Tuesday Teaser: Gabrielle Holly

Hi all,

I'm delighted to welcome the lovely Gabrielle Holly on my blog today. She's labouring under the same weather conditions as I am and shares the (almost) obligatory addiction to coffee.

The business ones

Please give us a short introduction about yourself
Thanks for having me on the blog, Sage! I write erotic romance with a little humour, a lot of heat, and always a happy ending.

What genre(s) do you write in and why?
I write M/F and M/F/M romances in the contemporary, historical and paranormal subgenres.

Tell us about your latest release
“Stage Fright” is book 3 in my paranormal erotic romance series Ghost Encounters. The books follow psychic medium Toni Bianchi and a quirky troupe of television ghost hunters – The Paranormal Research Team. Toni’s uses her unique sexual energy to communicate with the undead and help restless spirits find peace. The ghost in Stage Fright is Kip Monroe - a 1950s ‘greaser’ who was wrongly accused of a crime. After an otherworldly sexual encounter, Toni agrees to help clear Kip’s name.

Do you need a special setting to write in or do you have a ceremony to get you in the mood? What does it look like?
I prefer to write outdoors, but in the Midwest that’s not always possible - it’s blazing hot in the summer and freezing cold in the winter. When I can’t write outdoors, I hunker down in my office overlooking the backyard. My dogs are always lounging nearby.

Describe your feelings when you learnt that your first book was accepted for publication. Overwhelming gratitude.

Where do you find inspiration?
I have a very rich fantasy life. My school report cards almost always had a notation about my daydreaming “problem.” *grins*

A favourite line from one of your books
“There are no rules on this side, sweetheart.” ~ ghost Kip Monroe explaining his sexual prowess.

Your favourite drink and food when writing
Coffee always and M&Ms sometimes.

The nosy ones

How much of the real “you” is in your stories?
All of my characters have qualities that I love – and dislike – in myself and the people in my life.

Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character? Who was it?
Bjorn – the Viking warrior in my historicals “Delivering Kadlin” and “Rescuing Kadlin” - is one of my favourites. He’s big, strong, uber-masculine, and can deliver a hot spanking.

What’s the silliest error in a book you’ve submitted?
“His blazing eyes dropped to her breasts.” I’m grateful it was caught in edits. That would have been painful for both hero and heroine!

Who is your least favourite of the characters you’ve written? Why?
Suzanne, the antagonist in Mr. Fix It is a character I love to hate. She’s an egomaniac, a narcissist and all-around bitch. She’s the ringleader of a band of high-maintenance, over-indulged suburban housewives known as “The Botox Brigade”.

The steamiest scene from your books
Probably the ménage a trois scene in A Triple Scoop of I Scream. It’s a M/F/M scene that takes place in an ice cream parlour – complete with whipped cream, chocolate sauce and bondage with liquorice laces.

Favourite comfort food?
Ice cream. Hm, I wonder if that was the subconscious inspiration for the scene mentioned in the previous question.

A person you admire
My late grandmother because of her joie de vivre. For her, life was an adventure. I modelled the character Claudette - Thomas’ quirky grandmother – in Stage Fright after her.

The fast ones

Favourite colour? Green

Favourite pet? I love dogs. I have two of my own and regularly volunteer at the local animal shelter. I socialize (play with) the shelter dogs and work with them in obedience class.

Dog or cat? Woof!

Coffee or tea? Coffee – strong with a bit of cream.

Quickie or candles? Candles.

Hunky or chunky? I love big, strong men.

Suit & tie or jeans & boots? Jeans & Boots

Walk in the park or chat over cocktails? Walk in the park. 

Thank you for the interview, Gabrielle. Liquorice lace bondage, eh? I better not mention what I used to do with those ~Sage

 Stage Fright

A reluctant psychic medium, a sexy television ghost hunter and a resentful movie-house ghost create a dangerous love triangle.

Get your copy from
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Total-e-Bound
All Romance eBooks



About the author:
Gabrielle Holly lives in the Midwestern United States with her husband, their collie and golden retriever. She’s worked as a newspaper humour columnist, a stand-up comic, a radio show host, a magazine writer & editor, and freelance journalist. Gabby has a short attention span and enjoys reading, spending time outdoors, hunting for antiques and attending live theatre.


Connect with Gabrielle:
On Twitter: https://twitter.com/gabrielle_holly
On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GabrielleHollyAuthor
Website: http://www.gabrielleholly.com/
Blog: http://gabrielleholly.blogspot.com/
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/gabrielleholly

#Giveaway: Stockholm Syndrome Swag

Hi all,

Remember the giveaway I'm doing for Stockholm Syndrome? Today's your last chance to enter before the book goes to the distributors tomorrow. That means it's also the last chance to pick it up while it's on discount. 

And I have news for you - the swag I ordered especially for Stockholm has just arrived, so the lucky winner will get either the SS T-Shirt or the mug on top of the original prize (as listed below).

Here's the original post: 

I just ordered some swag - yes, the incident where I entered my website as www.sage-marlowe.come - and realised that I have quite a few pretty things lying around by now. T-shirts, mugs, baseball hats, key rings, mouse mats, pens... They're all wasted if hidden in big brown, ugly boxes, so I think it's high time some of those pretty things found a new home. 

Of course I'm not going to just give them away - nope, you'll have to do something to win Sage's goodie package which includes the following: 

• Winner's choice of one swag item
• Some sweet treats from Germany
• Winner's pick of signed cover pics

Here's the deal: 

Every buyer of my latest book Stockholm Syndrome can enter this giveaway - but only if you have bought it directly from the publisher Total-E-Bound before it becomes available from the distributors (i.e. Amazon, ARe, Barnes & Noble, iTunes...) on August 16th. The added bonus for you is that you also save 10% if you get it now. 

E-mail a copy of your purchase confirmation to marlowe.sage (at) yahoo (dot) co (dot) uk. Please put "Stockholm Syndrome giveaway" in the subject line so I don't think you're spam - that's it, you're in. 

Entries will be accepted until midnight (British Summer Time) on August 15th, 2013. The giveaway is open internationally (void where prohibited). Ts and Cs apply, please click the "Contest rules"-tab at the top of this site to view the details. 

Any questions, please leave a comment on this post or email me. Here's the link to pick up your copy of Stockholm Syndrome from Total-E-Bound if you haven't done so already  

http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=2244

And here's a pic of the goodies on offer:

Good luck!

***If you'd like to keep up with me, my books and chances to win prizes like this simply subscribe to my blog, follow me on Twitter or join my circle of Facebook friends***

Title Reveal: Nightmare 5

Alas, it's done...
I just finished writing book 5 in the Nightmares series and I'm thrilled that my newest baby has a name at last - ready?
 

Beyond Your Wildest Nightmares.  

So far the word count is just under 31K but there will be one more round of tweaks when book 6 is finished, so I'll probably end up adding a bit here and there (and of course my lovely editor may have something to say, too...).

Yours Truly is off to make dinner now then hopefully back with a nice surprise for you soon :)

Special Guest: Draven St James

 Hi all, 

Today's special guest is Draven St James. She has some great answers to my nosy questions and of course she also has a fabulous new book to present, Grey's Hidden Fire. 

Hi Draven, welcome to my blog and thanks for being my guest. Here's some coffee to get us started on

 

The business ones

Please give us a short introduction about yourself
I've always preferred to be on the periphery at any event. I enjoy people watching and using the little quirks I see to create my characters. Writing has always been my passion. Ever since I read my first book all I wanted to do was to be able to put to the page all of my stories.
I've travelled a great deal but have always called the Northwest my home. I have two degrees from the University of Oregon, one in psychology and one in English. Both have helped me greatly in building and polishing my writing. My life's ambition is to be able to spend my days creating new worlds for readers to have fun and get lost in.

What genre(s) do you write in and why?
My current book, Grey's Hidden Fire, is LGBT, M/M, contemporary. However, there is a m/m shifter series on the horizon.

Tell us about your latest release

Grey's Hidden Fire is about losing the boundaries and constraints that keep people from loving who they want to love. It's about the passion and heat that can be uncovered in the most interesting of places when one looks beyond gender. Mostly it is about discovery. The excitement and thrill that comes from seeing someone and feeling a soul deep connection that ignites desire which leads to fantastic sex and love, of course. J

Do you need a special setting to write in or do you have a ceremony to get you in the mood? What does it look like?
I'm more of a nocturnal writer. Beyond that, it doesn't really matter what location I'm working at. The only ceremony involved is having either coffee or tea and sitting with my laptop to wait for the words to come out and play.

Describe your feelings when you learnt that your first book was accepted for publication.
Shock, elation, disbelief then back to shock and onto complete joy. I wanted to get started on the editing that very second!

Has the release of your first book changed anything in your personal life? If so, what?
It hasn't really changed anything beyond limiting the time I have for reading. I am falling behind in all the books I would normally have devoured. It is worth it though!

Where do you find inspiration?
I find inspiration in my friends and family. They are a consistent source of information and just plain entertainment. A sure fire cure for writer's block. I also listen to a lot of music. Depending on the scene I'm writing I have different stations set up on Pandora.

Who is your favourite character and why?

Out of my own books? I'd have to say Grey. He is very masculine but there is a vulnerability, which comes out when he has to assess his attraction to Mica. It doesn't hurt he's every wicked fantasy rolled up into one delicious package and that he is someone who'd kick ass if one of his friends were threatened.

A favourite line from one of your books
Umm…every line? I can't say I have a favourite because after so many edits and reviews I am kind of attached to all of them. 

Your favourite drink and food when writing?
Coffee…coffee…and oh yeah, coffee.

The nosy ones

How much of the real “you” is in your stories?
I would say a big part of the real "me" is in my stories. At least they are a reflection of my life experiences. All of the interactions I've had in my life have been put to use in every book that I write. It is my goal to sew together the pieces of my reality and create a new world from those scattered moments.

What’s the silliest error in a book you’ve submitted?
I don't know about silly, but my love of the word "that" has been destroyed.

The steamiest scene from your books
While all the scenes are pretty steamy. The one that I had the most fun writing was the one where Mica describes his fantasy to Grey. It was full of passion and discovery. Grey's curiosity about Mica's desire for him and Mica's retelling of his sexual, sensual private musings. The intensely steamy nature lies in the knowledge that someone doesn't just desire you when they are physically with you, but desires you in all their most intimate of moments.

Favourite comfort food?
My comfort food is definitely gumbo. I have some strong southern roots and there is nothing like a good chicken and sausage gumbo to make things right in the world.

A person you admire
I admire my two sisters and their lovely wives. They are phenomenal women who live fully in the now. They are strong, beautiful, intelligent and amazingly creative individuals. Without their support and humorous commentary this journey to publication wouldn't have been the same.

If you could ask any person in the world one question of your choice, who would it be and what would you ask them?
I think I'd want to talk to Shakespeare and ask him how many of the plays, we consider his works, were actually written by him.

 

The fast ones

Favourite colour? My favourite color is royal blue.

Favourite pet? Sugar glider.

Dog or cat? Dog, Husky to be precise.

Coffee or tea? Coffee with vanilla creamer, but six pump soy chai latte if possible.

Quickie or candles? Depends on the moment.

Hunky or chunky? Hunky.

Suit & tie or jeans & boots? Jeans and boots, or perhaps a firefighter uniform.

Walk in the park or chat over cocktails? Walk in the park to include a picnic with cocktails.




Thank you so much for the interview, Draven, and now let's take a look at your new books - did I hear firefighters???

Grey's Hidden Fire

Grey's entire life is wrapped around his job as a firefighter. It is all he has ever wanted. That is until his new co-worker Mica Cruz saunters through the door with his smoldering dark looks and dimpled grin. Suddenly he finds himself wanting to get to know what Mica looks like out of his gear and between the sheets.

Mica has one rule…keep his work life and his personal life separate. It was easy enough to follow until he meets Grey and finds that his rule can't stand up to the fire that Grey ignites. There's one big thing standing in the way of all of his lust filled musings. Grey is straight.

In a profession where being gay is often kept quiet Grey must come to terms with his growing attraction to Mica. How much is he willing to sacrifice? Can they come together before someone's hatred threatens to destroy them both?

Buy links:
Loose ID: http://www.loose-id.com/featured/whatshot/grey-s-hidden-fire.html
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Greys-Hidden-Fire-ebook/dp/B00DUHRNDC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374129342&sr=8-1&keywords=Grey%27s+Hidden+Fire
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-grey039shiddenfire-1228820-149.html

Author bio:
Draven St. James is a born and raised Oregonian. She has travelled extensively in search of mischief and mayhem to fill her books. Her ventures have been quite successful in inspiring a wealth of stories. Of course at the end of the day, coffee within reach, laptop at the ready is where she finds her peace.

Author website: www.dravenstjames.wordpress.com

Sage Is Out: Flash Fiction at Lori King's

Hi all,

I'm over at Lori King's blog today with my first attempt at flash fiction / picture capturing - and I'm in excellent company. Laurie Roma, Susan Hayes, Tymber Dalton and of course the lovely Lori herself are just a few of the ladies who joined me in writing a short story inspired by a pic. Hop on over and see what we have come up with: http://lorikingbooks.wordpress.com/2013/07/31/picture-capturing-featuring-erotic-romance-authors/

Sage Is Out: Getting Personal with Gabrielle Holly

Hi all,

The lovely Gabrielle Holly interviewed me and came up with some excellent questions, so if you want to know what my favourite swear word is (among other things), head on over to her blog
http://gabrielleholly.blogspot.de/2013/07/getting-personal-with-author-sage.html

Special Guest: Bebe Balocca

Hi all, 

Today's special guest has just released a hot tiger story (if you know me, you know I love tigers) so I'm especially thrilled that she's agreed to sit down for an interview with me. 
Ladies & Gentlemen, please give a warm welcome to Bebe Balocca.

Hello Bebe, thanks so much for being my guest today. I hope you don't mind the heat - here's some iced tea for you while we talk about

The business ones

Please give us a short introduction about yourself
I live in the rural southeastern United States with my family and pets. Ours is a peaceful little town, full of intrigue, secrets and close ties—perfect for daydreaming up some hot romantic fantasies.

What genre(s) do you write in and why?
Mostly erotic mf romance, and some straight-up erotica with mf, ff, and ménage scenes. The erotic romance works I do have intense love scenes, but I enjoy incorporating intrigue, suspense, and humor in there as well. I have some novellas that are pure erotica (as in, the story really revolves around the sex) and those are so much fun to write. It’s really exciting to get lost in the scene and try to get it down on paper so that readers can go right there with me. My goal is to have readers fanning themselves and then hunting down their partners.

Tell us about your latest release
“The Curse of the Tiger”, published by Total-E-Bound, is my first shifter book. It’s set in modern-day Colorado at a fictional free-range tiger ranch. There’s an evil witch, some exceptionally wild animals, and quite a bit of rough-and-tumble sex in this mf short novel.

Do you need a special setting to write in or do you have a ceremony to get you in the mood? What does it look like?
I need total quiet—I wear noise reducing headphones if my kids are home stomping around. My little miniature wiener dog, Scarlett, is usually curled up beside me in her chair as I write, and I like to have some hot herbal tea to sip on. I’m super fortunate that my husband supporting my desire to convert our attic into my office, so I have a comfortable private space just for my work. Yes, I’m a lucky girl, in more ways than one.

Describe your feelings when you learnt that your first book was accepted for publication
I was totally elated! I’d been writing articles for magazines and for an educational company (still do, actually) but writing fiction and getting it published is a lifelong dream. It was incredibly validating.

Has the release of your first book changed anything in your personal life? If so, what?
It’s awesome to talk to new friends about what I do. Every now and then, someone is a little taken aback, but the vast majority of people are intrigued and eager to talk about the business and to learn about my projects.

Who is your favourite character and why?
I love Faline in “Curse” because she gets to live out her dream of running a tiger sanctuary. Like me, she doesn’t doll up much for her work days; she just gets out there and does what she loves to do. It’s fun to imagine being around tigers all the time, too.

A favourite line from one of your books
>>>“Oh, um,” Faline stammered and licked her lips. “We could talk about your options, I suppose. I’d say I probably do have a place for you, now that you mention it, seeing as you’re comfortable with tigers.”

“I don’t know if ‘comfortable’ is the right word.” He took his hand in hers and brought it to his lips. “’Experienced’ is better, I think. I’d say I’m pretty experienced.” He pressed his lips to her knuckles and watched for her reaction. “Would you say that you’re experienced, too, Faline?”<<<

The nosy ones

How much of the real “you” is in your stories?
My female characters all have some of me in them, or at least some of how I’d like to be—they’re bold, open-minded, and unafraid to go after what they want, and they tend to make a stumble or two along the way.

Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character? Who was it?
I’ve read Gone with the Wind I don’t know HOW many times. I was so in love with Rhett Butler and thought Scarlet was so ridiculous to keep pushing him away. I mean, what else could a girl want, right?

What’s the silliest error in a book you’ve submitted?
Oh dear. This is embarrassing. I’ve made a couple of anatomical errors that my editors were quick to point out. Let’s just say that as a mom of four and wife of nineteen years, that first time way-back-when is a little fuzzy.

The steamiest scene from your books
In Bubbles and Troubles, book one of my Prescott Woods series, there’s a subterranean spa that’s the scene for some hot (literally – HOT!) love scenes. A natural hot tub with effervescent water and a heated mud bath made for some good clean fun for Carmen and Brock.

Favourite comfort food? 
Tomato soup with loads of black pepper and a grilled cheese sandwich.

The fast ones

Favourite colour? Wine red

Favourite pet? My blue-eyed dappled black and tan mini dachshund, Scarlett

Dog or cat? Team dog, all the way!

Coffee or tea? Hot coffee, hot herbal tea, iced tea – all unsweetened, please

Quickie or candles? Um, I have to choose??

Hunky or chunky? Hunky

Suit & tie or jeans & boots? My honey wears cowboy boots with his suits. It’s pretty hot, I’m not gonna lie.

Walk in the park or chat over cocktails? Gosh, tough one. Guess I’ll go with the chat over cocktails, just because it’s a lot easier to slip away to the bedroom that way…

Good point, Bebe, hehe. Thank you for the interview. Now that all the tea is gone, it's time to look at your book. Here's 

The Curse of the Tiger

She knew that being close to tigers was her destiny, but she never thought she'd be riding on top of one…

Faline Hopper owns and runs a free-range tiger refuge in northeastern Colorado. She loves the animals and the mission of Kat’s Crest, but the sanctuary is on the verge of financial disaster. A mysterious stranger with deep pockets comes to its rescue.

Hunter Cartwright is one tall, cool drink of Alabama water. Sparks fly immediately when he shows up at Faline’s door. He’s ravenous for the blond beauty, but there’s something he needs to make Faline understand before he can really sink his teeth into her.

Something that happens at sundown, when the tigers roam the sanctuary and the nightly hunts begin…

The curse of the tiger was cast by a Native American witch. Abetzi rejects the Great Spirit and worships a powerful demon instead. Faline is determined to free Hunter from the witch’s spell and to stop Abetzi from abusing exotic animals, but at what price?

Will Faline risk everything to put a halt to Abetzi’s cruelty—And will it be worth it?

Buy link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DJ9YSFC

About the author:
I love to read and write erotic romance, fantasy, and sci-fi because of the escape factor: I want to leave the ordinary and travel somewhere exotic, unusual, and sexually-charged in a book. My characters are thrust into unpredictable situations, and they respond with humor, open-mindedness, and loads of scorching passion. I hope you enjoy escaping with me into the sultry world of erotic romance.

Author website: http://www.bebebalocca.com
Bebe on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BebeBalocca?ref=hl
Bebe on Twitter: @BebeBalocca