Aug 26, 2013

Into the Spotlight with Kayelle Allen!



Kayelle Allen is a multi-published, EPIC Award winning author. She writes Contemporary Romance, Gay Romance, Erotic Science Fiction Romance, Mainstream Fantasy, BDSM, and non-fiction. She likes to attend Science Fiction conventions, and has been a speaker at DragonCon, Outlantacon, and Gaylaxicon. Kayelle is the founder of the author-mentoring group Marketing for Romance Writers, and manages the successful Romance Lives Forever blog. She is a US Navy Veteran, and founded the graphics and eBook conversion company The Author's Secret. Kayelle is married to her personal hero, and makes her home in the southeast.


Keeper of My Pleasure



Rai trusts Koo to submit. To keep him, she must trust her heart.

A recent college graduate, Koo hires Rai as his attorney after thieves total his car and then dare to sue him. She wins, and takes him out to celebrate. Dinner leads to the hottest sex in his life, and a long-term relationship as her submissive. He adores the way she makes him feel, and the way she makes him burn. He longs to show her he has more to offer. He has a heart, and it's hers, if only she'll let him give it.

A successful attorney in her late thirties, Rai has a penchant for handsome young men with long hair. Koo, her newest client, becomes more than her usual boy toy. He likes being tied up and whipped, and he yields the way she'd always dreamed. But he has a future ahead of him, and she's a jaded lawyer. He wants sex, not love. Right? He wouldn't stay with her forever. She trusts him to submit. To keep Koo, Rai is going to have trust her heart.

Inside Scoop

Our hero willingly submits to his Dom lady love and all her toys in their BDSM play, including whips and bindings and more.

Trailer for Keeper of My Pleasure


Music is "Road Adventure" from iStockPhoto, used with permission.


Excerpt


This scene takes place in Rai Whethen's estate home. She and Koo Ayakura have spent the evening enjoying dinner, flirting, anticipating their session, and now it's time for him to perform for his mistress.

In Rai's bedroom, Koo stood before her. She'd stretched out on the bed and was watching him, hands tucked behind her head, legs crossed at the ankles.

"I'm ready to see you strip, Koo. Do you need music?" She lifted one eyebrow.

"No, mistress, but if you want music, I'll use it."

"Hmm." She picked up a remote and pointed it. A dance tune started, and she skipped it, listened a moment, and skipped again. Two more songs and she turned it off. "No. I only want you. No distractions. Strip for me." She tucked her hands behind her head again. Quite unlike her, she added, "Please."

Koo began by unfastening his hair. Straight, healthy, it reached halfway to his waist, and shone like raven's wings. He'd inherited it from his Japanese father. His Irish mother had imparted the splash of freckles across his nose and shoulders, and grey eyes. Rai liked his hair down, and he ran his fingers through the long tresses, shook his head, and let it fall.
Rai's eyes gleamed, and she licked her lips.

He lifted one foot at a time to unfasten the plain black shoes, and slipped them off, pulling off each sock. He crossed his arms over his chest, slowly opened them, and pulled his tuxedo coat down his shoulders. It slipped down his arms, and he caught it, held it, and then slid it all the way off and tossed it over the hassock.

He reached up to the front of the vest, unfastened it one button at a time, doing it as slow as he could, taking care to keep her gaze on his hands. He pulled it open, let it slip down his arms, and then caught it at his elbows. He crossed his hands over his chest, hands spread.

Rai pushed herself up, hands braced on the bed.

Koo opened his arms, and let the vest fall. He caught it, tossed it after the jacket.

He opened each button on the shirt with the same slow care. Rai tugged up her skirt, and sat with legs folded, watching him like a cat in front of a mouse hole.

He opened the cufflinks, slid them into his pockets, and then shrugged out of his shirt. He held the collar between his teeth, folded the sleeves, and laid it aside.

Rai chewed on a knuckle, but didn't speak.

He reached over his back, pulled off the T-shirt in one move, and cast it onto the pile of clothes. Bare from the waist up, he tucked his hands behind his head, lifted his hair, and let it fall over his shoulders. He'd always worked out; he also ran, and swam. He knew his body pleased women. But the way Rai looked at him, as if he were a tasty treat she craved... that made this more than a strip show. He was preparing himself for his lover.

Koo unfastened the waistband of his trousers, lowered the zipper, and then eased them partway down.



Read Inside Peek: Keeper of My Pleasure. This free eBook is nine pages of images and insight about the book and its creation. When you click the link, this will either offer you a download, or open in a new window, depending on your settings. To read it, you need Adobe Reader, available free. http://is.gd/meet_Rai_and_Koo



Aug 18, 2013

Superstar Sunday with Susan Hayes!





Susan lives out on the Canadian west coast surrounded by open water, dear family and good friends. She’s jumped out of perfectly good airplanes on purpose and had lunch next to royalty by accident. She’s worked for local law enforcement, been a freelance wordsmith and bakes what she claims are the world’s best double-chocolate & caramel brownies. She’s passionately in love with the written word (and a few of her more hunky creations.) Writing is her joy, her escape from reality and the only way she knows of to quiet the nagging harridan of a muse she claims the universe assigned to her.


ETERNAL BONDS



Duncan Masterson lives apart from his vampire brethren and has vowed to never bring another mortal into his dark world. Only his fiercely loyal human guardian, Jared Evans, knows the truth about who and what he is.

For nearly a century Duncan has held fast to his vow, until the day he finds the beautiful Tabitha Blacke lying dazed and bleeding after a rogue vampire attack. Duncan realizes he must break his vows in order to protect her from the evil that is prowling his territory.

When both Duncan and Jared find themselves falling for their lovely houseguest, they decide to claim her together, forging bonds that will change all of their lives forever.

As trouble draws near, their bond will be tested and sacrifices will be demanded of them all. The two men know they'll do whatever it takes to keep their beloved Tabi safe, but will their love be enough to see them through?


STORY EXCERPT

One minute they’d all been sitting around the table and the next minute Tabi found herself the filling in a man-sandwich straight out of her wildest fantasies. She dragged a hit of air into her lungs and caught the scent of both men as they surrounded her. Her breasts instantly tightened and her pussy tingled as she felt the hard, muscled bodies of both men press into her. Two hot, handsome bodies that had moved so fast they’d been a blur. That thought snapped her back to the present with a crash.

“Let me go!”

“No, lass. Not until you’ve calmed down.”

“You’re telling me to calm down again? Didn’t you learn anything from the last time we had this conversation? You can’t just tell me to be calm every time the weird-shit-meter hits eleven!”

She felt Jared’s chest vibrate with laughter and she turned her head to glower at him. “And you! Care to explain how you did that? No one moves that fast unless they’re from the planet Krypton!’

“Boss? I think we’re going to have to explain.”

“Indeed,” Duncan sighed. “Did you have to move like that? You scared her.”

“Me? You were the one who had her ready to bolt like a scalded cat!”

“Guys? Hello? She is standing right here and she’d really like some answers!” Tabi was getting tired of being talked about like she didn’t have ears. In an attempt to get some breathing room she worked a hand between herself and each of their chests intent on pushing them away, but the act of rubbing her way up their hard bodies started another line of thinking altogether. Her thoughts derailed into a pileup of hot fantasies and lust, and instead of pushing she simply left her fingers splayed across two solid walls of male muscle.

Both men pushed in closer, until she was caught between twin pillars of sex and heat that had her blood simmering and her brain mushy. Jared covered her hand with his so that it was held firmly just over his heart while Duncan turned her until his mouth could capture hers. This time his kiss was gentle, tender and intended to comfort, and Tabi was too overwhelmed by her desires to do anything else but tangle her fingers into Duncan’s shirt and pull him in closer as she answered his kiss in kind.

Jared lifted his hand from her shoulder to sweep her hair back from her neck, dropping delicate kisses along the edge of the bandage.

“Mine,” Duncan growled in warning and tugged her harder against him, pulling her a half step away from Jared.

“No,” Jared growled back and moved in behind her, sandwiching her between them.

Duncan lifted his head and Tabi gasped as she saw his eyes. They were incandescent, glowing so brightly that it was as if there was a fire burning inside him.

This time Tabi did push away from him, straight back into Jared’s arms.

“What are you?” She managed to keep from screaming the question at Duncan, hanging onto her sanity by the barest of threads. What the hell had she just been kissing?

Jared wrapped his arms around her and stepped back from Duncan, taking Tabi with him.

 “Boss, you need to chill.”

Who were these two, the masters of understatement? “No, he needs to stop growling and glowing and tell me what the hell is going on! And both of you need to stop kissing me until I get some answers. My brain doesn’t work well when it’s drowning in hormones.” Oh god, she just said that out loud.

“Hormones?” Both men echoed her last word and Tabi nearly screamed with frustration. 

“Out of everything I said, you two focused on that word?” she snapped and tried pulling herself out of Jared’s embrace. She managed to twist slightly, but that was all. He was impossibly strong.

“This is going well,” Jared quipped in rueful tones.

“You’re not helping,” Duncan snarled, revealing a pair of long canines as he ran a hand through his hair, pulling it out of its customary tie. His eyes were only glowing a little now, but Tabi was too busy staring at his mouth and fighting Jared’s hold to really notice.

“You’ve got fangs? When did you get fangs?”

“Oh yeah, this is going fucking brilliantly.” Jared tightened his hold on Tabi and dropped his mouth to her ear. “It’s all right, honey. Neither of us is going to hurt you, but you’re going to hurt yourself if you keep struggling.”

Tabi stopped trying to get away and went still, finally accepting there was no point, not when Jared was so much stronger than she was. “Answers. I want answers right now or I’m going to start screaming.”

“Sure thing,” Jared drawled and loosened his hold on her slightly as he nuzzled her hair. “Duncan there is a three hundred year old vampire and I’ve been his guardian and companion for more than seventy-five years. You got your throat torn open by another vampire, and that’s why Duncan had to bring you back here.”

She’d heard enough, these men were insane.


ADULT EXCERPT

Jared’s arms snaked around her and he half walked, half lifted her into shower. Her back was to his chest and the hot water hit her from all sorts of interesting angles as Jared’s lips found her ear and he nibbled his way along the curve and down to her lobe. “You’re ours now, little mouse. That means we’re both going to take care of you, in every way a man can.”

“I’m going to have to quit my job just to have enough energy to keep up.”

Duncan leaned in and kissed her, his mouth warm and wet. “If it doesn’t make you happy, don’t do it anymore. I’d say life is too short, but the truth is life is too long for people like us. You have lifetimes to look forward to.”

“Lifetimes with the two of you.” The idea made Tabi’s head swim with the possibilities and her heart overflow with happiness. “I think I can handle that.”

“Good. Glad to hear it.” Jared nipped her earlobe lightly. “Now, shut up and kiss me too. We can talk later.”


“Pushy!” Tabi yelped as his teeth closed on her ear again and then he was turning her around to kiss her, his mouth plundering hers as his big body sheltered her from most of the pounding water. Dizzy from the heat and blood loss, Tabi swayed a little and Duncan’s arm curved around her waist and drew her up against him. “I have you, lover.”

“Hold onto her will you? I have a plan,” Jared grinned and began kissing his way down her body. His mouth suckled and nibbled at her breasts, feasting on them for a while before he moved lower, finally dropping to his knees so that he could kiss a ring around her navel before making his way down to her pussy. Her pulse was racing again and need was bubbling up inside her as she experienced the still new sensation of being with two men. Two sets of hands touching her, two beings devoted to her pleasure. The feeling was better than she could have imagined. The stubble on Jared’s jaw rasped over her inner thighs as he nuzzled between them, his hands gently but firmly parting her legs until she was completely exposed.

“This is a sight to welcome a man home,” he proclaimed before swiping his tongue over the length of her pussy, making her moan as sparks sizzled over her flesh at his touch.

He used his thumbs to part her labia and groaned with lust. “I may not be able to make you come just with a love bite, but I bet I can make you scream using just my mouth.”

“No bet.”

Jared’s only answer was a wicked chuckle as he pressed his face between her thighs and began to devour her pussy. Duncan’s arms stayed secure around her, holding her up as her knees gave way.

It only took a few flicks of Jared’s talented tongue for Tabi to know that the effects of Duncan’s bite hadn’t completely left her system. Her libido roared back to life with a vengeance, soaking her cunt and setting fire to her blood yet again.

“Jared!” The wail broke from her lips before she could stop it and she felt more than heard his satisfied growl of response. The world spun and Tabi closed her eyes and fought against the urge to get carried off by the storm he’d ignited. As he drew the delicate pearl out of its protective hood and captured it between his teeth a bolt of raw lust shot through her and she screamed again, her entire body shuddering as she came. She’d never been a screamer before, but with these two, she couldn’t seem to stop.

Starbursts were still dancing in her vision when Jared’s hands landed on her hips, both men turning her around so that she was bent over with her hands braced against cool marble and her feet splayed far apart.

 “Stay just like that.” Jared’s drawl was as thick as molasses, a sure sign he was not quite in control. She’d already learned that the stronger her men’s accents got, the hornier they were. Tabi smiled to herself as she braced herself and then glanced over her shoulder at Jared. His chest had a mottled bruise rising over one pectoral. “You’re hurt.” She started to move and Jared shook his head, his big hands clamping around her waist. “It’s already healing. Let me love you, Tabi. That’s the only thing I need right now. I need to be inside you.”

“Sexual healing is a song, it doesn’t work like that in real life,” she muttered as Jared draped himself over her to drop a path of butterfly kisses along her spine.

“It can work, when it’s the right people,” Duncan’s hands stroked up the underside of her body to cup her breast as Jared’s mouth continued to blaze a trail down her back. “When fate takes a hand, anything can happen.”

Duncan found her nipples, tugging and rolling them between his fingertips. Desire simmered and then flared and she leaned backward, pressing her ass against the steel shaft of Jared’s cock.

“Don’t tempt me,” Jared warned her as he smoothed a hand over the curve of her bottom, working his finger into the crack to press against her anus for a brief moment. “Tonight’s not the right time, but soon this pretty ass is going to belong to me.”

“Duncan’s right, you talk too much.” Tabi deliberately wriggled against him and grinned when she caught the sound of his breath hissing over his teeth.

 “You inspire me.” Jared placed his hands between her thighs and spread her wide, rocking his hips so that the tip of his cock brushed over her slick entrance.

BEHIND THE SCENES

Q: Do you have any unique talents or hobbies?

A: I’ve been trained in Cranial Sacral Therapy and several other alternative healing practices. By a quirk of fate, the few clients I have are almost all of the four-legged variety.
Q: What can we expect from you in the future?

A: I have two books coming out in September and a joint project planned with two other very talented authors that we hope to have organized up by late in 2013.

Q: What can readers who enjoy your book do to help make it successful?

A: Talk about it! This is my first year as a published author and the most amazing gift anyone who enjoyed my stories can give me is to recommend my books to their friends.

Q: How long does it take you to write a book?

A: When the stars align, the characters are talking to me and the muse is well caffeinated, I can put out a book in 6-9 weeks. Book length and reality can alter those numbers, but that’s my average.

Q: What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

A: I have an amazing boss who has given me permission to work on my writing when the office is quiet. (In exchange she gets a signed copy of every book I write.) So on any given day my work is a mixture of spreadsheets, invoicing & writing from the time I hit the office until the time I pack up and head home. After dinner I’m often back at the keyboard, writing until I hit my word count for the day.

Q: What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

A: I can’t write when it’s too quiet. I have to have background noise.

Q: What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?


A: I never realized how strong the characters’ voices would be. They have their own personalities and opinions on how their stories will unfold. Some days I feel like I’m just along for the ride.

Aug 12, 2013

In the Spotlight -Alanea Alder!


Welcome this Week’s Featured Author



CONTEST: Comment below for a chance to win an Arkadian Mug. Please leave an email address. Contest ends Saturday, August 17th at Midnight.


ABOUT

Alanea loves reading almost as much as she loves writing and can be found at any given moment either in front of the computer lost in her own world or on the couch with her iPad reading some of her favorite authors. She believes that love truly conquers all and that everyone no matter what, deserves a chance at that love and a place they can call home.

Fate Knows Best
Kindred of Arkadia 1


Rebecca Morgan thinks she knows what she wants out of life, until her life plan goes to hell in a handbasket. Now she is out looking for adventure. She just doesn’t expect to discover a shifter-only town and one six-foot-eight, grumpy, bear-shifting sheriff named Aleksander Arkadion.

Aleksander Arkadion only wants to date shifter females after working a brutal homicide case that has him returning to the shifter-only town of his youth. Which is why is he curious to discover a human in town and shocked when he realizes the tiny woman is his mate.

As the attraction between them grows, Aleks realizes that he can’t stay away from the petite female, but the realization may come too late. Although her body was never in any danger, he may have destroyed her heart by pushing her away. Now he has to convince his mate he really does want her while keeping her safe from rogue hyenas bent on taking her.

Excerpt

“Aleks, hey, buddy,” Liam said lazily.

“Hey, asshole,” Aleks replied sounding distracted.

“I just wanted to call and let you know that you’ll be picking up Rebecca at my house for your date.” Liam waited. Three, two, one and… He held the phone away from his ear at the roar.

“What the hell is she doing at your house, cat!” Aleks roared. Liam smiled. He was making this too easy.

“Well at the moment her luscious little self is in my shower and wait, yes, I smell coconuts. She’s bathing.” He held the phone away from his ear again at the roar, unaware that everyone had stopped what they were doing to listen.

“If you so much as lay one finger on her, cat, I will rip you apart.” Aleks growled.

“What was that, Rebecca, you need help getting into your dress? Don’t worry, kitten, I’m coming. Sorry, Aleks, have to run. Toodles.” He stayed on the line long enough for one last roar to come through before disconnecting the line.

He turned around whistling and saw everyone staring.

“What?” he asked

“Aleks Arkadion is going to kill you,” Ashby said, white as a sheet.

“No he isn’t. If he didn’t kill me for wrecking his Charger, he won’t kill me now,” he said sitting down on the sofa. He reached over and grabbed a magazine and started to flip through the pages.

“That was you?” Rian asked, his eyes wide.

Liam just chuckled.

* * * *

“Aleks. Can’t. Breathe,” Liam said as Aleks’s hand squeezed his throat.

 Aleks was surprised at the lack of interference he was getting from the pride. They just shrugged their shoulders.

“Ashby told him you were going to kill him,” Rian said.

“Where is Ashby?” Aleks asked, his hand still around Liam’s throat.

“He’s upstairs finishing Rebecca’s hair. Nicholas did her makeup. She put in a lot of effort for you, bear, so you better not fuck this up,” Rian said, his arms crossed.

Aleks raised an eyebrow. The pride seemed to be more protective of Rebecca than their Alpha, whom he had pinned to the wall by the throat.

“Oh for God’s sake, Aleks, let him go! You’ll upset Rebecca and ruin your evening before it begins,” Kate said, coming down the stairs. Aleks immediately dropped Liam.

“Kate, why are you here?” he asked.

“Why would I miss the opportunity for actual girl time? We don’t have much of that at the pack,” she said, swiping a piece of chocolate.

Aleks opened his mouth to say something when the door upstairs opened and Rebecca appeared at the top of the stairs. Her scent hit his nose, and he felt his chest constrict. How could he have possibly thought he could stay away from her? She made her way down the stairs with Nicholas and Ashby following behind her. She moved gracefully, and when she got to the bottom of the stairs, he got the full effect of the dress. It had tiny spaghetti straps that seemed to accent her shoulders. The black dress only seemed to display her creamy skin to its every advantage. The lone slit up one side was nearly his undoing. He didn’t realize he was growling until Liam hit him in the ribs. Rebecca just blushed and smiled at him.

“Ready?” he asked, holding out a slightly trembling hand. She nodded and moved forward, taking his hand.

“Goodnight, everyone, thank you, for everything,” she said, smiling at the room.

“Have her back before midnight, young man,” Liam said, standing in front of the pair.

“Out of the way, cat,” Aleks muttered. Rebecca stepped forward and gave him a hug.

Aleks growled. She ignored him.

“Goodnight, Liam.” She kissed his cheek. Aleks growled again.

“I’m serious though, if you don’t want to go back to the bed-and-breakfast we made up a guest room for you. That’s where Sebastian has been hiding. I let Leona know you may be staying here,” Liam said, smiling down at her.

“Watch him for me?” she asked. Liam nodded.

“Who’s Sebastain?” Aleks asked. Rebecca waved.

“Goodnight, everyone.” She started walking toward the door.

“Who’s Sebastian?” Aleks asked again walking out the door with his arm around her waist.


The Inside Scoop

Q. Thinking back on your first book, is there anything you would have done differently?

A. I probably would have elaborated a bit more with the ending.

Q. Has your perspective on the writing process changed since you became published?

A. Yes! I have realized that in order to write books you have to sit down and write. I’ve also learned that promoting and networking may be more important than the writing. As a good friend told me, you may have the world’s best book, but if no one knows about it, you’ll never be successful.

Q. Do you work best on a deadline, or do you need freedom from time constraints?

A. I work on a deadline that I create for myself, but don’t beat myself up if I don’t make it. I still work a full time job so I know that sometimes life happens.

Q. Is there a word or phrase you catch yourself overusing?

A. And then…

Q. How do you know you’ve written a good book?

A. When I can’t wait to re-read it for edits.

Q. How do you keep your characters and stories organized?

A. I have an excel spreadsheet divided up by group. It has helped a lot.

Q. Are you a Swooper (write first, edit later,) a Basher (edit each sentence as you go,) or both?

A. I’m a Swooper!- the only exception is when I come back to writing and I re-read the last few pages to get back into the story, then I edit as I read.
         
Q. What is the one thing you must have to be able to write?

A. I comfy chair and coffee/tea/red hots/candy.

Q. Did you have any bad habits when you began writing? How did you correct those habits?

A. I tended to head hop a bit. I’m working hard to avoid that now. I sometimes put the person’s name of the point of view at the top of the page. That has helped a bit.

Q. What are you currently working on? How is it different from other books you’ve written?

A. I’m working on an Arkadian book. It’s different in that there is no antagonist.

Q. Is there anything you haven’t written that you would like to try some day? Why have you avoided it in the past?

A. I’d love to try writing a paranormal mystery. I just haven’t had time to get to it.

Q. Do you have any rituals, habits, or superstitions about your writing?

A. I always reach for Red Hots candies when I get stuck.

Q. What types of scenes are your favorite to write?

A. I love the funny scenes. The crazier the characters the more fun.

Q. When and where can readers look forward to seeing you this year?

A. I’m actually taking a while to myself to really establish myself as a writer. I probably won’t get to any conventions until mid to late 2014.

Q. Do you feel there is anything the market is oversaturated with right now?

A. No, but that’s only because I don’t think you can ever have too many books…ever.

Q. How do you feel about the term “Mommy Porn”?

A. Personally I don’t like the term. I think it belittles the books that it is meant to represent. No matter what a person may think the word ‘porn’ carries a negative stigma, I would never want that anywhere near my writing. I take the time to make sure that if you took out the sex scenes out of my novels you would still have a good book.

Q. Do you prefer to write 1st or 3rd Person POV? Why?

A. I currently write in 3rd person, but would like to try a 1st person. 3rd person does help to keep me separate from how my characters would react.

Q. What do you feel are the most important aspects to a good romance?

A. That moment when one character realizes that the other person is their future.

Q. Are you always in the driver’s seat? Or do your characters drag you along for the ride?

A. I am not only dragged along for the ride, but they don’t care if they drag me through hedges, mud puddles or briar patches.

Q. What is your least favorite part of the writing process?

A. Starting. The first ten thousand words are the hardest for me, but once events start happening it’s easy for me to get the story out.


CONTEST: Comment below for a chance to win an Arkadian Mug. Please leave an email address. Contest ends Saturday, August 17th at Midnight.


Aug 11, 2013

Superstar Sunday with Skye Dragen!



Born to write legends in manlove, Skye is a full time writer living in a ivory tower. Though no dragons currently occupy the space, three werecats, a irritatingly chipper parakeet, and a very understanding partner in crime provide endless entertainment. You can  usually find her curled up in the den, watching bad reality TV,  and dreaming up her next set of heroes. She welcomes comments and questions from her readers on her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/SkyeDragen or just shoot her an email at skyedragen@outlook.com.

LEGENDS OF AVALON: DRAGON TAMER




EXCERPT

Aden seized one of the knights. Tjaden’s eyebrows furrowed. He clearly couldn’t see the error that had allowed Aden to claim his piece. He hadn’t deliberately sacrificed the knight, though he could have if he’d been paying more attention to the games.

Aden licked his lips in a reptilian fashion. “Remove your tunic,” he commanded. Surprise flickered in his expression before the defiance built in Tjaden’s gaze. Aden’s eyes narrowed and smoke rose from his nostrils in a darkening cloud. “As per our agreement. You owe me a boon for claiming a higher piece.”

A muscle in Tjaden’s jaw ticked, but he obeyed, unbuckling the belt at his waist before drawing his tunic over his head and then folding it neatly into a pile next to him. Aden was again struck by the human’s beauty. He was quite intriguing. The idea of keeping Tjaden as a servant appealed more and more as the game wore on.

Their game resumed, and it wasn’t long before Tjaden sat naked in front of their match, his clothing in the same neat pile that he’d started. His arrogance was fading in slow degrees with every advancement Aden made.

“Och,” Tjaden murmured under his breath. “You’ve quite a wicked mind, dragon.”

“And you quite a wicked body, human. We’re both paying for my curiosity.” The idea of distracting Tjaden had backfired. Aden was the one distracted by Tjaden’s naked flesh.

The first board was almost empty by the time Aden gave a slow, triumphant smile. “Checkmate.” A string of curses exited the human’s mouth that would’ve made a sailor proud. “Regretting your choice of game yet, boy?”

“Tjaden,” the boy said in a steady voice. “Tjaden or Moore, whichever you prefer. But I’m not a boy or a lad or anything resembling a bairn. I’m a man.”

Yes, yes you are. He wasn’t normally so intrigued by human nakedness. “Fine. Tjaden then.”

Their game resumed with two chess boards remaining. Then something surprising happened. Aden started to lose.

He frowned, studying the boards closely. He couldn’t figure out where the traps were, but he was certain they were there. Without intending to, he’d fallen into the mindset that Tjaden’s human inferiority would also make him an inferior chess player. Like poker, chess required a bit of bluff. I’m going to lose. Everything in him rebelled at the thought, but he could say with a reasonable degree of certainty that he’d been set up nice and proper. The little sneak had let him win the previous match on purpose.

He gritted his teeth, unwilling to let Tjaden know he understood his strategy. Maybe there was time to correct the boards...

“Checkmate,” Tjaden said, smiling softly.

His eyes zeroed back on the board he’d been ignoring while he tried to correct the third board. A low growl issued from his throat before he could resist it. He abhorred being bested by a human, even a handsome one. “Tricky, tricky, Tjaden Moore. I won’t underestimate you again.”

“You’ve already lost, wee dragon, and you know it.” The human sounded downright giddy as he spoke.

“The game has not concluded as of yet,” Aden reminded. However, the human was correct. He was going to lose. Sighing heavily, he pouted. It wasn’t the most dignified way to conduct himself, but it was the only way he could resist the urge to lash out in frustration.

When Tjaden called checkmate for the final time, Aden was unsurprised. It’s only one day. One day as a human being. I don’t remember it being too terrible of an existence. He comforted himself with the knowledge.

“Per our agreement, Aden Canicus, I command you to assume human form,” Tjaden said, staring up into Aden’s eyes.


BEHIND THE SCENES

Q: What can we expect from you in the future?

A: Definitely more Legends from Avalon, a new series called Sidhe Bound, a Steampunk novella called Clockwork Romance, and a full-length novel called Twisted Roses where all the fun legends from Legends of Avalon and Sidhe Bound come from.

Q: What can readers who enjoy your book do to help make it successful?

A: Leave reviews, spread the links, and let people know what you thought of my piece.

Q: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

A: I’ve wanted to be a writer since I could hold up a pencil in elementary school

Q: How long does it take you to write a book?

A: It really depends on the book and how well the words are flowing. Sometimes, it goes really fast and I can finish a piece in a couple days. Other times I will be working on a piece half that length and it will take four times as long.

Q: Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?

A: I am a little bit of a research nerd so I tend to do a lot of it. Sometimes a little piece of history or an odd fact will strike me and that will inspire a whole slew of new ideas.

Q: What do you like to do when you're not writing?

A: When I’m not writing I like to park my butt on the couch and watch TV. Right now I’m really into Under the Dome and Grimm.

Q: What do you think makes a good story?


A: A good story will take the readers on a journey. Even if it is a story purely for entertainment, the story should pull them along and immerse them in whatever situation your character is in.