Ringing in the New Year with Jorja Kish!

jorjakish@gmail.com

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Jorja parks her squeaky office chair in rural Ontario and is grateful to live the life she has now. Her days are usually filled with writing about hot, naughty scenes and tender moments between her quirky and sexy characters.

She believes anyone can fall in love and deserve their happily ever after. And when her world gets crazy, and it usually does, a strong cup of coffee can fix anything, add chocolate and she's ready to take on the world.

Yet, Jorja still finds the time to cuddle with her spoiled and lazy cats and manages to keep her boisterous family in line, well she tries.

Jorja loves to laugh and share her quirky personality with anyone who is brave enough to be her friend, because you never know what she'll do. One more thing, Jorja doesn't believe in goodbye, so instead she simply says take care and cheers.

His One and Only

The Lycan Princes 2

By Jorja Kish

Bookstrand

Theone is a prisoner at The Pleasure Dome on Voluptus Prime. He doesn’t know for how long he waited trapped in the tiny room, but being blind doesn’t help his situation. Out of desperation and guided by instinct, Theone contacts a stranger through his dreamscape, a man known as Kellan. He has less than thirty-two hours to get help or his captors will take him off world and disappear. Theone knows if he doesn’t escape with a little help, he’s as good as dead.

Kellan Scarzdale has been hopping in and out of men’s beds for as long as he can remember. But when he watches his best friend, Tynan, fall in love, the lion shifter wonders if Fate has a plan for him, too. Suffering from disturbing dreams of a stranger’s pleas, Kellan is jolted out of his nightmare with an urgent message from his on-again, off-again lovers, Ty and Ky. With no more than a name and a haunting memory of his last dream, Kellan travels light-years to the paradise planet Voluptus Prime in hopes of saving a man who stirs his inner beast.

One look at Theone huddled in the room where Kellan finds the broken angel, and Kellan falls hard for the man he rescues with the help of his friends, now ex-lovers, Ty and Ky. The numerous problems stacked against Kellan and Theone, from a debt manacle to deactivate, his shuttle exploding, escaping The Pleasure Dome undetected, and finding a safe haven somewhere on the paradise planet, are staggering. However, Kellan has a bigger problem, because in a moment of weakness he bites Theone and triggers his Mating Heat, binding him and Theone forever. Will their growing love keep them together, or will Fate lead them down separate paths?

Excerpt

His muscles rippled and flexed beneath the surface of his skin, just before his adrenaline spiked. The natural inclination of his body to prepare itself for combat was instinctual. That was the easy part. What forced his heart to skip a beat was the lone man in the vacant room. Kellan had never run from anything in his life, but in this moment he wanted to do just that, to turn around and run. Something stopped him from taking that step back. Conviction filled his hesitation, reminding him that he was the first man in his unit to dive into a situation.

His inner debate shuddered to a violent halt when the metal door slid open. It exposed a dimly lit hovel of grimy, hastily stacked crates and a huddled body that scrambled to twist into a smaller target. It stank of urine, blood, and fear. The terrified whimper from the little man tore a hole in Kellan’s rapidly beating heart.

Within his next breath, Kellan stepped inside and froze in the exact same spot he did when the stranger visited him in his dreams. He quickly scanned the filthy space and took that first step forward, hesitating and wary of an unknown source stopping him. His long powerful legs ate up the length of the small hovel before he dropped to his knees in front of the vibrating mass of cocooned filth.

Something broke in Kellan, something so deep and integral to his sanity crumbled from the sight of the tiny man shivering before his massive body.

“Please, don’t hurt me,” the bundle whispered, the voice garbled from the swollen mouth and finger bruised neck.

Kellan’s head dropped to his chest in fury. Tears hovered at the corner of his eyes from the voice of his broken angel. The crushing sensation in his chest left him numb. He was barely able to raise his head when another broken sob echoed into the storage space.

“No one is here to hurt you, angel. I’m here, it’s Kellan.”

He blinked back his tears and hushed the tiny man when he tenderly pulled Theone in his gentle embrace.

“No one will ever hurt you again, I promise you, Theone.”

Theone jerked from the sound of his name whispered. The tension in his body was so brittle.

Kellan feared Theone would snap in two with just a breath. Not knowing how to ease the fear he scented, Kellan merely held him and rocked back and forth, murmuring inconsequential nonsense. It seemed to work. He felt the tension slowly ease from the man’s pencil thin limbs.

“You told me that you would find me and you kept your promise, thank you,” Theone murmured against Kellan’s chest, tears falling against the scratchy surface of his tunic.

Kellan’s brain took a nasty dump on his senses, reeling from finding this man through a dream, considering he’d practically fled into the night on a rescue mission slapped together with duct tape and a prayer. He pulled away to peer down at his bundle.

“I knew you would come for me. I’ve been sending you dreams for so long, I knew you would find me.” Theone hesitantly touched Kellan’s tunic-covered chest with his swollen fingers.

For the first time in his life, Kellan was speechless from Theone’s soft confession. He blinked back his shock and tucked away his scurrying thoughts behind a careful expression. He studied the battered face carefully. Kellan hesitated before he gently pushed away the clump of hair that covered half of Theone’s face. The pouty curve of the man’s mouth stirred Kellan’s dormant cock. He flushed deep from the arousal that shook awake from a forced slumber. Kellan silently cursed, ashamed of his body’s reaction to his ward. Theone was his responsibility now.

Kellan softly gasped when a small delicate hand glided lightly over his chest, taking the time to feel the muscles beneath his tunic. A sweet smile curved around the cracked lips of his ward. The hand journeyed higher, inch by inch, until his fingertips carefully stroked the strength in Kellan’s muscled neck.

Kellan’s eyes briefly closed. He involuntarily shuddered from the soft exploring touch. The sweetest voice fluttered his eyes open.

“You are more than enough.”

Kellan gasped from the soft declaration. He tightened his arms around Theone, careful not to crush the injured hand that cradled between their chests. The simple touch of the stranger unleashed a maelstrom of shivers and awakening desires. He leaned into the questing hand that glided to his whiskered cheek, allowing a low purr to vibrate through his chest. A sweet giggle had Kellan smiling as the little hand stroked him like the cat he was.

“The hair on your face tickles my fingers and your purring is vibrating through me. You must be a handsome man.”

Kellan frowned and angled his head. He stared into the man’s vivid blue eyes, feeling the exploring hand taking the time to learn each dip and hard plane of his face. Kellan’s breath hitched in his chest when the pieces fell into place. The man from his dreams was blind.

Code Word: Prince

Blog Post

This past year changed me in a huge way.  I lost my job of fourteen years and I had piles of debt to pay, as well as maintaining my household.  I’m a single mom, even though my daughter is a young adult, it’s been the two of us for a long time.  Of course, I have my sister and her growing brood, who I love to pieces, yep even her hubby, but they have their lives and I have mine.  I’ve pretty much told myself over the many years that I’m going to publish one of my stories.  So, here I thought, this moment is my opportunity to do it.  The manuscript of My Everything was sitting in a folder on my hard drive and I took that leap of faith and submitted it to Siren Bookstrand, then promptly threw up and cried.

I realized that my safe bubble that I wrapped myself in during the numerous years of working at my previous employment prevented me from reaching out to make my dreams of becoming published true and real. So, now as I move forward in my new career the old shackles are gone and yes, the safety net is long gone too.  However, I’m free.  The bills are still there, and yes the debts too, but my optimism is still bright and my head is still filled with stories begging to be written and told.

This year my goal is to finish The Lycan Princes series, build my presence in the world of social media, finish a few stand alone novels that I’ve been tinkering with and start a new series that’s been swirling around in my imagination for a while.  And somewhere in between find another job to help pay the bills as I build my new career. It’s a lot to accomplish, then again in 2013 I accomplished a lot too.

So, if I did do New Year’s Resolutions it would be to keep writing, embrace the whole experience and enjoy the journey. Also, if I’m lucky, I just might have someone with me for the journey, because everyone can have their happily ever after.  Even me.

Behind the Scenes

Ø What inspired you to write your first book?

I’ve always had stories waiting  for their turn to be told and it wasn’t until I lost my mother quite suddenly that I had to immerse myself in my stories.  Perhaps it was a defense mechanism to shield all my pain, grief, fear and loss.  My mother’s death was an eye-opener that life is just as fleeting as it is vast.  I’ve always wanted to be published and I always said one day.  After my mom’s death, there was no more one day, but today.  So, I wrote and wrote and wrote some more and took that huge leap of faith and send my finished manuscript to a publisher.  From then on, there was no stopping me for taking another chance and run with it.

Ø What are your current projects?

Hmmm, I want to start a new series that has been brewing for a long while in my head.  I wrote a few chapters already to get a feel for it and I’m excited.  However, I want to finish The Lycan Princes Series, with the brothers and perhaps a spin off series with some of the minor characters in the series before I switch gears and try something a bit different.  I’m all about trying something different.

Ø Do you see writing as a career?

Most definitely!  Whoever thinks writing is frivolous, easy and a hobby, doesn’t understand the amount of hard work that goes into a well written and moving story.  It isn’t easy.  In fact, it’s one of the harder professions.  And yes, writing is a profession.  Each time I write, type, and scribble a word, sentence, or paragraph a part of me is exposed in my characters. It’s my time, efforts, sometimes, blood, sweat and most definitely tears that goes in each novel.  Vulnerability and courage is in every author who takes a chance and shares their stories to the world.  And everyday, I’m grateful to be vulnerable and courageous.  I love what I do.

Ø Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?

I was in third grade and I had a project to make a book about myself.  I loved the whole process of making the actual book out of yellow wallpaper pasted on cardboard from a box and glued together with blank pages inside to fill. I had pictures and drawing and little snippets about myself.  It was a fantastic experience.  Since then, I told stories to my sister and bff about alien invasions with some romance mixed in, to rock star fantasies (I was a pre-teen then and drooled over Duran Duran).

Ø Why do you write?

I love being swept away.  I love creating worlds filled with interesting people, and yes, each character in my novels are people.  I guess I want to give readers/people the moment to simply enjoy the quiet time that reading a great book gives them.  We are so busy with our lives that we need the time to slow down a bit and invest in ourselves.  When I get overrun I write and I read.

Ø How do you think you’ve evolved creatively?

My imagination is just as wild, if not wilder than before my first published novel.  I’m slowly learning the ropes, so to speak, about editing, and all the technical things that are involved, especially promotions.  I really do suck at promoting my novels.  I just feel awkward, like a big doofus. However, it’s part of the business and I’m just going to have to pull up my big girl panties and do the best that I can.  And as for the creativity side, I believe if a person doesn’t use it, they lose it.  So, my mind is constantly in a state of holy moly and what ifs.  If I think I can get away with an unusual storyline and make it believable, connecting to the reader then I’m all over it.

Ø What was the hardest thing about writing your latest book?

I started book 2 in my series before I submitted My Everything, and I just wrote the story.  Once my first book published and I got some feedback from my editor, I rewrote the second book and tried to fill in the holes in the story and make it better.  Then the reviews started to come in for my first book and some were great and others not so hot.  However, my willingness to learn and improve bunkered me against some of the less than stellar reviews and I worked hard to improve my second book.  I can’t please everyone, but I can work hard to improve my stories and make my characters meaningful to my readers.

Ø What books are you reading at present?

James Rollins is my go to author that I read in between reading erotic romances.  Sometimes, I reread his whole Sigma Force Series and his stand alones to cleanse my naughty imagination.  James Rollins is an amazing author. 

Ø Do you think that the cover plays an important part in the buying process?

I think the cover plays a part, but not the only part.  People in general are visual and our eyes are drawn to something interesting, unique, sexy and alluring.  So, if a book cover catches an eye and has that person look a little closer then there is potential of someone taking a interest.  A great book cover helps, but it’s all about how the story connects with the reader.

Flash Round

What is your most cherished possession?

I honestly don’t have one.  I lost pretty much everything from a home fire.  Everything from baby pictures of my daughter, my awesome comic collection, family heirlooms and beloved pets.  What I cherish is my optimism.  No matter how bad it was, I knew there was more of something better out there.  I just didn’t know when I’d get to embrace it.

How do you feel about being the center of attention?

I have one word and it’s Ack!  I’m easy-going despite being a tad shy when I first enter a new situation.  Once I start to feel comfortable, and it does take awhile I’m not so much of a goober.  I tend to ramble when I get nervous.  And something else that leads to the next question.

What makes you blush?

Okay, being the center of attention makes me blush and good-looking men.  Add the two together and I’m on fire and not in a sexy way.  Once I do get my fierce blushing under some type of control, I’m unpredictable.  I once blurted out something that I was thinking and boy did I blush!  I was at Starbucks with my daughter.  And a super cute barista was making our drinks and he casually remarked as he passed another cutie that nothing could get between them as he shimmied by.  Of course, I thought to myself, “nothing can get between you two but latex.”  Oh yeah, not only did I think it, apparently I said it too.  Yeah, fire engine red face, but from then on the same cutie always gave me a bit extra whipping cream and caramel in my latte and Frappacino.

How do you feel, generally, about the opposite sex?

Well, beyond blushing like a fool, I find men sexy.  Sure, there are many body types, but beyond the physical, men are sexy with their confidence, their masculine nature, and yet they be comfortable enough with who they are and be playful and giving.  If a man can make me laugh, then I’m one step closer to him. Then again, it’s been a while since I’ve last dated. (shrugs shoulders)

Do you have any irrational fears or phobias?

A: Yeah, Jaws totally warped my ability to swim in water that isn’t a pool.  If I can’t see the bottom clearly, then nope, not going to happen.  I’ll sweat it out in the sun and maybe drink daiquiris’ to cool off than swim in the ocean, river, and lake.  Irrational? You betcha!

What are you the most hopeless at?

Oh, this is easy-peasy, technology.  I love my computer, but “she” scares me, and don’t get me started with how to turn off the Xbox via the controller.  It has too many folders or what have-nots to open and buttons to push.  I’d rather get up and walk to the console and press the button that I know will turn off the bloody machine.

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