Sara Brookes's Blog, page 16

Welcome to the lab today, where Lisa Fox is visiting us again and sharing about her love for Mass Effect

~*~

My Mass Effect Romance

Hi everyone! It’s great to be here again on Silver Phoenix Labs. Thank you for having me over, Sara.

Let me just start this whole thing off by saying two things. One: THERE ARE SPOILERS HERE. Two: If it were possible, Wrex would have been my man in the trilogy. I loved him – LOVED HIM – and given the chance, I would have had many Krogan/Human babies with him.

That said, I liked Kaidan a lot when I first met him in ME1. He was attractive, a bit of a goody-goody, but he had a sense of humor. I liked to take him along on missions and he was often my voice of morality in a lot of ways. When the flirtation options came up, I happily chose them and fully enjoyed the banter.

And then Kaidan opened up to me. We talked, really talked, and I learned about him and his past. I didn’t judge. I wasn’t that kind of paragon. He was an honorable man who made mistakes. I was very taken with him.

Mass Effect ended and I was happy and excited to see where this whole Kaidan thing would go. I started ME2 and promptly died—spaced while saving my crew—and now it was two years later and I was stuck with these people who were part of a shady organization. Life had changed.

I was excited to see Tali when she popped up, even more excited to get Garrus back. And then the moment I had been waiting for arrived.

Kaidan was on Horizon.

When he came around that corner and hugged me, I thought the love was real. But then he started talking. One of the first things he said was that he “loved” me. Past tense. I had just spent the last two years DEAD and he was bitching because I didn’t call him. He told me that he’d moved on, spoke about betrayal.

And then he walked away.

I was hurt and very pissed off. Did he really not know me? Did he really think I was just some mindless pawn? And then I got that email from him, all feeble and full of maybes and I don’t knows. I was mad, but I still reminded loyal, mostly because nobody else really appealed to me all that much. I played the entire game with his picture firmly up on my desk. I looked at it before embarking on the suicide mission.

Then ME3 began and the whole world was at stake. I was still kind of pissed at Kaidan, but I have to be real honest here, that first time I saw him again, I felt a twinge. Seriously. All kidding and role-playing aside, it was good to see him. I was ready to make him mine again.

And then we got to Mars. We had barely begun our mission, and he was all over me about Cerberus, giving my attitude, asking me over and over again if I was involved with them even after I said that I was not. I didn’t like it, but I let it slide. Until we got to the tram station and he found that dead solider and he turned to me and said, “Is this what they did to you?”

Wait, WHAT?

That was the very last straw. He was seriously looking me dead in my face and asking me if I was some kind of Cerberus husk.

No more. Just no more.

I stopped the game right there, put ME2 back in, and played it again. This time I chose Garrus.

Garrus had always been there for me. When I had my little confrontation on Horizon with Kaidan, Garrus had my back. He had my back in every situation, he never hesitated to tell me straight-up just how shit was going, and mostly importantly, he was my friend.

But that was also the problem, the reason why I didn’t choose Garrus when I had the chance the first time around. He was my friend, my brother-in-arms. He was great on the battlefield, my automatic go-to man, but when it came to flirtation, he was shy, hesitant, and that’s not really my type. I was skeptical about my choice even when I set things in motion with him in my replay of ME2. Was Garrus really the one for me?

When he came to my cabin, he was awkward and cute and I was charmed. And then he looked at me and said, “I just want something to go right. Just once…” That’s when I fell totally in love with Garrus Vakarian. Because, really, isn’t that what we all want? For something special to just go right.

And then I got to ME3 again. Again I saw Kaidan, and again I felt a little something. I brushed it aside though because I knew what was coming. Kaidan was the past and this time, I told him so.

When I got to Palaven and got Garrus again, I knew that I had made the right choice. Because Garrus was happy to see me. Our conversation on the Normandy was the polar opposite of my talk with Kaidan. Garrus wanted to continue what we started, he was ready to fight the Reapers, be my ally, and be my lover. With Garrus, I had mutual respect, comfort, safety, and absolute trust. That scene with him on top of the Presidium was so awesome—I even let him think he was a better shot than me. And the Citadel DLC was even more awesome.

I do want to go back into the games to play as Male Shepard and romance Liara. I think that would be a lot of fun. I’d romance Tali too, but I think that she might be too nice for me. As a female I like to play it paragon, but as a man, I’d be renegade all the way.

Who was your love(s) in Mass Effect? Did you stay true or did you move on?

We’re all piled into the family truckster and are heading on our way to see the second largest ball of twine on the face of the earth! Okay. Not really, but we are traipsing around the country for a bit on a family vacation. I thought while I was gone, I’d offer up a goodie!

It’s a Geek Kink totebag filled with books – there’s a wide selection of romance in there from historical, paranormal, erotic and even some women’s fiction. Not to mention, I’m chipping in signed copies of Natural Lust and Ragged Edge for a total of fourteen books in the giveaway. And to add to the geekiness, I’ll toss in a pair of Mickey ears (the ones the winner receives may or may not be like the R2D2 ones pictured) in for fun.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Contest open now until 12AM EST 8/12/13.

Void where prohibited and open to residents of the US and Canada only.

Some of my very good friends are celebrating Christmas early this year! Take peek at their offerings and leave a comment to be entered to win prizes!

Winter in July Event 

Welcome to WINTER IN JULY! For some of you it may actually be winter and to many of us it’s sweltering summer. BUT the weather has nothing to do with our event. Why? Because we are sharing with you our hot, hot, hot romances that are set during winter.

For today and the next four days we will be sharing something about us and our winter books in hopes of enticing you to give our stories a try. But that’s not all! We will also be giving away prizes! That’s right! We’ll choose 1 winner from each day’s commenters to win a treat from 1 of us. PLUS, the person who leaves the most comments throughout the blog hop will ALSO be a winner!

So, are you ready to start the fun? Then let’s get to it. Below you’ll find the covers and the blurbs for each of our winter stories. We’ve also included a way to get in touch with us.

Lisa Fox

Santa’s Sleeping Beauty

When Jordan takes a break from her last-minute Christmas shopping to have a cup of coffee, she meets a handsome Santa with a twinkle in his eye and a sinful smile. He offers her a special Christmas treat that Jordan is more than happy to accept.

Naughty never felt sooo right as together they share an outrageous night of love that is supposed to end with the coming of dawn.

Or so they thought…

Buy: http://www.ellorascave.com/santa-s-sleeping-beauty.html

Website: www.LisaFoxRomance.com

Alexa Bourne

Simple Treasures

Traumatized soldier-turned-college-student Joanna Grainger witnesses a crime no one believes occurred. Bodyguard candidate Colin Munro must protect her to secure his dream job.

As danger approaches, Colin struggles to stay focused on his career instead of the bonnie lass. Joanna must convince him she’s a worthy partner. But first, can she convince herself?

Buy: http://www.decadentpublishing.com/product_info.php?cPath=75_197&products_id=695&osCsid=se41g1cemjd0e3nqmppq91dfj0

Website: www.AlexaBourne.com

Catherine Peace

This Time Next Year

Ever since surviving the vampire attack that killed her parents, Moira Curran has dealt with the resulting nightmares and abandonment issues the only way she could—by throwing herself into her education and then her biochemistry career, preferring a life of hermitude in her lab.

Kiernan Shaw has never forgotten the night twenty years ago when his maker killed a six-year-old girl’s parents in front of her. He’s spent the better part of the last two decades searching for her in order to make amends.

Madame Eve has brought the two together. When they finally meet, will Moira be able to give Kiernan what he needs? Will Kiernan put her fears to rest? Or will old fears and guilt keep them apart?

Buy: http://www.decadentpublishing.com/product_info.php?products_id=809&osCsid=9a0p1drddlv7maol028p08fmq5

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Lexcade

Taryn Kincaid

Frost

Dagney Night, a sought-after succubus, is no stranger to blazing hot sex. But as Valentine’s Day approaches, she longs for something more. When oddly erotic paintings arrive for display at her art gallery, arousing everyone who views them, she wonders about the mysterious artist who created the works.

Maxwell Raines, a fire-sex demon, lives a life of solitude and seclusion behind the walls of his compound at Sleepy Hollow, channeling his lustful impulses into his art—until his muse deserts him and his temperature rises past the danger point. He needs sex. Now.

When Madame Evangeline arranges a torrid Valentine’s 1Night Stand for them, will the flames of their encounter be too hot to handle? 

Buy: Amazon

Website: http://tarynkincaid.com/

Taryn Kincaid

Blizzard

Mandy Malone ditches her pharmaceutical convention and the married male colleagues hitting on her to hurry home to her waiting family. But she doesn’t bank on the blizzard that forces her off the road and into a deserted rest stop. When she meets another road refugee, their attraction is immediate and molten hot. Suddenly, getting stranded doesn’t seem like such bad luck after all.

Although totally unprepared for Mandy’s unvarnished proposition, Jack is intrigued by the erotic offer of a promising night of no-questions-asked sex. But when he notices the wedding band on Mandy’s finger, will he forego the lure of a torrid clandestine affair, or give in to the fantasy of blazing hot sex on a wintry night?

Buy:  Amazon

Eva Lefoy

Steal my Heart

Tiffany’s addicted to high-priced custom homes and expensive jewelry. To make ends meet, she embarks on a life of crime. But when she targets the $32 million house at an exclusive ski resort everything goes awry. Instead of jewels, it’s her heart that might be stolen…

Jeff can’t take his eyes off the gorgeous thief he finds naked in his hot tub. She’s the exact opposite of his soon to be ex-wife. When the law comes to the door he offers Tiffany a choice: give up her stealing ways for an all-expenses paid stay in his fabulous custom A-frame home or go straight to jail.

Together the two add new meaning to hotter is better. Frigid had better look out…

Buy: http://amzn.to/13DnHlC

Website: http://writery.wordpress.com/

Emily Cale

Two is Twice as Nice

Cara must have been a very good girl this year, because Santa brought her the ultimate gift: two sexy men.

After a car accident last Christmas, Cara McCourt is left broken inside and out. Since then, no guy has bothered to give her the time of day. Just when she’s convinced that no man will ever be interested in her again, she bumps into Anthony while holiday shopping. Unsure at first, Cara is quickly wooed by the man who thinks she is beautiful—despite her disfigurement.

Uncertain if Anthony is too good to be true, she takes a chance, only to find out he’s been keeping a secret: His twin brother, Devon. Too late, Cara is drawn into their games. Will her wounded soul survive their deceit or did Santa actually bring her the ultimate gift: two men of her own?

Buy:  Amazon

Website: www.emilycale.com

All right! Now that you’ve gotten a taste of our stories, are you intrigued by any of them? Leave a comment to let us know AND to be in the running for a prize!

Now, here are the other places we’ll be during this Blog Hop in case you want to follow along and learn more about us and our books, and increase your chances of winning! Remember to leave your email address too so we can reach you if you win!

We are scheduled to blog on:

July 24th- Sara Brookes’ blog- : http://www.sarabrookes.net

July 25th- The Literary Lagniappe- http://literarylagniappe.com\

July 26th- Get Lost in a Story Blog- http://getlostinastory.blogspot.com

July 27th- Pink Fluffy Hearts Blog- http://pinkfluffyhearts.blogspot.com

July 28th- Happily Ever After Thoughts blog- http://www.happilyeverafterthoughts.com

I’m dishing today at the lab about a certain character who long, long ago became the reason I love tortured heroes today.

~*~

As an only child, I found escape in books, video games, movies, television, etc. In these things, I could be whatever I wanted. Live any life I wanted.

I’m fortunate enough to be old enough to remember the 80′s (so, maybe that’s unfortunate?). I was a tomboy then (tho I’m still a bit of one) and had Hot Wheels, Transformers, G I Joe, Star Wars, Batman, Superman, X-Men, Spiderman (I’m not loyal to Marvel vs DC – I like what I like). As a bit of an oddity, I also had Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Barbie and My Little Pony. Odd combos to be sure, but I’ve never claimed to be normal.

Most of those things were relegated to my childhood, but a few things managed to carry through to adulthood with me. Even then, one still stands out.

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Yup. The man with the claws.

Believe it or not, it has nothing to do with the actor who plays Wolverine. Sure, it helps that Hugh Jackman isn’t hard on the eyes at all, but I have loved this character since I was a giddy 9 year old in a comic book store for the first time.

Next Friday, Marvel Studios will be dishing up another serving of the eternally tortured mutant. And much as I’ve done for the previous movies involving the character, I’ll leave work early next Friday, plunk down in a nearly empty theater, munch on some nachos (always, always nachos at the movies) and watch the next installment of the franchise with my 9 year old self at my side.

Very excited to announce there will be a new addition to the books set in the Collington Creek & Second Circle world this fall!

Joining Ragged Edge and Reclaiming the Edge will be Adam Waters’ story. He is Dalton Shaw’s best friend and the two shared a beer over a very insightful conversation during Ragged Edge. The book, which I lovingly referred to as the Epic Novel of Epicness because of the word count, has a title but I’m going to reveal it at another time. The series has a title now too, but I’ll reveal that later as well. Yes, I’m evil. I know.

I can tell you right now, Adam is a Dom at Second Circle. He works and breathes the club as the owner’s right hand.

I can also say, for those who love the Dalton/Erin/Cade triad from the previous two books, all three will make a brief appearance. Dalton will return the favor doled out by Adam in Ragged Edge by offering up some sage advice and…more.

Last month, I offered up a post which talked about my very organic writing process (with SNARK!). Turns out, the writing process is far more interesting to learn about than I first thought. So, I’ve been paying attention to my patterns and such. Most of which is pretty boring to me, which means I’d bore you talking about it.

But yesterday, while staring down at these few pieces of a very bloody draft of a chapter for Break Me In, I realized this particular “thing” is something I do with all my books. (I wish I could show you a closer picture of all the red, however, this is the climactic scene of the book and a game changer for the series, I don’t want to spoil!)

The amount of red on the page varies depending on which stage of the process I’m in. Right now, I have myself on a end of July finish timeline for the first draft of Break Me In, the 3rd Geek Kink book. The book isn’t due until September, however August is shaping up to be a very busy month for us. So I want to be able to walk away from the book for the month and let it stew before I take care of any clean up before September rolls around.

Some people can do this work on a computer no problem. I’ve tried. Several times. To the point of frustration and tears. I just can’t do it. I miss things. Skip over problem issues. Ignore glaring spelling errors even when they’re reaching out to slap me with a flogger. It’s as though seeing it printed out on a page helps me see the BIG GLARING PROBLEMs I can’t hunt down on a computer screen. I swear those little pixels arrange and rearrange themselves even as I’m staring right at them. I’ve been known to print out entire books and run red BICs dry for this process.

Perhaps it relates back to all the years I wrote without a computer as I’ve been writing long before I ever had a computer on my desk. Yes, scribbling up that amount of paper is wasteful, I know that. It’s bulky. Believe me, I know that perhaps better than anyone. I carry around the pages I’m working on wherever I go.

I keep them when I’m done.

Seriously.

See the pic right there? That’s my second box of work. The green one underneath is full. In front of those boxes are my old laptops. Three of them. Including my very fist Gateway (!!) laptop. Sure, I’ve transferred everything off the hard drives but…yeah. I’m a bit of a writing hoarder. We’re not even going to discuss my external hard drive and my cloud drives backups of my current hard drive. I’ve been on the receiving end of too many lost stories to relive those woes.

All this to say….I’m chugging away on the 3rd Geek Kink book, red pen in hand and blood all over the page.

Hey gang! Layna Pimentel is here at the Lab today talking about changes and upgrades.

~*~

I like change in most instances. The world is constantly changing and evolving, so why wouldn’t technology right? Well, for as much as I’m all for advancements in computing and gaming, I’m not sure I’m happy with my husband’s latest announcement. Here’s how a most recent discussion with him went:

Dh: So, have you checked out the new Xbox One video yet?

Me: No. Should I? I mean, there’s nothing wrong with our existing one.

Dh: You need to watch it.

At this point, he reaches for our harmony remote and starts loading up the console to show me the video. *insert yawn here*

I sit there and watch it, unamused and unmoved by how cool and interactive the console is. Frankly, while the direction Microsoft is moving in is innovative, I have no desire to upgrade to the new one. Nor, do I want it to keep track of what programming I’m watching on television either.

The video finishes and the hubby looks at me.

Dh: So, what do you think?

Me: No.

Dh: Really? What if I told you, I just pre-ordered the new PS 4…

I do a double take. I’m pissed now.

Me: Excuse me! I seem to recall pre-ordering GTA 5 for you at Christmas for the 360. I am so not getting you a refund. You’re on your own buddy.

He only laughs.

Dh: Did I ask for one?

He calls me a dipshit under his breath.

Dh: I plan on keeping the Xbox 360, and the PS 4. So what do you think of that?

Me: Traitor.

I’m not happy with this change at all, and I have no idea where he thinks he’s going to fit an extra console in our entertainment cabinet.

So what are your thoughts? Will you be upgrading yourself when these new toys hit the market?

Its no wonder when I titled a series Geek Kink that I find all kinds of fun adding quirks and fun little details to my character’s lives. Sure, the four books are all about relationships, romance, sex and BDSM, but the characters are people. They have lives and flaws and such.

But even I giggled a little when I was working on a innocent conversation taking place at Perfect Shot between Alex Conners and Beth Flynn (formerly Lawson) while writing Break Me In. Told through Alex’s POV, even he seemed to find amusement in the fact Beth is wearing a shirt with the following graphic splashed across it.

Take the meaning of that as you will. *cough*

BTW, this is an actual shirt. You can purchase it here: http://www.redbubble.com/people/rubyred/works/4140451-whos-the-daddy

Want to get a taste of some m/m hawtness for mere pocket change? Slow Break, a m/m BDSM erotica short, is on sale for a limited time (until 6/30) – get it for just 99 cents!

Amazon || All Romance eBooks

5 Ravens “It is a story of those situations that that hit us between the eyes and force us to honestly evaluate who and what really matters in our lives and what doesn’t. It is also an up-close examination of a situation in which saying one is sorry, is simply not enough.”

~ Lea, BlackRaven Reviews

Jack Cotton thought he’d made the right choice to walk away from Tawse, the only BDSM club on Sypricon. But a life-altering tragedy has shown him the error of his ways. Now, he’s ready to make amends and is more than prepared to kneel before the Dom he left so abruptly.

Denton is bound by the rules of Tawse, and he knows Jack’s membership has been terminated. But Jack’s return is all too personal and his actions can’t simply be ignored. Forced to make a choice, Denton does the only thing his instincts as a Dom tell him. After all, some men, like rules, are meant to be broken.

Warning: A cautionary tale of a sub who acted poorly and returns, begging for redemption from his Master. Punishment ensues in the form of a submissive offering himself to multiple Doms, submissives flogging submissives, gay sex on a spanking bench and one of the most heartwrenching reunions you’ll ever encounter.

Welcome to Wanted! The Ellora’s Cave On The Hunt Authors blog hop. Just follow the links at the bottom of this post to meet a bevvy of super sexy bounty hunters.

One lucky commenter on this post right here will win an e-copy of Her Master’s Collar! Just be sure to leave an email address so I have a way to contact you.

I get asked a lot where I get my ideas, both for stories and for sex scenes. Mostly, there is no one specific way ideas hit me (usually upside the head). Sometimes the silliest thing will trigger a story idea. The ideas for sex scenes aren’t much different, mostly because I’m a very organic writer and let the situation, characters, etc dictate the flow of things.

But there are exceptions. Such as a few weeks ago. I was sitting at my desk, scrolling through my RSS reader and had a sudden thought.

“You know, if people ever stood over my shoulder while I scrolled through my feeds in the morning, they’d think I was a frackin’ pervert.”

See, though I do have a few news feeds, the majority of my subscriptions have to do with nude black and white photography (yeah, just an interest I have), couples, bearded men, sex and (not surprisingly) BDSM. Who says an erotic romance writer’s life isn’t fun? More than a few sex scenes that have ended up in my books have been from images I’ve come across in my feed while sipping my first cup of coffee for the day.

One of those was a scene that ultimately ended up in my On The Hunt novella, Her Master’s Collar. Though the picture is now long gone, it was a black and white picture of a Dom crouching next to a his kneeling submissive, his hand around her throat, her shirt pulled down to expose just her breasts to him.

So here’s a piece of the scene that picture inspired (warning, adult content and language):

“Your loyalty is commendable and should be rewarded.” His fingers fit under her jaw to lift her chin. Their gazes met for the first time, allowing her to notice the hurt in his eyes. Leaving her hadn’t come without a cost.

He leaned forward to press his lips against hers, teasing and tasting. She opened for him, feeling his tongue slide unhurriedly into her mouth. He tasted of salt, mint and the jasmine tea he’d had while they’d sat in the lounge. The kiss was slow and drew out the arousal spinning in her core. Everything about him overwhelmed her. Piece by piece, he slowly stripped away her ability to think about anything but following his orders. She was a breath away from abandoning their business arrangement entirely.

Sweat consistent with a blazing fever dotted her flushed skin. She wanted more, and found it increasingly harder to keep a firm handle on reality. It was too easy to give into him and give into the roles they’d slipped into in the blink of an eye.

He continued to kiss her as his finger dragged over the gentle swell of her breasts and dipped under the hem of her camisole. The hard ridge of his fingernail scraped over the tender nub of her nipple, causing her to groan into his mouth. He swallowed the noise, echoing with a low moan of his own.

Heat flooded the space between her legs as her pussy grew damper with each passing second. The atmosphere between their bodies vibrated with need, pulsing from the intensity emitting from both of their bodies. He pulled away, his hand tightening around her neck as he sucked in a deep breath between gritted teeth.

“Korene.” He growled her name, drawing out each syllable so it sounded deliciously filthy. Laser blue flashed as his gaze bored into hers, his hand trembling against her pounding pulse. She pulled in a ragged breath, overwhelmed by the authority and intensity pouring from him.

With a low, guttural growl, he drove his tongue into her mouth as his other hand clenched firmly against her nape to hold her in place. Power surged, flowing into her to give her an anchor she’d missed for the past ten years.

Here, on her knees for him, she was whole and complete again. The thought became further cemented when he pulled the neck of the shirt down to completely expose her breasts. Bared for him, he palmed one and pinched the nipple hard between his fingers. The sting sent her pulse racing even as her eyes watered. Hot tears flowed down her cheeks as he lofted her to a level of ecstasy she hadn’t realized she’d missed. He continued to hold with steady pressure, the twinges of pain quickening her breath. The surge of pain morphed to an arousal that caused her to grit her teeth.

“Let me hear how this makes you feel.”

Don’t forget to stop by and visit the other stops on the blog hop!