Blog Hop - 4 Questions & a Tag

I’ve been tagged in a rolling meme blog post by Facebook friend and fellow writer Lily G Blunt. The idea is that I answer four questions about my writing and tag more fellow writers who pass on the torch in their turn. 

Lily G. Blunt writes contemporary gay romance and erotica. She loves to explore the relationship between two men and the intensity of their physical and emotional attraction. Angst often features in her stories as she feels this demonstrates the depth of the men’s feelings for each other. Lily is forever writing imaginary scenes and plots in her head, but only a few ever make it to the page—there never seems to be enough hours in the day despite having left the teaching profession to concentrate on her writing! 

Lily discovered the wonderful world of m/m romance novels four years ago via fan fiction and went on to write stories in her spare time. With the encouragement of her friends and readers she decided to publish some of her work. 

Lily has several self-published stories available on Amazon. She is also published with Torquere Press and has a new story coming soon in Wayward Ink's 'Love, Loss, Laughter and Lust' anthology. Easily distracted from her writing, Lily makes videos using clips from gay-themed movies and posts gorgeous pictures of men kissing or making out on her tumblr and Facebook pages. Lily is also an avid supporter of GLBTQ rights and advocates equality for all. 

Lily lives in central England with her rather bemused husband, two twenty-something children, and a ‘mad as a bag of frogs’ Shetland Sheepdog.

I've known Lily for some time now, and am a huge fan of her work!  I can't wait to read her next story, 'Paint the Sky'. Go check out her Amazon page for some amazing m/m stories HERE.




Van Gogh's painting, 'Starry Night' inspired 'Paint the Sky'
So without further ado, here are the questions and my answers.

What am I working on? 

I've just finished with the edits on my contribution to Wayward Ink Publishing's m/m Bollocks! Anthology, due to be released 5th June 2014.  I'm currently working on a m/m novella, His Personal Assistant, release date to be advised - so watch this space!

How does my work differ from others in my 

genre? 

I write romance with a little erotica thrown in, both m/m and het. Some have a supernatural flavor, some don't, but they all have a good smattering of UST. I most enjoy writing the story of how a couple meets and falls in love. As far as my work differing from others in my genre, as do all writers, I lend my own personal voice and life experiences to my stories, so that would make every writer out there unique, no?

Why do I write what I do?

I write what inspires me, and inspiration can strike from anywhere (and at any time - I have no idea how many times I'm in the shower and an idea hits). My novella, Heart of Glass came about when I saw a man standing at traffic lights, cleaning car windows. Couple that with spotting an old Mustang driving along the highway one morning, another story was born.
Real life experiences can make their way into my stories, and the exciting part about that is I have no idea where the next idea will come from.

How does my writing process work?

Being the perfectionist I am , when in the zone, I tend to churn out several hundred words then go back and tweak them until I'm happy (and yes, in case anyone was wondering, I've tweaked this blog post several times already). I need to get the gist of what I'm thinking down first, then refine it later, and can't seem to move on until I get what's done just so. If anyone's in a shared document watching me write, I'm often apologizing for going back over what I've done, but in all honesty I wouldn't change it for a thing. Though my methods can slow up the process of moving the story along, it's what works best for me.
Now to hand on the baton to one of the most prolific and talented m/m authors I've had the pleasure of knowing. If you haven't checked out  N. R. Walker's work, you don't know what you're missing.
~~ Welcome to Sutton Station: One of the world’s largest working farms in the middle of Australia – where if the animals and heat don’t kill you first, your heart just might. ~~ 

Charlie Sutton runs Sutton Station the only way he knows how; the way his father did before him. Determined to keep his head down and his heart in check, Charlie swears the red dirt that surrounds him – isolates him – runs through his veins.

American agronomy student Travis Craig arrives at Sutton Station to see how farmers make a living from one of the harshest environments on earth. But it’s not the barren, brutal and totally beautiful landscapes that capture him so completely.

It’s the man with the red dirt heart. 

I've read several of N.R.'s stories, from the Blind Faith series, to Point of No Return, and everything in between. What I love most about everything I've read of her work is how I can't help but fall in love with the characters from the moment I meet them, and how every story is uniquely themed. My favorite read is one of her most recent, Red Dirt Heart. Set against the beautiful, but at the same time unforgiving Australian outback, this story is a compelling read. I fell in love with each and every character, and couldn't wait to peel back the layers of Charles Sutton and Travis Craig. Do yourselves a favor and go check it out. N.R. Walker's Amazon page is HERE.


Be sure to check out N.R.'s blog on June 3rd where she will post her answers to the above questions.


Cover Reveal - Bollocks Anthology


I'm proud to announce I have contributed my story, 'Just Like Pulling Teeth', to Wayward Ink Publishing's upcoming M/M anthology, Bollocks!

Bollocks! is due to be released 5th June 2014, so don't forget to watch this space! Here are the details:


Bollocks as a word is a little naughty. It’s a little cheeky. It’s a little rude.
And it’s the tongue-in-cheek theme for this collection of short stories celebrating all things English.
You'll discover a bonk is not a typo for somewhere to keep your money.A shag isn’t something thick and plush under your feet to keep them warm, though it is guaranteed to heat you up!
And as for a snog, the boys of Bollocks! can assure you it’s worth finding out what that Brit term means.The stories will make you laugh.
They’ll make you snort.
They’ll make you blush.
Sigh—they’ll probably make you shake your head.They may even make you want to catch the next flight to England to find something a little British of your own!It's not just cricket, or jolly hockey sticks, it's more… it’s the very British, Bollocks!



HEALING
Tabitha McGowan

Werewolf meets human healer, and snuggling ensues…
but not till the danger that’s threatening them both has been dealt with…

SHEEP’S CLOTHING
Elin Gregory

Meet Darren Murchison: self-employed plumber and reluctant werewolf…

NO WORRIES MATE
E.S. Skipper

“Who needs a partner when I have this?” Rangi said, opening his arms out as if to encompass the entire island and surrounding ocean.
Who indeed…

IT COULD BE YOU
Anyta Sunday

Ted has just won 15 million quid.
Or at least, he would have won 15 million quid if he could find his bloody lotto ticket…

JUST LIKE PULLING TEETH
L.J. Harris

A trip to the dentist has never been so… interesting…

DIY DELIGHTS
Taylin Clavelli

While renovating his first house with his partner, Mike, Duncan discovers a plethora of reasons to use his favourite word… Bollocks!

IN THE BLUE MOONLIGHT
H. Lewis-Foster

A bottom bared to a local bobby means a night out Simon will never forget.

IT’S WRITTEN IN THE STARS
Lily Velden

Who needs a holiday when your destiny is Written in the Stars?


Where to find Wayward Ink:


Where to find me:

Cover Reveal - Body, Ink, and Soul by Jude Ouvrard


Cover Reveal

Book: Body, Ink, and Soul
Author: Jude Ouvrard
Genre: Contemporary Romance/New Adult
Cover Designer: K23 Design.



Blurb:
Phoenix Silverstone, more commonly known as Nix, is a twenty-one year old that has finally discovered her freedom. After living under the strict rules and protection of her mother, Nix moved out with her two best friends in a quaint little Seattle apartment.  For the first time Nix is finally able to spread her wings and breathe. Together, they get a job working at a bar and for the first time everything is perfect.
Freedom, friendships, a great job and fantastic man on the verge of becoming hers. Tristan is the suave, intelligent, not to mention gorgeous law student that Nix has her eyes and heart set on. For the first time, she has her life together; that is, until her path crosses with Levi. The charming, tattooed and downright sexy bad boy that Nix knows she needs to avoid.
But when one of her friends moves out she is shocked to find that her new roommate is none other than Levi. Flirting. Desire. Undeniable temptations. Nix can’t deny the chemistry surging between them but she can’t forget her mother’s extreme hate towards bad boys.
Will Nix have the strength to listen to her heart? Or will her mother’s rules cost her everything?



Excerpt:

''Can I get you anything?'' I asked him, while taking all the empty plastic glasses off the counter.
''A smile. Give me that and you’ll get the biggest tip tonight.'' The slow seductive tone rolling off his shapely lips told me he wasn’t just fooling around. His green eyes were staring at me like I was dessert. This guy was hot and he knew it. The way his tousled light brown hair went every which way, hanging down onto his forehead, told me right away he didn’t care about his looks. He didn’t have to.
He wanted a smile? I shook my head. ''You don’t want a drink? Just water, maybe?''
''No, just a smile. You're the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen and it's just a smile I want.'' He brushed his hand through his hair, making it even more distressed.
I knew I was blushing and biting my lips in embarrassment. His eyes refused to stray from mine, pinning me in place. I smiled, but not because he asked.  No, this was solely because this very random man had pulled one out of me on his own. I saw the humor in his eyes. He slid fifty bucks out of his pocket and onto the counter. ''Thank you, Princess. You just made my night.''
He got up and walked away. I could see the hint of tattoos peeking out of his neckline and rolled up sleeves, but I was too astonished to call after him or say anything. He was wearing simple black converse, washed out jeans and a black long sleeve henley. There was something about him - mysterious and inscrutable. If he wanted to get my attention, well - he got it.
Who the hell was that? I kept asking myself as he walked away. I knew he was the guy Tyler had been excited to see, but I had never seen him around here before. I knew I would have remembered that piece of man candy.
He didn't give me his name and I didn't give him mine. Not that he had to ask - I had a name tag with my name on it. It was the strangest thing that ever happened to me. My eyes remained trained on him until he opened the door of the club and left. I found myself still watching the door, even after it was closed, like I wanted to chase after him – which was insane. I shook my head, willing myself to move on.
I began wiping the counter, pausing to watch Val entertain her groupies at the station next to me. As I turned to grab more lemons, my eyes were drawn again to the door. Tristan walked in with few of his friends. I had never seen Tristan here before and even after our dinner date tonight, I still didn’t expect it. I couldn’t tell if I was excited by the surprise visit or nervous about it. I felt like he was parading a bunch of his buddies around my bedroom, looking through all my dirty laundry. This was my home away from home and I wasn’t sure if I was ready to let him in—yet. Not to mention I was still shaken up from Mr. Mysterious.

About the Author...



Jude was born and raised in a small village named Lacolle. She now lives in Montreal, Canada. She is the proud mother of a beautiful five year old son, Isaac and has spent the last twelve years with her boyfriend, Cedric.
French is her native language, but she prefers to write in her second language, English. She has a passion for books, both reading and writing them.

Also by Jude:

     Under the sun
     Wonderland

To learn more about Jude Ouvrard, here are her links:

Website/blog: www.judeouvrard.com
Twitter: @JudeOuvrard @AuthorJude_O

Desire by B L Wilde - Excerpt and Giveaway


Desire (The Seductors Series Vol. 1) 
By B.L. Wilde 



Cover Design by Jo Matthews
Genre: Erotica
Scheduled Release: December 6, 2013



Tour Button:




Summary:

Jade has worked as a Seductor in a secret organization for five years now. Her main job? To earn the trust of her targets and secure the object or information her company was hired to steal—by any means necessary. She’s damn good at it, too. With five years left on her contract, she is handed an assignment that turns her world upside down.

Oliver Kirkham is the attractive, young CEO of Kirkham Industries, a weapons manufacturing company, and is currently in possession of some very important blueprints—blueprints that could change the way war, as we know it, works. He’s extremely focused and doesn’t have time to date, at least until he comes to the rescue of a shy but very alluring Jade Gibbs.

What happens when one night of passion turns into more? Will Jade allow her feelings for Oliver to get in the way of her mission? Or will she do what she was hired to do and secure the steal?


Excerpt:

Oliver wined and dined me with style. The conversation followed effortlessly, and a few hours later we were back in the bar having a nightcap.

“I really can’t thank you enough for dinner, Oliver.”

“It was my pleasure, Jade. I’ve enjoyed your companionship immensely tonight.”

“Do you really own your own company?”

“Why do you ask that?” he chuckled into his coffee.

“You’re so young and…fun. I thought CEOs were supposed to be bald with beer bellies, and be too stressed out to even crack a smile.”

“Are those the kind of CEOs you have as your clients?”

“Yes,” I laughed.

“These interior art skills of yours—how much do they cost?”

“Are you interested in utilizing my skills, Oliver?”

“I’m very interested, Miss Gibbs.” Oliver’s look became almost predatory.

“Maybe we should take this conversation elsewhere, then?” I suggested, looking around the bar.

“Where did you have in mind?” he asked, moving a little closer, his hand lightly skimming my leg.

“I was thinking of retiring for the night. It’s getting quite late,” I breathed, stretching out to play with his tie.

“Alone?”

“Actually, I was kind of hoping for some company,” I whispered timidly, pushing off my stool and slowly walking toward the lobby area. Counting to five, I turned to see Oliver walking toward me, looking dark and dangerously handsome. I was actually looking forward to seeing if this guy was any good in bed.

I pushed the button for the elevator and leaned against the wall just as he caught up with me.

“I hope I’m reading these signs correctly,” he grinned just as the elevator doors opened. With a small grin, I stepped in and pulled him with me. Oliver crashed his lips against mine right as the doors closed behind us.

Kissing was second nature to me. I could fake desire, even if it felt like I was kissing a wet fish, but as Oliver lifted me by my ass and pinned me against the elevator wall, I groaned in actual pleasure. I didn’t have to fake it. Desire flooded through my veins as I ran my hands into his dark hair.

“Christ, you’re beautiful,” he groaned, his lips moving down my neck while his hands began to fumble for the hem of my dress. I was about to start dry humping the guy if he kept on like he was.

“Ugh…” I groaned as his hands worked their way under my dress and he gripped my ass cheeks roughly. “Oliver…ugh…which floor?” He leaned toward the elevator buttons with me still wrapped around him, and pressed a button before quickly returning to attacking my neck.

“I saw you the moment I walked into the bar tonight,” he purred, his hands running slowly down my chest. Both my legs were wrapped around his waist. “And I wanted you.”

“Ugh…I…I’m flattered,” I said, forcing a blush. The elevator opened and Oliver finally let me go. As I slid down his body, I could feel his muscles through his shirt. Mm…it really was going to be a fun few months.

“I want you to know I don’t usually do this sort of thing,” I muttered, playing with the zipper on my purse while he opened his bedroom door.

“Neither do I.” He shook his head as if to clear it from a random thought, and somehow, I didn’t believe him. He was too smooth and confident to have never picked a girl up in a bar before.

“Wow, your room is so much bigger than mine!” I acted awestruck, gazing around as I placed my bag on a table. “Is this just the living area?” I gasped, turning to see that he was suddenly right in front of me. He responded by crashing his lips against mine while backing me against the wall.

“I don’t want to make small talk anymore. I just want to fuck you, Jade,” he growled into my ear. Holy crap! I was so turned on; I could feel the wetness between my legs begin to flow. His hands came back up underneath my dress, but rather than grab my ass like he had in the elevator, he simply pulled my panties down. “Do you want me to fuck you?”

“YES!” It was a plea, because in that moment, I’d never wanted anything more. I heard his belt buckle and the sound of foil before he was suddenly slamming me hard against the wall. Fuck, I’d dreamed of being taken this way, but never once had I thought it would happen. Who was this guy?

“I’m going to make you cum harder than you’ve ever cum before,” he smoldered into my ear. His fingers slowly teased my entrance and I arched my back, needing more. “I can feel how much you want this. I know your kind—shy and withdrawn. Let me free you. Let me release the desire I know is inside you.” Oh, this guy had no idea just how much desire was inside me. I wrapped my legs tightly around his waist, drawing him toward me before I bit down on his neck.

“Fuck, yes,” Oliver growled, and with one deep thrust he was inside me.

I’d never been fucked this hard before. I was wanton. I needed everything the guy could give me as he slammed into me over and over again while I was pinned against the wall. “You feel so good,” he panted between thrusts.

“Fuck me harder!” I was totally breaking character, but I’d never had a man bring me to orgasm without my help before, and right now, I needed that moment more than the air I breathed.

“Harder? You better brace yourself then.” Oliver gripped my legs and rotated his hips before pushing deeper and faster inside me.

Before I could make sense of what was happening, I felt myself begin to build—the feeling becoming warmer and more intense with each of his movements. This guy was going to make me cum. Jade Phillips—top Seductor—was finally going to cum by the power of a man!

“Give it to me, Jade. Don’t you fucking dare deny yourself!” Oliver could feel my orgasm begin to take control, so he slid his fingers between us, circling my clit to help ease my release out.

When I did explode, it was earth shattering.

“Ugh…fuck…fuck…fuck,” I groaned, my entire body trembling.

Oliver continued to pound into me until he found his own release. “Fuck, yes, Jade…ugh…ugh…I knew you’d make me cum this hard!” Oh my God! He looked so hot when he climaxed.

I was still pinned against the wall, held up by his arms as we regulated our breathing.

“You see?” Oliver finally spoke. “I knew there was a wild girl in there somewhere.”


Excerpt (PG-13):
“I have a priority mission I want you to take, Jade. The rewards for this one are huge,” she explained as she passed the paperwork over to me. “It’s going to take a few months of hard work to infiltrate the actual home of Mr. Kirkham. As you can see, he owns quite a few properties, but only one of the locations houses the main hard drive that our client needs. I’m sure you can use your talents as an advantage to find out which one, though.” I laughed, knowing exactly what Sonia meant. I was one of her top Seductors, after all. In the last five years, I had made over fifty million dollars for the company. My looks helped…a lot. I was your typical perfect blonde with clear blue eyes and legs that went on forever. Men fell for my innocent act, but I was no angel in real life. It never took a target long to find that out, either. Especially if I chose to take them to bed to gain access to what I’d been assigned to steal. I didn’t always need to go the whole way, though—I was just that good.

Sonia was the top dog at the Seductors, and she reported straight to the owner of the organization. I guess you could describe our headquarters in Florida a little like the playboy mansion, except we had guys here, too, and all of us were trained to defend ourselves if we needed to. Rule #6: Seductors must make sure they are always able to protect themselves from any sudden danger. A monthly refresher is mandatory to renew certification.

I could only speculate that our founder must have once been a secret agent or in the FBI in the past, because the contacts this organization had could rival that of the Secret Service. I was still trying to work out if that person was a male or female, but either way, our founder was a genius.

As I sat in front of Sonia, I began to look closely over the paperwork. My new target was a Mr. Oliver Kirkham of Kirkham Industries. He wasn’t a bad looking guy according to the picture in his file: tall, dark and handsome—just the way I liked them. His income stats weren’t too bad, either. Half a billion dollars in net profits last year. Damn, that was a lot of money. He had no partner at the moment, although he had been linked to quite a few women over the last few years. Nothing appeared too serious, however, which was interesting.

It seemed I’d need to travel a bit to track this Mr. Kirkham down. London and New York seemed to be popular places for him.

“When do I leave?” I asked Sonia while I was still reading Mr. Kirkham’s file.

“He’s due in London next weekend to head up an industrial conference.”

“Now, that sounds like fun,” I teased.

“I’m sure you’ll be able to liven up his visit, Jade,” Sonia winked. “Make sure you read that file carefully. We have a lot of money riding on this contract, so we can’t afford any mistakes.”

“Have I ever let you down?” I pointed out.

“Why do you think I’ve put you on this assignment? When do you think you’ll complete the job you’re on right now?”

“I’ll have the diamonds by tomorrow evening,” I smirked.

“That quickly?” Sonia looked impressed, but then I had only been on the job for two weeks.

“It’s an easy steal. I made first contact yesterday, and of course we hit it off. I’m meeting him at his house tomorrow,” I replied.

“You’re ruthless, Jade,” Sonia grinned before dismissing me.

As I continued to study my new file, it became clear that Mr. Kirkham was big in the weapons industry. Our client wanted the blueprints for a new machine—the S1030—that was being designed by his company. No wonder this was such a big payout for us.

I had no conscience when it came to stealing, nor did I know who wanted these blueprints. Clients had the choice of remaining anonymous to the chosen Seductor—as was the case with this job—but I never thought about the outcome anyway. This was business. It was all about the money, and this deal was worth five million dollars. It was the biggest mission I’d ever been assigned to, and I would succeed. There was no doubt in my mind.

It would be really nice to work on just one case for a few months without having to worry about other assignments; sometimes I felt like a prostitute when I was tasked with seducing more than one target at the same time. This Oliver was becoming more pleasing to the eye each time I gazed at him.

Oh, this could even be fun!


About the Author:
B.L. Wilde is a British author obsessed with many things, including heated love stories. Supported fully by her husband, she can often be found at her desk working on her next project.

Her journey into the world of erotica began when she started writing online stories over three years ago, and she hasn't looked back since.


Author Links:
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