.

Buy links: Ellora's Cave, Amazon, Kobo, Sony

About Lucy 

Lucy Felthouse is a very busy woman! She writes erotica and erotic romance in a variety of subgenres and pairings, and has over seventy publications to her name, with many more in the pipeline. These include Best Bondage Erotica 2012 and 2013, and Best Women's Erotica 2013. Another string to her bow is editing, and she has edited and co-edited a number of anthologies. She owns Erotica For All, and is book editor for Cliterati. Find out more at http://www.lucyfelthouse.co.uk. Join her on Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to her newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/gMQb9 

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