Natasha Blackthorne Talks Passions & Influences…#TrustMe!

I love Social Media. So many of my incredible friends have been met through this venue…including my guest today. I discovered Natasha Blackthorne through a link shared on Twitter by one of the many fabulous people I follow. It led to a blog and a spotlight of one of Natasha’s exciting, erotic romance books, A Measured Risk (Hello, historical erotic romance–something that up until this point had not really piqued my interest). Her excerpt only whetted my appetite for more, so I got the book and began to follow her.

As often happens in the blogoverse, our paths crossed again when we found ourselves on the same Triberr tribe….and we became friendly both through Twitter and Facebook. She was as awesome one on one as her books were! Of course, when I found out she’d just released a new book, I jumped at the chance to introduce this lovely woman to you guys. So, without further ado, I give to you…. The steamy, ever-so-talented, Natasha Blackthorne!

Hello Everyone!

I am very honored to be a guest today on Kitt’s blog. She asked me to talk about my passions and how they affect my writing.

I have always been drawn to observe people and I have wondered why they do the things they do. Where did we all come from? How did we develop? These are questions that drove me at an early age to look through the books in my Dad’s bookshelves. He had so many different interests, psychology, sociology and anthropology. I really enjoy learning what makes people tick. Many times, I develop a story so that I can explore an internal conflict that a person may have and how would that influence the way they interact with life and the people they love and those they hate.

History has always been my biggest passion. I am most interested in the Early Modern era from 1300 to about 1840 AD. I love social history and studying what philosophical ideas were affecting people. I like to study how people lived on a daily basis, what thoughts drove their moment-to-moment actions. I want to understand what it was like to live in the past from the bones outward. Most interesting to me is what would it be like to be a person who had a personality or idealistic drive that put them strongly in opposition to the ideas and expectations of the time. Books on the social and psychological aspects of history provide a wonderful, and often myth busting, view into the past. They can give such a fresh and fascinating second glance at issues and fuel ideas that come at history from a new perspective. I am very grateful to the historians who write these books and they keep me in love with the past.

I have always loved to read. Historical biography fascinates me. It is one way to get under the skin of a person who lived in the past. There are so many stereotypes and misconceptions about how people were in the past. So much modern understanding about people in history comes from their entertainment literature. Such literature can give a view into how people wanted to be seen, what they aspired to be. But I always want to get a deeper view into the juxtaposition between what people wanted to be and what they really were. The best way to get this deeper, more realistic view is to read biographies, especially those that feature many quotes from original sources such as letters and diaries. I am most interested in their emotional, psychological and sexual lives. I want to gain an intimate understanding of historical people.

My Wild, Wicked and Wanton series is an example of how my writing is fueled by these interests. Beth McConnell is a young woman who wants the acceptance of her loved ones. Yet she’s also a very assertive personality and possessed of an exceptionally strong sexuality. The era in which she lives doesn’t value these traits in a woman, especially not in a respectable young woman. And Beth wants to be good. But her inner passions and desires drive her to take chances counter to that longing to be respectable. So how would she cope with this conflict? That is what propelled me to write my first erotic historical romance submission, Grey’s Lady.

 

 

I am very excited to mention that I have a new release, Trust Me. It is book two in the Regency Risks series.

Trust Me is the sequel to A Measured Risk, Regency Risks, Book One

Erotic Romance, Regency Historical, Light BDSM, Rubenesque, Novel Length: approximately 100,000 words.

Anne and Jon’s story continues.

Is she insane?

All of Mayfair is whispering the question.

Anne Lloyd, the new Countess of Ruel, thought she’d finally begun to heal from having witnessed the terrible death of her first husband. But, from her new husband’s grandmother to his ex-mistresses, it is all that is on everyone’s lips. What scares her more than the potential social ruin is that even she isn’t sure they aren’t right.

Jonathon Lloyd, the Earl of Ruel, has commanded men on the battlefield and women in the ballrooms and bedchambers with his dominant personality. It tears him apart that he can’t command his wife’s terrors to go away. To top it off, he has to battle his grandmother for Anne’s acceptance as the new Countess. There are times when it seems that the bloody battlefields of Europe were easier to navigate than the so-called civilized graces of Society.

There are those who will stop at nothing to tear apart the fragile bond between the newlyweds. Can Lady and Lord Ruel learn to trust each enough to keep their love, and her sanity, intact?

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Thank you very much to Kitt, for inviting me here today. I enjoyed talking about how some of my passions inspire my writing. Readers who would like to contact me are invited to either friend me or subscribe to my public feed on Facebook, where I am most socially active. Or stop by and visit my blog. You’re also welcome to follow me on Twitter!

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Natasha, you’re welcome to visit any time. As for you guys….any questions for Natasha? Care to share what passions you have that fuel your writing? Can’t wait for Natasha to experience my wild and quirky group of friends!

Checking In to Say I Haven’t Checked Out!

So things in my universe have suddenly gotten very “whirlwind-y,” but that doesn’t mean I’m gone or have disappeared. I promise. In fact, tomorrow will be my first day off in about 14 days and I’m looking forward to it with bated breath.

I also have some friends lined up to come by and visit with us all…and I can’t wait to share them with you, but in the meantime, here are some things that have brightened my smile and helped give me the energy I need to persist.

Yeah, so maybe I have a bit of a girl crush on Naya Rivera… Who could blame me? Santana’s effin’ hot! Of course, I’m equally in love with Rachel Barry’s voice, but who isn’t? Seriously, Lea Michele is uber talented, and despite her shitty ass year of losing her fiancé, Cory Monteith, she’s plowed on….continuing with Glee AND releasing a new album!

Then there’s this one… one of my all time fave musicians, Billy Joel, playing with Jimmy Fallon. Tell me this app is not badass! See, this is why I love working “in my real life” in the wireless technology biz. So many cool things.

This song reminds me of my sister and me when we’d sing together in our youth… And yes, these two young ladies from the tv show Nashville are sisters in real life, too. Oddly enough, it was my younger sister who tended to do the harmony when we sang, too. 🙂 And then there’s the lyrics… How uplifting to remind us that it’s the simple things that count!

Finally, although Christian Kane is (and always will be) my all time favorite Leverage member (and an awesome musician in his own right), there’s something absolutely enchanting about listening to Hardison (aka Aldis Hodge) play this particular Scheherazade solo. Yeah…with the hectic chaos that has been the last two weeks, I’ve found it soothing.

What about you guys? Anything new, fun, or just beautiful that you’ve discovered lately that you’d like to share? What’s new in your lives? I’ve missed you guys!

Shamrocks, Shillelaghs, and Shenanegans!

Although my life has suddenly become extremely hectic, I wanted to take a moment to wish you all a

Happy St. Paddy’s Day!!!

So, for fun, I’d love to hear what your Offensive holiday name is…. I’ll go first. My name is Slutty O’Blaze!

Have you been celebrating? How? Are you a green beer drinking bar hopper? Did you have corned beef and cabbage for lunch or dinner? Do you do something else? Guys, did you stick your shillelagh in some sexy person’s pot ‘o’ gold? Did you read Irish themed trashy romances?

Me? I opened a new store (the new job I started), and am now enjoying some Gaelic music and relaxing… So here’s a fun little ditty in honor of Galway in Ireland.

Hopefully you remembered to wear green, and if you didn’t, hopefully you were pinched in all the best naughty places… 😉

And my little limerick.

Shaking the Shillelagh

There was a wee man named Shamrock
Who bragged about having a big cock.
His rooster wiggled.
The ladies giggled.
That randy old bird was ALL TALK!

Sexy Chatting With Miz #GirlBoner Radio, August McLaughlin

Ya’ll know there’s not much I love more than an opportunity to talk sexy. In fact, it was this exact penchant that helped cement a friendship between myself and the creator of #GirlBoner, August McLaughlin. We’ve been going back and forth between our blogs, Facebook and Twitter for so long now that she feels more like an old friend than a stranger whose voice I’ve only heard in YouTube videos and podcasts.

So, of course, when she contacted me about my blog post celebrating the Beauty of a Woman’s Sexuality (for her third annual BlogFest) from a Christian standpoint, and asked me to share it and chat with her on her radio show, I was over the moon! Me? On GirlBoner radio? Actually talking to August live? Practically in person? Of course! That was yesterday.

So, for those of you who’d like to take a listen….maybe hear what I really sound like, or what it’s like when two totally Sex Positive women get together and chat…

Kinky Christian: Not an Oxymoron?

All I can say is that it was an honor to talk to my dear friend.

Also, if you haven’t gotten a chance to visit Fangs, Wands, and Fairy Dust….stop on over. Stephanie is an awesome book blogger/supporter of authors…and there are still a few days left for you to participate in a chance to win a copy of my most recent book….

Have you checked out August McLaughlin’s radio show yet? If not, go do it! I promise, you will not be disappointed. Also, if you listened to my interview, I’d love to hear what ya’ll thought!

Friends are the Sweetest Thing EVER!

I’m fortunate to be surrounded both in real life and online by an amazing group of friends. We laugh together, support one another, and cheer each other on. In fact, my awesome buddy, Ande Lyons, of Bring Back Desire, was kind enough make me this!

This was the quote August McLaughlin featured on her blog, announcing the winners from her Beauty of a Woman (Girl Boner edition) Blogfest! What’s even cooler? I’m one of those winners! I will be reading my post, then hanging out for a little bit to chat on the one and only GirlBoner radio! Yes, I’ll share more when the time comes, but guys…seriously. If you haven’t checked her show out yet, you need to do it NOW! You won’t regret it, I promise!

As if this isn’t already an abundance of friendship and support, there’s more! My dear friend, Stephanie, invited me to do a guest post and GIVEAWAY on her blog!

We actually met at Authors After Dark in Savannah (Steph, how did we not wind up taking a pic together then???). We sat together during the Vampire Ball and we started chatting. Afterward, we became friends on Facebook and Twitter and I followed her blog, so when she found out she’d be headed to my neck of the woods for a little while she reached out and asked if I’d like to meet her for coffee or wine.

COFFEE? WINE? I was IN! Well, truthfully, it was Steph, so she could’ve mentioned a walk on the beach and I’d have still been good to go. She’s pretty awesome.

She’d welcomed me to write a guest post for her blog, which thrilled me to death. I love her blog! But I wanted to do something special. Something unique for my friend. So, since my tastes vary and I’ll write whatever comes to mind anyway, I asked her if there was something specific she would like me to cover. The task she gave me proved to be not only fun, but right up my alley!

Stop by, show her some love (and me some support)…because, like I said….she’s awesome and I’m giving something away! Plus, we’re talking BDSM terms, fantasies and Four One Night!

And because it wouldn’t be The Sweetest Thing without a clip from one of my favorite movies of the same title…(And it’s a shout out to my favorite “kinkery” book club and their love of cock rings)…here’s a little something/something.

And my shout out to all my gal pals and our crazy ass sense of humor? (Because my BFF and I would totally do something like this.)

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, despite hubby’s accident yesterday (he was unharmed), it’s been a great week for me. Are you celebrating anything you want to share with the class? 😉

I Have A Writing Process?

I was recently tagged to join a Writing Process Blog Hop by my new friend, Maris Soule. It’s been a while since I’ve played this particular brand of “Tag,” but Maris was generous enough to ask, and this particular one intrigued me. Believe it or not, there are even rules to this!

The Rules: Like I said, it’s sort of like tag. You’re asked to participate, and if you agree, you’re assigned a date to answer 4 questions and asked to find 3 writers to follow you. Not too complicated, right?

Right now I bet you’re wondering…who did Kitt tag? Well, rest easy, it wasn’t you. Just kidding. 😉 Actually, I tagged my awesome long time friend and fellow writer, KerryAnn. I also hit up one of my first blog buddies, author and Mythical Monday extraordinaire, Mae Clair. And last, but definitely not least, one of my favorite Scottish time travel authors, blog friends, and incredible beta reader, Jessi Gage. Don’t worry, their deets will be shared in more depth later…and ya’ll better check them out!

So, before I answer the questions, here’s a little history on the lovely lady who tagged me: Maris Soule was born and raised in California. She was working on a masters in art history when she met a red-head with blue eyes who talked her into moving to Michigan–for just a couple of years. She’s still married to that man and still lives in Michigan (though she migrates to Florida in the winter). Soule has had 25 romances published by Harlequin, Silhouette, and Bantam (she’s a 2 time RITA finalists) and 2 mysteries published by Five Star. (Her P.J. Benson mysteries or “Crows” series.) In addition to writing mysteries, Soule has been putting some of her early romances out as e-books, and she recently signed a contract with Robert Hale Ltd. for a suspense about a woman in her 70s with a deadly past. Every Wednesday Soule writes a blog that generally deals with writing.

Check out her blog or Follow her on Twitter!

She’s a very cool lady who I’m fortunate enough to know personally thanks to Florida Writers Association and our Sarasota Writers Group.

Now, on to the questions for yours truly….

1)  What am I working on?

Currently, I’m working on 2 projects.

My primary piece is the third part of my Wild Side erotica series. I tentatively named it Happily Unmarried After, and so far it’s stuck. Those of you who’ve read Three For All and Four One Night will be thrilled to see their beloved wild woman, Danielle Monroe, up to her uninhibited ways (and all the fun that goes with it).  Yes, if you click the above links, excerpts will follow. 😉

The other piece is an erotic romance novel, yet to be named. So far it’s just some character sketches and a couple of scenes, but we’ve all got to start somewhere, right?

2)  How does my work differ from others of its genre?

Hmm. Well, I guess I’d have to say it’s the way my characters are portrayed in my books. There are no billionaires or zillionaires in my books, first. Second? The setting is fairly common, and easy to imagine. Finally, my characters are fun and likeable with a playful, bantering dialogue. They don’t take themselves or each other too seriously, which makes them immediately likeable and relatable. I like to think that most people could read my characters and easily insert themselves into one of the characters and their very doable fantasies.

3)  Why do I write what I do?

My initial instinct to this question was to say, “Why not?”

The truth is, I write it because I enjoy it. Yup! For me, writing sex is fun! For as long as I can remember, I’ve been accused of having a gutter brain. I’ve also been gifted with a knack for understanding people and a talent for writing. I figured this was an opportunity to combine all my passions, then share it with others.

The other reason is because I feel very strongly that my books contribute to my belief that a sex positive lifestyle and approach is highly doable. If I can help someone open themselves up to the possibility of embracing their inner sexual goddess, then it’s worth it. It’s meant the world to me when someone’s come to me and told me that something I wrote on my blog or my book helped spice up their marriage/love life…or better yet, reminded them of the joy and sense of adventure that comes from acting out a fantasy. One is never too old for that!

4)  How does my writing process work?

One time recently, I tried to go by the way of plotters. It was a huge mistake. I talked to a fellow writer, planned the story with her over the phone, then headed off to write it. Yeah, that was the first time I sat down at the computer and the words refused to find a natural flow. Everything was a battle. Worse, once I was done, the characters were stiff, the action ‘flat’ and the story, awkward. It also lacked believability. That particular method didn’t work well at all for me.

Thankfully, it wasn’t difficult to get back to what’s worked for me in the past….I write what comes to me. Usually in chronological order, and definitely by the seat of my pants. I follow the story as it paints itself in my mind. My first draft is always rough, and by my second and third, the original is nearly unrecognizable through the growth of my characters, the dialogue, and the drama. I also usually give myself a week or so off from that particular work in progress between drafts so that I can look at my piece with a fresh set of eyes and a little distance. I find my clarity of vision for the WIP is best during those moments.

Introducing my fabulous writer friends:

KerryAnn

KerryAnn writes from her home in New England which she shares with her husband, daughter, and her two American Eskimo dogs who alternate between being her writing companions and writing distractions.  She prefers to write compelling characters in a variety of genres, but mainly contemporary and young adult fiction.  When she’s not writing KerryAnn usually has her nose in a book – family stories that cross generations, romance, paranormal, historical fiction, as long as it has unforgettable characters, she’s all in. Check out her blog or ‘Like’ her Facebook page!

 

Mae Clair

Mae Clair opened a Pandora’s Box of characters when she was a child and never looked back.  Her father, an artist who tinkered with writing, encouraged her to create make-believe worlds by spinning tales of far-off places on summer nights beneath the stars. She snagged the tail of a comet, hitched a ride, and discovered her writer’s Muse on the journey.

Mae loves creating character-driven fiction in settings that vary from contemporary to mythical. Wherever her pen takes her, she flavors her stories with conflict, romance and elements of mystery. Married to her high school sweetheart, she lives in Pennsylvania and is passionate about writing, old photographs, a good Maine lobster tail and cats.

Discover more about Mae on her website and blog at http://maeclair.net/

You can also ‘Like’ her Facebook page, Follow her on Twitter, or on Google+.

 

Jessi Gage

Jessi lives with her husband and children in the Seattle area. She’s a passionate reader of all genres of romance, especially anything involving the paranormal. Ghosts, demons, vampires, witches, weres, faeries…you name it, she’ll read it. As for writing, she’s sticking to Highlanders and contemporaries with a paranormal twist (for now).

Check out her website, visit her blog, ‘Like’ her Facebook page, Follow her on Twitter, or on Google+.

Please check out these ladies and follow their blogs. Next week will be their turns to share their writing processes. I know that I can’t wait to see what they share. What do you think? Does peoples’ writing process intrigue you? Bore you? What genre do you most enjoy reading?

Yes. What that really means is that I’m asking you to be an active participant on my blog. Say whatever you’d like to say. I’m not exactly easily hurt or offended…and you know how I love good dialogue. 😉