Welcome back to Behind Closed Doors and another Throwback Thursday. This week I’d like to continue down memory lane with one of my favorite character interviews. As luck would have it, this interview was originally posted on October 20, 2012, just before the release of the second book in my Now and Forever series. Anthony Mancouso is the secondary character that just won’t stay in the background or on the sidelines. He has to be front and center and steal every scene he’s in. Because of that, I AM giving him his own book in this series. His story will be the only M/M erotic romance I write. I’ll leave the rest up to my alter ego Lia. 😉 I’ve decided to have Anthony be a permanent resident in Sassy Vixen Publishing’s Temptation Resort shared world series. More on that later. For now, let’s revisit with my favorite gay husband, Anthony.
Released November 2012
As most of you know by now,The Islandis a prequel to For the Love of Quinn. One of my favorite secondary characters in that first book has been pestering me as of late. He’s wanted to weigh in a bit on the prequel. Since it’s very difficult for me to say no to this person, I thought it would be a good idea to bring him here today. He will show up again in future books, so why not get you all prepared for the whirlwind that is Anthony Mancouso.
Whirlwind? Really? Can’t you do better than that? You are the sassiest broad I know and yet you can only come up with “whirlwind?” Honey, please.
LOL! Can you stop with the melodramatics for once, Mr. Mancouso? How would you want me to introduce you? As the biggest pain in my ass? 😉
Well, that would be a bit better than a limp ass tornado. How about Typhoon Tony?
That is a good description of you. You zip in, take over and leave a person a complete wreck after you leave. Typhoon Tony it is!
(He crosses his arms over his chest and rolls his eyes at me. He knows I hate that, especially since he constantly reminds me this is how I look when I get upset with him. Another interview is going to be hijacked by a diva!) Oh come on! I wore your favorite purple shirt today. You are an author for Goddess sake and yet you stick with something silly as Typhoon Tony? I was joking, you know.
You are such a diva, Anthony! Did Steve put you up to this? He was here the other day and absolutely tortured me. He kept bringing up our past even after he promised to not to talk about it.
Of course I’m a diva and that’s why you love me. Seriously, did you actually think Steve wouldn’t try to turn the interview into a trip down memory lane? You are the one woman who got away. And don’t you say that was Quinn. We all know her time with Steve was just to get her to the point in her life where she found Jacob again.
So you’ve been paying attention to the story lines now, huh?
I always pay close attention when it comes to Stephen and those he’s allowed in his inner circle. You know better than anyone how he used to close himself off from anything but his work. I’m still not happy you had Quinn bring him out of his workaholic ways. It should have been you.
Stop it! This is supposed to be a discussion about Quinn and Jacob. Not about what could’ve been between me and Steve. You aren’t so innocent here. Aren’t you still in love with him yourself?
Just like you, he will always have a special place in my heart but I have found my always and forever now.As a matter of fact, it was Stephen who introduced us. Imagine that. He introduced me to you too.
For that I’ll be forever grateful. I couldn’t imagine my life without you in it, Anthony. Who would plan my vow renewal with Liam?
I wouldn’t let anyone else handle that. Your Liam is such a dreamboat, especially when he’s in that dress uniform. Who would have thought you’d end up with a hunky man in the Coast Guard? I always pegged you for a Marine Corps kind of gal.
LOL! Well, I do have a weakness for all men in uniform but let’s get back on track. Tell me about the first time you saw Quinn and Jacob together. Could you tell they were soul mates or were you still upset she wasn’t with Steve?
I will admit I was a tiny bit disappointed Stephen didn’t fight for her. Once I got over that, I understood why. He saw the connection between Quinn and Jake right from the start. I had to see it for myself to believe it and boy did I ever! I could feel the electricity between them even from across the room. It’s like those stories you read about in Reader’s Digest about someone who survives a lightning strike. Those victims could feel the static electricity in the air before they were struck. My skin literally tingles whenever they are around. Being able to see them on the Island helped put it all into perspective for me. When you are given a gift from The Three, it’s probably wise to not refuse!
I’ll have to agree with you on that one. Finding out you’ve been searching for each other for multiple lifetimes only to be torn apart again and again, has to be a bitter pill to swallow. I mean, is this time going to turn out like the others or will you finally get your happily ever after as promised?
(Anthony rolls his eyes at me again.) Honey, when the Goddess Fate herself gives her word, even a Sassy Vixen like you would have to think twice about doubting your foretold destiny.
You got me there, Anthony.
Here, there, everywhere. You know I always have your back, mi amor. So when are you going to let me start planning that vow renewal of yours?
When are you going to let me write more about you and the love of your life?
Meow! You sure have the snappy comebacks tonight. I’m serious. I have a ton of ideas.
So do I. 😉
Now who’s the one going off script?
Touche!
Released September 2011
To learn more about Anthony and all his friends in the Now and Forever series, pick up your copy of For the Love of Quinn (Now and Forever) and The Island (Now and Forever 2) at all major ebook outlets including AMAZON, Barnes and Noble, iTunes and Boostrand.
Welcome to our first Throwback Thursday here at Behind Closed Doors. This week I’m sharing excerpts from my very first published novel. It’s the first one I submitted to Siren Bookstrand—any publisher for that matter. It was over 200,000 words and written in the first person point of view. Within five days I got an email from them asking me to rewrite the book from first person to third person and then resubmit. I was so excited! They didn’t turn it down outright and they seemed genuinely interested in my epic story.
That was November 2010. With working full time at the veterinary hospital and going through the break up of my first marriage, I worked on the rewrites when I had any free time. It took me six months to rewrite the book I originally wrote over a two year period. I was a woman on a mission! Finally the time came to hit the SEND button. Eleven days later For the Love of Quinn (Now and Forever)was accepted for publication.
The first round of edits were a little daunting. I opened up the file to find a HUGE explosion of colors and balloons across my computer screen. I was scared shitless but after reading through the comments and taking it one step at a time, I muddled my way through. In the end, the humongous novel of 219,000 words started my journey into the fabulous world of published authors. Now two books of poetry, two erotic romances and a third to be released within the next two weeks, a Christmas anthology and two other series in progress, I’m well on my way to living my dream.
Quinn Lee Hollis is a 43-year-old veterinary surgeon who has reached a crossroads in her life. Stuck in a loveless and emotionally abusive marriage, she decides that she has had enough and vows to cut loose and enjoy herself in Las Vegas with her sister. There she meets and falls in love with two men.
Both bring out the fire and passion in her that she has longed for her whole life. Steve Eischer is a Vegas tycoon who wants to fulfill her every fantasy, and Jake Hartley is a classic bad boy who awakens desire in her so strong that it nearly destroys her.
Both Steve and Jake have claims on her heart, but only one can share a connection so strong that nothing can keep them apart.
Story Excerpt
“Chicks love bad boys.” Jacob winked, and they both laughed. He was right. She looked too classy, even if those curves were calling out to him. Jacob only hesitated for a half a second longer and thought what the hell. Might as well give it a shot. He downed one of the whiskey shooters, and just as he was about to get up and go over to her, Steve returned and took them to a private table to store their things before heading out to the dance floor.
Oh man. She can move, too. Jacob’s heart skipped a beat or two when she caught him watching her dance. She smiled slowly, and he got lost in her eyes, blue-green like the ocean, those come-fuck-me eyes you read about in Playboy. Holy shit, Jake thought. They really did exist and they were right there, locked with his own.
Eric had stopped watching the dancers and was now staring at Jacob. “Whoa, brotha! I think you just got thunderstruck. We need to get you out of here. You don’t need another broad chasing after you now. You start your new job in Chicago at the end of next week, and you leave Vegas in two days. Don’t you dare let another one mess with your head!”
Jacob had to admit his little brother was right. He had just come out of a messy breakup and really didn’t need to hook up with anyone right now. He didn’t need the complication. But man, what he wouldn’t give to explore those curves for the next two days. Jacob groaned before he downed the last of his beer and the final whiskey chaser. He glanced at his watch and realized his brother’s shift was over and there was no other reason to stay at the club. “Let’s get out of here. I wanna stop by and see if Derek will be able to finish my tat tomorrow.”
“Sweet! Those dragons are really coming to life on your back. Derek is a fucking genius!” As they made their way through the crowd to the exit, Jacob couldn’t help himself and looked back one more time for the hot number in the barely-there red dress. He had a gut feeling that this was one broad he wasn’t going to be able to get out of his head for a hell of a long time.
****
“Quinn?” Miranda snapped her fingers in front of her face and laughed. “What the hell just happened to you?”
“I don’t know. I looked up and saw this guy watching me with the deepest blue eyes I had ever seen, moustache, goatee, shoulder- length brown hair, earrings in both ears. I couldn’t look away.”
Miranda rolled her eyes. “Stick with the plan, honey. I think Steve wants you for himself tonight. If you don’t jump on that, I just might.”
Quinn’s jaw nearly dropped to the floor. “What would your children say?”
She shrugged. “What happens in Vegas.”
Before Quinn could answer, Steve returned. He circled her waist with his hands and pulled her close to him. Miranda was dead-on. He wanted her all right. The proof was bumping Quinn’s ass at the moment. She smiled at her sister, who winked back.
“Have fun!” Miranda danced her way off the floor to finish her margarita and to chat up the bartender for his secret to making them so fucking fantastic.
Quinn settled back into Steve’s arms, letting him move her along with him for a little bit. She had to admit, she loved the attention. He nuzzled her ear before turning her to face him, pulling her arms up to circle his neck. Mmm. Dark brown, wavy hair, salt and pepper stubbly chin, earring and dark smoldering green eyes, double check!
“Where did your sister get off to?”
“Hmm? If I know her, she’s picking your bartender’s brain on how to make the perfect margarita, and then she’ll go park it in front of the roulette wheel for a few more hours. Subtle, isn’t she?”
He continued to hold Quinn tight against him, moving slow and easy even though the song was hopping. “I’m sure you’ve heard this before, but you’re drop-dead gorgeous, and I can’t keep my hands off of you.”
Got him! “I don’t recall asking you to keep your hands off of me.”
He leaned down and nibbled on her earlobe. “Stay with me tonight, Quinn. I have a suite here at the casino with a big round bed, Jacuzzi, and private pool. I want to do naughty things with you all night long.”
Quinn flashed her wedding rings at him. He just shrugged. “Doesn’t bother me in the least. If a man can let a woman like you go to Vegas without him, then he is a fool.”
“That he is. Got an extra toothbrush in that suite of yours?”
“I think I can rustle one up for you.” His lips brushed hers, and heat flashed through her. Quinn was more than ready for this. Steve led her off the floor and over to his private table to collect her things. Miranda had left a note. Have fun and see you in the morning. She was a smart-ass, but Quinn loved her!
Steve took her hand and led her over to a private elevator for VIPs. She’d never imagined she’d catch the eye of a sexy club owner on their first night in Vegas! She wondered what it was going to be like to get him alone and away from the loud music. She didn’t have very long to wonder.
Adult Excerpt
As soon as the doors closed, he pinned her in the corner. “I’ve wanted to do this from the moment I saw you step out of the elevators tonight.” His lips touched hers once again, softly at first, and then after teasing her a little with his tongue, he dove right in, picking Quinn up at the waist and lifting her up so that she was sitting on the railing. His hand trailed up her thigh and under her dress. His fingertips gently teased her clit a bit, making her gasp, breaking their deep kiss. “I knew it. Your dress fits you like a glove. No way in hell you were wearing anything under it.”
“I’m glad you approve.” Quinn wrapped her legs around his waist as he picked her up off of the railing and carried her through the doors into his suite, the penthouse suite, no less! Now their lips and tongues battled each other for control, neither one of them willing to yield just yet. Quinn could feel his cock straining to get out of his pants and into her. Her pussy throbbed and cum already started to coat her inner thighs. She forced herself to come back to earth. “We need to slow down a second.”
Steve smiled again and her mind nearly went to mush. He put her back on her feet, keeping one hand on her waist, while the other pulled a condom out of his pocket. “Like the boy scouts say, always be prepared.”
“I knew there was something I liked about you besides your killer smile.” She wrapped her arms around his neck tighter as his mouth crushed hers once again. She loved the feel of his hands on her body and the heat that zipped through her with every single touch and kiss. She wanted more, so much more.
“Quinn, I don’t know if I can wait much longer. I have to have you, baby.”
“What’s stopping you?” She bit his earlobe a little, and that was all the signal he needed. He lifted her up into his arms again and pinned her against the wall in the entryway. Quinn held on tight to his neck and shoulders while he unbuckled his pants, freeing up his huge cock. He ripped open the condom wrapper with his teeth, and before Quinn could catch her breath he nearly split her in two as he entered her. She was already hot and so wet that he slid in quickly. She was so surprised at his size that she dug her nails into his back a little too hard. Quinn didn’t think he minded one bit. He groaned as his cock filled her cunt completely, stroking every single inch of her. Her body shuddered wildly as the first orgasm hit her. She moaned as Steve broke their kiss, leaving her a bit breathless.
“Good god, your pussy is fucking fantastic. I can feel every single inch of you pulling me in.” He shifted positions so that he had her legs over his arms, and he spread her wider. He kept pounding her against the wall, thrusting deeper still. He felt so good stroking her and hitting every sensitive spot. Wave after wave of ecstasy ran through her. She came over and over again, her cum continuously squirting out of her and over Steve. “You’re so hot and wet. I can’t get enough of you.”
“Jesus Christ, your cock is so fucking big. Harder, baby, harder.” Quinn was lost in her own climax, and then Steve’s arms tightened around her as he groaned against her tits. His thrusts slowed, and he pulled back to look into her eyes. Both of them were panting trying to catch their breath. His cock was still buried deep inside of her and rock-hard. Now he kept eye contact as he moved in and out of her. He changed position again so that he had her wrapped around him and his hands on her ass, moving her up and down his shaft. Quinn straightened her legs and pointed her toes as a very powerful orgasm hit her, and she couldn’t hold back a scream. That did it for him. He came right along with her, their bodies shuddering together.
Steve leaned into her, a smile gradually forming on that gorgeous mouth of his. “Goddamn, woman. If this is any preview of what we will be doing together the rest of the night, I don’t know if I am going to be able to let you leave here in the morning.”
Quinn nibbled on his stubbly chin a bit before pulling his mouth back to hers. “How about you give me a tour of the rest of your place and we will just let things happen as they happen.”
Steve moved both of them away from the wall but still kept his hands firmly on Quinn’s ass, letting her legs slowly slide down his body until her heels hit the floor again. “You better hang on to me for a little longer. I don’t know if I can walk normally just yet.”
He moved his fingers lightly up and down her bare back, sending shivers through her once again. “I don’t think that will be a problem at all, Quinn. You’ve put some kind of spell over me, and I can’t keep my hands off of you.”
“Well, your hands feel awfully good on my body, and so do your lips, your tongue, and that welcoming committee you have stuffed in your pants!” Good lord! Quinn had never fucked anyone with a cock that big, and he sure did know how to use it. Miranda was going to faint when she heard about this!
Welcome to the second stop in Sensuous Promo’s Book Tour for Vallory Vance’s, The Beginning of Forever.
About The Beginning of Forever ~
The story of Amber Grayson and Kevin Miller began with a flash fiction piece, Rainy Day Surprise, about the couple enjoying a rainy afternoon with the help of a new toy. Much to my amazement, I received a lot of encouragement from readers to write more about this sexy man, his uptight girlfriend and the naughtiness that went on when they closed the doors.
In the Moment, was born. This short story chronicles how the sometimes pushy office manager managed to wrangle herself a cowboy. Amber is in full dictator gear in this one. And she should be because she’s the Project Manager and Kevin’s boss. Undaunted by the towering woman in her constricting black suit, Kevin has a lot of fun peeling her out of it.
I am pleased and little sad to let this couple go after our year together. It has been an awesome ride with them and one I hope you’ll take.
The Beginning of Forever by Vallory Vance
Amber Grayson, a conservative executive, found true love with fiancé, Kevin Miller. He infused her life with a sense of adventure and challenged her thoughts about appropriate bedroom behavior. After such a steamy affair, Amber was expecting nothing less during their engagement.
Even with the rushed timetable for the wedding combined with the stress of merging their households and finances, Amber is excited to begin a family with the man of her dreams. However, the beginning of forever is more difficult than either of them thought.
Locked in a battle of wills, Amber and Kevin find their commitment to each other and their future tested. Is this the beginning of their lives together or the end?
Excerpt (R) ~
“Of course I love you.” She scooted forward and kissed him.
He quickly caught her neck, held her so that he could feel the warm rush of her breath. Her kiss held no passion, and felt like one you’d bestow on a friend. He needed assurance that she was with him until the end, no matter what.
“How about ‘I want you so bad’?” He moved his lips over her throat and felt a beat brush against his mouth.
“Tell me.” He nipped at the delicate skin of her neck, tasting the spray of scented mist on his tongue.
“I want you so bad.”
The husky pant of her desire pounded in his head and stilled the quiver in his chest. She was his again.
He yanked the rim of the T-shirt over her head, ripped the short shorts and panties down her legs. Reclining back on his haunches, he massaged between her legs, his fingers slickening with the motion. His.
Her hands twisted into the pillows, flopped at her sides and her moans filled his ears. He slipped his fingers into her, watching her move, while his cock thumped unmercifully against his zipper.
“Just let go, Amber.” He bent over, caught her mouth, and thrust his tongue inside. Her moaning deepened and her eyes squeezed shut. Bucking wildly beneath him, she tore her mouth from his and warmth rushed around his fingers. He kissed her gently and rose from the bed, removing his clothes slowly.
Dark wisps of her hair fanned out of her braid onto the cream pillow bunched beneath her head, and her large wide-set eyes fluttered open to meet his in a soft gaze. Her lips parted to speak but only expelled a shallow breath. There was a part of him that wanted to watch the trailing of her hands from her neck on their languid journey down between her breasts. And there was a part of him, a stronger part, which draped her trembling thighs over his forearms and lunged into her.
This is disturbing to say the least. We trust Amazon and Createspace to pay our royalties due to us and yet this proves they aren’t. I’ve had similar experiences ordering my print books from Amazon. At least 15 sales are unaccounted for in May of this year. I purchased them myself AT FULL PRICE. These books never made it to my royalty statements since then. You do the math.
Guest post by John. R. Clark, Managing Editor at AgeView Press
When AgeView Press Indie pubbed the book FLYING SOLO in May of 2012, the author, Jeanette Vaughan immediately began tracking sales. She heard from excited friends and family who immediately emailed when ordering their copies. The first sales were off of Createspace’s e-store with the title ID number given to the author. Then, through Amazon, a week later, when the book went live on the site. Finally on Kindle, when the ebook format was completed.
Initially, things appeared kosher. People exclaiming that they had ordered the book, were showing up within a day or two on the electronic royalty reports with a reasaonable accuracy. But by June and July, sales descrepencies were noted by the author from customers claiming that they had purchased the book directly through Amazon, not an Amazon affiliate. Many of these sales were simply not listed.The author contacted…
(He crosses his arms over his chest and rolls his eyes at me. He knows I hate that, especially since he constantly reminds me this is how I look when I get upset with him. Another interview is going to be hijacked by a diva!) Oh come on! I wore your favorite purple shirt today. You are an author for Goddess sake and yet you stick with something silly as Typhoon Tony? I was joking, you know.
Behind Closed Doors 
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