Vicktor Alexander's Blog, page 22
July 2, 2013
Ask Author Jana Downs
Time for you to submit your questions for author Jana Downs who is our next author in the Hot Seat!
Submit your questions to [email protected]
I will have a WIP Wednesday post for you all in the morning from "Raising Shawna" are you all ready?
Submit your questions to [email protected]
I will have a WIP Wednesday post for you all in the morning from "Raising Shawna" are you all ready?
July 1, 2013
Ask Author: Stormy Glenn
I'm super duper, uberly excited to welcome my friend, the mega-talented, Stormy Glenn to The Purple Fantasy Den for Ask Author. She's sitting in the hot seat and she has graciously answered 47 of your questions about her writing and her books. Stormy is delightful as ever and just as gracious. She has offered a free ebook copy of her newest release Bray's Bounty for one lucky person who comments.
So sit back and enjoy Stormy in: The Hot Seat.
1. What's the title of the book of your life? Dazed & Confused
2. HG Wells, William Shakespeare, Steven King show up at your house for dinner who gets the seat of honor? Me, and then I’d put all three of them on a Q&A right in front of me.
3. Where do you write at? In an office or comfy chair? Do you have a set time that you write or just when the muse strikes you? I have an office at home where I work. It’s my own space that I don’t have to share with anyone but the dogs and cat. From where I sit at my desk, there’s a balcony I look out of with a view of meadow in front of my house and the mountain beyond. I love it.
4. In what series is your favorite couple and why are they your favorite? Vadim and Sasha from My Lupine Lover. I just loved that couple. Granted, I have a few others favorites here and there like Sheriff Joe Nash and Nate Summers, but Vadim and Sasha have always been my favorite.
5. What is your most favorite scene that you wrote and for which characters did you write it? That’s a hard one. I think one of my favorite scenes is from Hidden Desires when Thomas meets Micah for the first time. Of course, Dean’s quote from The Cat’s Meow (“Dude, your cat has a cat?”) is one of my favorite as well
6. On a rainy day what is your favorite thing to do? Make a pot of soup or chili and some corn bread, grab a blanket, and curl up in front of the window and read a book.
7. What is your favorite genre to read, when/if you get a chance? I pretty much read what I write. My favorite genre is M/M Shifter Paranormal, preferably wolf shifter.
8. What drew you to write mm books? I believe that everyone deserves love, man, woman, penguin. I also believe that there is a decided lack of m/m romances out there.
9. What inspired you to start writing? LOL… Carol Lynne
10. Did you all ways want to be a write? Nope. When I was twelve, I was pretty sure I was going to be the next singing sensation…and then I heard a recording of me singing and decided I needed to save the world and go with something else.
11. What inspired you to write the Blaecleah Brothers series? LOL… the Dukes of Hazard.
12. Have you always wanted to write M/M romance? No, I actually started out writing M/F/M but this genre drew me and I slowly moved in that direction.
13. How did you end up writing about shifters? Um…I actually prefer to write in the paranormal world because I don’t like rules of any kind (just ask my husband). In a shifter world, there are mates, which are a lot like soulamtes, which I fully believe in. So…writing about shifters was just kind of a have to for me.
14. What made you decide to write mpreg? You do a wonderful job with it and I love your mpreg novels (they were the first professional ones I read). My first mpreg book was The Katzman’s Mate and I had no idea when I wrote it that that it really kinda wasn’t done. I just wrote the story and followed where it went. I didn’t find out until after the book was released and another author contacted me to congratulate me in crossing that taboo line. I had no idea. Since then, of course, the world has opened up to a lot more mpreg books.
15. What are 2 things that must be next to you for you to write? My coffee and note pad.
16. Do you prefer writing about perfect characters or flawed ones and why? I like flawed characters because they are more real to me.
17. When you have writer's block how do you break free? I usually move on to another book or read something of go for a motorcycle ride…something to shake things loose.
18. About how long does it typically take you to write one of the books in your series versus a single title? I’m not sure there really is a time difference. If I’m working on a series books and I haven’t worked in that series for awhile, then I have to go back and reread the previous books and make notes, remind myself of where the series is going. With single titles, I just write.
19. Is it easier or harder to write the series books because of the world building that's taken place? I think both. It’s harder because you have to make sure that you’ve brought the series stuff through each book, but it’s also easier because a world has already been established. You have world rules, notes, minor characters, etc.
20. Do you listen to music while writing or need silence? Perhaps something romantic? Or rowdy? Maybe it depends on the story or characters? I have a list of songs on my ipod that I listen to or I turn the TV on. After raising six kids, silence doesn’t work for me. Makes me wonder what people are up to.
21. Which was harder to write, the sex scenes involving multiple partners or the scenes between two guys? Sex scenes in general can be hard but that’s just because after 130 plus books with an average of 3 sex scenes per book, it gets monotonous. There are only so many way to write this stuff and still make it exciting.
22. Did you always know you were going to write erotic stories, or was it something you discovered along the way? No, I pretty much had to be told that was what I was writing. I had no clue.
23. Do you use pictures for inspiration for your characters? Such as model or actor pics? Oh yes, I often find pics of characters and save them to a file to look at when writing.
24. Can you tell us a little about how you started writing; was it something you have always wanted to do? I love writing and I’ve been writing my own stories for years, but for my own personal enjoyment. I had no idea that I could do this as a career until someone told me I really had nothing to lose.
25. Your work is very popular with readers and reviewers; how does it feel to have such positive recognition for your work? A little shocking to be honest. I love writing and creating worlds and seeing characters’ stories come to life, but I have no idea why anyone is interested in the crazy stuff that comes out of my head.
26. Book two of your Wolf Creek series, Just a Taste of Me, is one of my favorites. Where did you get the idea about the cookie sheet? LOL… that was actually funny. I was working on another story when I had to stop to make dinner. I was pulling out a cookie sheet when the scene hit me. I handed dinner off to the kids and ran to my laptop and started writing.
27. Do you write more than one book at a time? Oh yes. I have 30+ books in progress right now, with notes for another 80+ or so.
28. I’ve heard authors talk about their characters as if they’re sitting right in the room with them and whoever is talking the loudest is who gets their story written. Is the same thing true for you? Definitely. I see the story in my head like watching TV. It’s kind of like being the director on a movie set. I’m right there on the sidelines watching, directing, playing the scene over and over again in my head until I get it just right, then I write it. Whichever one of my players screams the loudest get to be center stage.
29. How do you come up with your stories? I have no idea. They just come to me. Sometimes it can be a note, a song, a TV program that I see. It just happens. I get a single idea and it grows from there.
30. You have written some stories with a lot of other authors how do you like the process of writing with another author? I love it. I think we play off each other’s ideas and that makes the story more interesting.
31. When will we get another Wolf Creek book? Oh man, I have no idea. I try real hard to work on the books on my WIP list and get them done before starting anything new but that often doesn’t work for me. If a story idea comes to me, I have to go with it.
32. Have you even written a person into a book just so you could "get even" with them? No, but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen at some point in the future.
33. Do you have a favorite genre to write? Anything paranormal. There are no rules!!!
34. How long does it take you to finish a book? I can never tell. I’ve written some books in 5 days and others have taken me months. I work on a story when it calls to me.
35. What drew you to writing about shifters? I just find them fascinating. Very possessive, aggressive, and hot!!!
36. What is your favorite type of shifter? Wolf Shifter although I have a soft spot for bunny shifters.
37. Is there a genre that you will never attempt to write? Mainstream romance…way too boring.
38. If someone is new to your writing what do you suggest they start off writing? Write what you read because that’s where your interest lies.
39. What book do you wish you had written? Um…pretty much the entire Brac Pack series by Lynn Hagen, anything by Amber Kell, and Joyee Flynn’s Marius Brothers series.
40. If you could have dinner with three people from history who would they be and why? Jacques De Molay (23rd and last Grand Master of the Knights Templar c. 1244 – 18 March 1314), Ankhesenamun (Queen of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt c. 1348 – after 1322 BC), and Anna Eleanor Roosevelt (the longest-serving First Lady of the United States c. 1884 —1962).
41. Your books are very sexually explicit, is that intentional or just how your characters want you to write the story? It’s just kind of how it happens. You also have to remember that “erotic romance” is a lot more explicit than “mainstream romance”.
42. Is there a character type that you would never attempt to write? (ex. Disabled, deaf, transgender, black, fat). “Nope, can’t really think of one I wouldn’t write. Just ones I haven’t written yet.
43. What is your dream vacation spot? Germany
44. How do you deal with writer’s block? I move on to work on another story or read or do something else for awhile like go for a motorcycle ride or have some retail therapy.
45. If you weren’t an author what would you be? Well, I did own and operate a daycare for 15 years. I have been a housewife and mother for 25 years. And all of my college degrees are in business. I’ve also been a farmer, port shagger, deli worker, receptionist, executive assistant, and housekeeper. I’ve done a lot. Besides the mother and housewife thing, this one is my favorite.
46. What advice would you give to aspiring authors? Never give up and keep learning new techniques. Even now, after all of the books I’ve written, I still learn something new with each book I write and edit. Never stop learning.
47. Does your family know what you write? If so, what do they think about it? Oh yes, they all know. None of them read my books simply because “mom” is not allowed to have those thoughts, but they are very supportive.
June 26, 2013
WIP Wednesday: Raising Shawna
Here's an unedited excerpt of "Raising Shawna" for you all to enjoy:
Shane waved at the last neighbor to leave his house after the party and closed the door behind him. He sighed exhaustedly and walked into the kitchen to help Stephen and Natalie clean up and froze at the sight of them locked in a passionate embrace. Covering his mouth to stifle the chuckle that threatened to erupt, he backed out of the room slowly and walked towards the living room. What he saw there froze him in his tracks. Shawna stood on a chair looking at a picture of his brother, Shawn. Her arms were folded across her chest and her head was tilted to the side as she studied the photo and Shane trembled. Her pose was extremely reminiscent of Shawn’s pose whenever he was thinking of something very important. Even the way her lips were pursed reminded him of his twin. He didn’t move, merely stood in the entrance to the living room and watched her as she looked at the photo. It was almost as if she were having a silent conversation with Shawn as she nodded her head every so often. Should he be concerned? Should he say something to Natalie or call Khaty and see if perhaps Shawna had done the same thing at the shelter? What if she needed to see someone? Like a therapist or psychologist?
He must have stood there thinking to himself for too long because before he knew it, Shawna stood before him, tugging on the bottom of his shirt. He looked down at her and gave her a wobbly smile. His mind whirled with what he should do. Then he realized that he was just overreacting. So what if Shawna reminded him of his brother Shawn. And so what if she looked at his picture nodding her head. Maybe she thought she was looking at a picture of Shane. Though he and Shawn only favored each other in the face, the picture was only of Shawn’s face. He had to stop freaking out over everything or he would be one of those overbearing parents that wanted to keep their children in a plastic bubble just to keep them away from all of the dangers of the world. Although what kind of bubble would he need to prevent anyone from seriously hurting his child?
“Shane?” Shawna’s soft voice penetrated his introspective fog and he blinked at her a few times before smiling wide at her.
“Yes, honey?” he responded as he crouched in front of her.
Shawna quirked an eyebrow at him as if she wasn’t sure of his easy question. Shawn used to quirk his eyebrow at me too. Shane gave himself a mental shake and focused on Shawna’s face.
“Can I watch tv?” she asked him.
Shane looked at the clock and saw that it was eight o’clock. Shaking his head he gave her a sad smile. He and Natalie had spoken in length about bedtimes and staying firm on rules. He wanted to tell Shawna she could stay up as late as she wanted and do anything she wanted to do, but he knew, without having to consult with Natalie, that would be bad parenting.
“No, honey. Sorry. It’s time for bed,” he told her. She glanced over at the blank television screen and back at him.
“Awe you suwe?” she asked him.
Shane laughed. “Yes, I’m sure, puddin’. Now let’s get you ready for bed, huh?” he said before rising and holding out a hand for her to take. Her small hand slid into his larger one and Shane found himself turning to his right as if he were going to slide his other hand into some other man’s hand and was surprised to find no one there next to him. He needed to go on a date, or get laid, one or the other, because this was getting ridiculous.
Shane waved at the last neighbor to leave his house after the party and closed the door behind him. He sighed exhaustedly and walked into the kitchen to help Stephen and Natalie clean up and froze at the sight of them locked in a passionate embrace. Covering his mouth to stifle the chuckle that threatened to erupt, he backed out of the room slowly and walked towards the living room. What he saw there froze him in his tracks. Shawna stood on a chair looking at a picture of his brother, Shawn. Her arms were folded across her chest and her head was tilted to the side as she studied the photo and Shane trembled. Her pose was extremely reminiscent of Shawn’s pose whenever he was thinking of something very important. Even the way her lips were pursed reminded him of his twin. He didn’t move, merely stood in the entrance to the living room and watched her as she looked at the photo. It was almost as if she were having a silent conversation with Shawn as she nodded her head every so often. Should he be concerned? Should he say something to Natalie or call Khaty and see if perhaps Shawna had done the same thing at the shelter? What if she needed to see someone? Like a therapist or psychologist?
He must have stood there thinking to himself for too long because before he knew it, Shawna stood before him, tugging on the bottom of his shirt. He looked down at her and gave her a wobbly smile. His mind whirled with what he should do. Then he realized that he was just overreacting. So what if Shawna reminded him of his brother Shawn. And so what if she looked at his picture nodding her head. Maybe she thought she was looking at a picture of Shane. Though he and Shawn only favored each other in the face, the picture was only of Shawn’s face. He had to stop freaking out over everything or he would be one of those overbearing parents that wanted to keep their children in a plastic bubble just to keep them away from all of the dangers of the world. Although what kind of bubble would he need to prevent anyone from seriously hurting his child?
“Shane?” Shawna’s soft voice penetrated his introspective fog and he blinked at her a few times before smiling wide at her.
“Yes, honey?” he responded as he crouched in front of her.
Shawna quirked an eyebrow at him as if she wasn’t sure of his easy question. Shawn used to quirk his eyebrow at me too. Shane gave himself a mental shake and focused on Shawna’s face.
“Can I watch tv?” she asked him.
Shane looked at the clock and saw that it was eight o’clock. Shaking his head he gave her a sad smile. He and Natalie had spoken in length about bedtimes and staying firm on rules. He wanted to tell Shawna she could stay up as late as she wanted and do anything she wanted to do, but he knew, without having to consult with Natalie, that would be bad parenting.
“No, honey. Sorry. It’s time for bed,” he told her. She glanced over at the blank television screen and back at him.
“Awe you suwe?” she asked him.
Shane laughed. “Yes, I’m sure, puddin’. Now let’s get you ready for bed, huh?” he said before rising and holding out a hand for her to take. Her small hand slid into his larger one and Shane found himself turning to his right as if he were going to slide his other hand into some other man’s hand and was surprised to find no one there next to him. He needed to go on a date, or get laid, one or the other, because this was getting ridiculous.
GOODBYE DOMA & Prop. 8!!!!!
Today in a landmark decision the Supreme Court overturned DOMA with a vote of 5-4!!!
This is a GREAT day for same-sex couples in this country. I am OVERJOYED about this! I yelled, screamed, clapped and generally made a fool of myself in my bedroom/office when I heard the notification from EDGE on my phone.
This is an AWESOME day!!
Here's the article at the Huffington Post that you can read about this great decision:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/26/supreme-court-doma-decision_n_3454811.html
I would say "RIP DOMA" but I don't want it to rest in peace. I want it to die a horrible death and to never be able to come back again.
We're still waiting on a decision on Prop. 8, since those who opposed DOMA have to be asshats and talk about it, but we're crossing our fingers that it will be favorable for us.
And now a lovely picture my sister found:
EDITED:
Prop.8 was DISMISSED!!! Such a FANTASTIC DAY!!! I want to have a party out in the streets! Who's with me????!!!!
As someone just told me: TODAY, LOVE WON!
This is a GREAT day for same-sex couples in this country. I am OVERJOYED about this! I yelled, screamed, clapped and generally made a fool of myself in my bedroom/office when I heard the notification from EDGE on my phone.
This is an AWESOME day!!
Here's the article at the Huffington Post that you can read about this great decision:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/26/supreme-court-doma-decision_n_3454811.html
I would say "RIP DOMA" but I don't want it to rest in peace. I want it to die a horrible death and to never be able to come back again.
We're still waiting on a decision on Prop. 8, since those who opposed DOMA have to be asshats and talk about it, but we're crossing our fingers that it will be favorable for us.
And now a lovely picture my sister found:
EDITED:
Prop.8 was DISMISSED!!! Such a FANTASTIC DAY!!! I want to have a party out in the streets! Who's with me????!!!!
As someone just told me: TODAY, LOVE WON!
June 24, 2013
Ask Author: Toni Griffin
I am so excited and happy to have Aussie author, fabulous, talented, gorgeous and with that friendly Australian personality, Toni Griffin here at The Purple Fantasy Den for Ask Author. Toni's in the hot seat answering your questions and she's doing a giveaway as well. One lucky person who comments will win an ebook copy of Bryce's Cop.And now... on to the interview. Take it away Toni!
If you had to leave Australia where else in the world would you settle and why?That’s a tough one for me, my father is actually English and I have family there, but I have some really incredible friends in the states that I would love to be closer to. So, if I had to leave Australia I think it would be a tossup between England and the US
Did you ever think that your work would be published?Not in a million years. LOL
What made you start writing?An idea. Leaving work one day on the way to collect my daughter after school, Marcus and Brian popped into my head. I wondered if I could possibly write my own story and that night I went home and started. It took me a month to finish their story and I was so happy when I managed finish.
Who is your favourite author and why?There really are so many out there. Mary Calmes is right up there at the top. A matter of Time is my all-time favourite book. I own the old versions, the new one, in paperback and on audio. I just love the way she writes, her books are always an instant buy for me no matter what.
Out of all your books who would be your favorite character and why are they your favourite?Brian and Marcus will always have a soft spot in my heart as they were my first (so to speak. LOL). But then there’s Lucas (from Bryce’s cop) he was a tough cookie to crack and I loved him for that. Archie (Archie’s Accidental Kidnapping) is also a favourite. I just loved writing him. I had so my fun… oh and then there’s….
How long does it take you to write a book?It all depends on the book and what’s going on in my life at the time. At the moment the way I’ve set out my time for the rest of the year I’ve given myself approximately 6 weeks between when MS are due. So hopefully not longer than that LOL
What do you do when you get writers block?Pray that it goes away fast. I tend to work better under pressure and the closer a deadline draws near the more I force myself to focus and write. That and I have a great family who are constantly hounding me on the number of words I write in any given day.
What is your favorite genre to read, when/if you get a chance?It all depends on what I’m in the mood for at the time. It’ll be MM for sure but sometimes I just love to get into a good paranormal then others give me a hot sweaty cowboy or a leather Dom with a flogger.
Is there a genre that you haven't written that you'd like to try? If so, what and why?BDSM – It fascinates me. I actually started one after I finished writing Determined Mate. It’s the reason why there was such a large gap between the releases of books two and three. The story is the only story I have ever started and not finished. I got about 14k into it and I’m just not happy with the way I was writing it. So I really need to find some time and go back and gut the story and try again. Maybe one of these days.
Have any of your characters made you cry?Several of them. I think Jason was the first.
Where do you write at? In an office or comfy chair? Do you have a set time that you write or just when the muse strikes you?I live in a small two bedroom apartment. There’s no room for a fancy office or anything like that so I sit in my leather recliner with my laptop on my lap and type away. I work full time so my writing time is restricted to after I get home from work and on the weeks where I have my daughter after she’s in bed for the evening. I’m lucky that I actually get a couple of days a fortnight off during the week, so while my girl is at school I can sit down during the day in the peace and quiet and write then as well.
What book is your most favorite scene that you wrote and for which character?There are so many… so I’m just going to choose a recent one… from Archie’s Accidental Kidnapping. Where Archie is accusing Adze of Kidnapping him.
On a rainy day what is your favorite thing to do?I love rainy days in Darwin. There’s nothing better than a good electrical storm, and if I’m lucky enough not to be at work then I curl up on the couch with a good book and enjoy the sound of the rain beating down around me.
What are 2 things that must be next to you for you to write?My notebook and pencil – it has the outline to all my books in it as well as character bios and most of the important facts about the book/series. I’m constantly referring back to it. And also a nice large glass of iced water.
If you could be one of your characters - Who would you be? And why?I couldn’t possibly choose… I would love to be Alex, big strong, sexy werewolf, or then there’s Jayden, powerful Necromancer. Maybe even Hayden, flirty, fluttery Vampire. Or even Christian a large sexy werebear from the Tennessee mountains. I want to be them all… Does that make me indecisive???
Is it easier or harder to write the series books because of the world building that's taken place?Oh, good question – Sometimes a little of both. LOL Nice unambiguous answer for you.
Which one of your books is your favorite?Hard to choose – I love my Holland Brothers and they started it all and seem to be a favorite among my readers. But one of my faves (Which I don’t think was very popular with my readres) was Dealing with the Dead. I’ve set this series in my home town of Darwin and so I love being able to throw in little quirks about where I live. It’s also something a little different as it’s based on Necromancers. There are shifters and other paranormal beings in the series but I wanted to do something different and I think I succeeded. (Well I hope I did anyway)A bear in the Woods will hold place with me as the hardest book to write purely for the fact that it’s set in the states and both main characters are American. This means all my typical Aussie words and phrases I use all had to go out the window and be replaces with American spelling and words. Even after 6 rounds of edits throughout the Mischief Corner we still managed to miss so many of them. Thankfully the final Edit picked up most everything that we had missed.
If someone is new to your writing what do you suggest they start off reading?Why not start at the beginning with Unexpected Mate
Is there a character type that you would never attempt to write? (ex. Disabled, deaf, transgender, black, fat)No I don’t think so. I love stories where one of the MC’s has some form of disability ie blind, deaf. I think it would be challenging to write and hopefully one day I’ll be able to pull it off
What do you like writing better, series or standalone titles?Well at the moment I’ve only managed to write one stand alone title and that was My Christmas Present. Every other story I’ve written they’ve all managed to morph into series’… Even if I’m yet to write book 2 so far. LOL…
Does your family know what you write? If so, what do they think about it?Tell my parents I was going to be a published author was one of the happiest moments in my life. I called them up the morning I got my first acceptance from Silver. They were over the moon for me… Telling them what the story was about was a WHOLE different matter entirely. Talk about embarrassing. LOL My family is great. My folks are proud of me no matter what I write. Both my parents have read books 1 & 2 in the Holland Brothers. They said that if I was going to go to the trouble of writing it then they were going to take the time to read my work. I love my mum and dad but I never want to discuss with them what they thought about it and every time my mother tries I run in the opposite direction. LOL They tell anyone who will listen that their daughter is an author and while my brother was in England last year he told his Fiance’s family about me… Last week when we were all in Bali for their wedding I met the family and my brother introduced me by saying I was the author he’d told them all about… Gotta love my family.
June 23, 2013
The Trevor Project & Impossible
I've been playing around with the idea of donating all of the profits of Impossible to The Trevor Project.........
Yep. I've decided. That's what I'm going to do.
http://www.roosterandpigpublishing.co...
http://www.bookstrand.com/impossible-mm
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-impossible-1219147-145.html
http://www.amazon.com/Impossible-Tate-Pack-ebook/dp/B00DE50SQE/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1372003489&sr=1-1&keywords=impossible+vicktor+alexander
June 20, 2013
What I'm Working On: Raising Shawn (Off Schedule)
Hey Vicksters!
I know that today is Thursday and I was supposed to give you a "Tate Pack Thursday" diary entry but I forgot and I've been so caught up in my latest WIP that Tommy, Richard, Alex, Michael, Maurice and the other pack members gave me a free pass.
I thought I'd share the unedited prologue of "Raising Shawna" with you guys and let you see why I'm so focused on this story. I have an idea of which publisher I want to sub it to, but I have to finish it first because it's a contemporary, supernatural, interracial, transgender, gay romance story that full of angst and I'm just not sure who would accept that. I'll let you guys know who accepts it once it's finish and I sub it.
Here's the WB (Working Blurb):
Shane Occena's life spirals out of control at the age of eighteen when his twin brother, Shawn, is killed in a gang-related incident. Having lost his parents six years previous, Shane is now totally alone. Not wanting to deal with the pain and loneliness, he gives into temptation and accepts a bag of cocaine from a drug dealer, hours after burying his brother. He spins out into a world of drugs and alcohol for two years before hitting rock bottom and going into rehab. Eight and a half years after taking that first hit of cocaine, Shane is clean, sober, and working towards getting his Juris Doctorate.
While leaving the office one day he hears sniffling and the soft cries of a child in the alley next to the building where he works. When he goes to investigate he finds an orphaned four-year old girl, who pulls at his heartstrings and reminds him of... someone.
Even after getting social services involved, Shane can't seem to stop thinking about the young girl and eventually applies to adopt her. When he is awarded custody, he begins to notice different things about the little girl that makes him think of his dead brother Shawn. Even the little girl's name reminds him of Shawn, especially since her name is Shawna. But when Shawna tells him that she is the reincarnation of his twin brother, given a second chance at his life, Shane doesn't know how to handle it so he takes Shawna to a child psychologist.
Child psychologist, Doctor Tucker Ames, is a specialist in child gender issues and sexual trauma and has seen many cases of Gender Identity Disorder in children, but when he meets Shane and Shawna Occena it's the first time he meets a child who says they are the reincarnation of someone else and trapped in the wrong gender. He agrees to take Shawna's case, even though he finds himself wildly attracted to Shawna's adopted father, Shane. But when the two of them give into their attraction and Tucker is forced to turn Shawna's case over to another doctor, neither Tucker nor Shane are prepared for the consequences.
So when someone makes accusations that Shane is unfit to care for Shawna and is in fact brainwashing her into believing she is the reincarnation of his dead brother, thereby abusing her, will Shane and Tucker be able to fight the charges and help Shane keep the only family member he has? And will Tucker be able to get Shane to agree to take a chance on love and add another person to his new family?
Prologue:
The sound of birds chirping overhead couldn’t drown out the sound of Shane Occena’s heart breaking as his twin brother’s coffin was lowered into the ground. He was truly alone now. His parents had died in a tragic car accident when he and Shawn were only twelve and the next six years Shane and Shawn had spent in a group home in Tampa whenever they weren’t being bounced from foster home to foster home. While Shane had missed having parents, he was glad that he and Shawn had been able to stay together. But now? Now what was he supposed to do? His parents were gone and so was his brother. He had no reason to go on.
He ignored the sounds of sniffling coming from the other attendants and instead focused on the burning rage building inside of him. He was only eighteen. What had he done in his short life to warrant losing every member of his family? He balled his hands into fists as he silently raged at the heavens. His parents had been good people. They had in fact been on their way home from watching Shane and Shawn play in an away basketball game when they’d been hit head on by a semi-truck driver who had fallen asleep at the wheel. Not even the massive settlement Shane and his brother had received from the company for “wrongful death caused by one of the drivers of the company” had been enough to soothe the gaping hole left in their hearts by their parents passing. The money from the settlement and the life insurance had been placed in a trust fund for him and his brother and not revealed to any of their foster parents, for which Shane was grateful. There was no telling what kind of treatment they would have received from their foster parents if they had known that the boys were worth millions.
Shane and Shawn had been biding their time until they could age out of the system and strike out on their own. They’d had no illusions that they would be adopted. They had both been older when their parents had died. They were African-American and living in Central Florida. They had just been happy they’d stayed together. So the day they’d aged out of the system Shane had allowed his brother to talk him into going out to celebrate with their friends. Shane’s friends were a little more low-key than Shawn’s band of thugs, dealers, and delinquents that he’d felt an affinity for. Whereas Shane’s friends were all in after-school activities, had jobs, were on the honor roll, had been accepted to prestigious colleges and had plans and goals for their futures beyond “gettin’ head and fuckin’ some chicken head.” Shane still wasn’t sure what a “chicken head” was.
He’d spent weeks trying to talk his brother into applying himself in school. They’d both attended Lake Region High School and while Shawn had been on the school’s football team, Shane had been on the basketball team as well as the debate team. Shawn would constantly tease Shane about being a nerd and trying to make something of himself in a world that won’t let him forget who or what he really was. Shane hadn’t listened to his brother, however. He’d studied until he passed out, gotten involved in every activity he could get involved in, done community service, had a job, applied for scholarships, applied for the top colleges in the country, and saved every dime he could.
The day they’d gone out with their friends to celebrate Shane had received four acceptance letters for college: Harvard, Howard, Yale, and Berkley, all of them had offered him academic scholarships for a full degree for which Shane had been beyond excited. It was that excitement that made him go out with Shawn, his friends and Shane’s friends. It was that excitement that made him drink illegally with them all. It was that excitement that made him so buzzed he didn’t pay any attention to his brother when Shawn wandered off with his buddies. The gunshots that rang out fifteen minutes later and the sound of footsteps running towards him had sobered him up quickly. He’d stood outside of the Southwest Complex, where they’d been drinking and celebrating, and felt a fog envelop him. A moment’s hesitation, of disbelief and denial had kept him from running in the direction where Shawn and his friends had gone. When he’d finally snapped out of it, he’d run faster than he ever had before falling to his knees over the bleeding form of his twin brother. Clutching Shawn’s dying body to his chest, screaming and crying for help, for someone to call 0-1-1, and yelling at God “Save my brother, please, please, not him,” had yielded him no results. It was over thirty minutes after he’d felt his brother take his last breath, thirty minutes after Shane’s heart had shattered into a million pieces and he’d slipped into a fog, that the police had arrived, and only because they’d noticed Shane outside of the complex.
His brother’s death was ruled an accidental gang-related homicide and the check Shane had received the day before the funeral for his brother’s life insurance hadn’t done anything to stem the flow of tears on his face. He’d woken that morning and looked around the apartment he’d just rented with a detached glance. Dressing, traveling to the church for the funeral, and even looking down at his brother’s lifeless form had evoked no emotion in him whatsoever. He’d stared through everyone who had come up to him to offer condolences and had barely been aware of someone putting him in a car to drive him to the cemetery. And now, standing at his brother’s graveside as people walked by to drop in roses, Shane could only feel one emotion: rage.
He narrowed his eyes at every person that stopped to touch his arm in sympathy. He glared at the pastor as he said a prayer over Shawn’s soul and when Jennifer, the social worker who had been assigned to him and Shawn, offered him a ride home, he jerked his arm out of her grasp.
“Fuck off,” he hissed, before turning back to face his brother’s coffin, or rather, the whole where his brother’s coffin now lay. He heard her gasp and a part of him cringed at his treatment of her, but that part was so small and soft the bigger, angrier, louder part was able to drown it out.
He stayed at the gravesite until everyone left and then, and only then did he throw back his head and let out a loud, heartbreaking scream. He screamed until his voice was hoarse and his throat ached. Then he collapsed to his knees and sobbed. He pounded the ground with his fists until they bled and only then did he stand and turn to leave the cemetery. He ignored the workers who watched him with sympathy in their eyes and the other families in the area who watched him warily as if afraid of what he might do. He walked down Havendale Boulevard in Auburndale until he looked up and found himself in Winter Haven. He sank down in the parking lot of an abandoned building and let out a deep sigh.
“What ‘chu lookin’ fuh dawg?” a voice asked from behind him and Shane turned to see who was talking to him when his life had fallen apart and wanted to snarl at the trench coat clad man leaning against the building.
“Nothin’ mother fucker,” he growled, pushing to his feet, hissing at the pain that shot up his arms. His legs trembled and exhaustion washed over him. He had another three miles to go before he got to his apartment, but he didn’t think he was going to make it. He’d have to call for a cab.
“Aye man, chill the fuck out. I’m just tryin’ to help you out. You look like you need to forget. I got somethin’ to help you wit’ ‘dat. It’ll make all the bad shit not hurt so bad anymore,” the stranger said as he stepped towards Shane.
Shane refused to step back even though a voice yelled at him to turn around and run away. He watched as the tall, broad-shoulder man, his skin a dark brown and covered in tattoos, a white tank top, jeans sagging below his ass, his green and white plaid boxers showing, walked towards him.
“I ain’t about to buy no drugs from you, man,” Shane said, crossing his arms across his chest stubbornly.
“Did I say you hadta pay? I’ma give you ‘dis fuh free. Just ‘cause you look like you need it,” the stranger said, holding out a small bag of what looked to Shane to be crushed powder.
Cocaine, his brain processed and Shane trembled as he thought of doing something that could be so harmful to his body. Didn’t people usually start with marijuana? Nobody jumped right into the hard shit did they? He couldn’t do it. He wouldn’t do it. That was not the way he was going to deal with his brother’s death. It wasn’t.
But even as he told himself that he wouldn’t deal with losing his brother with drugs, his hand reached out to take the offering from the drug dealer. He tucked the small baggie into the pocket of his suit jacket and looked around, a frisson of fear curling around his spine.
“G’ahead man. Go enjoy it and if you want so’more, you just come find me out here, my name is King. My office hours are six at night until five in ‘da mornin’ when ‘da cops come out here,” the drug dealer said before laughing at his words.
Shane wanted to roll his eyes at the other man and tell him that it wasn’t funny, but his eyes took in the sight of a gun sticking up out of the dealer’s pants. So he merely nodded, turned and hurried away, running like the hounds of hell were chasing him, ignoring the burn in his legs until he got to the Pizza Hut down the street. Coming to a stop, he pulled out his cell phone and called for a cab, the tiny baggie burning a hole in his pocket.
“When I get home, I’m going to flush it down the toilet,” he promised himself. “It’s good that I have it. That just means that’s one less bag of product he has to sell to someone else.”
He had every intention of keeping that promise as he climbed into the cab and gave the driver his address. Even through walking through the door of his house. But his fingers found their way into his jacket pocket and pulled out the baggie and he walked over to the counter in his kitchen and grabbed his glass cutting board. He watched as if he were having an out of body experience as he opened the baggie and poured the drugs on the cutting board. He stared at it, not really sure what he was supposed to do now. Thinking of all the movies he’d seen and even the parties he’d attended with Shawn where people were doing drugs, he went into the bathroom and grabbed a razor blade.
Coming back out to the counter, Shane cut the powder into sections, enough in the bag to make three long lines of powder. He stepped back and sighed. Shaking his head he walked away from the counter and walked into his living room to sit on the couch. His right leg bounced as he nibbled on his thumbnail. His gaze took in the sight of his television, blu-ray disc player, coffee table, covered in magazines, his guitar sitting in its holder against the wall and finally he looked to his right at the end table and swallowed back a lump of tears as he saw a picture of him with his parents and his brother. He reached out to pick up the frame and felt tears roll unbidden down his cheeks.
“I’m sorry,” he apologized to the image of his parents and turning the frame upside down on the end table he walked back into the kitchen and leaned over the counter where the cutting board sat waiting with his three lines of cocaine. Placing one finger over his right nostril, Shane inhaled the first line of the narcotic. His head buzzed delightfully as his fingers and toes became numb. He closed his eyes as bliss began to settle into his bones. Euphoria, the likes of which he’d never experienced before swamped his senses and he trembled with the need to have more. Leaning back over the cutting board he inhaled the next two lines in rapid succession.
Shane’s body trembled and he barely had the presence of mind to stumble towards the living room. Collapsing on his couch, he sniffed, pinching his nostrils and wipe away traces of the powder. His mind buzzed and his blood sang with the sweet oblivion of the drug high. He closed his eyes as he sank into the cushions of his couch.
“No wonder people do this. This is fucking amazing,” he mumbled to the empty room. The ache in his chest from his brother’s death eased as he sank into a state of forgetfulness. He floated on clouds of bliss and wonder as his limbs grew heavy and his fingers twitched as if he were being electrocuted. As sleep began to wash over his senses he wondered why he hadn’t been getting high sooner.
Weeks, months, and years went by and Shane sank further and further down a hole of drugs and alcohol. Pretty soon all of his savings from his job at the coffee shop were gone as well as his employment there. But he had millions of dollars with the settlement money and the money from his parents and his brother’s life insurance. Even after being kicked out by his landlord because of the “shady characters” hanging out in his apartment, having loud parties at all times of the night, Shane merely bought a home in Haines City and continued to get high.
And if that frame that contained the picture of his parents, Shawn and him was never turned over again in the next two years, Shane was really too high to give a fuck.
I know that today is Thursday and I was supposed to give you a "Tate Pack Thursday" diary entry but I forgot and I've been so caught up in my latest WIP that Tommy, Richard, Alex, Michael, Maurice and the other pack members gave me a free pass.
I thought I'd share the unedited prologue of "Raising Shawna" with you guys and let you see why I'm so focused on this story. I have an idea of which publisher I want to sub it to, but I have to finish it first because it's a contemporary, supernatural, interracial, transgender, gay romance story that full of angst and I'm just not sure who would accept that. I'll let you guys know who accepts it once it's finish and I sub it.
Here's the WB (Working Blurb):
Shane Occena's life spirals out of control at the age of eighteen when his twin brother, Shawn, is killed in a gang-related incident. Having lost his parents six years previous, Shane is now totally alone. Not wanting to deal with the pain and loneliness, he gives into temptation and accepts a bag of cocaine from a drug dealer, hours after burying his brother. He spins out into a world of drugs and alcohol for two years before hitting rock bottom and going into rehab. Eight and a half years after taking that first hit of cocaine, Shane is clean, sober, and working towards getting his Juris Doctorate.
While leaving the office one day he hears sniffling and the soft cries of a child in the alley next to the building where he works. When he goes to investigate he finds an orphaned four-year old girl, who pulls at his heartstrings and reminds him of... someone.
Even after getting social services involved, Shane can't seem to stop thinking about the young girl and eventually applies to adopt her. When he is awarded custody, he begins to notice different things about the little girl that makes him think of his dead brother Shawn. Even the little girl's name reminds him of Shawn, especially since her name is Shawna. But when Shawna tells him that she is the reincarnation of his twin brother, given a second chance at his life, Shane doesn't know how to handle it so he takes Shawna to a child psychologist.
Child psychologist, Doctor Tucker Ames, is a specialist in child gender issues and sexual trauma and has seen many cases of Gender Identity Disorder in children, but when he meets Shane and Shawna Occena it's the first time he meets a child who says they are the reincarnation of someone else and trapped in the wrong gender. He agrees to take Shawna's case, even though he finds himself wildly attracted to Shawna's adopted father, Shane. But when the two of them give into their attraction and Tucker is forced to turn Shawna's case over to another doctor, neither Tucker nor Shane are prepared for the consequences.
So when someone makes accusations that Shane is unfit to care for Shawna and is in fact brainwashing her into believing she is the reincarnation of his dead brother, thereby abusing her, will Shane and Tucker be able to fight the charges and help Shane keep the only family member he has? And will Tucker be able to get Shane to agree to take a chance on love and add another person to his new family?
Prologue:
The sound of birds chirping overhead couldn’t drown out the sound of Shane Occena’s heart breaking as his twin brother’s coffin was lowered into the ground. He was truly alone now. His parents had died in a tragic car accident when he and Shawn were only twelve and the next six years Shane and Shawn had spent in a group home in Tampa whenever they weren’t being bounced from foster home to foster home. While Shane had missed having parents, he was glad that he and Shawn had been able to stay together. But now? Now what was he supposed to do? His parents were gone and so was his brother. He had no reason to go on.
He ignored the sounds of sniffling coming from the other attendants and instead focused on the burning rage building inside of him. He was only eighteen. What had he done in his short life to warrant losing every member of his family? He balled his hands into fists as he silently raged at the heavens. His parents had been good people. They had in fact been on their way home from watching Shane and Shawn play in an away basketball game when they’d been hit head on by a semi-truck driver who had fallen asleep at the wheel. Not even the massive settlement Shane and his brother had received from the company for “wrongful death caused by one of the drivers of the company” had been enough to soothe the gaping hole left in their hearts by their parents passing. The money from the settlement and the life insurance had been placed in a trust fund for him and his brother and not revealed to any of their foster parents, for which Shane was grateful. There was no telling what kind of treatment they would have received from their foster parents if they had known that the boys were worth millions.
Shane and Shawn had been biding their time until they could age out of the system and strike out on their own. They’d had no illusions that they would be adopted. They had both been older when their parents had died. They were African-American and living in Central Florida. They had just been happy they’d stayed together. So the day they’d aged out of the system Shane had allowed his brother to talk him into going out to celebrate with their friends. Shane’s friends were a little more low-key than Shawn’s band of thugs, dealers, and delinquents that he’d felt an affinity for. Whereas Shane’s friends were all in after-school activities, had jobs, were on the honor roll, had been accepted to prestigious colleges and had plans and goals for their futures beyond “gettin’ head and fuckin’ some chicken head.” Shane still wasn’t sure what a “chicken head” was.
He’d spent weeks trying to talk his brother into applying himself in school. They’d both attended Lake Region High School and while Shawn had been on the school’s football team, Shane had been on the basketball team as well as the debate team. Shawn would constantly tease Shane about being a nerd and trying to make something of himself in a world that won’t let him forget who or what he really was. Shane hadn’t listened to his brother, however. He’d studied until he passed out, gotten involved in every activity he could get involved in, done community service, had a job, applied for scholarships, applied for the top colleges in the country, and saved every dime he could.
The day they’d gone out with their friends to celebrate Shane had received four acceptance letters for college: Harvard, Howard, Yale, and Berkley, all of them had offered him academic scholarships for a full degree for which Shane had been beyond excited. It was that excitement that made him go out with Shawn, his friends and Shane’s friends. It was that excitement that made him drink illegally with them all. It was that excitement that made him so buzzed he didn’t pay any attention to his brother when Shawn wandered off with his buddies. The gunshots that rang out fifteen minutes later and the sound of footsteps running towards him had sobered him up quickly. He’d stood outside of the Southwest Complex, where they’d been drinking and celebrating, and felt a fog envelop him. A moment’s hesitation, of disbelief and denial had kept him from running in the direction where Shawn and his friends had gone. When he’d finally snapped out of it, he’d run faster than he ever had before falling to his knees over the bleeding form of his twin brother. Clutching Shawn’s dying body to his chest, screaming and crying for help, for someone to call 0-1-1, and yelling at God “Save my brother, please, please, not him,” had yielded him no results. It was over thirty minutes after he’d felt his brother take his last breath, thirty minutes after Shane’s heart had shattered into a million pieces and he’d slipped into a fog, that the police had arrived, and only because they’d noticed Shane outside of the complex.
His brother’s death was ruled an accidental gang-related homicide and the check Shane had received the day before the funeral for his brother’s life insurance hadn’t done anything to stem the flow of tears on his face. He’d woken that morning and looked around the apartment he’d just rented with a detached glance. Dressing, traveling to the church for the funeral, and even looking down at his brother’s lifeless form had evoked no emotion in him whatsoever. He’d stared through everyone who had come up to him to offer condolences and had barely been aware of someone putting him in a car to drive him to the cemetery. And now, standing at his brother’s graveside as people walked by to drop in roses, Shane could only feel one emotion: rage.
He narrowed his eyes at every person that stopped to touch his arm in sympathy. He glared at the pastor as he said a prayer over Shawn’s soul and when Jennifer, the social worker who had been assigned to him and Shawn, offered him a ride home, he jerked his arm out of her grasp.
“Fuck off,” he hissed, before turning back to face his brother’s coffin, or rather, the whole where his brother’s coffin now lay. He heard her gasp and a part of him cringed at his treatment of her, but that part was so small and soft the bigger, angrier, louder part was able to drown it out.
He stayed at the gravesite until everyone left and then, and only then did he throw back his head and let out a loud, heartbreaking scream. He screamed until his voice was hoarse and his throat ached. Then he collapsed to his knees and sobbed. He pounded the ground with his fists until they bled and only then did he stand and turn to leave the cemetery. He ignored the workers who watched him with sympathy in their eyes and the other families in the area who watched him warily as if afraid of what he might do. He walked down Havendale Boulevard in Auburndale until he looked up and found himself in Winter Haven. He sank down in the parking lot of an abandoned building and let out a deep sigh.
“What ‘chu lookin’ fuh dawg?” a voice asked from behind him and Shane turned to see who was talking to him when his life had fallen apart and wanted to snarl at the trench coat clad man leaning against the building.
“Nothin’ mother fucker,” he growled, pushing to his feet, hissing at the pain that shot up his arms. His legs trembled and exhaustion washed over him. He had another three miles to go before he got to his apartment, but he didn’t think he was going to make it. He’d have to call for a cab.
“Aye man, chill the fuck out. I’m just tryin’ to help you out. You look like you need to forget. I got somethin’ to help you wit’ ‘dat. It’ll make all the bad shit not hurt so bad anymore,” the stranger said as he stepped towards Shane.
Shane refused to step back even though a voice yelled at him to turn around and run away. He watched as the tall, broad-shoulder man, his skin a dark brown and covered in tattoos, a white tank top, jeans sagging below his ass, his green and white plaid boxers showing, walked towards him.
“I ain’t about to buy no drugs from you, man,” Shane said, crossing his arms across his chest stubbornly.
“Did I say you hadta pay? I’ma give you ‘dis fuh free. Just ‘cause you look like you need it,” the stranger said, holding out a small bag of what looked to Shane to be crushed powder.
Cocaine, his brain processed and Shane trembled as he thought of doing something that could be so harmful to his body. Didn’t people usually start with marijuana? Nobody jumped right into the hard shit did they? He couldn’t do it. He wouldn’t do it. That was not the way he was going to deal with his brother’s death. It wasn’t.
But even as he told himself that he wouldn’t deal with losing his brother with drugs, his hand reached out to take the offering from the drug dealer. He tucked the small baggie into the pocket of his suit jacket and looked around, a frisson of fear curling around his spine.
“G’ahead man. Go enjoy it and if you want so’more, you just come find me out here, my name is King. My office hours are six at night until five in ‘da mornin’ when ‘da cops come out here,” the drug dealer said before laughing at his words.
Shane wanted to roll his eyes at the other man and tell him that it wasn’t funny, but his eyes took in the sight of a gun sticking up out of the dealer’s pants. So he merely nodded, turned and hurried away, running like the hounds of hell were chasing him, ignoring the burn in his legs until he got to the Pizza Hut down the street. Coming to a stop, he pulled out his cell phone and called for a cab, the tiny baggie burning a hole in his pocket.
“When I get home, I’m going to flush it down the toilet,” he promised himself. “It’s good that I have it. That just means that’s one less bag of product he has to sell to someone else.”
He had every intention of keeping that promise as he climbed into the cab and gave the driver his address. Even through walking through the door of his house. But his fingers found their way into his jacket pocket and pulled out the baggie and he walked over to the counter in his kitchen and grabbed his glass cutting board. He watched as if he were having an out of body experience as he opened the baggie and poured the drugs on the cutting board. He stared at it, not really sure what he was supposed to do now. Thinking of all the movies he’d seen and even the parties he’d attended with Shawn where people were doing drugs, he went into the bathroom and grabbed a razor blade.
Coming back out to the counter, Shane cut the powder into sections, enough in the bag to make three long lines of powder. He stepped back and sighed. Shaking his head he walked away from the counter and walked into his living room to sit on the couch. His right leg bounced as he nibbled on his thumbnail. His gaze took in the sight of his television, blu-ray disc player, coffee table, covered in magazines, his guitar sitting in its holder against the wall and finally he looked to his right at the end table and swallowed back a lump of tears as he saw a picture of him with his parents and his brother. He reached out to pick up the frame and felt tears roll unbidden down his cheeks.
“I’m sorry,” he apologized to the image of his parents and turning the frame upside down on the end table he walked back into the kitchen and leaned over the counter where the cutting board sat waiting with his three lines of cocaine. Placing one finger over his right nostril, Shane inhaled the first line of the narcotic. His head buzzed delightfully as his fingers and toes became numb. He closed his eyes as bliss began to settle into his bones. Euphoria, the likes of which he’d never experienced before swamped his senses and he trembled with the need to have more. Leaning back over the cutting board he inhaled the next two lines in rapid succession.
Shane’s body trembled and he barely had the presence of mind to stumble towards the living room. Collapsing on his couch, he sniffed, pinching his nostrils and wipe away traces of the powder. His mind buzzed and his blood sang with the sweet oblivion of the drug high. He closed his eyes as he sank into the cushions of his couch.
“No wonder people do this. This is fucking amazing,” he mumbled to the empty room. The ache in his chest from his brother’s death eased as he sank into a state of forgetfulness. He floated on clouds of bliss and wonder as his limbs grew heavy and his fingers twitched as if he were being electrocuted. As sleep began to wash over his senses he wondered why he hadn’t been getting high sooner.
Weeks, months, and years went by and Shane sank further and further down a hole of drugs and alcohol. Pretty soon all of his savings from his job at the coffee shop were gone as well as his employment there. But he had millions of dollars with the settlement money and the money from his parents and his brother’s life insurance. Even after being kicked out by his landlord because of the “shady characters” hanging out in his apartment, having loud parties at all times of the night, Shane merely bought a home in Haines City and continued to get high.
And if that frame that contained the picture of his parents, Shawn and him was never turned over again in the next two years, Shane was really too high to give a fuck.
June 19, 2013
Ask Author Time for Questions for Toni Griffin & Stormy Glenn
Time to submit your questions for Toni Griffin who is the next author in the Hot Seat.
Toni is one of my favorite authors. She's a sassy Aussie who is a brilliant author (check out her Holland Brothers series or The Atherton Pack). Now is the time to submit your questions. Send them to: [email protected] with the subject line: Ask Author Toni Griffin
Also submit your questions for Stormy Glenn, yes, the amazing Stormy is going to be in the Hot Seat as well. Stormy will be in the Hot Seat on July 1st.
Toni is one of my favorite authors. She's a sassy Aussie who is a brilliant author (check out her Holland Brothers series or The Atherton Pack). Now is the time to submit your questions. Send them to: [email protected] with the subject line: Ask Author Toni Griffin
Also submit your questions for Stormy Glenn, yes, the amazing Stormy is going to be in the Hot Seat as well. Stormy will be in the Hot Seat on July 1st.
June 18, 2013
Tantalizing Teaser Tuesday: Chain Me
It's Tuesday! So I'm sharing an unedited excerpt from Chain Me which I submitted to Rooster & Pig Publishing yesterday. Enjoy!
Travis would never admit it, but he was nervous. As they walked in the front door of Ahijit’s house, a part of him wanted to scream and run out of the house. That part was very tiny, but it was there nonetheless, making his steps measured and almost hesitant. He and Etan had been searching for the last few years for a Dom, once they’d realized that they both liked to be dominated. Now that the time had come for them to actually be with the very man they’d been after for a month, why was he so afraid to go down into the basement?
When Etan tapped his shoulder and quirked an eyebrow at him, Travis merely shrugged and shook his head. He had no idea what was wrong with him. Giving himself a mental shake, he took off his clothes and shoes, placing them on the table beside Etan’s clothes and shoes, putting his backpack on the floor and turned to follow Etan to the basement. Halfway down the hall, he grabbed his lover’s hand to stop him. When Etan turned to him, Travis pulled the shorter man into his arms, hugging him fiercely. After a long moment of just holding his partner, Travis felt peace start to return to him. He released Etan and nodded his head. Etan kissed the back of his hand and then led him toward the basement stairs. Travis followed his lover down into Ahijit’s dungeon and gasped softly when they got to the bottom. Every time they’d had sex with Ahijit the man had been fully clothed. Travis had never really thought about it before but he realized now that Ahijit had been trying to protect himself by staying clothed.
Now, however, he was shirtless and wore only a pair of leather pants that molded to his thighs. Travis’s mouth watered as he stared at the large bulge at Ahijit’s groin. He sank to his knees next to Etan and folded his hands behind his back, dropping his head forward adopting the perfect pose of submission. He listened as Ahijit walked towards them and trembled when the other man reached out to run his fingers through his hair.
“Stand up, both of you,” Ahijit said and Travis rose to his feet. He kept his head lowered and watched as Ahijit dropped a number of items to the floor before him. His eyes moved over the different items and he grew more and more aroused as his brain catalogued each one.
Ahijit knelt before him and grabbed his balls in one hand. Travis trembled and moaned softly as he watched Ahijit place a ball stretcher on him. A pair of wrist restraints were wrapped around his wrists that were attached to a collar and Travis could feel himself entering sub space. A euphoric feeling began to wash over his brain and his eyes slid to half-mast. His balls were being tugged deliciously by the ball stretcher and he was restrained. He could tell by the gleam in Ahijit’s eyes that the Dom wasn’t finished with him yet. He was aware of Ahijit moving over to Etan, no doubt to do the same to him and Travis smiled slowly at the soft moan that sounded from his partner.
Ahijit walked back to Travis and bent down again to pick up the nipple clamps from the floor. Travis trembled as Ahijit leaned over and licked his nipples. Wet heat surrounded the puckered nubs and Travis moaned when Ahijit pulled away and pinched one of Travis’s nipples before placing a nipple clamp on it. He then turned and did the same to the other side, placing a weight on the chain between them. Travis’s eyes fluttered closed as bliss swamped him. He looked down at the clamps and while Ahijit stepped over to place nipple clamps on Etan, Travis took stock of his body. The sweet bite of pain on his balls and his nipples had his cock hard and leaking pre-cum onto the floor beneath him. Ahijit had wisely given him the right bite of pain to start off with and Travis couldn’t wait to see what else was in store for them.
Ahijit grabbed both of their hands and led them over to the middle of the room. He placed Travis on the upright stock, attaching the restraints to the bars. He sighed as he felt Ahijit place the spreader bar onto his feet. He was now spread open and bent over slightly, at the perfect angle for Ahijit to fuck him. He opened his mouth for the ball gag placed in his mouth and shivered as his vision was cut off by the blindfold placed over his eyes.
“Since you can’t talk, if you need me to stop I want you to hold up two fingers. Nod if you understand,” Ahijit stated. Travis nodded and heard Ahijit move away. The sound of clicking, snapping and brushing reached his ears and Travis’s anticipation rose to a fever pitch. He shivered at the feeling of something being stroked down his back, in between the globes of his ass and then moaned as it caressed his balls and erection. It hit his balls and Travis groaned, clenching his fists as the passion flared brighter in his body, the pain a very potent accelerant. The item moved up to his ass and his entire body jerked as a sharp sting blossomed on the curve of one cheek. Ahijit smoothed his hand over one cheek before bringing, what Travis could only deduce was a cane, back down on the opposite cheek. He alternated, spanking Travis’s rear with the cane until Travis was trembling with need and arousal. His butt burned from the hard spanking and he’d never felt better in his life.
He listened as Ahijit walked away and soon he was listening to the sound of the cane smacking against the flesh of Etan’s body and his lover moaned and whimpered. Ahijit returned to him and Travis shivered as he wondered what would happen next. The rough side of a paddle was rubbed over his hot and stinging ass before Ahijit drew it away and then brought it back down onto Travis’s rear again.
His body jerked with the force of the blow and Travis began to whimper and plead though the ball gag prevented anything more than sounds to escape. He gasped as Ahijit reached around him and tugged on the nipple clamps. Travis moaned when cool, slick fingers pressed between his ass and found his already slick, stretched hole and pressed inside. He couldn’t tilt his head back, restrained as he was, which only served to heighten his passion. Ahijit fucked Travis’s ass with his fingers and Travis knew that his orgasm was looming. As if he were aware of what was about to happen, Ahijit removed his fingers and walked away.
Travis’s body was one trembling ball of need that only grew brighter and stronger as he listened to Etan receive similar treatment, though he was sure he wasn’t experiencing the same level of pain as Travis since he wasn’t as into pain as Travis was. Travis wanted to beg for Ahijit to come back, to do something… something so that he could come. He desperately wanted to.
Travis wasn’t sure how much time passed before he was listening to Ahijit walk back towards him, though this time a second step of footsteps followed him.
“Kneel before your partner and take his cock in your mouth,” Ahijit directed. Travis couldn’t feel himself falling to his knees in his current position of restraint, though he did so in his mind to Ahijit and Etan both. Travis’s body shook, his skin growing over sensitive as he felt Etan take his cock into his mouth. Travis was floating on a cloud of sexual bliss and subspace. He felt weightless and free.
“Come,” Ahijit’s voice sounded from directly behind him and Travis’s cock obeyed. His seed exploded into Etan’s mouth and down Etan's throat and Travis could feel Etan’s own trembles as his lover continued to suck his dick. After the last drop of seed had been drained from his cock by Etan, Travis smiled. Ahijit’s hands stroked his arms and back as he freed Travis from his restraints, the clamps, ball stretcher, blindfold and ball gag and soon Travis was blinking at the low light in the room. His legs felt wobbly and week as he watched Ahijit remove everything from Etan’s body.
Ahijit took them by the hand and led them over to a bed in the corner. Travis lay on his front, as his back and ass sang out in pain. He heard Ahijit’s low chuckle and was aware of Etan climbing in the bed next to him. Ahijit’s hands smoothed aloe vera on their skin, his hands calm and soothing as he brought them back from subspace slowly and gently. Travis wasn’t sure how long they lay there, but it had been quite a while. Taking the chance he turned his head and looked up at Ahijit who knelt between Travis and Etan.
Travis would never admit it, but he was nervous. As they walked in the front door of Ahijit’s house, a part of him wanted to scream and run out of the house. That part was very tiny, but it was there nonetheless, making his steps measured and almost hesitant. He and Etan had been searching for the last few years for a Dom, once they’d realized that they both liked to be dominated. Now that the time had come for them to actually be with the very man they’d been after for a month, why was he so afraid to go down into the basement?
When Etan tapped his shoulder and quirked an eyebrow at him, Travis merely shrugged and shook his head. He had no idea what was wrong with him. Giving himself a mental shake, he took off his clothes and shoes, placing them on the table beside Etan’s clothes and shoes, putting his backpack on the floor and turned to follow Etan to the basement. Halfway down the hall, he grabbed his lover’s hand to stop him. When Etan turned to him, Travis pulled the shorter man into his arms, hugging him fiercely. After a long moment of just holding his partner, Travis felt peace start to return to him. He released Etan and nodded his head. Etan kissed the back of his hand and then led him toward the basement stairs. Travis followed his lover down into Ahijit’s dungeon and gasped softly when they got to the bottom. Every time they’d had sex with Ahijit the man had been fully clothed. Travis had never really thought about it before but he realized now that Ahijit had been trying to protect himself by staying clothed.
Now, however, he was shirtless and wore only a pair of leather pants that molded to his thighs. Travis’s mouth watered as he stared at the large bulge at Ahijit’s groin. He sank to his knees next to Etan and folded his hands behind his back, dropping his head forward adopting the perfect pose of submission. He listened as Ahijit walked towards them and trembled when the other man reached out to run his fingers through his hair.
“Stand up, both of you,” Ahijit said and Travis rose to his feet. He kept his head lowered and watched as Ahijit dropped a number of items to the floor before him. His eyes moved over the different items and he grew more and more aroused as his brain catalogued each one.
Ahijit knelt before him and grabbed his balls in one hand. Travis trembled and moaned softly as he watched Ahijit place a ball stretcher on him. A pair of wrist restraints were wrapped around his wrists that were attached to a collar and Travis could feel himself entering sub space. A euphoric feeling began to wash over his brain and his eyes slid to half-mast. His balls were being tugged deliciously by the ball stretcher and he was restrained. He could tell by the gleam in Ahijit’s eyes that the Dom wasn’t finished with him yet. He was aware of Ahijit moving over to Etan, no doubt to do the same to him and Travis smiled slowly at the soft moan that sounded from his partner.
Ahijit walked back to Travis and bent down again to pick up the nipple clamps from the floor. Travis trembled as Ahijit leaned over and licked his nipples. Wet heat surrounded the puckered nubs and Travis moaned when Ahijit pulled away and pinched one of Travis’s nipples before placing a nipple clamp on it. He then turned and did the same to the other side, placing a weight on the chain between them. Travis’s eyes fluttered closed as bliss swamped him. He looked down at the clamps and while Ahijit stepped over to place nipple clamps on Etan, Travis took stock of his body. The sweet bite of pain on his balls and his nipples had his cock hard and leaking pre-cum onto the floor beneath him. Ahijit had wisely given him the right bite of pain to start off with and Travis couldn’t wait to see what else was in store for them.
Ahijit grabbed both of their hands and led them over to the middle of the room. He placed Travis on the upright stock, attaching the restraints to the bars. He sighed as he felt Ahijit place the spreader bar onto his feet. He was now spread open and bent over slightly, at the perfect angle for Ahijit to fuck him. He opened his mouth for the ball gag placed in his mouth and shivered as his vision was cut off by the blindfold placed over his eyes.
“Since you can’t talk, if you need me to stop I want you to hold up two fingers. Nod if you understand,” Ahijit stated. Travis nodded and heard Ahijit move away. The sound of clicking, snapping and brushing reached his ears and Travis’s anticipation rose to a fever pitch. He shivered at the feeling of something being stroked down his back, in between the globes of his ass and then moaned as it caressed his balls and erection. It hit his balls and Travis groaned, clenching his fists as the passion flared brighter in his body, the pain a very potent accelerant. The item moved up to his ass and his entire body jerked as a sharp sting blossomed on the curve of one cheek. Ahijit smoothed his hand over one cheek before bringing, what Travis could only deduce was a cane, back down on the opposite cheek. He alternated, spanking Travis’s rear with the cane until Travis was trembling with need and arousal. His butt burned from the hard spanking and he’d never felt better in his life.
He listened as Ahijit walked away and soon he was listening to the sound of the cane smacking against the flesh of Etan’s body and his lover moaned and whimpered. Ahijit returned to him and Travis shivered as he wondered what would happen next. The rough side of a paddle was rubbed over his hot and stinging ass before Ahijit drew it away and then brought it back down onto Travis’s rear again.
His body jerked with the force of the blow and Travis began to whimper and plead though the ball gag prevented anything more than sounds to escape. He gasped as Ahijit reached around him and tugged on the nipple clamps. Travis moaned when cool, slick fingers pressed between his ass and found his already slick, stretched hole and pressed inside. He couldn’t tilt his head back, restrained as he was, which only served to heighten his passion. Ahijit fucked Travis’s ass with his fingers and Travis knew that his orgasm was looming. As if he were aware of what was about to happen, Ahijit removed his fingers and walked away.
Travis’s body was one trembling ball of need that only grew brighter and stronger as he listened to Etan receive similar treatment, though he was sure he wasn’t experiencing the same level of pain as Travis since he wasn’t as into pain as Travis was. Travis wanted to beg for Ahijit to come back, to do something… something so that he could come. He desperately wanted to.
Travis wasn’t sure how much time passed before he was listening to Ahijit walk back towards him, though this time a second step of footsteps followed him.
“Kneel before your partner and take his cock in your mouth,” Ahijit directed. Travis couldn’t feel himself falling to his knees in his current position of restraint, though he did so in his mind to Ahijit and Etan both. Travis’s body shook, his skin growing over sensitive as he felt Etan take his cock into his mouth. Travis was floating on a cloud of sexual bliss and subspace. He felt weightless and free.
“Come,” Ahijit’s voice sounded from directly behind him and Travis’s cock obeyed. His seed exploded into Etan’s mouth and down Etan's throat and Travis could feel Etan’s own trembles as his lover continued to suck his dick. After the last drop of seed had been drained from his cock by Etan, Travis smiled. Ahijit’s hands stroked his arms and back as he freed Travis from his restraints, the clamps, ball stretcher, blindfold and ball gag and soon Travis was blinking at the low light in the room. His legs felt wobbly and week as he watched Ahijit remove everything from Etan’s body.
Ahijit took them by the hand and led them over to a bed in the corner. Travis lay on his front, as his back and ass sang out in pain. He heard Ahijit’s low chuckle and was aware of Etan climbing in the bed next to him. Ahijit’s hands smoothed aloe vera on their skin, his hands calm and soothing as he brought them back from subspace slowly and gently. Travis wasn’t sure how long they lay there, but it had been quite a while. Taking the chance he turned his head and looked up at Ahijit who knelt between Travis and Etan.
June 17, 2013
Ask Author: Stephani Hecht
Today I am very happy to have the amazing, beautiful and very talented Stephani Hecht here to answer your questions.
That's right ladies and gents, Stephani Hecht is in the HOT SEAT.
1. How many hours a day do you write? I’m one of those crazy, obsessive type of people, so I write somewhere between ten to twelve hours a day.2. Out of all of your series who is your favorite character? I only get to pick one? That’s so unfair! LOL I think it has to be Shane, with Carson coming in at a close second. I just love their snark and piss off attitudes. 3. In your "Lost Shifter Series" who is your favorite couple? And Why? I think it’s Shane and Trevor. I love how Trevor saw the good in Shane when nobody else did. That’s true love.
4. When you are not reading or writing do you have any other Hobbies? I love to walk. M hubby and daughter are runners and we enter road races together. I walk them and they run them. They do them to see what times they can get, I do it to collect the t-shirts. *JK*1. Name one TV show that people would be surprised you watch. I love anything on ID Discovery. I fall asleep every night watching that channel. Of course it now has me thinking that my neighbor is a serial killer. I saw him digging in the back yard yesterday and all I could think of is, “He’s burying a body! I just know it!”2. What inspires you to write about in a paranormal world (Drone Universe) , Lost Shifters? I love to create new worlds and make up the rules for them. *scratches head* Does that mean I have a God complex. I hope not. I don’t want to be one of those people. Maybe I need to talk to my therapist about that. 3. What is your favorite scene that you have wrote and for which couple is it? I love writing the pantry scene between Shane and Trevor. It was fun to see Shane shocked for once. Plus, it was hot as hell. 1. What is your favorite thing to do on a rainy day? curl up in bed or on a comfy chair? watch t.v. or a movie? I love to curl up on the couch with the kids and watch TV. A good cup of coffee is nice, too.1. Have you ever written about F/M or M/F/M, or would you ever write about them? My Archangel Series is M/F. In fact, I have to write a new book in that series soon or else I’ll have some mad readers. It’s just so hard to fit it into my already busy schedule. 2. How long does it take you to finish a book? Since writing is my full-time job, it usually takes around a week to a week and a half. I know that seems quick but remember I write ten to twelve hours a day. The first thing I do when I wake up is open my computer and the last thing I do before I go to bed is shut it off. I never stop working.3. What drew you to writing about shifters? I always loved to read shifter books, so I thought, hey here’s an idea, why don’t you write a series of your own. Thus, the Lost Shifters were born. I just never expected them to take off like they did.4. Are you going to add more to the Lone Shifter series? Yes, there will be a lot more Lost Shifter books to come. Skye will be getting a book and so will Lance and so many others.5. What is your favourite type of shifter? I love me a good Leopard shifter. That’s why I just had one tattooed on my arm. I named him George. 6. Which one of your books is your favourite? I wouldn’t say favorite, but the one that was closest to my heart was Pretty Little Words in a Bottle.1. Is there a genre that you will never attempt to write? Historical. I tried it once and it was just too hard for me. I don’t have the time or patience for all the research that is needed to write a good book. I don’t want to half-ass it either and get the facts wrong. The readers deserve better than that.1. Your books aren’t as explicit as some other books, is that intentional or just how your characters want you to write the story? I like to have my books more plot driven. That’s just my style of writing. It doesn’t mean I don’t like reading the more steamy books though. LOL1. How do you deal with writer’s block? I go on a long walk and crank up my iPod. It works every time. Nothing like a little AWOLNATION to break down those walls.1. Does your family know what you write? If so, what do they think about it? Yes, they do and they’re fine with it. In fact, my grandmother has all my print books. I don’t know if she’s read them yet or not. O.o
That's right ladies and gents, Stephani Hecht is in the HOT SEAT.
1. How many hours a day do you write? I’m one of those crazy, obsessive type of people, so I write somewhere between ten to twelve hours a day.2. Out of all of your series who is your favorite character? I only get to pick one? That’s so unfair! LOL I think it has to be Shane, with Carson coming in at a close second. I just love their snark and piss off attitudes. 3. In your "Lost Shifter Series" who is your favorite couple? And Why? I think it’s Shane and Trevor. I love how Trevor saw the good in Shane when nobody else did. That’s true love.
4. When you are not reading or writing do you have any other Hobbies? I love to walk. M hubby and daughter are runners and we enter road races together. I walk them and they run them. They do them to see what times they can get, I do it to collect the t-shirts. *JK*1. Name one TV show that people would be surprised you watch. I love anything on ID Discovery. I fall asleep every night watching that channel. Of course it now has me thinking that my neighbor is a serial killer. I saw him digging in the back yard yesterday and all I could think of is, “He’s burying a body! I just know it!”2. What inspires you to write about in a paranormal world (Drone Universe) , Lost Shifters? I love to create new worlds and make up the rules for them. *scratches head* Does that mean I have a God complex. I hope not. I don’t want to be one of those people. Maybe I need to talk to my therapist about that. 3. What is your favorite scene that you have wrote and for which couple is it? I love writing the pantry scene between Shane and Trevor. It was fun to see Shane shocked for once. Plus, it was hot as hell. 1. What is your favorite thing to do on a rainy day? curl up in bed or on a comfy chair? watch t.v. or a movie? I love to curl up on the couch with the kids and watch TV. A good cup of coffee is nice, too.1. Have you ever written about F/M or M/F/M, or would you ever write about them? My Archangel Series is M/F. In fact, I have to write a new book in that series soon or else I’ll have some mad readers. It’s just so hard to fit it into my already busy schedule. 2. How long does it take you to finish a book? Since writing is my full-time job, it usually takes around a week to a week and a half. I know that seems quick but remember I write ten to twelve hours a day. The first thing I do when I wake up is open my computer and the last thing I do before I go to bed is shut it off. I never stop working.3. What drew you to writing about shifters? I always loved to read shifter books, so I thought, hey here’s an idea, why don’t you write a series of your own. Thus, the Lost Shifters were born. I just never expected them to take off like they did.4. Are you going to add more to the Lone Shifter series? Yes, there will be a lot more Lost Shifter books to come. Skye will be getting a book and so will Lance and so many others.5. What is your favourite type of shifter? I love me a good Leopard shifter. That’s why I just had one tattooed on my arm. I named him George. 6. Which one of your books is your favourite? I wouldn’t say favorite, but the one that was closest to my heart was Pretty Little Words in a Bottle.1. Is there a genre that you will never attempt to write? Historical. I tried it once and it was just too hard for me. I don’t have the time or patience for all the research that is needed to write a good book. I don’t want to half-ass it either and get the facts wrong. The readers deserve better than that.1. Your books aren’t as explicit as some other books, is that intentional or just how your characters want you to write the story? I like to have my books more plot driven. That’s just my style of writing. It doesn’t mean I don’t like reading the more steamy books though. LOL1. How do you deal with writer’s block? I go on a long walk and crank up my iPod. It works every time. Nothing like a little AWOLNATION to break down those walls.1. Does your family know what you write? If so, what do they think about it? Yes, they do and they’re fine with it. In fact, my grandmother has all my print books. I don’t know if she’s read them yet or not. O.o
Vicktor Alexander's Blog
- Vicktor Alexander's profile
- 341 followers
Vicktor Alexander isn't a Goodreads Author
(yet),
but they
do have a blog,
so here are some recent posts imported from
their feed.
