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Swinging and the Single Man: A View from the Author of Novel “Monogamy Sucks”
Recently, someone on Twitter, who shall remain nameless, stated that you have to be married or in a serious committed relationship to be a true swinger, and that a single male who has fun with a couple is only a bachelor…not a swinger.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
I wrote an entire novel, Monogamy Sucks, about the sexual misadventures of a single male swinger named Jake Dalmas. And yes, Jake is a swinger by the way.
It seems for some I might as well been writing science fiction.
The participation of single men in the swinging lifestyle is rarely mentioned if at all when swinging is talked about or covered in the media. One would never know about single male swingers existed at all from popular movies, TV shows and magazine depictions of swinging as the sole domain of couples swapping partners or single women participating in threesomes with couples.
Now, it is true single women are coveted by swinging couples. It is the fantasy that is most typically explored and fantasized about.
So what about the single man who wants to have a good time and get in on some hot swinger action?
Believe it or not they are also a desired part of this fantasy lifestyle. On many occasions, I have talked to couples who fantasized about inviting a straight (or even Bi) male into their bedroom. Sometimes I have been that MMF fantasy for a straight couple, which you can read more about in my novel.
I remember once being on a date a while ago with a woman who lived in a rich section of Los Angeles (Palos Verdes) who (also claimed to be a swinger — not likely!) and she insisted I was wrong to believe that women fantasized about having two men sexually . She even shouted at me at one point and told me I was crazy to even think about it although the week before I had a threesome with a straight couple and the wife talked about wanting to be pleased by two men for years and never having the guts to go through with it. My date thought I was lying. I am convinced a lot people think like her in mainstream society.
Contrary to popular belief, single men are not pariahs among swingers. It is true that a lot swing clubs do bar single men from admission, but not all of them. I know this from personal experience.
My novel’s protagonist swings solo during almost his entire journey in a quest to expand his sex life. Jake is a centaur (nickname for male swingers) in the full definition of the word, and he doesn’t want to be part of couple. It was my intention to feature another side of swinging rarely if ever discussed in books, movies or TV. Not everyone longs to be part of what I call “Couples Nation” — and honestly like my character — they don’t want the headaches and stress that at times accompanies romantic relationships.
Even a new Pew Survey says that 4 in 10 Americans think that the bedrock of all traditions, marriage, is becoming obsolete. http://www.aolnews.com/2010/11/18/poll-4-in-10-say-marriage-becoming-obsolete
Our society is changing. One could take from this that people are also thinking different about other sacred cows such as monogamy. Studies suggest that around 30–40 percent of dating relationships and 18–20 percent of marriages are marked by at least one incident of sexual infidelity, according to the publication “Close encounters: Communication in Relationships.” Some researchers say there’s a 50–50 chance today that one partner will have an affair during a marriage. It is estimated that roughly 30 to 60 percent of all married individuals (in the United States) will engage in infidelity at some point during their marriage as referenced on the Truth About Deception Web site. It is food for thought.
I believe some women (both in and out of the lifestyle) do actually fantasize about being with more than one man or with many men, but without strings or complications that could ruin their marriages or relationships. Most don’t act on these urges and fantasies, but some do. This need for couples to bring single men into their sex lives may not be as popular as the more common fantasy (female, female and male) threesome, but centaurs are lusted after more than everyone lets on. Sexual boredom is a factor here no doubt.
Think of these single men as “stunt cocks” brought into a relationship to provide more or different kinds of pleasure for straight (or even bi-couples.)
In one key chapter in my novel (check out excerpt of Chapter 17 of my novel which is featured after this blog post), my character Jake is contacted by a young married couple that are horny on a Sunday morning. He ends up having sex with the wife, a hot blonde named Tonya, and engaging in his first double penetration experience. After their passions were spent, Jake went back to his single life and they returned to their marriage. There are other instances in my book where my character is invited into sexual encounters with other straight couples.
So what’s a guy to do who wants to participate in swinging, but doesn’t have or want a wife or girlfriend?
You can start by going online and searching for swing clubs in your area that admit single men. There are many cool Web sites that cater to those interested in the swinger lifestyle.
Place an ad in a local swinger’s magazine looking to meet couples. One good one to consider is the West Coast Sex Directory, but if you’re not on the West Coast you can find many others. Take it from me: there are a lot couples looking to swing with men. You just need to know how to find them.
However, there are a couple of etiquette rules single male swingers should consider when swinging with couples.
• Stay cool and never be pushy. You are a potential fantasy for a couple. Be a nice guy at all times. Don’t ruin a potentially enjoyable time by being an asshole.
• Don’t lose your head. (I mean the one on your shoulders!) You are being invited into a couple’s private sexual lives — that’s all. The encounter is strictly sexual. Don’t get confused. You will go home alone after the sex, leaving the couple to their relationship or married lives. This is sacrosanct. You are out to have a good time, not ruin anyone’s life.
As for couples, inviting a single man into your bedroom is a wonderful opportunity to spice up your sex lives and explore fantasies women and men don’t always like to talk about, but no doubt want to explore.
Set some ground rules and boundaries on what activities can be included in your swinging adventure.
Everyone involved must keep their perspective about the outcome and meaning of the sexual fun. Sex stirs up all sorts of emotions, but being honest about the erotic nature of a sexy rendezvous will save everyone a lot of heartache.
If everyone remains cool and mature, the swinging lifestyle offers a great opportunity for wonderful, adventurous sex for both single men and couples.
GP
*****
CHAPTER 17 (of Novel “Monogamy Sucks”)
A REAL LIFE PORNO MOVIE WITH DON AND TONYA
February 2
For the last several weeks, I have struggled to put my sex life back into some kind of perspective. Things just seemed to be getting stranger and I am no closer to fucking my dream girls. Maybe I need to take a break from it all and go back to regular dating. I just don’t know.
February 3
I woke up on Sunday morning with a surging hard on. There was nothing unusual about that. Sunday mornings are one of the horniest times for me, and typically I wake up alone. My mind was swimming with erotic fantasies starring an international cast of beauties: busty, sexy black girls, nasty blondes, tight-bodied Asians, Latinas with big tits and sexy lips with dark tantalizing lipstick. I also fantasized about co-workers and women I met in the bar the night before.
My horny condition gets only worse when I have gone to a bar on Saturday night and struck out. Last night no one wanted to dance with me. I asked a couple women and then gave up and drank instead to forget about my rejection.
I was too tired and drunk the night before to jack off so I relieved my desires in the morning, while imagining fucking a hot Latina with a great ass I saw at the Station bar.
I finally got out of bed at noon and drank some coffee to start my slow process of waking up.
My second phone line rang (the Fuck Line as I like to call it) and I answered it. I typically turn the ringer off and let the voice mail take it, but had I forgotten to shut it off. On the line was a man who said he was Don. I vaguely remembered he had left a couple messages in the past couple of weeks asking if I wanted to fuck his wife.
I told him I was busy and wasn’t sure if I would have the time. I couldn’t tell him the real reason. I was going through post-cum let down. I had no desire. I had shot my load 30 minutes before which was starting to piss me off, so I lied.
“I just got laid last night,” I told him.
“Well that’s cool…but…listen to that. She is sucking my cock. Can you hear that?”
I could hear a slurping sound on the other end of the phone line. Now, it could be the blissful sound of a woman going down on a hard cock, but who knows. With my luck he could be alone on the other end of the phone whacking off and not even have a wife.
“She sucks great cock. Come on over. She’ll suck and fuck you as much as you like. She’s very hot and she is really horny,” he added.
Unbelievable. What bad timing, but what did I have to lose. A little embarrassment was the worst that could happen, and I doubted if his wife was hot anyway. Probably just another ugly skank. I started thinking that maybe I could pull it off if I took a lot of ginseng and vitamin E. After an hour or so, my lust might return.
“All right,” I told him. “I’ll be there.”
They lived in nearby Signal Hill, a small industrial town on the North side of Long Beach. I pounded down enough vitamin E to choke a horse and took some natural male power pills with the fuck herbs, ginseng and horny goat weed. Then I took a shower and put on a threesome porno where two men fucked a sexy blonde woman, double penetrating her ass and pussy. In the following scene, a gang of men took turns fucking another blonde hottie. Slowly, my libido returned and I was horny again by the time I had watched the pornos and finished my shower.
I wasn’t as nervous as I typically was before a swinger adventure and I wasn’t sure why. Maybe I figured things couldn’t get any worse than they already had. I knew one of these days I would find a hot woman who would give me the fuck of my life. It was only a matter of time.
I drove over to their apartment about an hour later. Nagging thoughts of performance anxiety crept up in the back of my mind as I parked my car on a quiet suburban street, but I had no real expectations. In fact, I expected the worst.
Don and Tonya live in a small apartment complex located off Pacific Coast Highway. It is an old surburban tract located in the middle an industrial area of refineries and old oil fields. As I walked toward their place I could hear an oil derrick pumping away in a nearby field.
A stocky guy with a Marine style crew cut greeted me at the door of their apartment. He said he was Don and shook my hand vigorously. He was wearing boxer shorts and a T-shirt.
“Come on in the bedroom. Tonya’s in the bathroom cleaning up. Would like you something to drink?”
I told him no thanks and walked into their bedroom. Apparently, they had been at it all morning. The covers of their king sized bed were pulled back and the sheets were wrinkled and torn off the mattress.
On a mantel, next to the bed were their wedding pictures. It was an uncomfortable reminder that soon I could be fucking another man’s wife in their wedding bed. It felt odd, but also very alluring.
I started removing my clothes and heard Tonya finishing up in the bathroom. A few moments later, Tonya stepped into the bedroom and shyly said hello. She is a knockout, a beautiful twenty something blonde woman with a ponytail. She was naked except for a towel, but I could see she has an incredible body – big tits, long legs, sexy ass. For a second, I thought I had walked into the wrong apartment. There was nothing skanky about Tonya. She was a fantasy fuck girl from head to toe. She is my porn fantasy in the flesh. I could feel my lust returning with a vengeance.
“Where’s Don?” she asked.
“In the kitchen,” I told her trying to keep my composure.
She smiled and left the room. A few minutes later, she returned with Don. They were both smiling at me. I had undressed down to my boxers.
“Well, why don’t we get down to it?” said Don, who quickly took off his shorts and moved on to the middle of the bed.
“Come over and suck me some more baby,” he beckoned to his wife.
Tonya removed her towel and obliged her husband’s request. They were oblivious to me except for Tonya sticking her ass and shaved pussy way up in the air, which I took as an invitation to join right in.
“Come on get in here,” Don said to me. “Look at that hot pussy.”
So I walked over to where Tonya was and started licking her pussy and fingering her. She tasted sweet like strawberries and I instantly got hard. She has a great ass or what I liked to call a heart shaped ass. I wanted to fuck her so bad, maybe too much. I got too anxious and tried to fuck her wet pussy without a rubber.
She pulled away for a second and Don said, “Hey man, you got to put on a rubber.”
I was embarrassed and realized I had almost broken a swinger’s etiquette rule to always have safe sex, unless asked otherwise. I did what I told my friend Ned never to do. I tried to enter barebacked without permission.
They didn’t seem too mad, though, and Tonya even smiled at me again and I was relieved I hadn’t blown my fantasy opportunity.
However, by the time I got a rubber out of my pants, which I thrown on the floor at the other side of the room, and strapped it on, I wasn’t completely hard anymore. I tried unsuccessfully to fuck her several times, but it was no use. I was flogging a dead dick again. She didn’t seem to notice and continued to suck on Don. I finger fucked her and licked on her clit. I don’t know what came over me, but I then stuck my index finger into her asshole. She didn’t react negatively as I expected, but instead groaned with pleasure.
Don and I then switched positions as he got up from the bed and began fucking his wife from behind. I lay back on the bed and Tonya, who was moaning with pleasure, looked up at me and took my flaccid cock in her mouth. She is a cocksucking pro. There is no doubt about it. I believe her lips should have been licensed. The moment she took me in her mouth, I felt my lusty desire return.
When I was hard enough, she deep throated me and I gasped with pleasure. It was an incredible feeling to have this blonde vision of beauty taking me like a porn star would. But I was prepared this time. I had another rubber in my right hand, the package open and ready for quick application.
“Do you want to fuck me?” she asked.
“You must be reading my mind,” I said showing her the rubber that I quickly slid on my surging cock.
The bad porn dialogue was in full effect, but she laughed and climbed on top of me, sliding my cock into her tight pussy. I nuzzled her neck as she fucked me and whispered how tight and hot she was. She smelled of citrus and strawberries, which made me only harder. Yet at one point I forgot I was fucking another man’s woman and tried to kiss her lips, but she turned her head away and continued to ride me. It was another faux pas on my part, but fortunately she didn’t mind. She was lost in a fucking frenzy.
I grabbed her round ass and pulled my cock deeper into her and marveled at the whole scene. I thought I must have been dreaming. I was actually fucking my fantasy fuck slut.
While she was sliding all over my cock, Don got behind her and tried to stick his cock in her ass.
“Ohhh,” she exclaimed, smiling. “What are you doing?”
“Hey baby. We’re going to double fuck you,” he said as he managed to maneuver his member inside of her ass.
Tonya screamed out with glee for a moment and leaned harder against me, still fucking my cock.
“Oh My God,” she moaned. “That is so good.”
The double fuck happened so fast that I wasn’t really ready for it. I looked over at the nightstand near the bed and looked at their wedding picture again. They were kissing in the photo and it only got me more excited. For a brief moment, I had the strange feeling again as if I was outside of myself watching a porn video of a double penetration scene. This time I was starring in it and it was my first DP. I wonder if it was Tonya’s. Probably not.
Tonya continued to moan with pleasure as Don pounded her ass. I watched my cock slide in and out of her pussy, but I wasn’t really feeling it. I was kind of dazed. In fact, I got so distracted I almost lost my erection.
“You’ve got two cocks inside of you,” I whispered in Tonya’s ear as my cock got hard again.
“We’re fucking the shit out of you, baby,” Don yelled.
Soon after, Don groaned loudly and came. Tonya reached back rubbed his cum on her ass for a moment and then continued to ride me even more intensely. I slipped out of her pussy at one point, but she quickly put me back inside of her and resumed her mission to make me cum.
“I want you to cum for me,” she kept repeating. “Ohhhhh, cum for me.”
Tonya rode me for the longest time and just when I thought she might ask me to stop, I came hard for her. I was relieved that I was able to consummate this amazing fuck session. No post- cum depression for me. Fucking a hot woman like Tonya was the whole reason for my going on this strange sexual journey. I felt vindicated. The nightmare of my past lame swing fuck sessions suddenly seemed a distant memory.
Tonya quickly rolled off of me and went into the bathroom. Don, who had been watching the whole thing from a chair near the bed, smiled.
“Aren’t you glad you came over?” he said.
I didn’t know if he was trying to be funny or not, but I laughed anyway.
“She is very hot. You are a very lucky man,” I said still somewhat in a sex daze from the whole double penetration episode. “That was incredible.”
“Well, thanks for coming over,” he said.
I knew he wanted me to leave. I was a stunt dick. I had done what I was supposed to do, serve as a second cock in an erotic tag team game of two on one on a horny Sunday afternoon. I dressed and started to leave when Tonya came out of the bathroom. She smiled at me, but didn’t say anything. I thanked her and she nodded.
Don asked me if I knew of any swing clubs they could try out.
“We’ve just been calling ads and meeting with guys, but we’d like to meet some other couples,” he said.
I told them about the Capricorn Club and Wild Bob’s. They both stared at me in some kind of awe. I guess I represented a real swinger to them. What a joke. If they only knew how inept I usually was at swinging, but I guess as the saying goes, every dog, even a lame one like me, has its day.
“Tonya is hot. You guys would be very popular at these clubs. Couples would be falling all over themselves to meet you guys,” I told them.
Tonya broke into a grin and appeared embarrassed for a moment. Don thanked me and shook my hand again. Before I left, I asked if I could call them again.
“We’ll call you, when Tonya gets in the mood,” Don said.
It was the usual spiel. I was a hit and run lover for Tonya as I never heard from them again. I don’t know how long I was there. Probably only an hour, but it seemed longer. I felt this incredible satisfaction. I had done something many had only fantasized about, but few had the guts to actually do in their real lives. I honestly didn’t think I could actually participate in a DP even though I had watched and jacked off to enough double fuck scenes in porno movies. And this time the woman was attractive too. That was a bonus. That’s not even a guarantee in porn movies.
As I drove away, I called Ned on my cell phone and told him the story.
He didn’t believe me at first.
“That’s incredible,” he said. “Why didn’t you invite me?”
What a fucker. Everything always came back to him. If I had called Ned, he would have fucked it up somehow. Maybe he would have tried to kiss Tonya or something and I would have gone home frustrated again. No more fuck excursions including Ned. No way.
February 5
After a couple days of reflection, I’ve come to realize I finally had a swinger sexual experience worthy of my fantasies. Tonya is a blonde fuck vixen out of the pages of Playboy, Penthouse and my favorite porn movies.
What was even better was that Don had to deal with her bullshit everyday. I bet Tonya was a royal pain in the ass, a real diva. I got the pussy and left with my fantasies intact. This is why I avoid relationships and pursue casual sex. It was worth all the freaks, creeps, jerks, and ugly bitches to get to Tonya.
Now, I was more determined than ever to find more fantasy fucks like her. I knew they had to be out there. I felt like an amateur porn star. My sexual confidence was on the rise for a change.
Kindle Sales Rankings for Lazy Day Publishing’s E-books for 5/27
Check out the updated Amazon Kindle sales rankings for Lazy Day Publishing’s books through May 27.
Alta Hensley continued with her phenomenal run as Lazy Day Publishing’s top-selling author on Amazon Kindle for the fourth straight week with her novel Traditional Love. Her novel has topped the list 13 out of 14 weeks since the list was started on February 25.
The erotica anthology Deep in the Heat of Texas by Alta Hensley, Melissa Hensley and Amy LeBlanc also maintained the No. 2 spot for the fourth week in a row.
George Pappas’ novel Monogamy Sucks moved up seven spots to take the No. 3. spot.
Rae Spencer’s novel Beyond A Proposition also moved back into the top 5 at No. 4.
Liz Borino scored two novels in the top 10 with her novel Expectations at No. 5 and novel What Money Can’t Buy, the sequel to Expectations, at No. 10.
In its third week, A ‘Jeeper’ Wade’s novel Refired continued its strong showing at No. 6.
Ava Riley’s novel A Lifetime to Find Love, Elaine Dyer’s Forever Summer and Mindset rounded out the top 10 at No. 7, 8, 9, respectively.
Once again, this is not a definitive list as it doesn’t include e-books sales from Barnes & Noble.com and other Internet retail sites.
I intend to update these Amazon sales rankings of Lazy Day authors every week to track how our books are doing. Please feel free to share these rankings on other blogs or on your own blogs and Web sites, and on Twitter and Facebook.
You should click on the links below and buy the books from all of these talent authors. You will love their work.
GP
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AMAZON SALES RANKINGS FOR LAZY DAY PUBLISHING’S BOOKS
May 27, 2011
Sales Rankings out of more than 800,000 books in Kindle store
1. TRADITIONAL LOVE, ALTA HENSLEY, RANKING #6,482 (released 12/1/10)
2. DEEP IN THE HEAT OF TEXAS, ALTA HENSLEY, MELISSA ECKER, AMY LEBLANC, #18,004 (rel 2/14/11)
3. MONOGAMY SUCKS, GEORGE PAPPAS #28,794 (rel. 12/1/10)
4. BEYOND A PROPOSITION, RAE SPENCER, #37,845 (rel. 4/20/11)
5. EXPECTATIONS, LIZ BORINO, #43,211 (rel. 12/1/10)
6. REFIRED, A ‘JEEPER’ WADE #43,384 (rel. 5/11/11)
7. A LIFETIME TO FIND LOVE, AVA RILEY, #52,147 (released 4/6/11)
8. FOREVER SUMMER, ELAINE DYER #56,808 (rel. 12/1/10)
9. MINDSET, ELAINE DYER, #81,615 (rel 12/1/10)
10. WHAT MONEY CAN’T BUY, LIZ BORINO, #128,451 (rel. 5/18/11)
11. SEDUCTION OF HONEY, ASH STERLING, #158,192 (rel. 12/1/10)
12. THE SILVER CAGE, MIK WILKENS, #160,702 (rel. 12/1/10)
13. A POCKETFUL OF SPELLS, ASH STERLING, #166,777 (rel. 12/1/10)
14. MOUNT UP, MELISSA ECKER, #190,078 (rel. 12/1/10)
15. FEED THE FIRE, MELISSSA ECKER, #190,152 (released 12/1/10)
16. PULL THE TRIGGER, MELISSA ECKER, #191,745 (rel. 12/1/10)
17. DARK ROGUE, AMY LEBLANC, #192,053 (rel. 12/1/10)
18. STEAM QUEEN, JACK HESSEY, #198,367 (rel. 12/1/10)
19. PIETY AND MURDER, THOMAS DRINKARD, #202.660 (rel. 12/1/10)
20. FINDING THE MISSING PIECES, ELAINE DYER 205,336 (rel. 5/2/11)
21. BY SUNSET, TY LANGSTON, #291,861 (rel. 12/1/10)
22. DREW IN BLUE, J.M. KELLEY, #302,683 (rel. 12/1/10)
23. UNLIKELY LOVE, JOHNNY DRAGONA, #411,816 (rel. 12/1/10)
24. DECEIT, W.C. HEWITT, #421,816 (rel. 12/1/10)
25. JERICHO’S WALLS, MICHAEL BRET HOOD, #470,293 (rel. 12/1/10)
26. ON ANGELS WINGS, JACK HESSEY #479,974 (rel. 12/1/10)
* Please note that this list does not include rankings or sales from Amazon UK
List created by George Pappas, author of Monogamy Sucks
Lazy Day Publishing Author A “Jeeper” Wade, author of novel “Refired,” Shares his Recipe For Success in Intriguing Interview
Today I want you to meet Lazy Day Publishing author A. “Jeeper” Wade. His debut erotic romance novel Refired was released this month. I met Jeeper (or @jeeper68) on Twitter. He is one of more supportive writers on Twitter and you should follow him. In the following interview, we discuss how he went from being an experienced chef to a novelist, how he used experiences from his cooking career to spice up his story, how fellow Lazy Day authors he met on Twitter inspired his journey and even his ideal recipe for a romantic encounter. Please enjoy.
****
You have an interesting background not typical of authors. How did you go from being an experienced cook with a culinary degree and more than 20 years in the food service industry to a published erotic romance author?
To be totally honest, by accident. It all started on Twitter and Alta Hensley looking for some cowboy inspiration. Watching her, Melissa Ecker and Amy Le Blanc go through their research process got my imagination running. I always liked to tell stories so it was during this process I decided to write one.
Tell us about your debut novel Refired.
Refired is a story about a frustrated Chef who wants the best of both worlds; a career and a love life. This isn’t always possible in the restaurant industry. He decides a change of scenery might help not only his reputation, but also his outlook on life. He meets Veronica and the sparks fly.
How much of your experience in the food industry is reflected in your novel?
In my experiences in the business, I have seen and met all kinds of people. A restaurant is a breeding ground for sexual tension and stress. I can only hope some of that comes through in my writing.
What did you learn as being a cook that you could apply to your writing pursuits?
Being a writer and a cook are similar in some ways. In both you have a clear idea in your head of what you want to put in front of someone, whether it is a steamy story or a masterpiece of food that you just prepared. You can only hope that your
“customers” enjoy it.
I understand Twitter and friendships with Lazy Day Publishing authors — Alta Hensley, Melissa Ecker and Amy LeBlanc, among others — inspired you to write your first novel. How did their guidance help?
Alta was a huge help in guiding me through the writing process. She explained many of the technical aspects of writing. All of the Lazy Day authors were and still are great cheerleaders for me on this journey. I truly love all my new friendships I have with them.
You have written poetry in the past and even started a story. What stopped you?
I used poetry as a way to express my feelings as I walked through life’s ups and downs. I stopped writing poetry as I learned how to express my feelings vocally. Believe it or not, I haven’t always been good at expressing my feelings. The story I started writing began on a vacation. When that vacation ended life got in the way. Who knows maybe I will finish it one day. It is a hot read!
Also how did your novel come together? How long did it take? Was it part of earlier stories of yours?
My novel came out of an idea I came up with one night. The idea of an Alpha Male in the restaurant business in search of love just spoke steamy sex to me. It took about 2 months to write.
You wrote on the Lazy Day Publishing Web site that writing a book was much tougher than you thought it would be. What surprised you most about the writing and publishing process?
This was my first experience with technical writing. I never heard of word count, passive voice and head hopping. I just thought you write a story, and then you’re done. I never imagined all the editing that went into a book.
How much is your main character Sylas like you?
Sylas and I are similar in some ways. I lived some of his frustrations. I like to be in control and we both drink Jack Daniels. Oh, I also like to make my woman very happy in bed.
What about Veronica? Was she inspired by real life people or is she a composite of several people you have known?
Veronica, good question! She is a composite of some women that have come into my life over the years. I won’t name names to protect the innocent. 
You describe yourself as having a “Naughty Mind with a Romantic Streak.” What did you want to explore about sex and life in your novel?
I wanted to push some sexual limits in this book. I think writing erotica as a male can be tricky. I wanted to write hot love scenes, but not come across as abrasive. The last thing I want is for the reader to think that Sylas is a male chauvinist pig who abuses women. He just believes in defined relationship roles. He loves and cherishes Veronica like no other man could; in turn Veronica loves him unconditionally.
What role did you intend food and cooking to play in your novel?
I used food and cooking as a background. The world of a restaurant kitchen is crazy. It can be fun, stressful and full of sexual energy. The perfect setting for a book.
Do you have an ideal recipe you could share with our readers for a romantic encounter?
Dessert is a great way to wow your mate. Here’s an easy dessert but one with some flare, literally. Bananas Foster! Start by melting a stick of butter in a pan on medium heat. When it’s melted add ¼ cup of brown sugar and stir. Peel and cut the bananas lengthwise, then cut them in 1/2. Add them to the pan; turn up the heat to medium high. Let them cook for a few minutes coating them with the butter and sugar. This is where it gets fun….be careful!!! Turn off the kitchen lights and pull up a chair for your lover. Pour a few tablespoons of rum into the pan and light the pan on fire. Use a long match or grill lighter (watch your eyebrows). Let the flame burn out then dish out some vanilla ice cream. Top the ice cream with the bananas and enjoy! Serve with some champagne.
Describe your feelings when you got the word from Lazy Day Publishing that you could call yourself as a published author?
When I got word from Staci that Lazy Day would be publishing my book I was really excited and happy.
Tell us something about yourself that might surprise us.
I couldn’t type before writing my book. Now I’m pretty quick!
Is there a story behind your name “Jeeper?”
Yes! I bought my first Jeep Wrangler in 2000. It had been a dream of mine to own one. When I signed the papers the salesman said, “You’re a Jeeper now.” It stuck from then on. I have owned a 2000 Wrangler, a 2008 Wrangler and now a 2011 Wrangler! I will never drive anything ever again.
What is it about writing erotic stories intrigues you? Is this your first time writing in this genre?
I love writing about sex. I love trying to bring across the feelings both people feel during such intimate moments. Yes this is my first but not last time, I hope.
What was the most difficult aspect of writing your book?
Editing! I learned so much during the writing of Refired that made writing my second book much easier.
Lazy Day Publishing is very supportive and this is crucial for first time authors who are unsure about the validity of their works. How was your experience working with Lazy Day?
One word….AMAZING! I couldn’t have asked for a better experience.
What authors have most influenced your work?
My Lazy Day family. Go check them out! You will not be disappointed.
Does the e-book revolution intrigue you? Happy to be a part of it?
I love the e-book revolution! I think it is the way of the future and I am very happy to be part of it.
What advice do you have for aspiring writers who want to do as you have done?
Trust in yourself and LISTEN to what others are telling you. Good or bad all feedback will help you grow as a writer. Take nothing personal and be open to constructive criticism.
What do you want readers take away from your novel?
I want them to take a look into a lifestyle that is often misunderstood and looked at poorly. We all have little things in our lives that the neighbors don’t know about, but that doesn’t make any of us freaks. We love, we cherish, we listen to each other and our love is built out of mutual respect and understanding. Until we as a people can learn to accept everyone for who they are, we can’t learn to live together in peace. Oh and I hope they enjoy the naughty stuff as well!
What’s next for you? Will Sylas and Veronica have further adventures? What other kinds of novels would you like to write?
I am in the process of editing my follow-up book to Refired. Sylas and Veronica wanted me to tell more of their story. Stay tuned! I also have another exciting project in the works. I would love to delve into the fantasy realm of writing. I played Dungeons and Dragons for years.
Where can readers learn more about you and your book?
They can follow me on Twitter @Jeeper68. They can check out my book on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and All Romance.
Kindle Sales Rankings for Lazy Day Publishing’s E-books for May 20
Check out the updated Amazon Kindle sales rankings for Lazy Day Publishing’s books through May 20.
Alta Hensley is Lazy Day Publishing’s top-selling author on Amazon Kindle for the third straight week with her novel Traditional Love.
The erotica anthology Deep in the Heat of Texas by Alta Hensley, Melissa Hensley and Amy LeBlanc regained the No. 2 spot.
Liz Borino’s novel What Money Can’t Buy, the sequel to her novel Expectations, debuted on the list at an impressive No. 3, while Expectations moved up two spots to No. 4.
In its second week, A ‘Jeeper’ Wade’s novel Refired continued with its strong showing at No. 5.
Ava Riley’s novel A Lifetime to Find Love moved up three spots to No. 6 while Rae Spencer’s novel Beyond A Proposition took the No. 7 spot.
Ash Sterling’s Seduction of Honey jumped three rankings to No. 8 and his novel Pocketful of Spells moved up eight spots to No. 9.
George Pappas’ novel Monogamy Sucks stayed in the top 10 at No. 10.
In additional Kindle rankings, Liz Borino’s What Money Can’t Buy is ranked #47 in the Gay and Lesbian Romance genre and #68 in the Gay and Lesbian Fiction genre, while her novel Expectations is ranked #68 in the Gay and Lesbian Romance genre and #96 in Gay and Lesbian Fiction.
Once again, this is not a definitive list as it doesn’t include e-books sales from Barnes & Noble.com and other Internet retail sites.
I intend to update these Amazon sales rankings of Lazy Day authors every week to track how our books are doing. Please feel free to share these rankings on other blogs or on your own blogs and Web sites, and on Twitter and Facebook.
You should click on the links below and buy the books from all of these talent authors. You will love their work.
GP
***
AMAZON SALES RANKINGS FOR LAZY DAY PUBLISHING’S BOOKS
May 20, 2011
Sales Rankings out of more than 800,000 books in Kindle store
1. TRADITIONAL LOVE, ALTA HENSLEY, RANKING #6.816 (released 12/1/10)
2. DEEP IN THE HEAT OF TEXAS, ALTA HENSLEY, MELISSA ECKER, AMY LEBLANC, #9,484 (rel 2/14/11)
3. WHAT MONEY CAN’T BUY, LIZ BORINO, #14,866 (rel. 5/18/11)
4. EXPECTATIONS, LIZ BORINO, #17,085(rel. 12/1/10)
5. REFIRED, A ‘JEEPER’ WADE #25,011 (rel. 5/11/11)
6. A LIFETIME TO FIND LOVE, AVA RILEY, #52,634 (released 4/6/11)
7. BEYOND A PROPOSITION, RAE SPENCER, #54.199 (rel. 4/20/11)
8. SEDUCTION OF HONEY, ASH STERLING, #75,822 (rel. 12/1/10)
9. A POCKETFUL OF SPELLS, ASH STERLING, #76,399 (rel. 12/1/10)
10. MONOGAMY SUCKS, GEORGE PAPPAS #76,580 (rel. 12/1/10)
11. MINDSET, ELAINE DYER, #96,498 (rel 12/1/10)
12. FOREVER SUMMER, ELAINE DYER #97,675 (rel. 12/1/10)
13. FINDING THE MISSING PIECES, ELAINE DYER 111,925 (rel. 5/2/11)
14. FEED THE FIRE, MELISSSA ECKER, #126,173 (released 12/1/10)
15. DARK ROGUE, AMY LEBLANC, #128,422 (rel. 12/1/10)
16. PULL THE TRIGGER, MELISSA ECKER, #133,735 (rel. 12/1/10)
17. MOUNT UP, MELISSA ECKER, #133,842 (rel. 12/1/10)
18. PIETY AND MURDER, THOMAS DRINKARD, #208,801 (rel. 12/1/10)
19. STEAM QUEEN, JACK HESSEY, #211,459 (rel. 12/1/10)
20. BY SUNSET, TY LANGSTON, #257,263 (rel. 12/1/10)
21. DREW IN BLUE, J.M. KELLEY, #301,811 (rel. 12/1/10)
22. THE SILVER CAGE, MIK WILKENS, #309,901 (rel. 12/1/10)
22. UNLIKELY LOVE, JOHNNY DRAGONA, #375,875 (rel. 12/1/10)
23. DECEIT, W.C. HEWITT, #418,210 (rel. 12/1/10)
24. JERICHO’S WALLS, MICHAEL BRET HOOD, #459,685 (rel. 12/1/10)
25. ON ANGELS WINGS, JACK HESSEY #476,448 (rel. 12/1/10)
* Please note that this list does not include rankings or sales from Amazon UK
List created by George Pappas, author of Monogamy Sucks
My Interview about Monogamy Sucks on Conversations Live Radio
My blog interview tour for my novel Monogamy Sucks continued this evening on the prime-time edition of Conversations LIVE hosted by Cyrus Webb. In my interview, which begins 29 minutes and 47 seconds into the program, we discussed my journey of how I went from a blogger to a published author, the motivations behind writing my novel, and the impact Twitter and other social networks are having on the publishing world. This is the 31st interview of my book tour. Please check it out.
Monogamy Sucks interview on Conversations Live Radio
Enjoy.
GP
Interview with Lazy Day Publishing Author Rae Spencer, author of novel “Beyond a Proposition”
Today I would like to introduce you to Rae Spencer, author of erotica novel Beyond A Proposition that was recently published as an e-book by Lazy Day Publishing. In the following in-depth interview we discuss the inspiration for her rock and roll love story, whether fidelity can survive in the face of the rock star temptations, her favorite rock acts, and her love for words, poetry and Peanut M & Ms. Also at the end of this interview I have included a short excerpt for her sexy novel. You can also find Rae on Twitter as @ceruleanmist, which is where I met her. You should follow her and buy her erotic novel. Enjoy her interview.
Rock and roll music plays a pivotal role in your debut novel “Beyond A Proposition.” Has rock music or music in general always sparked your creativity? What does rock and roll mean to you?
Music has always sparked some of my creativity; music creates emotions which can provoke a great story or poem. What does rock n’ roll mean to me, hmmmm… tough question, 80 percent of the time it means a temporary escape from reality, and/or having fun. The other 20 percent of the time it means work, hard work, challenging work. I have seen rock n’ roll/the music industry from the fan side and from the musician side and while rock n’ roll is about having fun, I know the industry is filled with lots of pitfalls. It takes hard work, talent, and dedication wrapped around an engaging personality and the ability to adjust on the fly with a little fun thrown in for good measure to make it, either as a national act or as a local musician. My brother-in-law is a local musician and there is really so much involved, so much work goes on, sacrifices and adjustments made by the musician and his family. I could never say rock and roll means 100 percent fun to me anymore.
Tell us about your erotica novel “Beyond A Proposition.”
Beyond A Proposition is a story about an older divorced woman agreeing to a “friends with benefits” proposition from a younger rock star. The story reveals how she came to the decision and how such a simple thing as being a “friend with benefit” isn’t really so simple after all. The story describes the emotional development between the two main characters and how they overcome the binds they placed on themselves when they made the agreement.
How did your novel come together? How long did it take? Was it part of earlier stories of yours?
The story came to me as I was leaving a concert with some family and friends. My sister commented to me about having a “friends with benefits” relationship, it just hit me, like a rock right to the head. Musicians. Friends with Benefits. There is a story there. It took about two months to write the original story, then about another month of editing. I put the story on the side, not sure what I wanted to do, and a few months later I re-read the story, edited some more and asked a few friends to read and give me their opinions. After they got back to me with their opinions, I decided to take the leap and submit. Beyond A Proposition wasn’t part of any earlier story I had written, but I could never say some pieces of the story didn’t come from some daydreams/fantasies I may have experienced.
Did you have to do a lot of research into the rock lifestyle for your book? Was your character singer Will Savage and his band Ten and Five based on real life people you knew?
I really didn’t do much background research into the rock lifestyle for this story as having a musician as a family member and having friends/acquaintances who are musicians as well, I found I knew a lot of basic information I had obtained over the years. More than I realized. With the setting of the story more on the outside of the rock lifestyle looking in, I found I only needed to ask a few questions and luckily for me I didn’t have to go very far to ask questions and knew I would receive a brutally honest response. (I do so love my brother-in-law and his friends for being my rock encyclopedia). Will and his band Ten and Five weren’t based on any one person or band, but on a compilation of all my favorite characteristics of many different musicians and bands.
Were you also influenced by some of your favorite rock artists in developing Will’s character and his band? If Ten and Five were a real band who do you think they would most resemble in music today or in the past?
Oh definitely I was influenced by my favorite musicians; you hear gossip, you hear stories, and sometimes a tiny little thing sticks with you, intrigues you and incorporates itself into your writing. I have had the opportunity to meet some of my favorite musicians and there was one I was particularly impressed with, I found his personality off stage and his “family man” charm to be intriguing and enchanting, and actually found myself wondering where I could find one like him, seriously, LOL. The “family man” charm I witnessed wrapped around the musician became the catalyst for the ending of the story, for determining what I wanted to achieve and where I wanted the story to end. Will’s character is an eclectic mix of my favorite physical and personality traits of the musicians I like.
Hmmm… Ten and Five would probably resemble a cross-between Breaking Benjamin, Shinedown, Nickelback and my brother-in-law.
Tell us a little something about yourself.
Me? Really? I am liable to scare people away…I will be short and sweet, lol. I am a simple mom, working and raising kids trying to make ends meet. I write stories and poetry when ever and pretty much where ever I can. I love nature and would prefer to sit outside in the sun then go to a club or bar.
Tell us something about you that would surprise us?
I am my own handyman, fixing most of the problems I encounter with my house/car on my own.
I know I am putting you on the spot — but who are your favorite bands or singers? Did you ever aspire to be a musician or singer?
No problem, no spot, I am pretty open with my favorite bands and anyone who follows me on twitter will know who my favorite is. I am a big Nickelback and Breaking Benjamin fan. I am a huge fan of my brother-in-law and would have to say he rates number one. I also like Seether, Papa Roach, Shinedown, Three Days Grace and Cherry Suede, and many others. I have never aspired to be a musician.
I have absolutely no musical talent. I do own a harp and wanted to learn how to play, but my ten thumbs on all those strings is really beyond my coordination level, thankfully the harp is the one instrument, no matter how badly you play, always sounds nice. Never wanted to be a singer either, I am tuneless. LOL. I sing in my car, around the house, but I am terrible…. I send the dogs into crouches howling at me, the kids run into other rooms begging me stop and the birds all fly quickly out of my yard squawking.
How has where you live — Harveys Lake, Pennsylvania — influenced your writing?
Harveys Lake has had some influence on my writing. The lake here is beautiful and draws a large summertime crowd. I like to people watch, and pick up on things I hear someone say or something I saw someone do which leads to the creation of a character, a trait, or a poem. The natural beauty of the lake and the surrounding mountains has featured in a lot of my poetry.
Have you always wanted to be a writer? Did you write a lot when you were younger?
I have always wanted to write and to be a storyteller/poet. The need was always there, although sometimes it sat on the back burner, simmering. I wrote a lot of poetry and short stories when I was in high school.
What about writing erotic stories intrigues you? Is this your first time writing in this genre?
What intrigues me the most in writing erotica is incorporating the physical into the story and having the physical relationship be pertinent to the story. In real life, in my opinion, the physical relationship plays a large role in the development of the emotional relationship. I enjoy the challenge of showing the physical as a necessity in the development of not only the emotional relationship, but in moving the story along. And of course, coming up with varied intimate scenes, is always a plus. This is not my first time writing in this genre. I have written a few erotic short stories, and many poems, I also have a regency romance sitting on my computer begging me to do some editing.
What do you think your book explores about the nature of love, sex and rock and roll? Do you think that the proposition or challenge that your characters face in your book — fidelity in the face of so much temptation — is common?
I think the story explores or perhaps shows musicians need personal relationships in their lives, like everyone else. All the fame and fortune a person achieves does not alleviate the loneliness of not having a personal relationship, and of having one person to confide in, trust in and accept you for who you are, not what you do for a living. I do think there is much temptation in rock n’ roll, and it is very common. I think some musicians struggle with the temptation, and not just national acts. the temptation lies with all musicians who play in public. Again, I have seen both sides, the side of a fan who loves to interact with her favorite musicians and the side where sometimes a fan causes issues in a personal relationship, unintended or intentional and yes, there are those who do try intentionally.
Some musicians embrace the lifestyle, and love the accessibility of temptation while others settle down, but the temptation is always there in the background. It takes a strong person to not fall for the temptation, and to keep it from interfering with their personal relationship. A strong partner and a strong relationship is necessary to deal with all the pitfalls and highs encountered by simply being a musician. I give huge kudos to those musicians who have been able to keep their personal relationships in tact.
How much are you like your character Skye Kavanaugh?
I think there are always little pieces of yourself in any story you write, in any character. When I developed Skye’s character I took aspects of my personal life and those around me and combined them to give me Skye. I would never say Skye represents me…she is way more outgoing then I could ever be. LOL.
How do you come up with your characters? Were and are they composites of people you know or knew?
I pick apart people I know or see. I use their characteristics both physical and personality wise to piece together my characters.
Do you find yourself at times — as many of us writers do — coming up with whole scenes of dialogue for your characters in your mind at the most inopportune moments? Do you characters speak to you, even changing your story as you write?
Many times I have emailed myself from work or used a napkin to write something on, called my answering machine and left myself a voice mail. Now with the cell phone I am a big user of the notes section, and I have even pulled over on the side of the highway during rush hour just to write down what was filtering in my brain before I lost the train of thought. My characters do speak to me, sometimes they roll off the page and argue with me too. They want to go in a different direction than originally intended and I have to adjust to the way the character needs/wants to go.
Do you think the locations depicted in your novel have an impact on the characters and your book’s overall themes?
I think some of the locations enhance the theme of trying to keep things separate, which is really a difficult thing to do, and also shows the difference in the lifestyles the two characters lead.
What was the most difficult aspect of writing your book? Was it capturing the rock lifestyle accurately? What about the erotic scenes? Were those difficult to write? Do you get a lot comments from people wondering if your erotic depictions are influenced from your real life?
The most difficult part of writing the story was making sure I didn’t have any holes in my plot. I shied away from too much information of the rock lifestyle in this story, leaving it implied more than shown, so the reader could elaborate in their own mind just what might be happening, going on when the main characters weren’t together. Similar to how Skye saw the lifestyle, not really as an insider, but not as an outsider either. I don’t find the erotic scenes difficult to write at all. I enjoy writing them, coming up with different ways, descriptions. I have had a few people ask me if I was describing my personal life, experiences, and my answer is, it is just a story. LOL.
Tell us about your experience with Lazy Day Publishing? Have you been influenced and supported by the founding authors whose books helped launched the company in December? What have you learned from them and from your publisher?
Lazy Day was great, I had no problems with them, I found them to be informative, helpful and understanding. I look forward to working with them again. I have talked to a few of the founding authors online and have enjoyed the camaraderie and support they express for other Lazy Day authors. I have learned the process of publishing is a lot of work; your job doesn’t end just because you finished writing your story and the story will be published. A whole new job of promotion and marketing begins.
You also write poetry. What is about creating poetry that intrigues you? Was it joining a poetry workshop that gave you the courage to share your work and eventually submit your novel?
I love using words to create an emotion, to tell a story, to snare you and pull you in, and I love the differing opinions on what each piece may mean. Part of the beauty of a poem lies in the individual interpretationsof the poem. Poetry also means you play with words, find the best match possible, you have to look for rhythm, rhyme, and formulate the lines in a way to have the most impact on those who read them and I love the challenge. To be honest I love words. If I could marry them and live happily ever after, I would, (wink, wink).
My poetry workshop played a large role for me in submitting my work. They encouraged me, helped enhance my craft and become a better writer and were always supportive of each other. There was none of the negative criticism you see so much on the Internet boards, always friendly constructive criticism which is necessary for beginners to flourish. Through the poetry workshop, their encouragement, support and challenges, I began to submit my poetry to various e-zines and from there I developed enough confidence in my work to take a chance and submit my story. I have experience from my poetry with submissions and rejections, I have had my fair share of rejections, and I understand how the process works and have grown more adept at handling the criticism and rejections. Of course it still stings, how can it not? But I have learned tastes differ from editor to editor, publisher to publisher, and receiving a rejection of a particular piece does not mean I should throw the piece away. It just means dust myself off, take a second look, and try again.
What authors have most impacted your work?
I love Johanna Lindsey, Stephanie Laurens, Debra Dier and Julie Garwood- I am a romance novel freak. Been reading them since middle school…I would someday love to be able to convey a story on a similar level as them.
How have social networks like Twitter changed your life as a writer?
A whole new world opened up. The connecting, the socializing, the help offered by other authors/poets and just the friends I have made along the way has been a blessing. I met my BETAs on the net, and don’t know what I would do if I didn’t have them.
When did your fetish with Peanut M & Ms start?
Way back, when I was little, in first grade, they are my comfort food and I could eat them all day long, although my teeth wouldn’t be happy if I did. (shhh…I could eat a big bag or two or three a day and still want more.)
Do you have any writing rituals? Have you ever had dreaded writer’s block?
I don’t have any rituals per se. I just go with the flow. I can write in the dining room, outside, in my bed, I move around lot, if one area isn’t working for me, I will go sit somewhere else.
Writer’s block, yuck! Yes, I had a bout of writer’s block very bad once, too many personal issues collided and my mind went blank. One of my poet friends suggested free writing; nothing special, just writing, describe your surroundings, detail what you are seeing, making sense doesn’t matter just as long as you write. After a few sessions of free writing, I was able to overcome the block, and found I had written some good ideas and lines down in my free writing. If I don’t have a story or poem sitting on my brain, I will free write just to make sure I am writing something every day.
What captivates you about writing?
I love to get lost in a story. When I write I want to give others the same opportunity, to get lost in the story for a few hours, to have real life fade away. For the time you are reading the story, you have no fears, no cares, it is just you and the characters coming together. Creating the atmosphere leading to the losing of self to the story is what captivates me. It is what I want to accomplish, and hope I do.
What did you learn from the writing and publishing of your book that you will apply to your future books?
Besides the fact I am addicted to editing. LOL. I learned I overuse certain words without realizing, like “that” and “was” and now I am aware of the usage I check my stories for the same. I also learned marketing and promotion are key factors. I had never done either before. It’s a new experience and one I am still learning.
Are you intrigued to be a part of this new publishing revolution of e-books?
I think the e-book revolution is great, and I am thrilled to be a participant both as an author and as a reader. I think, especially for the genre I write in; the e-book for pc, Nook and Kindle has made the accessibility to the genre easier and opens up a large group of readers. I hope more kids will read books because they are more accessible now, and they can carry hundreds with them in such a small device. My niece loves her Nook and takes it with her everywhere.
When your book was finally published did it feel like the culmination of a life-long dream?
Yes, it was awesome. Overwhelming.
If you were doing it all over again, what would you do differently?
Nothing. It was a learning experience and we all need those to grow. I am pleased with how everything went, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity do it all again.
Are you working on your next book or books? What can you tell us about it? Will Skye and Will have further adventures?
As I was working on this interview today (May 12), I received word from Lazy Day Publishing that they accepted my second story for publication and release in July 2011. It is so exciting… I am three-quarters the way through writing my third. My second story is about Will’s younger brother Clay who is also a musician and the story involves the issue of abuse and stalking. Both Will and Skye make appearances in Clay’s story. Whether or not Will and Skye themselves have further adventures I am not sure at this time, but is always a possibility.
What advice do you have for aspiring writers?
Never give up. Read and read and read, then edit and edit and edit and never stop learning. If you receive a rejection from one publisher and/or agent remember there are lots out of there and opinions do differ between publishers and editors, what one does not like another might and always ask someone to read your work, critique for you before you submit.
What do you hope readers take away from your novel?
Divorcee’s can find happiness again, musicians need their personal relationships just like you and I. Seriously, my biggest hope is the reader enjoyed the story and during the time they were reading they were able to lose themselves inside the story.
Where can readers learn more about you and your book?
The following are links where you can find me:
Website: http://www.raespencer.webs.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rae-Spencer-Author/154532781262543 Twitter: http://twitter.com/ceruleanmist
George, I want to thank you, not just for the interview opportunity but for all the support you show to me and your fellow authors, I appreciate all you do very much. You are a truly wonderful person… thank you!
What follows is a short excerpt from Rae Spencer’s novel Beyond A Proposition. Enjoy. Be sure to buy her novel on Kindle or other Internet retailers.
*****
She glanced around the suite, it had a mini kitchen and living room area, and to the right was the bedroom. Comfy. She looked at Will; his blue eyes alight with curiosity. Her second mistake. Skye gulped a few times, closed her eyes. What was she going to do?
Will stood up and walked over to stand in front of her, “What did you want to talk about?” he asked, his fingers brushing her cheek.
Skye snapped her eyes open, took a step backwards. She had to keep distance between them. Her nerves fired on all cylinders, her body heating up being this close to him; his fingers – heaven.
He looked at her questioningly, but didn’t take a step closer.
“I’m sorry, Will, I can’t do this,” Skye whispered, turned and fled toward the door.
She never made it.
Will grabbed her waist turned her around and pinned her against the wall. His body barely touched hers, but Skye could feel his heat, intoxicating to her long deprived senses.
“Why not?” he asked, watching her.
Skye gulped again, looking everywhere but at him. If he touched her, she would cave and in the end she would be the loser, she had already fallen for him. In a way he didn’t want.
“Skye,” Will said, “look at me, sweetheart.”
Skye still refused; he gently grabbed her chin and turned her head until she had no choice.
She gulped again, flames shot up her face.
“Why?” he asked again.
There was no anger in eyes, no aggression in his actions, just a simple question, one in all fairness Skye had to answer.
“This isn’t me,” Skye began, “I… I…”
“What do you mean?” he questioned, his eyes never leaving hers.
“I… don’t… do… this… I… mean… I…,” Skye stuttered, her hands gesturing.
“I know,” he interjected; his voice low, watching her every move.
“It is just…,” she trailed off; she couldn’t explain.
Skye couldn’t think with him that close. She couldn’t analyze. Right or wrong. His heat, his nearness, drove her insane.
“You have doubts?” he asked, his thumb brushing against her cheek again.
Skye nodded.
“I won’t hurt you,” he said.
Skye believed he meant it. Physically. Anyway.
“It’s not that,” she whispered, she wasn’t afraid of him physically, she was afraid of him emotionally. He was dangerous to her. The real her. The woman who existed beneath the body, he had a power she couldn’t explain.
“This isn’t me,” Skye said, before he could say anything else, “it’s wrong,” she finished, looking away from him. God his eyes drew her.
“What is wrong with two adults enjoying each other’s company?” he asked, his fingers slid down her neck to rest on her shoulder, his thumb brushing against her pulse, hammering in triple time giving her away.
“It…is…,” she stammered, his other hand slid up her side to rest close to her breast, which responded.
“It is what?” he whispered, his head lowered toward hers.
####
Kindle Sales Rankings for Lazy Day Publishing’s E-books for 5/13
Check out the updated Amazon Kindle sales rankings for Lazy Day Publishing’s books through May 13.
Alta Hensley is Lazy Day Publishing’s top selling author on Amazon Kindle for the second straight week with her novel Traditional Love.
A ‘Jeeper’ Wade’s novel Refired debuted on the list with an impressive No. 2 ranking just edging out the erotic anthology Deep in the Heat of Texas by authors Alta Hensley, Melissa Ecker and Amy LeBlanc, which finished in the No. 3 position.
Elaine Dyer’s sequel to her novel Mindset, Finding the Missing Pieces, also makes its first appearance in the rankings at the No. 16 spot.
Several other novels on the list also made impressive showings this week.
Rae Spencer’s novel Beyond A Proposition maintained its promising start taking the No. 4 spot.
Thomas Drinkard’s novel Piety and Murder jumped 11 spots to move into the No. 5 spot.
Liz Borino’s novel Expectations took the No. 6 spot while Elaine Dyer’s novel Mindset advanced three rankings to No. 7.
George Pappas’ novel Monogamy Sucks and Ava Riley’s novel A Lifetime to Find Love stayed in the top 10 in the No. 8 and 9 spots, respectively.
Melissa Ecker scored her second book in the Top 10 with her novel Mount Up finishing at No. 10.
Once again, this is not a definitive list as it doesn’t include e-books sales from Barnes & Noble.com and other Internet retail sites.
I intend to update these Amazon sales rankings of Lazy Day authors every week to track how our books are doing. Please feel free to share these rankings on other blogs or on your own blogs and Web sites, and on Twitter and Facebook.
You should click on the links below and buy the books from all of these talent authors. You will love their work.
GP
***
AMAZON SALES RANKINGS FOR LAZY DAY PUBLISHING’S BOOKS
May 13, 2011
Sales Rankings out of more than 800,000 books in Kindle store
1. TRADITIONAL LOVE, ALTA HENSLEY, RANKING #7,796 (released 12/1/10)
2. REFIRED, A ‘JEEPER’ WADE #13,877 (rel. 5/11/11)
3. DEEP IN THE HEAT OF TEXAS, ALTA HENSLEY, MELISSA ECKER, AMY LEBLANC, #14,085 (rel 2/14/11)
4. BEYOND A PROPOSITION, RAE SPENCER, #29,098 (rel. 4/20/11)
5. PIETY AND MURDER, THOMAS DRINKARD, #36,424 (rel. 12/1/10)
6. EXPECTATIONS, LIZ BORINO, #47,312 (rel. 12/1/10)
7. MINDSET, ELAINE DYER, #47,941 (rel 12/1/10)
8. MONOGAMY SUCKS, GEORGE PAPPAS #75,709 (rel. 12/1/10)
9. A LIFETIME TO FIND LOVE, AVA RILEY, #90,253 (released 4/6/11)
10. MOUNT UP, MELISSA ECKER, #92,195 (rel. 12/1/10)
11. DARK ROGUE, AMY LEBLANC, #98,588 (rel. 12/1/10)
12. SEDUCTION OF HONEY, ASH STERLING, #113,121 (rel. 12/1/10)
13. PULL THE TRIGGER, MELISSA ECKER, #126,972 (rel. 12/1/10)
14. FOREVER SUMMER, ELAINE DYER #138,082 (rel. 12/1/10)
15. BY SUNSET, TY LANGSTON, #147,859 (rel. 12/1/10)
16. FINDING THE MISSING PIECES, ELAINE DYER 151,010 (rel. 5/2/11)
17. A POCKETFUL OF SPELLS, ASH STERLING, #169,866 (rel. 12/1/10)
18. FEED THE FIRE, MELISSSA ECKER, #170,629 (released 12/1/10)
19. STEAM QUEEN, JACK HESSEY, #213,527 (rel. 12/1/10)
20. DREW IN BLUE, J.M. KELLEY, #292,558 (rel. 12/1/10)
21. THE SILVER CAGE, MIK WILKENS, #301,547 (rel. 12/1/10)
22. UNLIKELY LOVE, JOHNNY DRAGONA, #335,725 (rel. 12/1/10)
23. DECEIT, W.C. HEWITT, #413,105 (rel. 12/1/10)
24. JERICHO’S WALLS, MICHAEL BRET HOOD, #442,373 (rel. 12/1/10)
25. ON ANGELS WINGS, JACK HESSEY #471,262 (rel. 12/1/10)
* Please note that this list does not include rankings or sales from Amazon UK
List created by George Pappas, author of Monogamy Sucks
Kindle Sales Rankings for Lazy Day Publishing’s E-books for 5/6
Check out the updated Amazon Kindle sales rankings for Lazy Day Publishing’s books through May 6.
Alta Hensley regained her crown as Lazy Day Publishing’s top selling author with her novel Traditional Love topping the Amazon rankings again this week.
After one week in the top spot, the erotic anthology Deep in the Heat of Texas by authors Alta Hensley, Melissa Ecker and Amy LeBlanc was back in the No. 2 position.
Several other novels on the list also made impressive showings this week.
In its third week since its release, Rae Spencer’s new novel Beyond A Proposition continued with its promising start taking the No. 3 spot.
George Pappas’ novel Monogamy Sucks moved five rankings to move back into the Top 5 at No. 4.
Liz Borino’s novel Expectations stayed in the top 5 at No. 5.
Melissa Ecker scored three books in the Top 10 with her novels Mount Up and Feed the Fire also at No. 6 and No. 8, respectively.
Ava Riley’s novel A Lifetime to Find Love stayed in the top 10 in the No. 7 spot.
Jack Hessey’s Steam Queen cracked the Top 10 advancing three spots at No. 9
Once again, this is not a definitive list as it doesn’t include e-books sales from Barnes & Noble.com and other Internet retail sites.
I intend to update these Amazon sales rankings of Lazy Day authors every week to track how our books are doing. Please feel free to share these rankings on other blogs or on your own blogs and Web sites, and on Twitter and Facebook.
You should click on the links below and buy the books from all of these talent authors. You will love their work.
GP
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AMAZON SALES RANKINGS FOR LAZY DAY PUBLISHING’S BOOKS
May 6, 2011
Sales Rankings out of more than 800,000 books in Kindle store
1. TRADITIONAL LOVE, ALTA HENSLEY, RANKING #12,225 (released 12/1/10)
2. DEEP IN THE HEAT OF TEXAS, ALTA HENSLEY, MELISSA ECKER, AMY LEBLANC, #13,011 (rel 2/14/11)
3. BEYOND A PROPOSITION, RAE SPENCER, 28,736 (rel. 4/20/11)
4. MONOGAMY SUCKS, GEORGE PAPPAS #32,028 (rel. 12/1/10)
5. EXPECTATIONS, LIZ BORINO, #34,777 (rel. 12/1/10)
6. MOUNT UP, MELISSA ECKER, #43,487 (rel. 12/1/10)
7. A LIFETIME TO FIND LOVE, AVA RILEY, #44,057 (released 4/6/11)
8. FEED THE FIRE, MELISSSA ECKER, #48,115 (released 12/1/10)
9. STEAM QUEEN, JACK HESSEY, #54,589 (rel. 12/1/10)
10. MINDSET, ELAINE DYER, #56,991 (rel 12/1/10)
11. FOREVER SUMMER, ELAINE DYER #103,395 (rel. 12/1/10)
12. PULL THE TRIGGER, MELISSA ECKER, #109,375 (rel. 12/1/10)
13. DARK ROGUE, AMY LEBLANC, #134,871 (rel. 12/1/10)
14. SEDUCTION OF HONEY, ASH STERLING, #188,294 (rel. 12/1/10)
15. A POCKETFUL OF SPELLS, ASH STERLING, #195,312 (rel. 12/1/10)
16. PIETY AND MURDER, THOMAS DRINKARD, #217,294 (rel. 12/1/10)
17. BY SUNSET, TY LANGSTON, #222,070 (rel. 12/1/10)
18. DREW IN BLUE, J.M. KELLEY, #279,752 (rel. 12/1/10)
19. UNLIKELY LOVE, JOHNNY DRAGONA, #288,934 (rel. 12/1/10)
20. THE SILVER CAGE, MIK WILKENS, #289,729 (rel. 12/1/10)
21. DECEIT, W.C. HEWITT, #406,801 (rel. 12/1/10)
22. JERICHO’S WALLS, MICHAEL BRET HOOD, #417,842 (rel. 12/1/10)
23. ON ANGELS WINGS, JACK HESSEY #464,525 (rel. 12/1/10)
* Please note that this list does not include rankings or sales from Amazon UK
List created by George Pappas, author of Monogamy Sucks
Sexy Blog Post by Indigo Skye “How Give Great Phone”, an Excerpt of her hot novel “Her Captive Muse” and a cool book giveaway
Today our Indigo Skye blog fest continues with her guest blog post “How to Give Great Phone: The Dos and Don’ts of Mind Blowing Phone Sex,” an excerpt of Chapter 5 from her novel Her Captive Muse and a cool book giveaway. Indigo is giving away two copies of her book to those who comment on her excerpt or guest blog. We will be announcing the winners on Friday. Find out more about her in yesterday’s interview on this blog and on her own blog Indigo Skye: Ink and Art.
Enjoy.
GP
How to Give Great Phone: The Dos and Don’ts of Mind-Blowing Phone Sex
As a professionally trained phone-sex goddess, I know all the dirty tricks of the trade. Nothing spices up my day like a hot, impromptu phone-sex session with my man. If you’re in a long-distance relationship, it’s essential to bone up on your skills at the art of talking dirty. It can also be a sexy way to tease your lover while he’s hard at work. Please note that this is powerful magick, and it’s not to be taken lightly. Don’t be surprised if the response you get is immediate — it just might make him hurry home to fuck you on his lunch break!
One sure-fire way to drive my man wild? I call his cell, in the middle of an ordinary day, and start to tell him what I’m wearing. I let him know I’m all wet from thinking about him all day, and that I just can’t wait any longer.
“I have to come right now…and I want you to listen very carefully,” I tell him. “I’m going to put my hand down my panties…I’m all wet down there. I just have to touch myself…I can’t help it. You don’t mind, do you?” I’ll ask in a sexy purr.
Another fun and fabulous idea is to flirt on the phone, making his fantasies come to life.
“Pretend we just met…” I might say. “Ask me out for a drink, and then we’ll meet up later so I can fuck your brains out.”
Role-playing can be a great way to get the party started. Maybe you’re a naughty nurse, and he’s feeling under the weather. Maybe he’s a hot priest, and you’ve got a sexy confession to make. Or he’s a cute schoolboy with a crush, and you’re the hot young teacher who wants him to stay after class for detention.
“You’ve been a very naughty boy. I’ve seen you looking up my skirt in class, and I’m afraid I’m going to have to punish you…I think you should stay after school today. I want you to clean the chalkboard, and I’ve got a dirty little pussy that needs to be licked clean, too…” I’ll begin, knowing it won’t be long before I’m living out my fantasies with him in bed.
Phone sex can be a lot of fun, and it’s a great way to get closer to your partner by sharing your deepest fantasies in a safe and sexy arena where anything goes.
Tech savvy? You can use your Blackberry, phone or laptop to get him all hot and bothered. Make sure he’s thinking of you all day with a naughty text, email, or voice mail message! Send him a hot photo, or a horny text, to help get things started. Even something as simple as, “Thanks 4 a gr8 time last night…” or “What R U wearing?” can get his motor running. Try emailing him a dirty little fantasy, or a link to an erotica website that turns you on.
A Few Crucial Notes: Dos and Don’ts
DO remember the crucial role of lubrication, when engaging in marathon phone-sex sessions. My first few days on the job, I was so turned on that I was constantly touching myself. I masturbated so often and so fervently that my pubic hair hurt. Definitely a buzz-kill! Learn from my painful experience and keep plenty of lube at the ready.
DON’T forget — Many men can be scandalous motherfuckers. Don’t send naked photos of yourself to anyone but a trusted partner who will not share them with anyone, or post them online for the enjoyment of 400,000 of his best friends.
DO take your time.
DON’T rush into it. Let the suspense build; start slow and build the call to a climax — at your own pace. This can be especially helpful if you’re nervous, or shy about doing this.
DO share a sexy pic. Men are stimulated by images. If you want to send him a sexy photo without risking maximum exposure, what about a close-up of your face, or a hot image you’ve found online? A simple photo of a flower, or a work of art, can be very erotic.
DON’T be shy. When talking dirty, try to paint an image in his mind. Share a fantasy, using your sexiest voice, and don’t forget to add lots of juicy details, sound effects, and rich description.
What follows is an hot excerpt of Chapter 5 entitled “Nervous” from Indigo’s sexy novel “Her Captive Muse.” This peek at her novel should give a enticing taste of her sexy and erotic writing.
Here’s a blurb describing her novel: When Brendan Delaney answered an ad for an artist’s model, he was looking for an easy way to earn some extra cash. But Morgan Roan wanted more than just a model. Soon, Brendan finds himself caught in a web of deception and desire, lust and betrayal—her captive muse. What price pleasure?
Chapter Five
Nervous
“I’ve wanted to fuck you since we first met,” Morgan said. “That’s one of the main reasons I hired you.” She stripped off her silky gown.
“Why didn’t you mention that in the interview?” He tweaked one nipple. “I would have jumped you then and there.”
“Oh?” She raised a brow and gave him a skeptical look, as though she suspected he was just being kind.
“In a heartbeat.” Brendan grinned and kissed her again. “But you were such a bitch! I thought you hated me or something.”
“I can be a bitch. Especially when I get nervous. That’s when the claws come out.” She raked her nails down his chest, and he shivered. “My shrink says it’s a defense mechanism.”
“I make you nervous?”
“That’s one way to put it.”
“Do I?” He nibbled at her throat, sampling the delicate flesh there. She tasted of jasmine and smoke.
“Yes.”
“Good.” Brendan smiled and gave her a lingering kiss. “You make me nervous, too.”
“In a good way?” She wrapped one of his curls around her finger and gave it a little tug.
“In the best way.” God, she made him horny.
“You should be nervous. You have no idea what I’m capable of.”
“I can’t wait to find out.” Brendan tried to keep his words light, but a tremor of uneasiness broke through. He’d been around the block a few times, but he sure as hell wasn’t Dong Juan. He had a few moves—strictly amateur—a little experience, and a whole lot of enthusiasm. But Morgan was older—more sophisticated than the girls he’d been with in the past. Plus, she had tons of money, was famous, and wicked kinky. The Jim Morrison of the art world.
He knew her dark desires before they ever met—you could tell just by looking at her paintings. He’d studied them in Modern Art 101. Her typical subjects were fragile young men chained to beds or bound on their hands and knees. He remembered their bodies—thin and bruised and beautiful anyway—as if they’d been beaten with whips and chains. Beautiful…in spite of the pain or because of it. She took their scars and made them sing—made them shine. It was her gift.
She eats guys like me for breakfast. Morgan reminded him of the praying mantises he’d seen on the nature channel. What if she broke out the whips and chains and hot candle wax and shit? Could he ever hope to please a woman like that? He didn’t know, but he was determined to try.
“Tell me something.” She broke away from his embrace in the middle of a very hot kiss.
“What? Ask me anything.” He was rock-hard and more than a little distracted.
“Have you ever done this before?”
Fuck. Busted. “What, kissing?” he asked. He laughed, tried to sound casual. “Sure.”
“No—have you ever had sex?”
“Yeah.” He worked to keep a defensive tone from creeping into his voice. When she stayed silent, he pressed her. “Why? Am I doing something wrong?”
“No. Just—you seem shy. Nervous. I don’t know.” She shrugged.
“I’m just trying to take it slow.” Brendan stroked the curve of her hip. “I don’t want to scare you.” He bent to kiss her breasts again.
She laughed, hard and loud. “You’re not going to scare me.” She shoved him back down on the bed and straddled his hips. “I might scare you, but you couldn’t scare me if you tried. Anyway, I don’t want you to scare me.”
“What do you want?” He bucked his hips beneath her, horny and impatient. “I’m not psychic.”
“Just be sweet to me—and fuck me all night long.” She ran her long fingers down his chest toward his cock. “Can you?” she asked. “Be sweet?”
“I’ll fuck you until you scream. I’ll stay in bed with you all weekend—never mind all night. But sweetness?” Now it was his turn to laugh. “I can try. But I gotta warn you, I’m not very good at sweet. If you’re after sugar and spice and everything nice, you might have the wrong guy.” Brendan smiled and pinched her ass.
“You’ll learn,” she said. “The willingness to try is everything—in life and in art.”
“If you say so.” His cock jumped at her feather-light touch.
“I do.” She grinned and stroked him harder. With one cool hand, Morgan grasped the base of his shaft. She slipped a condom over the tip and rolled it down the hard curve of his cock. Morgan kissed him, pressing her breasts against his chest. She rubbed up against his body and spread her legs wide. Her cunt opened for him like a flower and he eased his cock into her tight little slit.
She took just the tip at first, refusing to lower herself farther onto his aching shaft, the little tease.
“Beg me for it.”
“Please. Please fuck me.”
In the next breathless moment, she embraced it all. So hot and wet—goddamn! Brendan gasped in pleasure. Morgan’s pussy gripped his shaft with surprising strength when he tried to pull out.
“Wait, not yet.” Morgan ground her hips against him in a hypnotic figure eight—the symbol of infinity made flesh. Brendan closed his eyes and bit down hard on his bottom lip. He took a deep breath, trying to control his wild urge to flip her over, take control, and fuck her brains out.
In his mind, Brendan went to the beach. Silky white sand sifted beneath his bare feet. The wind blew his hair back from his face—he could almost smell the salty tang of the sea. He sighed. California—always wanted to go there. Maybe someday. He felt the sun beat down on his face. Her pussy was so good—tight and hot—slick with her juices. The slow rhythm of her hips rocked him like gentle waves breaking against the shore.
Morgan closed her eyes and danced to some unknown drummer, increasing her pace until the gentle waves built into a tsunami. She rocked her hips back and forth, faster and faster. Brendan gripped her ass and thrust hard inside her cunt. He watched her face as she moaned and arched her back in the ecstatic release of her climax. The sudden, joyful spasm of her pussy muscles around his cock triggered his own orgasm. He emptied his balls—every last drop—and cried out her name. “Oh, Morgan, oh God, oh God, oh Jesus!”
After, they lay in bed together, sharing a smoke.
“Is it safe to say you had a religious experience?” She teased him about his earlier pleasure-filled shouts.
“Hallelujah. Amen.” He smiled and blew a lazy smoke ring. It hung in the air above them, twisted itself into a figure eight as it faded, and then dissipated. “That was fucking amazing.”
“That was amazing fucking,” she said with a crooked little grin. “Let’s go again.”
Erotic Author Indigo Skye Tells All in an Intriguing Interview; Leave A Comment and You Could Win A Copy of Her novel “Her Captive Muse”
Today I want you meet erotic author, poet, blogger and photographer Indigo Skye. Indigo, who lives in the American Southwest, had her first novel, Her Captive Muse, released by Noble Romance Publishers in January. Her work has been widely published online. Last fall, her short story “True Confession” was published in the anthology Uniform Behavior. Her short story, “My Demon Lover,” was recently featured in the Noble Romance Anthology, Red Roses & Shattered Glass. A full list of her published works is available on her blog, Indigo Skye: Ink and Art.
Indigo was kind enough to host an excerpt of my novel Monogamy Sucks recently on her blog. In this following interview, Indigo openly discusses the inspiration for her creating her novel and poetry, photography, where her erotic ideas come from, and what are the upcoming projects she is working on.
GP
Tell us about your debut novel “Her Captive Muse.”
Her Captive Muse is an erotic BDSM thriller, full of unpredictable plot twists. Brendan Delaney, the main character, is a junkie and artist’s model who meets his match in Morgan Roan. Though the two are polar opposites — he’s a small-time hood with big dreams, and she’s the Jim Morrison of the art world — Brendan can’t deny his attraction to her. He becomes ensnared in her world, her captive muse.
Morgan keeps him high on the purest dope he’s ever seen, and he learns to enjoy the life of a kept man. A combination of great sex and illicit drugs keep him interested in this relationship. Given everything he ever wanted, Brendan soon finds himself on a path to self-destruction. If your every wish was granted, would it destroy you or set you free? What price pleasure?
What were some of the themes you wanted to explore in your novel?
I have a dark side, and a very dirty mind. Happily ever after? Sorry, I’m not that kind of girl. This isn’t your typical romance novel. My main character Brendan is a heroin addict, so I found myself working with some intense, dark themes related to addiction, temptation, and recovery. I also explored the co-dependent relationships often formed when both parties are in the grip of a powerful addiction. She’s a classic enabler, a party girl who’s always offering him a joint, a line, a drink.
Brendan’s drug of choice is junk. Morgan’s is control. Nothing gets her off more than being in charge. She craves dominance, which leads her to take control in the bedroom. The book features some very kinky scenes that include spanking, bondage, and some very twisted fantasies and mind-games.
How long were you working on it? Is your novel derived from personal experience? Did you have to do a lot of research?
I’d say it took about two months to get the first draft down on paper. I kick it old-school, with a notebook and pen, scribbling all of my rough drafts in long-hand. Typing it, editing it, and getting it published took about six months.
I didn’t do a lot of research for this novel, per se, but I have read many books over the years which gave me helpful insights into the mind of an addict. Some of my favorites include Drinking: A Love Story by Caroline Knapp. Mary Karr’s heartfelt and gritty memoirs; as well as some classic Junkie Lit like Trainspotting, Candy, and Naked Lunch.
This book is wholly a work of fiction. I have never been a junkie, an artist’s model, or a rich and powerful dominatrix who makes men beg for the privilege of licking her pussy — but I can dream, can’t I? As I said, I have a very dirty mind. This story is wholly the creation of the twisted inner workings of my own fantasies, and is not derived from any personal experience beyond the occasional spanking.
Is there some of your character Morgan Roan in you? Where did the main character of your novel come from?
I think there’s a little bit of each of my characters in me. Morgan’s a controlling bitch, but she’s also an incredible artist — focused, brilliant, and disciplined. Some of the things she says about her art are a reflection of the way I feel about my work. I’m not sure where my characters come from. Are they a gift from the muses or my own twisted mind?
I have a very visual imagination. When I have an idea for a book, scenes unfold like mind-movies behind my eyes. I feel like the ultimate voyeur, watching and taking frantic notes on the peep show in my head.
You write about some taboo subjects in your novel such as BDSM. What fascinates you about such subjects?
I’ve always been a huge proponent of Banned Books Week. I tend towards the controversial, the edgy, and the dark. I’m allergic to safe topics and cliché characters. Predictable plots and stock situations make my stomach turn. I want to surprise you, make you think about uncomfortable things, and turn you on. If my work doesn’t offend someone, I’m not doing my job.
My work features hot, kinky sex between two consenting adults. Why should that be taboo, or even controversial? Consensual BDSM – with a partner you trust — can be an interesting way to explore (and alter) the power dynamic in a relationship. It also results in some smoking hot sex.
Love your book cover. Was it intended to evoke the classic pulp novel covers of the past?
The cover was designed by Fiona Jayde at Noble Romance. She also designed my banner for the book and my blog tour. I was grateful to work with such a talented artist. My work has a dark, noir feel. I’m glad Fiona picked up on that and created such a dynamite cover. It’s just what I had in mind, and she was wonderful to work with. She truly helped my vision for this book come alive.
How was the publishing process? Was it difficult?
The process of publishing Her Captive Muse was much easier than I anticipated. A friend passed along one of my short stories to Jill Noble, and she liked it so much she asked to see my manuscript. I put the story through a couple of rounds of edits and was really pleased with the results. I think the whole process has improved my writing, and has given me a deeper insight into how the industry works. The toughest part for me has been balancing my creative time with the business of writing — queries, editing, submissions, and marketing/promoting my work.
As reflected in your excellent and provocative blog, creativity is a driving passion in your life. What is it about erotic literature, poetry and photography that intrigues you? Do you see yourself as more of a writer and poet or as a photographer?
I thank you for your kind words about my blog, Indigo Skye: Ink and Art. It is an online exploration of the sensual in words and images, and an excellent outlet for my creative passions, no matter how dark and delightful.
Writer or photographer? I can’t separate myself into one category or the other. I’m such a visual person that my ideas appear as fully-casted movies, or images in my mind. I see them, hear them, feel them…writing them down or taking a photo is just my way of translating my soul’s mutterings into a form others can understand. And it is a woefully inadequate way — I know that. These little ditties are but a pale imitation of the symphony in my mind…
Have you always been attracted to erotic themes?
I’m a bad girl — I’ve always been attracted to the forbidden, the censored, the dark and the sensual. That’s what originally drew me to erotica. When I was ten years old, maybe eleven, one of my friends stole a couple of her dad’s Playboy magazines. I took one look and I was hooked. I thought, “People get paid to be naughty?” I couldn’t believe it. I wanted that job… and I’ve never looked back.
Tell us a little about your background. Where did you grow up? How long have you been writing and taking pictures?
I was born and raised in the Rockies. I’m a mountain girl at heart — cities don’t suit me at all. My soul needs silence, and wide open spaces, to thrive. I currently reside in the American Southwest, where I am inspired by the high desert and mountain landscape that surrounds me. I have been writing and taking pictures since I was a little girl. Art class was always my favorite subject. I loved getting messy and creating new things.
I got my first camera when I was nine or ten and have been fascinated by photography since. I was a photographer for our school yearbook in high school, and learned to develop film in a darkroom. When digital cameras came along, I had to have one.
The constant flux of weather and the changing seasons in this area have inspired some wonderful images. Georgia O’Keeffe is a huge influence on my work. Her flower paintings are so sensual and feminine. I wanted to create some similar photos in homage to her work, so I’ve done a series of close-ups of wildflowers and flowers growing in my neighborhood. Looking at these bright blooms from a bee’s eye view is very erotic.
Who are your favorite authors and artistic influences?
In writing Her Captive Muse, I was influenced by a number of films and books about recovery and addiction. Books by William S. Burroughs, Jack Kerouac, Jim Carroll, Mary Karr, Caroline Knapp, Luke Davies, and other authors who were brave enough to delve into the darkness inspired me to create this work.
Brendan is the classic underdog, the anti-hero you can’t help but love. In that spirit, I screened films about the guy from the wrong side of the tracks who somehow makes good – namely Ray, Walk the Line, 8 Mile, The Fighter, and Notorious. In each of these inspirational films, all based on true stories, the protagonist overcomes huge obstacles and (with the love of a good woman) redeems himself through the work that most feeds his soul.
When I read for pleasure, I enjoy autobiographies and journals of famous writer, artists, and musicians. Some of my favorite authors include Sylvia Plath, Isabel Allende, Alice Hoffman, Janet Fitch, Mary Karr, Anais Nin, Jack Kerouac, Maya Angelou, Edward Abbey, William S. Burroughs, Toni Morrison, Sandra Cisneros, and Zora Neale Hurston. Some of my artistic influences include Georgia O’Keeffe, Ansel Adams, Salvador Dali, Vincent Van Gogh, and M.C. Escher.
Your name is unique and interesting. Is there a story behind it?
I wanted a name which would reflect the source of my inspiration, as well as my dark and sexy side. I spend endless hours gazing at the sky of a summer evening, searching for shooting stars to wish on. After a little meditation on it, I chose Indigo Skye.
What role does body art play in your work?
Great question, George. I find body art very sexy. I’ve been toying with the idea for a short story about a tattoo artist who falls for one of his customers, a mysterious girl with a Mermaid tattoo. It’s still in the embryonic stage, so I won’t jinx it by saying any more…
I’m currently working on a novel (working title: The Oracle’s Embrace), about a common girl who becomes the Great Oracle of the Land of Nod. She falls in love with a tattooed sailor, much to the dismay of the noblemen of the kingdom. Calais is seen as a barbarian by some — but to Cyrilla, his tattoos make him uniquely sexy. I’m hoping to finish the manuscript this summer. I’ll keep you posted!
You also write short stories. Your short story “True Confession,” was included in the erotica anthology, Uniform Behavior. Tell us a little about that. Will we see a short story collection from you at some point?
I love writing short fiction, and I am planning to release a collection of erotica and poetry soon. Working with Lucy Felthouse, the editor of Uniform Behavior, was an inspiration — she has so much passion and energy for her work, and she’s very knowledgeable about PR and marketing. Her concept for this collection was to create a book of short erotic fiction about men and women in uniform. A portion of the proceeds from each sale is donated to the UK charity Help for Heroes, http://www.helpforheroes.co.uk. I was happy to be a part of this project — it’s such a great cause.
My story, “True Confession,” is the tale of Father Matthew, a young priest lured into temptation by a sexy Southern Belle. Charlotte’s a little older and a lot more experienced. She’ll stop at nothing to get what she wants.
How has social media such as Twitter and Facebook helped spread the word about your blog and your work?
I love me some Twitter. Don’t do Facebook yet, but I’m looking into it. I’ve got a great response to my work online, and have met some amazing people. Twitter is a great place to network with other writers and meet fans. It’s an amazing support network, as well – if I get a bad review, or I’m stressed about a deadline, I know my tweeps will send me a little online TLC to brighten my day. We promote each other, share ideas and contacts, and make each other laugh… join the party at http://twitter.com/indigoinkandart
Tell us something about yourself that would surprise us.
The last romance novel I read cover to cover was Gone With the Wind, when I was twelve. I read mostly literary fiction, Beat poetry, and the classics.
What do think is the most common misconception people have about you?
They identify me too closely with my characters, mistakenly thinking my own life experiences and personality were the inspiration for Morgan Roan. Let me say it again, for those of you who didn’t hear me the first time: Her Captive Muse is a work of fiction. I am not Morgan, and Morgan is not me. We might share a taste for spanking and bondage gear, but that’s the extent of it.
What does the future have in store for Indigo Skye? Do you plan a sequel or sequels to “Her Captive Muse”? An erotic poetry collection? A book of your photography?
D. All of the above! I’m working on several novels and short stories. I would love to publish a collection of short erotic fiction and poetry this year. I’ve even got a screenplay and a non-fiction project in the works. I hope to one day exhibit my photography, or do a book of flower photographs. I’m also branching out into other art forms, including painting and collage.
