Lethal Obsession going wide -- reborn all over the web!

My debut novel, LETHAL OBSESSION, has been reborn, with a new cover, tighter editing and writing, but the same arousing, blood-chilling story of Detective Angela Martin, who becomes involved with a man she meets through a Craigslist personal ad.

A man who she begins to fall for.

A man who enjoys controlling her, tying and tormenting her.

A man who brings a sense of desire, longing, passion back into her life.

A man who might very well be a killer.

If you like tales that are heavy in sensual Fifty Shades of Gray-style bondage; if you like thrilling, edge-of-your-seat murder mysteries, if you like dark romance, and a tale that will keep you guessing from page to page -- and most of all you like it all rolled into one explosive story -- then LETHAL OBSESSION is for you.

Here's an excerpt:

She heard a whimper as the hot sting of leather kissed her buttocks, then the whimper grew to a muffled cry with the second and third strike, and Angela realized it was her own voice she was hearing, what little voice she could form through the gag.

Her body trembled at a fourth and fifth strike. Fear and adrenaline coursed through her body, and Angela moaned. Embarrassment competed with fear, embarrassment at being naked and vulnerable, and at the realization her body was responding to his actions, that she could no longer control herself, with each lash from the belt arousal grew; fear as the realization dawned on her, not rationally but in some deep, visceral way, that she was helpless and alone, at the mercy of a stranger who clearly had painful intentions for her.

Then it all went away, replaced by the hard sensation of ice, first against her right nipple, then her left. Angela cried out at the cold, her body jerking, but the sound was muffled, and she moved little, with her arms stretched overhead, wrists bound, snugly held in place by…by what she wasn’t sure, with her vision nothing more than blackness behind a blindfold.
She turned her body away from the cold as much as she could, and Angela felt another sharp sting of leather across her buttocks.

“You will stand still.”

Again the ice, but Angela held her footing, though her body trembled in spite of her attempt at remaining perfectly still. The cold pressed against her, hard, and then she felt the ice slipping around the nipple, making larger and larger circles outward, spiraling across her breasts.

As suddenly as the ice had come, it was gone. In its place she felt his lips...kissing her right nipple, gently at first, ever so softly. A mix of sensations rolled through her body..

LETHAL OBSESSION is available now at these outlets:

LETHAL OBSESSION at Excessica  (including Kindle-ready format)

LETHAL OBSESSION at All Romance  (including Kindle-ready format)

LETHAL OBSESSION at Excitica  (including Kindle-ready format)

LETHAL OBSESSION at Barnes and Noble (Nook)

LETHAL OBSESSION at Amazon (well, that is KINDLE, isn't it?)

LETHAL OBSESSION at Smashwords  (including Kindle-ready format)

Doing a HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY dance....

via GIPHY

Okay, maybe I don't have moves like that, but I cannot be more ecstatic right now.

Why?

Well, I have long looked upon erotica writer extraordinaire Selena Kitt as a goddess of the erotica publishing world. She can do it all -- write extremely arousing, plot-filled, and most of all well-written work. She's incredibly prolific, and she's even managed to start a couple of successful publishing companies (eXcessica and excitica among them).

And if you go to eXcessica and scroll down the new release section, you'll see my book, Lethal Obsession!

That's right, my novel Lethal Obsession is now part of the eXcessica publishing catalog.

There's more publishing news coming up in the next few days and weeks, but I just had to share -- seeing Lethal Obsession there made my day!

Merry Monday -- FREE ebooks for you!

Merry Monday to you!

I know, you're sitting there bleary-eyed, maybe on your second (third?) cup of coffee, wondering what artificial substance I'm using to be so chipper at the start of the week.

I understand your pain. Monday is…well, it's Monday. The start of a new workweek, the official end of the weekend and any break we had from the real work world. Playtime (or rest time) is over and now we're slaving for the big boss.

That's why I'm unveiling a new feature that I hope will make your Mondays a little merrier: Merry Monday Free Book Specials.

That's right, every Monday I'll be listing somewhere between a half dozen and two dozen FREE e-books you can download to your Kindle. Some shorts, some full-length novels, mostly erotica, but some weeks I'll include romance, adventure, maybe even a few thrillers or horror tales.

And the best thing is they'll be absolutely FREE.

Every Monday just stop by here, at Shandra's Shadow World, and see what some great authors around the world have to offer you.

If you're an author, I'll be glad to include your work. Just send an Amazon link to me at bookspecials@yahoo.com (I can't believe that address was available!). Please send the ebook title, author name, and a one- or two-line description of the work.

Here's an example:

Lethal Obsession, by Shandra Miller. After years in a loveless marriage, Detective Angela Martin does the unthinkable: She meets with a stranger, in a hotel room, where she allows him to act out one of his bondage fantasies. When she does, Angela finds herself thrust into a world of murder, mystery, passion and eroticism. Download to your Kindle here.

(And no, Lethal Obsession is not free, just using it as an example – but it IS on sale for 99 cents if you're interested!)

Remember, send me only links to books that you intend to have free on the following Monday.

Now, if you're an author, send those links to me for next week. And if you're a writer, here's your first Merry Monday Free Book Specials:

Jennifer Stripped On Stage (A Story of Reluctant Public Sex), by Mary Alice Ball. When Jennifer's dream date takes her to a live magician's show, she is thrilled, until she watches one of her friends taken on stage, stripped and violated while the audience watches. Jennifer goes to her friend, only to soon find she may be next.

Dying to Forget (The Station), by Trish Marie Dawson: Piper Willow dies the summer after her high school graduation and finds herself in a spiritual terminal called the Station. She's given only two choices: Move on to the unknown where she'll be forced to spend an eternity in her own personal hell or be trained as a Volunteer and return to Earth as the subconscious for a person in need of outside assistance. Does Piper have what it takes to save a life, to be the nagging voice inside another person's head? Or will she fail and end up lost and tormented...forever?

Bondage and Service: A Tale of Reluctant First-time Oral Sex and BDSM. by Mandy Cumming. Brittany, a waitress at the exclusive Tide's Inn, decides to make her play for Victor McCoy, a regular visitor who has made his interest in her obvious. Brittany quickly learns Victor isn't a typical lover – he expects total surrender from Brittany, leaving her literally helpless to his every whim. FREE for your Kindle here.

A to Z in 10 by 10 by Donna B. McNicol 26 letters in the alphabet provide the start of 26 flash fiction stories. Each story was written based upon a word and a photo used for inspiration. That's the A to Z.The 10 by 10 refers to the story length. Each story was written in no more than ten sentences but with a minimum of 100 words (10x10=100).

His for One Night (His #1) by Octavia Wildwood. After a bad night, straight-laced college instructor Daniella James finds herself drowning her sorrows at a local bar. It’s not her type of place, but she doesn’t feel like being alone. Then a handsome stranger in an expensive suit walks into her life and nothing is ever the same again.

The Neighbor 2, Lust in the Suburbs by Abby Weeks. Janey's story continues as she determines to impress the wealthy neighbor next door, this time by dominating her husband in front of him. As Janey gets closer to actually meeting the neighbor, and even slips onto his property in her underwear, we get another stunning look at how much she has changed and grown since moving to Sunny Oaks.

Give yourself a little gift (or two, or three) to help you get yourself started on the week, click on any of the links and download your free e-books.

And if you're an author, send me any books you plan to have free on Monday, April 7 to bookspecials@yahoo.com

Disclaimer: While it is my intention to feature only ebooks that are available for free download today, please check to ensure the book is listed as free before downloading. Sole responsibility for ensuring the listed ebooks are free, as listed, rest with the author.

Author S.L. Wallace, turning dystopian dreams into literary realities

Note: Today, we start the 14-day Lethal Obsession Birthday Book Blast Tour -- appearances by 14 different authors here at Shandra's Shadow World Blog. Please join us each day for a chance to learn about a new writer, her work, and a few fun facts. We also have a HUGE give-away many of the guests are contributing to.

*****

Today we have writer S.L. Wallace, author of the Reliance on Citizens Makes Us Great series, as well as the stories Dante's Day Off and Retrospection. I may be a little unusual in that I often find a writer's notes about where she comes up with stories as interesting as the actual stories. I think you're going to find some of my guest' answers here absolutely fascinating -- I know I can't wait to dive into more of her stories now!

Now, S.L., thanks so much for taking the time to appear on my blog. Let's jump right in.

Tell us a little bit about the Reliance on Citizens Makes Us Great series.

Wow, that is jumping right in! That was the first story I ever felt a desire to publish. I've enjoyed writing my entire life, but I never before wanted to share my musings with the world. I was inspired to write the Reliance on Citizens trilogy after waking up from an extremely vivid dream and thinking, "I'd watch that as a movie." And as I got ready for work that morning, I kept thinking about it. The fact that the dream didn't fade also led me to believe I had a good solid idea for a story. As soon as I got to work, I sat down at the computer and typed up everything I could remember about that dream, the mood, the setting, the characters. I even kept the main character's name from my dream: Keira. That dream became an early chapter in Price of a Bounty. As we all know, dreams sometimes go in weird directions, and this one was no different. I quickly changed the setting because my dream took place on the outskirts of a renaissance festival. That just didn't fit.

And then a really strange coincidence happened. A few weeks after I began writing Price of a Bounty, the story of a dystopian future world in which there is a huge divide between the Elite (the wealthy and powerful) and the Working Class (everybody else), the governor of my state started trying to remove the rights of public employees. He eventually succeeded, but well before that happened I went to a meeting to learn more about what was going on. A speaker tossed out a couple of statistics comparing the small number of wealthy people and how much they were financially worth to the rest of the population as a whole and how much wealth they had. My jaw just about hit the floor, and I thought, "Oh, my god! We're living in my novel!"

Can you tell us a little bit about how your other stories came to you?

Retrospection is another one that came from a dream. We were relaxing on vacation in a cabin in the woods when I slept in one morning. As I slowly woke, I realized I'd had a very interesting dream about a being that attaches itself to humans through the nervous system but that really isn't

out to harm us. In fact, it plays a very important role that is beyond most people's comprehension. And I thought what if things like non-medicinal hallucinations, ghost sightings, and certain mental conditions such as multiple personality disorder were actually all caused by the same thing, and what if that "thing" was this being that had a symbiotic relationship with humans. I know. I have weird dreams.

Last summer, I wrote a short story called Dante's Day Off. That one was inspired by a news article I read online that talked about how the first successful head transplant was completed on a monkey in the early 1970s but that doctors weren't able to attach the delicate nerves along the spinal column. The article proposed that we now have the technology required to perform such a surgery. Instead of writing a Frankenstein type story, I decided to write one from a more humanistic angle. 

The main character, Dante, is fascinated by that sort of research and news, and he is determined to be on the donor list in case anything happens to him.

Have you found writing a series or writing stand-alone works more challenging?

I think writing a series was more challenging because I worked hard to make sure that each book in my trilogy could be read as a stand-alone novel. Even though each book has its own story arc, there is an overall story arc that is present as well. One of my pet peeves when reading is to have large descriptions of what came before, so I had to be careful to give enough information so readers wouldn't be confused if they started with books two or three, but not so much as to bore readers who were working their way through the series. You see, I want readers to come back for more because they enjoy my work not because questions won't be answered if they don't continue.

In one of the author bios I've seen on you, you say you're a descendant of the legendary William Wallace, but that you fight for freedom and independence with the pen, rather than a sword, and that you've taken a stand against changes in government. Can you tell us a little about that, about what moves you to write?

When the governor of my home state started busting public unions, I was a public school teacher there. I wrote letters to the editor and marched around the capitol in freezing winter temperatures in order to try and protect my rights as well as the rights of parks department employees, public health officials, firemen, etc. We lost that fight, as much as we tried, we lost. Many people continue to fight against injustice there, but I chose to move away because of my daughter. If she had been further along in her schooling, I would have stayed, but she's just starting school, and it's my opinion that the schools in that state have been completely ruined for generations to come. I know 

I'm not the only one who made that decision. Not only do I personally know other teachers and other public employees who have left the state, taken early retirement, or changed career paths, I also heard another scary statistic at the beginning of this school year. In a large school district that normally hires anywhere from 4 to 20, new teaches every September, this past school year, they hired 61 new teachers. On top of that, I know for a fact that principals are being asked to fill teaching vacancies in addition to running their schools, positions are being eliminated, and the teachers who stay are being asked to take on extra duties. So what can I do? I can write fiction that gets readers to think about real world issues.

Okay, let's step away from writing for a bit. Let's do some rapid fire  questions. Answer the first thing that comes to mind – no cheating, no pondering, just whatever flashes in your mind first.

All right. I'm ready!

Favorite modern television series?

The 4400. I hope that's not too old?

Favorite television series from any era?

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Favorite writer?

Neil Gaiman or Patrick Ness

If money were no object or concern, what sort of car would you own?

Prius

If you could live, full time, anywhere in the world, were would it be? Why?

Anywhere in Canada because I have family there, and I agree with more of their political stances such as universal health care.

Favorite food?

Italian. Any Italian food.

Favorite color?

I have two. Bright blue and black.

Favorite novel?

To Kill a Mockingbird

Okay, now, back to the writerly questions. J

Is there any one moment, or one event in your life that made you decide you wanted, maybe needed, to be a writer? If not, can you tell us how you came to the realization you wanted to write?

I enjoy writing. I always have. Writing is sort of like breathing to me. I just do it naturally. If self-publishing weren't an option, I'm sure I'd still be writing for myself, like I did for most of my life.

Tell us, what projects we might see coming from you over the next year.

There is a very short story I recently wrote for a literary fiction anthology that is presently on hold. It's called Rafting the Wolff, and it's based on an experience I had when I was in high school. I'm sure I'll publish it somewhere eventually. You can read an excerpt on my official author website.

In addition to that, I'm working on an anthology of suspenseful short stories and possibly some horror shorts. I'm starting each chapter with a little bit of nonfiction from my past. Then each chapter expands on those particular personal experiences, except I twist and warp them. I plan to release it in October of 2014. It does not yet have a title.

Thanks so much for taking the time to visit with us, I can't tell you how much I appreciate you being here today. Now, in honor of Valentine's Day, let's share an excerpt from Heart of Humanity.

The Reliance on Citizens books are all written in first person point of view, only whose point of view it is changes and rotates between the main characters on a chapter by chapter basis. This very short chapter is from Brody's point of view. He's talking to Aimee who suffered from physical and sexual abuse in her past.

Pale, smooth skin, long lashes, golden hair. Aimee looked so peaceful when she slept. I sighed. Just then, her features contorted as the dream took over. I gathered her into my arms, held her close, kept her safe.

“Aimee,” I said softly into her ear. “Aimee, wake up.”

Her eyelids fluttered open. She curled her body against mine and wept. Eventually, she wiped the tears away, stretched and rolled over onto her back.

I propped myself up on one elbow and peered into her deep brown eyes. “Good morning.”

She smiled and took a deep breath. “Morning.”

This was the perfect time. Not just before, but now. She felt safe with me, I could see it in her eyes, and I didn't want the moment to pass.

“Aimee, I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

“Brody...”

“Will you marry me?”

“Brody.” She turned her head away and looked out the window. “You're asking now? With my hair a mess and my stinky morning breath?”

“Your hair is gorgeous, and your breath is—well, it's okay.”

The briefest smile flashed across her face. “What about flowers and a romantic dinner? What about the ring and getting down on one knee? Is this really how you want to ask me?” She was still looking away.

Gently, I reached for her chin and directed her eyes back toward mine. “I want to wake up next to you every morning, just like this. I want to fall asleep holding you every night. I don't want anything about us to change. I just want everyone to know that we've made a commitment to each other.”

Yes, I wanted to ask her here, privately, in a place where she felt safe.

Connect with S. L. Wallace:

Official Author Website: http://slwallace.com/

Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/author.slwallace

Facebook fan page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Reliance-on-Citizens/269905359690713?ref=hl

Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorSLWallace

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5247133.S_L_Wallace

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Don't forget to enter the contest!

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Great authors and loads of prizes -- just around the corner!

As they say, time flies when you're having fun. Of course, it seems to fly when you're not having fun, too. Maybe not at that moment, but overall, the days and weeks and months and -- yes, even years -- slip by before you know it.

In just over two weeks, on Feb. 28, I'll mark the first anniversary of the publication of my debut novel, LETHAL OBSESSION. A great deal has happened in the past 12 months, some good, some difficult, but through it all I've been blessed that many of you have read LETHAL OBSESSION, and the follow-up, HELPLESS. And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention an increasing number of folks are listening to LETHAL OBSESSION, as recorded by the supremely talented Karen Kruper -- for a review of the audio version, check out Guilty Indulgence Book Club.

In just a few weeks, on March 11, the third installment in the Lethal Obsession Trilogy, ENSLAVED, will be released.

It's taken longer than I anticipated to finish off the trilogy, and while I'm thrilled to be releasing the novel, I have to confess to a little bit of sadness. Even when I wasn't writing, LETHAL OBSESSION stayed with me, rolling around in my head. And while I was in the act of writing, I felt like I was working on it all the time -- in the shower, driving to work, even while at work (don't tell my boss), the story lines, the characters, demanded my attention.

Wrapping up the trilogy is a little bit like losing a friend. A few friends.

But enough sadness! We're here to celebrate, and I have some real-world friends who are going to help me commemorate the first year of LETHAL OBSESSION.

Beginning on Friday, Feb. 14, and over the following 14 days, 14 different authors will be appearing on my blog. Some will be writing about subjects close to their heart, others will be sharing information on their own work -- novel summaries, blurbs, even excerpts -- and I'll be interviewing some of the writers to give you a little insight into them and their work.

And there are some GREAT prizes available to everyone who wants to take part in a free contest -- novels, short story collections, gift cards. For full details on how to enter, enhance your chances to win, and to see a list of prizes (there are more than a dozen prizes), visit back here on Thursday (Feb. 13), or check out my Facebook Birthday Blog Bash event.

Along with all the give-aways, including copies of my novels LETHAL OBSESSION, HELPLESS, and ENSLAVED, the one that started it all, LETHAL OBSESSION will be available at Amazon for just 99 cents for the whole two weeks. (If you enjoy audio books, that means you can get the Kindle version AND the audio version for just $2.98!)

Now, here's a partial list of the prizes you can win. Come on back tomorrow and I'll list the authors who will be participating, and maybe a line or two about what they'll be doing.

As always, thanks so much for reading.
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Seven days and counting til the Big Blog Birthday Bash!

That's right, in just seven days I'm kicking off a two-week celebration of my first novel, LETHAL OBSESSION.

On Feb. 28, 2013, LETHAL OBSESSION went live, and it's been quite a year. I've had a few readers contact me, which really makes my day, and I've met some wonderful, supportive writers along the way, some that I count among my friends today.

In celebration of that publication birthday, I'm hosting a 14-day Big Blog Birthday Bash, with 14 different writers appearing on my blog, AND a chance for you to win some great prizes.

I'll give more details in a day or two, but keep watching this spot for announcements of who is participating and what prizes are being offered.

Don't miss it!

Free fiction and a chance to cavort with me and some lovely ladies?

Want free fiction? Want a chance to chat with me and some fans and friends in a private little online group? What about occasional prizes or swag, or the chance to see my work before anyone else in the world does?

Then come along and join my new and improved Street Team.

Nearly a year ago I formed the LETHAL OBSESSION Street Team for two main purposes. First, of course, was to help me get the word out about my debut novel, LETHAL OBSESSION, and later to help me with the sequel, HELPLESS.

Second, it became a chance for me to interact, on a somewhat more personal basis, with a few fans of my work, and to make a few friends. There are some great ladies in the group, people who have supported and encouraged me, and who helped me spread the word about my work.

In the latter part of 2013 I ended up with an impromptu hiatus, both from writing and working with the street team (details here and then a follow-up here if you want to see what happened). Thankfully, I'm back writing up a storm now and have a release schedule now for the third part of the Lethal Obsession Trilogy (March 11), as well as tentative release dates for additional works featuring some of the characters from Lethal Obsession (May and July) as well as an entirely new novel series I'll be starting in April, featuring the fictional character Deborah Tompkins, a small-time radio news director who finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation.

I also plan to have a collection of shortish tales that combine horror and erotica later in the year, as October approaches.

More details on all of that as the coming weeks unfold, but all totaled I'm looking at perhaps six novels or novel-length collections coming out in 2014.

For now, though, I'm looking to build a new Street Team, to get to know more fans and to get help in spreading the word about my work as it's released.

Thus I'm turning to you, dear reader, asking if you'd like to join the Shandra Miller Street Team?

What's in it for you?

Plenty of free fiction -- you all will get free copies of my new work, in some cases weeks before its released to the public. You can even have input into my fiction as a beta reader, or as I ask questions along the way while I'm writing. Heck, you might even get to name some of my characters!

You'll also get the chance to interact with some great people -- the ladies on my street team now are wonderful, helpful, and funny.

Third, I can't promise what form this might take (I'm on a tight budget at present), but along the way during 2014 I may have some chances at a few prizes for street team members, or some Shandra Miller swag that you'll all get for free.

Fourth, for those members who are writers, I'll do everything I can to help spread the word of your work -- tweet for you, share posts on Facebook, let you guest blog here on Shandra's Shadow World, whatever we can come up with!

And fifth, you get a chance to help little ol me -- and believe me, I can use all the help I can get. :)

Did I also mention plenty of FREE FICTION?

What does being on the Street Team mean for you? What am I asking in return?

Not a lot, actually. I will ask for beta readers occasionally as I work on my stories. I'll ask you all to help with retweeting some if you have a Twitter account, and for help sharing posts on Facebook -- not a lot, I don't want you to feel like you're spamming your friends with promos of my work. I'll also ask that as you read my work (remember, it's FREE for Street Team members) you leave reviews at Amazon, Goodreads, Smashwords, and Barnes  and Noble (don't worry, you can leave the same review at each place, so it's just copying and pasting).

And I might occasionally ask for advice or help in finding websites and blogs that might do reviews or promos of my work.

That's about it!

So, plenty of FREE FICTION, an opportunity to meet and get to know some great folks, a chance to help little old me get my writing into the hands of readers, and maybe even some prizes and swag!

What's not to like?

If you want to join my Street Team just click anywhere you see Street Team, that'll take you to the group on FB, then ask to join. Or send me a note and I'll sent an invitation.

Most of all, I want you to have some fun while helping me spread the word about my fiction.

Thanks for stopping by, and I'm looking forward to hearing from you.

Shandra

Some hot erotica plans for 2014

Many who know me say I tend to march to the beat of a different drummer (occasionally to a drumbeat no on else seems to be able to hear). Still, sometimes, every once in a great while, I do something downright traditional.

That's what I'm doing today, writing a New Year's blog to talk a little bit about my 2014 plans. Sorta like my New Year's publishing resolutions.

Before getting into all of that, I want to take a quick glance back at 2013. Not to review what I've published, or talking about anything specific. I just want to say that while it was definitely an up and down year, I thank all of you who have been reading my work, and to some of my new author friends who have taught me so much about writing and publishing I want to say you ladies are the best!

You guys are definitely a big part of the good times I experience in 2013. For my readers, I hope I was able to give you a few hours of enjoyment while you were reading my books. I know I enjoyed writing them, and I can't tell you how thrilling it is to get notes from you all, or reviews, about the stories. I hope to give you even more this year.

And now, onward to 2014.

First, I plan on Jan. 8 to officially release PAMELA'S CHOICE, the long-awaited conclusion to the little trilogy I began with my erotica short, PRIVATE DINING and continued with the story ROOM SERVICE. Rather than release PAMELA'S CHOICE as a stand-alone short, I've combined all three of them in the collection BLIND FAITH, A TIDES INN EROTICA TRILOGY. 

I'll tell you a little secret though – you can get BLIND FAITH now for just 99 cents, here for your Kindle, here for your Nook, or here for any format from Smashwords. If you want a glimpse into the trilogy, you can get the first story, PRIVATE DINING, for free right here at Smashwords. It'll be up and live – and free – for your Nook sometime, though I'm patiently waiting on B&N to upload the site from Smashwords. Still waiting on Amazon to change the price to free. I'll add that information here as it becomes available.

Second, the third, and as yet untitled, final installment of the LETHAL OBSESSION trilogy will be out in March, with a tentative release date of March 4. In this one, Detective Angela Martin goes deeper into the world of bondage, BDSM, and submission than she's ever dreamed – not because she's still seeking something, but she's trying to save the man she loves. Can she return? Can she even survive?

I'll also have another tale coming out in late April that will take a look at what happens to a couple who take their fantasy life a little too far, kidnapping a woman to make their own slave, and what can happen when they target the wrong person…

Beyond that? I've already got a few stories in the works, perhaps a couple of more traditional thrillers that aren't so overtly erotica, and maybe even a little horror and erotica mixed together as we near October.  

We'll have to see.

But for now, I have a busy, busy first few months planned, so I'm going to get busy writing!

I hope you have a great, wonderful 2014 and that all your fantasies come true this year!

Thanks for stopping by.

xoxo

Unfinished business, part 2 -- wrapping up a story or two

I don't really have any big announcement to make, other than I finally put the last period in the final sentence of the third installment of my Tides Inn Erotica Tales series.

A few days ago, in my blog headlined A misty run, unfinished business, and a mysterious woman, I referenced a couple of stories I published late last year, Private Dining and Room Service, and the fact that I had intended to write a third story in the series.

Those of you who have been following me know that in recent months I've had some difficulties which have kept me offline, away from writing, and struggling just to get through the day (Emerging from silence -- depression and life). 

Now that I am hip deep in continuing treatment and making progress, I have definitely found excitement in writing again, and I've finally finished the first draft of the third Tides Inn tale, right on the schedule I had set for myself.

The story did take a few twists I hadn't expected, but overall I'm happy with it.I still don't have a title, but I'll be coming up with that as I edit the story. Later this month, as we approached Jan. 1, I'll be releasing the work.

And soon I'll be turning my attention to the third installment of The Lethal Obsession Trilogy.

A misty run, unfinished business, and a mysterious woman

As most of you who read this know, I moved to the mountains of Southwest Virginia earlier this year -- not by choice, but in search of a new job, and in some ways a new start on life.

I've lived in a lot of places over the years, none really permanent since I was 16, though I thought I had found a small town where I'd settle in eastern North Carolina before losing my job. While the job loss and subsequent move wasn't in my plans, I love it where I am now.

Here's one reason why. A few days ago I had gone for quick run, and halfway through it I just stopped. I was on an isolated old road, surrounded by rolling fields. It was a cold day, the air filled with a fine mist, and a feeling of, for lack of better term, freshness in the air I never felt before moving here. The only thing I could see was a couple of ramshackle old barns looking as if they might fall at any second, a handful of granite stones protruding from the ground in a tiny, long-forgotten cemetery, and fog-shrouded ridges off in the distance.

That's when I heard them. The voices. No, I'm not crazy, I wasn't really hearing voices, but those hills, the farmland, even the cemetery -- they've been there for years, eons even, watching as the seasons passed, the land changed, as Native Americans walked the land, as Europeans settled the area.

What stories are floating around in those hollows? What tales can be heard by just listening, by feeling, what those mountains have to say?

Eventually I resumed my little run, but along the way a story began forming in my head. The story of a woman who grew up in those mountains, left her home as a teen for the big city and bright lights, and then came back...but that's enough for now, though this is a story that I believe will find life in 2014.

Before then, however, I have unfinished business.

A year ago I published two short stories, PRIVATE DINING and then ROOM SERVICE. My intent was to make them part of a long-running series, which I may yet do. What I will commit to is finishing the short trilogy those two were meant to be part of, and have that third, as yet unnamed tale, available in January.

After that comes the third installment in my Lethal Obsession Trilogy, which began with the novel LETHAL OBSESSION and continued with HELPLESS. The third installment, which as of yet is unnamed, will be out some time in the later part of February or the first part of March. While this will complete the trilogy, I haven't yet decided what to do with Detective Angela Martin. Who knows, maybe she won't survive the final installment?

I have a wicked little erotica tale after that which has planted itself in my head and won't go away. Despite all the experts saying indie writers should devote themselves to a series, this one tale I have to do, and it probably will be a stand-alone.

And did I say this one will be wicked?

And then I think it might be time to turn my attention to something outside the world of erotica, the story of that woman who came to me on that cold, rainy run. Where that story takes me, I'm not sure, but I will definitely have her tale for you in 2014.

Making my way back...and thanks to well-wishers

It's been well over a month since I last posted here, when I talked of my depression and related issues.

I had not planned to go this long without posting again, but, as I said in that Oct. 20 posting, I was still working with a counselor, trying to find my way back to some semblance of normal, of getting past the struggle to simply get out of bed.

I want to thank everyone who commented and gave me words of encouragement, both here and on Facebook and elsewhere. It means a lot to have that support -- several times over the past few weeks I'd go online just to read those comments.

I am much better now, though as any of you know who have had this condition, it's not the kind of thing one is ever cured of. I've been in counseling before, and I've learned over the years to recognize some of the triggers that can send me down again, and the signs I'm slipping, though this time around I've committed to staying with the counseling long-term, rather than thinking I could handle it on my own.

So, I'm making my way back, and I'm beginning to write some now, not just writing this and that as I fancy, but getting back to writing for publication. Working on the third installment of my LETHAL OBSESSION trilogy.

I hope to have some news on that front in a couple of weeks, and then to follow that up with new works over 2014.

I am doing much better now, though, and wanted to let everyone know I'm returning to the world, and so too will my writing -- for good or bad!

Emerging from the silence - depression and life

I've written this blog 50 times over in my head, yet it's been nearly impossible for me to sit at a keyboard and type out the words.

Then again, it's been equally difficult for me to sit at a computer and write anything for some time now.

I have a few fans who have contacted me, a Street Team who has helped spread the word about my work, several websites and blogs that have published reviews for my novels, LETHAL OBSESSION, and its sequel, HELPLESS, and some friends and colleagues who have offered me advice and help with marketing.

Yet I've not been able to respond to any of them for weeks now, to tell anyone about any of it, to even log onto Facebook or Twitter or my email account.

Until today.

I cannot describe to you how awful I feel, as if I've let people down, turned my back on them for no apparent reason. The longer I went in silence, the worse I felt, and the worse I felt, the harder it's become to break that silence.

Let me try to explain. I'm not making excuses, not asking for sympathy or help, just for understanding.

I suffer from depression. Long-term clinical depression is what the counselor calls it. That's not a surprise – I've mentioned that before during a few interviews bloggers have done with me over the past year. I've known for years I've had it, was first diagnosed, officially, as suffering from the condition six years ago, though I knew, on some level, that was my problem long before then.

I'm not all that well-educated, at least formally, but I'm well-read and reasonably intelligent. I knew, years ago while working the carnival circuit down South, that something was wrong, and I was pretty certain what it was. A couple of years later, when it got really bad and I was having some dark, bad thoughts, a few coworkers all but dragged me into counseling.

I don't think I would have done anything drastic, but we'll never know. For that I'm eternally thankful to those people who cared enough to see that I got the help I desperately needed at that time.

I don't know if you understand what depression is. I'm not talking about the times when someone feels a little down, when problems in life make the going a little rough for a while.

Clinical depression, to use that term, is a disease. While I don't like to use the term mental illness because of the stigma attached to that phrase, in truth clinical depression is a mental illness. It results from a chemical imbalance in the brain. If you have a broken arm, you can't just snap out of it, decide your arm's going to be okay and go on your merry way. Depression is a lot like that – it's a real, honest-to-God physical ailment, something is wrong and you can't just snap out of it or get over it.

Years ago I went to a few sessions with a counselor named Judy. They were good for me. She taught me some coping techniques, a few ways to recognize when depression is sneaking up on me, what triggers to watch out for.

I also was a little too full of myself and my own cleverness. After a few sessions I realized she was drawing things out of me, having me talk about things I already understood on some deep level – often when I'd say something to her I'd think "I already know this stuff, why am I bothering coming here?" so I quit going. I thought I was smart enough to figure it out on my own.

While I've struggled with depression off and on since then, I've mostly kept it under control.

This year too many things have happened, though. I lost my job earlier this year, through no fault of my own. My father, a man I hadn't seen in many, many years and someone I never thought I'd care about again, died. At first I thought that was no big deal, but learning of his passing, going back home for the first time in so many years – it all affected me more deeply than I wanted to admit. I've moved across two states to a new home in the mountains of Southwestern Virginia, a beautiful place but that also meant I left behind some good friends where I once lived.

And then the writing. For any of you who know me, or have been following my writing and blogging, you know my childhood and teen years weren't the greatest. But writing – that was always my solace, my escape from the world, the way I kept sane and pretended I had some measure of control over my life.

This year that changed, too. I published a novel, LETHAL OBSESSION, which got me a few readers, some fans, and my world began to change. Mostly of my own doing, putting some pressure on myself that perhaps wasn't really there. I don't know.

What I do know is that suddenly writing wasn't an escape any more. It was something that demanded part of me, part of my energy, my time, my focus, in ways I had not experienced before.

Again, I'm not asking anyone to feel sorry for me, and I don't want to overstate what happened. It's not like the book was a best seller, or even a middle-of-the-road seller. But a few people were paying money for it, writing me (which was great) and asking for more.

Somewhere along the way, I let my focus shift from writing because I loved it to writing because I felt like it was a job. And that's okay.

But then I started falling back into depression, to depths of that condition I hadn't felt in years. And the one thing I had always relied on, my ability to write, was no longer an option. I suppose in reality it was – all I had to do was sit down and start, even if it was gibberish meant for no one but me.

It's not always that easy, though. Sometimes when a person is depressed she doesn't think straight – basic reasoning ability can be compromised. So, I quit writing. Quit doing much with people. Quit taking walks. I went to work, came home and slept. I gained weight. I hated myself for that all, and that self-hatred just fed the depression. I fought through it some, continued doing some posting and blog stops when HELPLESS was first out, but eventually I just stopped. I don't think I've been online now for somewhere around six or eight weeks.

Then when I'd think about trying to change,  trying to start writing again, I just didn't have the energy to even try. I began to think I couldn't write any more, and then that I couldn't face those I knew through my writing.

The good news in all of this is I'm getting some help again. And this time I think I'm smarter – smart enough to know I'm not nearly smart enough to do this alone.

I'm writing again, too, though not the promised third part in the Lethal Obsession Trilogy. I am going to write that, finish and publish it before the end of the year. But for now, I'm just writing to escape, to follow whatever fancy my spirit feels needs to be followed. It's slow – this whole thing is a slow process, trying to deal with depression and see if I can escape from it – but the writing is returning.

Even now, as I'm posting this on my blog, I haven't yet checked my email, my Facebook or Twitter accounts. I may not have any FB friends or Twitter followers, I may have emails from people wanting to know why I haven't done this or done that.

Please know this. If I've left you hanging, if you feel I've turned my back on you, or haven't been as supportive or helpful to some of you as I should be, I'm truly sorry. I feel like crying at the thought of that. Please forgive me.

I'm coming out of this. I am. And I'm going to be stronger, and better, and a better friend/supporter to all of you as I do. But it's going to take some time.

HELPLESS is ready for download and reading!

I won't say I feel like I've given birth -- while I have never given birth I've seen that way too up close and personal -- so I know writing and publishing a book is nothing like bringing a child into the world. Still, I do feel like I'm putting a little piece of me out there, something I've written and edited and revised and rewritten.

And now it's out there.

HELPLESS, Book 2 of he Lethal Obsession Trilogy is on sale!

What's it about? Here's a peek:

Detective Angela Martin returns to pick up the pieces of her life – and track down a killer – in the darkly erotic thriller HELPLESS, the sequel to the acclaimed erotica suspense tale LETHAL OBSESSION.

In LETHAL OBSESSION, Angela found herself in the clutches of a BDSM master who knew exactly how to control her body and mind, to make her feel pleasure – mingled with a hint of pain and submission – in ways she had never imagined. Then women started turning up dead in her town of Moose Creek, N.C., bound and tortured in ways eerily similar to what Angela's mysterious master had done to her.

Despite the danger to her life and career, Angela couldn't stop herself – she kept going back to him, ostensibly to learn more about him as she investigated the deaths, but in truth because she craved his touch, his control. She belonged to him, body and soul, though her devotion had tragic consequences.

In HELPLESS, she is working through the guilt of having killed, the grief of having lost, trying to rebuild her life and career. She is driven to seek out darker, more dangerous sexual thrills, even when the bondage killer, or a copycat, returns to Moose Creek.

Her life is complicated when a writer from a national publication shows up in her town, determined to do a series of articles on the bondage killer, and her life. The writer turns out to be more than expected, and this time Angela finds herself fighting not only for her career and life, but maybe to save others as well.

*****

As you no doubt know, given the title, HELPLESS is a sequel to LETHAL OBSESSION. If you haven't read LETHAL OBSESSION, I think you can still read HELPLESS and come away feeling as if you've read a complete story. But the characters, and some of the story lines, will be so much richer if you check out LETHAL OBSESSION first. If you've already read it, then jump right in to HELPLESS.

To download HELPLESS from Amazon, go here.

And from Barnes and Noble for your Nook, go here.

Smashwords will be coming soon.

To get a copy of LETHAL OBSESSION for your Kindle, go here.

To download to your Nook, go here.

And from Smashwords, go right here.

BONUS: If you want to hear a super sensual audio version narrated by the talented Karen Kruper, you can get the audio copy and the e-book of LETHAL OBSESSION, both for just $4.98 total, right HERE.

I hope you enjoy my work, and thanks for stopping by.

xoxo

Helpless cover revealed!

Today I'm soooo excited, because I get to unveil the cover to my now erotic-suspense novel, HELPLESS, Book Two of the Lethal Obsession Trilogy. Actually, the cover was officially unveiled on three other sites this weekend (Secret Narrative, the website belonging to author Gemma James, and at Deliza's Dirty Dramas). If you haven't seen those, please pay them a visit -- those are some great blogs and websites certainly worth checking out.

If you haven't read LETHAL OBSESSION, please pick that one up. As the title of HELPLESS, Book Two of the Lethal Obsession Trilogy implies, it's a sequel to my debut novel, LETHAL OBSESSION, and while HELPLESS stands fairly well on its own, you most definitely need to read LETHAL OBSESSION to get the full effect. You can get a bit of a discount on it if you're a member of the Goodreads Erotic Enchants group. It's a read of the month staring Aug. 19 there (details at Erotic Enchants reads LETHAL OBSESSION).

You can also get an audio version of LETHAL OBSESSION at Amazon and Audio. com. Right now, Amazon is running a special – you can buy the audio version for just $1.99 after you buy the e-book! At Audio. com, if you join the group, you can get LETHAL OBSESSION for free! That's an Amazon special, so I don't know if they'll honor that price if you bought LETHAL OBSESSION a couple of months ago, but it's certainly worth asking.

But, enough about LETHAL OBSESSION. Let's turn our attention to the sequel, HELPLESS.

Here's the cover:

And now for an excerpt:

Excerpt one

I’m going to die.

The thought flashed through Angela’s mind. No panic. No fear. No emotion. Just a simple, resigned understanding.

I’m going to die.

Not that she could do much, with the man’s face buried between her legs, biting, tongue slipping inside her, probing, sending waves of arousal through her body.

Angela’s legs were bound in what is known as a frog-tie – each leg folded at the knee, right ankle tied to her right thigh, left ankle bound to her left thigh – her arms tied behind her. She was on her back, legs in the air, while he assaulted her.

A rope looped her neck, slip-knotted so that as tension increased the rope tightened, similar to a noose. The other end of the rope was fastened to the headboard. He had protested, said the neck bondage was too dangerous, but she had made her position plain – tying the neck was part of the deal, or there was no deal and he could walk right out without so much as a taste.

So he acquiesced, and once she was bound, helpless, there had been no foreplay. He slapped the exposed inside of her thighs, first one and then the other, over and over until the skin glowed red. 

With each blow Angela gasped, felt her face and body flush.

“You like that?” he whispered, and without waiting for an answer he pulled his belt from this pants. 

Using it as a whip, he struck her across her cunt, hard. The sting of leather sent a shock rolling through her body, and when Angela moaned he struck a second and third time, then he plunged in, kissing, licking, forcing her legs wider. Hands cupping her ass, he pulled her toward him, and unknowingly moved her down the bed, stretching the neck rope taut.

Angela couldn’t breathe. The desperate, involuntary struggle for air, while his tongue lapped inside her, hands squeezing her ass, brought shudders through Angela’s body and tears to her eyes. She tried calling out, a raspy scream escaping her mouth as the pleasure and agony blended into a sensation that rumbled through her body like a summer storm.

Her vision grayed, and that’s when the one, final thought crystallized in her mind.

I’m going to die.

The idea of trying to cry out, of somehow signaling him, briefly crossed her mind, but she didn’t bother.

I’m going to die, because I deserve to.

Then her world went black.

*****

HELPLESS will be available at Amazon.com Aug. 15, as well as Barnes and Noble and at Smashwords (for any format e-reader) within a day or two of the release on Amazon.

I hope you enjoy.

Thanks for stopping by.