summer anthology – Behind Closed Doors

OhMy! Monday: @dochappycamper Shares and Excerpt from Her #LGBT #BDSM WIP Bound in Paradise

Welcome to Behind Closed Doors! Today I’d like to share an excerpt from my current WIP, “Bound in Paradise.” This is actually a prequel to The Surrender of Julia (Now and Forever 3). I’ve had several people ask about how Julia and Carmen met and about their time in Hawaii. When we decided to put a summer anthology together, I thought this novella would be a good fit along with one by Lia Michaels and Bonnie Bliss. Season of Sun and Sin is turning out to be one of my favorite compilations to work on because of the stories that will be included. If all goes according to schedule, we hope to have advanced print copies to take with us to RomCon in June. Denver here we come!

Let me first say the following is an UNEDITED excerpt. My editor will have her hands on the completed piece within the next few days and will help me tweak things throughout. In other words, please don’t jump all over me if you find grammatical errors. This is still a WIP and things could change, including this scene. So with that said, here’s a scene from Carmen’s POV. She’s helping her sub Julia get ready for their first scene in front of their BDSM play group.

ADULT EXCERPT

Julia sat before her with her eyes closed. Carmen expertly French braided her lover’s hair with dark red ribbons, and then secured the end so the resulting tail hung half way down her back. She gazed at Julia’s reflection in the mirror in front of them. Her body flushed from her cheek bones to the valley between her full breasts on display in the red leather corset. “Open your eyes.”

Julia gasped. “How did you do that so fast? I thought you had trouble with hair.”

“Only with my own. I have a lot of fun playing with the hair of others, especially my pets. No one has hair like yours. It’s perfect.” Carmen wrapped the braid around her hand and smiled.

“Now I understand why you wanted to braid my hair.”

Carmen tugged the braid so Julia’s head tilted back. “As much as I love your hair all wild and free, it’s best to keep it bound like this so everyone can see your beautiful face as it flushes deep crimson with exertion. You will have to work hard to maintain control until I give you permission to let go.”

Julia’s steel gray eyes appeared to sparkle with excitement. “I’ve been looking forward to this night ever since you invited me to come here with you. You could have had any of the others as your sub and you picked me. Why?”

“I saw a fire in you I wanted to harness but not extinguish. Many would try to break you, but I wanted the chance to bring out your true self. I know you have a lot of walls built up around your heart. I want you to trust me enough to keep you safe so you can bust down those barriers. You ooze sensuality and raw sex with every movement of your body. Do you realize that every time you enter a room, all eyes are drawn to you? Some want to possess you. Others desire to be possessed by you.”

“And you?” Julia swallowed hard and held Carmen’s gaze.

“I’ve been searching for a sub who can not only take whatever instruction I dish out, but can challenge me to be a better Mistress. I want a partner in every sense of the word. I have no power unless you give it to me. Your complete submission and trust in me is the best aphrodisiac.” She released the braid and reached for a few the diamond crusted combs on the dressing table. She slid each into the weave of the braid securing the last of the stray tendrils from Julia’s face.

Julia smiled and slipped her silk stockinged feet into the thigh high patent leather boots.

Carmen knelt and adjusted the laces of each boot so the material fit Julia’s body like a second skin. “Walk a few steps for me and let me know if they’re tight enough. I don’t want you to lose your balance because the boots aren’t giving you enough support.”

Julia took a few tentative steps and then lengthened her stride into a full on strut across the room. The five inch high heel of the boots changed her posture so she had to stick out her already rounded ass and arch her back to keep her balance. She turned and made her way back toward Carmen with a smile that lit up her face. “It’s a little scary at first to be this high up from the ground, but I don’t feel like I’m going to fall over. I think you have the laces just right.”

Carmen patted the cushion in front of her. “Good. Sit down. I have one more adornment for you.”

Julia sat down as directed. Her eyes fell to the box Carmen now held in her hands. “What’s in there?”

Carmen pushed a button and the lid popped open to reveal several clamps with bells attached. She picked up one and shook it in front of Julia’s eyes. “Spread your legs, kitten”

For those of you who haven’t read The Surrender of Julia yet, you’re in luck! Sassy Vixen Publishing has agreed to lower the price for a limited time only to 99¢. That’s right! You get two bucks off the list price if you act now. Look for the sale on ALL ROMANCE and AMAZON.

Until next time, my friends

~Tammy

Is there Ever A “Good” Time to Have Writer’s Block? #amwriting #MyWANA

Welcome back to Behind Closed Doors, a place where I like to share thoughts and bits about my writing. This week, I’m having a very bad case of the dreaded writer’s block. Honestly, this is really a bad time for this to happen. I have a huge deadline. In less than two weeks I have to turn in two novellas to my editor, finish up my application for my veterinary license in Washington so it will be in place when we move in the fall, finish the final book in my alter ego Tawny Savage’s Bigfoot Chronicles for a June/July release date…and pack up this house to get ready for the move. Oy!

Is it any wonder I’m blocked? LOL

I wish I could just go away somewhere, lock out the rest of the world and just let the muses take me where they want to take me. I’m ready for the journey. I learned a long time ago not to try to direct any of my muses. They speak when they wish and that’s that. No amount of begging, pleading or bribing will get them to open up if they don’t want to do it, and for Goddess sake don’t you dare try to tell them how the story will turn out! Talk about a mutiny…

I didn’t try to take over the story at all. I kept all of my pens and notebooks at the ready, eager to jot down any little tidbit even if it only was a partial scene or snippet of dialogue. Whatever it was, I wrote it down. Unfortunately, all the bits and parts aren’t coming together like they have in the past. What’s a girl to do?

I’ve tried walking away, switching manuscripts to work on a different story, changing scenery, with music, without music, total silence in my office (totally didn’t work), EVERYTHING and it’s still all fuzzy. Maybe my muses need a vacation? Not sure how I can send them on one until I’ve completed these stories but if that’s what they need I’ll have to figure out a way.

Well, I’m off to change things up yet again and see if the Candy Kisses foursome will tell me more about their new adults only pub in the Detroit Metro area. Yes, that’s one of the stories I have to write for the Sassy Vixen Publishing summer anthology Season of Sun and Sin. This particular novella I’m writing as Lia Michaels and follows the Candy Kisses restaurant owners Candice, Alexander, Gabriel and their new partner Darrin. This one finds them six months after they formed their…uh…partnership both in and out of the bedroom in the winter anthology ‘Tis the Season for Seduction. Better get back to it!

Until next time,

~Tammy

OhMy! @dochappycamper Asks: What’s in a Name? Our Summer Anthology Needs a Title. #eroticromance #menage #vampires

Help! Sassy Vixen Publishing is putting out another anthology under the Four Seduced Muses Imprint. This one is all about summer lovin’ and all that goes on between two…or more lovers in the night. Once again I’ll be joined by my alter ego Lia Michaels, Maya DeLeina, and Nicole Morgan. This time I’m so happy to say the fabulous Bonnie Bliss will be joining the group to add her smokin’ hot tale of love and lust.

Some of the story lines are already underway. In fact, they are continuations of the stories in the Christmas/winter anthology, ‘Tis the Season for Seduction. Lia’s tale will follow the Candy Kisses menage a quatre we were introduced to in “Have a Naughty Naughty Christmas.” This time they continue their escapades back home in the heat of the summer in Michigan. The love between the pairs in the group grows and the heat between all four ignites to a raging inferno. You’ll want to see the fireworks fly in this one. Trust me!

Maya’s contribution follows her couple from ‘A Winter’s Ecstasy. This time we get to see how a vampire handles the sun in the Florida Keys. I bet you didn’t think you’d see that one coming now did you? Who would think a creature of the night would enjoy the sun and sin in the Gator State?

Bonnie is still narrowing her story choices down. She has so many she’d like to share and so little time. Stay tuned for more when she lets us know what she decides to concentrate on for this project.

Nicole is like Bonnie and working hard to narrow things down. I’ll clue you all in when she picks a hot couple’s tale to share with us.

As for me, I’ve decided to delve into Julia and Carmen’s back story and give you their first vacation together in the island paradise of Maui. So for both Lia and me it will be bondage and submission between our lovers. Now what more could a reader ask for?

How about helping us narrow the list of titles we came up with down to the one that will grace the cover that is being designed by the fabulous Lindsey Kirk of LMK Graphics. You remember her. She’s the artist who did The Surrender of Julia (Now and Forever 3). She knows how to capture the essence of the characters in all her covers and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with for the anthology!

Take a look at the poll below. Chose the title you like the best. Enter your email address to finalize your vote and hit submit. Once you do that, you’ll automatically be entered to win a free print AND ebook copy of the anthology when it’s released in July. Hurry! You only have until March 15th to get your votes in. Please feel free to share the link to this blog with everyone. The more votes the better. How fun will it be to hold in your hands a book with the title YOU chose?

What do you say? Are you in? Happy voting!