What genre(s) do you write in and why?

I write fantasy for YA, because as Tamara Pierce said it is the only genre where you can use the words honor and integrity and not have to qualify them. I thought about that a lot and have come to agree. Humans have always been hungry for the white knights, the super heroes and heroines, the larger than life beings that represent the best of who we can be. Mythology and folklore are the archives for these types of stories and now we flock to see the stories and the heroes and heroines in movies or in comic books. I want to write about characters that every reader wants to be.

Tell us about your current series.

The series that I’m writing now is fantasy set in a contemporary realistic place (southern Illinois, northern Kentucky and Tennessee). In essence the books are the stories of four young people of different cultures that have often been at war. I wanted to know how the characters could find their way around all that history in order to save their lives and their homes. The girls are human and the males are Fae, it just happened to work that way though there are many Fae females and human males in the series too. The heroine is mouthy, vulnerable, loyal to a fault and funny. She is seventeen when the series begins and has a secret she can’t afford to let anyone know.

What inspired your latest book?

I started writing the series over 12 years ago when my granddaughter suggested that we write a book together. These storyline has evolved but the heroine is still named the name that Hannah suggested—Lunabel. Over the years as new characters presented themselves it just seemed natural to tell their stories. I like the fact that they are undergoing the same events but their filters color their experiences so they each see things differently. I’m fascinated by that in real life: seeing how people perceive the same things in different ways. I wanted to give this girl a superpower, unlike any I’d ever read about and so I did. She can make sound. We are just finding out how powerful sound can be so I have a lot of research I can work with as well as my imagination.

Do you prefer to read in the same genres you write in or do you avoid reading that genre? Why?

I am an eclectic reader but usually don’t read in my genre. I become impatient if the world building is sloppy, or doesn’t hold up, or the characters are flat. I would rather read other genres where I am not as easily disappointed. That said there are some fantasy writers where I will read anything they write. Tamora Pierce, Julian Mays, Neil Gaiman, love them.

Describe the genre of this particular title, and is the only genre you write in?

The books in the Sanctuary series are fantasy but I write in other genres too. I am working on two other series, one is a contemporary mystery series and the other an historical mystery series.

How has your experience with self-publishing been?

I grew up in traditional publishing. My dad owned a small newspaper, so the process of producing written materials was a part of my upbringing.  Indie publishing just seemed like an organic step for autonomy. I had worked with small presses and had a short stories and articles published through traditional venues but I wanted more control over my product than even a small press offered. Control and traditional publishing don’t work in the same context. They really are two separate beasts and I’m not suited to the traditional process, where as, I speak self-pub as a second language. This works for me because I knew all the steps that were needed to translate a manuscript into a book. I also know the process of bringing the book to market. Thanks to the online distributers it really is possible to take control of your intellectual property and go with it.

What advice do you have for other authors wanting to self-publish?

Don’t expect a simple process and learn about the whole industry before you commit yourself. Especially know the difference between Indie publishing and Vanity Presses. It is inexpensive to publish your own book but it isn’t free. Join groups that focus on self-publishing, belong to a professional writer’s organization and attend talks that other writers are giving so that you can ask questions.

Tell us about your hero. 

Jeremy, you mean other than he can read the future, do magic and is really a 400 year-old El’Vanin? Those are the extraordinary things about him but the more natural, or human side of him is the most interesting to me. He is honorable, compassionate, loyal and has a great sense of humor. He finds every thing that Lunabel does delightful. His weakness would be his tendency to be too honorable. And yes there are times he needs to be more flexible in his interpretation of the world and events. That being said, I love his sense of honor.

Tell us about your heroine.  Give us one of her strengths and one of her weaknesses

Lunabel is a good friend. She is fiercely loyal and honest, with a soft heart and lots more courage than good sense. She loves to read and hang out in the forest. Boys were never an interest for her until she meets Jeremy and then against her naturally skeptical self she is drawn to him.

Her weakness is that she doesn’t have confidence in herself. She has to learn that people won’t reject her if they know her secrets. And she has a huge secret.

Something for readers.

Readers should know that they are part of an artistic equation. When a writer writes they use a piece of creative spirit. That is enough for some writers but for me what makes my writing important is connecting with a reader. I pay close attention to what they say and am lucky to have people willing to read my work for critiquing and other people who read my work for review. Reviews are the pay off, that is when you hear what your readers find in your words. If you have enjoyed a book, leave a review, even just a few words means a lot.

EXCERPT From The Fae Wars – Grace Notes

I was three-years-old when I shattered all the glass in our living room. I remember sitting on the floor in the late afternoon sun, watching the dancing motes of light. I hummed and the specks spun and moved in patterns. Throwing up my arms, I danced and hummed and sang. Then I was fascinated with the way things rattled in concert with my sounds. When my grandmother’s metal plates thumped lightly against the walls, my five-year-old sister Myra got nervous.

“Stop it, Lunabel!” she’d shouted.

Too late! I was experimenting with variations of volume and pitch. I could make the windows buzz and the dining room chairs thrum.

Mom hurtled into the room, tripping over a low table. Unable to catch her footing, she smashed into the table corner and fell.

“George, she’s doing it again,” she moaned, rubbing her knees before she climbed upright again. Dad swooped in. He rescued a porcelain vase that had wobbled towards the edge of the bookcase.

By then Mom had limped over and picked me up. She held me away from her body like a leaky bag of garbage. “She’s vibrating, I can feel it through her bones.”

Dad lifted me from Mom’s arms and held me against his chest.

“Music!” Caught up in my game, I looked out the French doors in the living room and shrieked. Every pane of glass in the doors splintered, making its own tinkling noise.

“Mama, Mama, Mama,” Myra screamed. Her noise startled me and then I screamed. Light bulbs popped, the living room went dark and the explosion of leaded glass and double-paned windows caused Dad to spin around shielding me with his back. My crying forced the breath from my lungs. This scared me even more. I gasped, recovered and was winding up to resume my outrage.

Dad began to sing, softly.

“Sing a song of sixpence, pocket full of rye . . .”

Worn out, my cries subsided, replaced by dry sobs.

“Softly, princess,” Dad said, as he carried me upstairs to the rocking chair in my room.

“We need to let the house rest, sweetie.”

Mom followed us. Her eyes were narrowed and her lips stretched across her teeth.

“George, what are we going to do with her? She’s a freak,” she said. “There is no medical explanation for this.” Her voice was tight and harsh against my ears, like an arctic wind.

Mom would have known, she was a medical doctor.

Now I understand that my mother was horrified and afraid and more than a little overwhelmed. By unspoken family agreement, the episode was locked in a vault of shame. I remember exactly what everyone said that night. Not only can I make sounds that resonate with the things around me, I also have absolute echoic memory. This means I remember every sound, every nuance of sound, and I can reproduce it exactly every time.

I remember the tone of my mother’s voice when she told Dad I was a freak. I knew Mom was afraid. I knew.

I hear what people mean when they speak. I hear the words. I remember pitch. But most importantly, I hear the emotions hidden between their words.

Sound is a language of many levels.

• The Fae Wars – Grace Notes
• Print Length: 375 pages

Buy at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Fae-Wars-Grace-Notes-Sanctuary-ebook/dp/B00DFOTHJI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1470960693&sr=8-1&keywords=the+fae+wars

BLURB

Lunabel has a secret she doesn’t want anyone to know. Jeremy Fields, needs to know it. What happens next is magic. The small town of Thornhill, Illinois, exists at the edge of an ancient forest where the last of the Fae nations have created their Sanctuary. In this fantasy series of blending cultures, and the shifting realities between things that are known and not yet known, trust must persevere despite taboos and fears of betrayal. And life and love must find a way…

Strong female characters, amazing magical creatures, a smattering of real science that is stranger than fiction and is cleverly disguised as magic.

AUTHOR INFO

Marik Berghs has been writing since the first time she noticed invisible horses. First she drew them and then she wrote about them. In the intervening years she has branched out to include other creatures and some humans in her stories. She lives in the San Francisco Bay area where magical thinking sometimes passes for reality.

How did you get started writing?

I went to college to become an English teacher, because I liked to read and write thanks to a ninth grade teacher. I was afraid of actually writing a novel, afraid of failure, until I was nearing forty and almost died because of an illness. That’s when I decided I’d better start making my dream happen, because I might not be given another chance.

What genre(s) do you write in and why?

I have written in three genres. Most of my books are contemporary romance. Why? It doesn’t require as much research. Oh, sure, contemporaries require some—like finding out about Professional Bull Riders or a Montana dude ranch—but on the whole they are easier to write. I have written one medieval romance called My Lord Raven. It is on vacation now because I received my rights back from a small publisher. My goal is to refresh and self-publish it early in 2017. Finally, I’ve written two Gothic romances with historical flashbacks and paranormal elements. I enjoyed reading Gothics as a teenager, and this genre feels natural to me. Timeless and Tangled Memories are two of my favorite books.

Tell us about your current series.

My most popular series is called the Montana McKennas with romance author Maddie James. Over time we developed the idea of a Montana family complete with a patriarch, James, and his second wife, Liz. I was tasked with writing the first book about stepbrother Brody, a Professional Bull Rider. Then Maddie wrote about James’ children—Callie and Parker—by his first wife. The end of the series was to be the story of Mercer, James and Liz’s daughter together. But then I decided to give Liz her own story.

The books are sweet to sexy:

• The Montana McKennas: Prequel, FREE, by Jan Scarbrough and Maddie James
• Brody, by Jan Scarbrough
• Callie, by Maddie James
• Parker, by Maddie James
• Mercer, by Jan Scarbrough
• Liz, by Jan Scarbrough

What inspired your latest book?

The character of Liz in the Montana McKennas series was left without a happily-ever-after ending. I thought she needed one. Besides, I enjoy writing about older heroines. Liz at the time of the story is fifty-five.

How has your experience with self-publishing been?

Frankly, I enjoy the control of self-publishing. I pay for a nice cover and a good edit. Then my husband formats and uploads the books for me. You can’t beat it! I was tired of trying to please editors at traditionally publishing houses. When I went to a small press (my Bluegrass Reunions series) I could write what I wanted, but still was without control over pricing and promotion.

What do you have planned for the future?

I am working on a series called Bluegrass Homecoming, set in my home state of Kentucky. And as mentioned earlier, I plan to re-issue My Lord Raven in 2017. I just vacationed in Montana. Who knows? A brand new Montana series may be coming also in 2017.

Do you have any words of inspiration for aspiring authors?

Write. Finish the book. Write some more. I believe my biggest growth as a writer came when I worked with the editors of the small press. The more I worked with the professionals, the more I learned. Also, don’t be afraid to re-write. Your words are not golden. You can always do better.

Are you a member of any writing organizations and, if so, have they helped

Several years ago, I sold two small category books to Kensington, a New York publisher. Because of those sales, I was able at that time to join Novelist, Inc., the professional network for career novelists. Their conferences are informal and informative. This group was one of the first to embrace self-publishing and feature it at their conferences. They keep me up-to-date in the field of publishing.

Short Bio

Jan Scarbrough is the author of the popular Bluegrass Reunion series, writing heartwarming contemporary romances about family and second chances, and if the plot allows—horses. Living in the horse country of Kentucky makes it easy for Jan to add small town, Southern charm to her books, and the excitement of a horse race or a competitive horse show. A member of Novelist, Inc., Jan has published with Kensington, Five Star, ImaJinn Books, Resplendence Publishing and Turquoise Morning Press.

Visit Jan at http://www.janscarbrough.com

Sign up for Jan’s newsletter: http://www.janscarbrough.com/contact/

You can also follow Jan on Twitter @romancerider

Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/author/janscarbrough

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/Jan_Scarbrough

Buy Links for Liz: The Montana McKennas

Nook: http://bit.ly/Liz_Nook

Amazon: http://bit.ly/Liz_Amazon

Kobo: http://bit.ly/Liz_Kobo

iBooks: http://bit.ly/Liz_iBooks

Excerpt – first 500 or so words

Prologue

Malibu, California

Charles Martin Kingston pulled off the main road into the parking space beside his half-brother’s twenty-five million dollar beach house. Fronted by the Pacific Ocean with views of the mountains beyond the highway, the six-thousand-square-foot luxury home had been his brother’s peace offering to his second wife.

Even six bedrooms, seven baths, a chef’s kitchen, infinity pool, and spa hadn’t worked. The ungrateful bitch had divorced Dalton Kingston anyway, throwing his baby brother into the deepest, darkest depression Chaz had yet seen. Women.

His own track record wasn’t much better. He’d married once and divorced once, vowing never to get tied up with a crazy woman like Adrianne again. From the first, he should have been wary of her because she came with baggage from one failed marriage—twin daughters Alena and Amalee. God, he still couldn’t tell those girls apart, even though they’d turned twenty-one and he’d known them for fifteen years.

The only good to come of his marriage was his daughter Ashleigh. Fifteen—going on forty—she was the light of his life. But she was her mother’s daughter more than his. Hooked on glamor and fashion, she knew every pop trend that, of course, she tweeted, blogged, or whatever kids today did to call attention to themselves. Chaz had kept her out of her mother’s reality TV show so far, but it was getting harder to do.

Alena, Amalee, and Adrianne Wade (she’d taken back her first husband’s name) were big stars in the celebrity world. Famous for being famous. No real talent except for making themselves the objects of curiosity for paparazzi and gossip magazines. Chaz didn’t want that for his daughter.

That’s why he needed to see Ashleigh more often. Make time. Not skip his visitation. But it was all so complicated. His life. His job. This business he was in, trying to make it in the ruthlessly competitive world of Hollywood. He was constantly trying to keep ahead of the sharks that would eat him alive if he didn’t remain current. Find the next trend two years before others knew it existed. Be the first with the best script. The best ideas.

Chaz sat a moment in front of his brother’s dual garage entrances. He expelled a breath, opened the car door, and stepped out onto the pavement. California sunshine struck him with its familiar fierceness. He squinted into the glare, wishing he’d brought his sunglasses. The roar of the ocean almost drowned out the rumble of cars driving past the beachfront house.

Except for Ashleigh, Dalton Kingston was his only family. Ten years his junior, Chaz had always felt close to his brother. But even that closeness had frayed lately.

Chaz worried about him. About the anger and despondency that ate away at his brother’s life. About the fact that he hadn’t answered his cell phone in two days.

Why did it seem as if he’d lost control of everything? If he wasn’t careful, he’d end up as miserable as his brother.

What genre(s) do you write in and why?

I currently write young adult time travel. I write time travel because I fell in love with Outlander when I first read it back 1991, and I’ve always been fascinated by images of the past. I would love to be able to go back in time to look around, not necessarily live there, but see what things were like and how things have changed. I’d love to visit my own past just to remind myself about things that happened, now that those memories are fading with age.

 I think I write young adult because it’s a time in my life I remember quite fondly. The characters and situations seem to come naturally to me. I loved high school much more than college. Maybe writing about it is my way of going back in time for a little while.

Tell us about your current series.

My currently series is the Soul Mates series. It’s what I call a rock ‘n’ roll time travel series. The first book, WISHING YOU WERE HERE, is set in 1957 and centers around a teen idol with a meteoric rise to fame similar to Elvis.

The second book, NOTHING STAYS THE SAME, is set in 1973 and centers around a made-for-TV pop band like The Monkees. A possible third book in the series (I’m still toying with the idea for it right now) would probably be set in 1988 and center around a British heavy metal band.

What is your least favorite part of writing?

Probably the rough draft. I hate the blank page. It feels so intimidating. That said, I love during the rough draft phase when I’m surprised by a new plot point I hadn’t thought of when I first sat down to write the story.

What is your favorite part of writing?

loved editing and revision. I find this much easier than writing the rough draft. I love playing with words and rearranging scenes so that everything flows.

Do you have critique partners?

Yes, I have two. Women’s fiction author Kathleen Paterka has been my critique partner for about 12 years. We write different genres, but I think it’s good to have multiple perspectives on your writing. My second critique partner is author Charlotte Copper who also writes young adult romance. We just met this past year. I have several writer friends I exchange chapters with for feedback as well. They usually don’t go over the whole book, but read the first few chapters and let me know if I’m on the right track.

What is your favorite dessert/food?

I love whipped cream, so anything that incorporates that into the dish is winner. Things like ice cream, cheesecake, or layer cakes with whipped cream frosting…yum! I love pretty much all desserts. As long as it doesn’t have raisins, I’ll probably eat it.

How likely are people you meet to end up in your next book?

You’ll all be relieved to know the answer is “Not very.” 🙂

I like to use names of friends as secret nods of them in my books, either as a secondary character or the name of a business, but none of the characters in my books are based on real people. They might be inspired by real people, like how Eddie Cochran was the inspiration behind WISHING YOU WERE HERE, and The Monkees are part of the inspiration behind the made-for-TV band in NOTHING STAYS THE SAME, but the characters themselves are completely fictional.

So, although I own a mug that says if you anger the writer I’ll put you in a book and kill you, I haven’t done that yet. 🙂

What genres are you drawn to as a reader?

My favorite genre is mystery/suspense. I never miss a Harlan Coben novel or ones from Brenda Novak. Some of my other favorite suspense authors are Lisa Scottoline, Diane Chamberlain and Laura Lippman.

Do you prefer to read in the same genres you write in or do you avoid reading that genre? Why?

I actually read across all genres. I like to expose myself to as many different types of stories as possible to expand my horizons, so to speak. I think you can learn a lot from reading how different stories come together. The only genre I don’t read is high fantasy. I like my stories based on a world I’m already familiar with, if possible.

Do you have any words of inspiration for aspiring authors?

Just write. Write whatever you want. Don’t worry about what’s popular now. Trends come and go and come around gain. Don’t overthink the “rules,” either. Write from your heart. Write the book you want to read and your passion for the story will shine through. Don’t worry about mistakes. You can always fix that in revisions.

Jpeg

AUTHOR BIO

Award-winning author Catherine Chant is an active member of Romance Writers of America and a Golden Heart® finalist. She writes rock ‘n’ roll romantic fiction and stories with paranormal twists for young adults. You can find out more by visiting her website at http://www.CatherineChant.com or connect with her via social media:

Twitter @Catherine_Chant

Facebook CatherineChantNovels

Instagram Catherine_Chant

ABOUT THE BOOK

NOTHING STAYS THE SAME, the Soul Mates series

Young Adult Time Travel Romance

Available from Amazon.com

https://amzn.com/B01IASDPV4

One choice changes everything…

In 1973, The Beat Detectors are the hottest TV pop band to hit the airwaves since The Monkees, thanks to the appealing vocals of rising teen idol Ronnie Basford. But behind the scenes, not everything is rainbows and unicorns. Ronnie realizes much too late that one bad decision can ruin your whole life.

Forty years later, Ronnie is dead from an apparent suicide and his sixteen-year-old son Brennan wants answers. All his life Brennan’s never seen his father happy and needs to understand how it all went so wrong. When he finds himself dropped back in time, to the set of his father’s hit TV show and into the midst of a disintegrating band, he’s determined to redirect the course of his father’s life and create the happy ending Ronnie deserved.

Soccer star Leah Reinard has been crushing on Brennan Basford for ages. When they end up at the same summer job, she thinks the fates have finally aligned in her favor. That is, until Brennan suddenly disappears from existence. One day he’s there, the next day, he’s gone. And no one but Leah even remembers him.

Brennan’s attempts to save his father are inadvertently wreaking havoc with the present day. Can Leah find Brennan in time to stop him from ruining both their futures?

BRIEF EXCERPT (500 words) from NOTHING STAYS THE SAME

 The Beat Detectors. His father’s biggest success and, Brennan guessed, his biggest regret because he never spoke about it with any sense of pride or joy. Not the way his mother talked about her days as Britain’s top child star.

“What happened, Dad?”

He flipped through the pages of the first notebook. It would take him a while to finish, and he wanted to, but right now his head ached.

His heart ached, too. Would this horrible feeling ever go away?

He rubbed his eyes and spotted his father’s watch under a pile of loose papers in the corner of the desk. He dragged it across the surface by his fingertips, his pulse beating twice for every tick of the second hand. His father had always worn this watch. So why was it here?

Because he’d known he wasn’t coming back?

Something squeezed inside Brennan’s chest and he ground the heels of his hands into his eye sockets to try to make the thought go away. He wanted to believe it was an accident. Why couldn’t it be an accident?

“Why did you do it, Dad? Why?” The rage built up inside again, ready to explode. “WHY?”

Brennan’s foot shot out and connected with the open drawer that had held the notebooks. An awful bang reverberated through the whole desk. Then a different sound, one of metal on metal, rang up from the drawer. He peered down into the space.

A panel at the back had fallen forward. Not like a secret compartment or anything, but a flimsy divider for folders. He went to push it into place, but it wouldn’t go all the way back. He tilted the divider forward. Behind the piece of metal sat a thin box standing on its end.

As he lifted it out, the cover slipped off, revealing a small reel-to-reel tape. The tape didn’t have a label on it, but on the underside of the cover, between two split corners, he spotted something written in faded pencil.

He held the cover to the light.

“Starman” it said in block letters. Then below that, the words “Orbit of Your Love” and a date, but he could only make out the year. 1973. This wasn’t any Beat Detectors tune he’d ever heard of, or a Ronnie Basford single; although with a corny title like that, it was probably an outtake from his solo album.

He set the tape aside, tried to go back to the notebooks and forget the pain throbbing behind his eyes, but the tape sat on the desk, teasing his peripheral vision. Something about it nagged at him.

“Fine,” he finally said to the empty room, “I’ll listen to it. Is that what you want?”

No answer, of course. Did he really just say something out loud as if his father could hear him?

“I’m going crazy,” he muttered, but he couldn’t ignore the sudden feeling of urgency that came over him. He needed to know what was on this tape.

What genre(s) do you write in and why? I write historical because I have always loved history. Got my BA & MA in History with work toward my PhD in it plus taught college US History courses and worked in museums. I’m also a Civil War re-enactor. Yeah, I’m pretty deep in it.

What inspired your latest book? Love of the American Civil War – there’s so much to learn, so much to appreciate. And it touches the lives of many of us living as our ancestors fought & died in it, such as myself. It’s a time that should not be forgotten as it formed this country at a pivotal moment.

What is your next project and when will it be released? My current project is a short novel on the Regency period, set for release this fall in a boxed anthology set. Pretty excited about it!

How likely are people you meet to end up in your next book? That depends. Really, I have more people I know ask to be in my book over me placing them in there. Kinda funny, really.

Give us an elevator pitch for your book. Well, it’s more a blurb –

Kidnapped during a trip to London, Lady Elanor Whitmore awakes in the hold of a ship with no memory of her past or of her perfect marriage to Lord James Haddington III, Earl of Windhaven. All she knows is that a fierce and stunningly handsome pirate is yelling about women being bad luck on a voyage. Adrift at sea in both body and mind, she finds herself falling in love with the pirate captain, whose flashing eyes and muscular frame leave her breathless.

Lord James had resisted the shackles by marriage until he met Eleanor. Her beauty and charms captured his heart, and now he cannot imagine life without her. He vows he will find her and his search becomes a chase to the New World, a trip that could destroy him as Eleanor’s bonds with Captain Cavendish tighten. Can James provoke her memory and win her love, or will the pirate steal her heart as they land at death’s door?

Do you prefer to read in the same genres you write in or do you avoid reading that genre? Why? I’m pulled by the same though I find I won’t read the one I’m writing.

What are you currently working on? I’m doing that Regency, with the sequel to The Wicked North, books 2 & 3, started, as well as book 3 for The Gladiators series. Yeah, it’s a lot but my muse is busy.

Describe the genre of this particular title, and is the only genre you write in?  This book is on the American Civil War, the Victorian period. It is a subject matter I love and have done and continue to do a ton of research in. It’s the only genre but not the only time period.

The Wicked North – excerpt

Rose Hill Plantation, Silvers’ residence. Parlor game of the 19^th century called “Kissing the Corners” – a kissing game where a gentleman was stationed in each corner of the room and the ladies went to get a kiss. It was a ‘forfeit’ to redeem for losing in an earlier game. Emma, our heroine, finds herself faced with kissing Jack, the man she so wanted to kiss but this was her first time kissing. Would he kiss her or not?

“I’m right here, Emma,” Jack said, drawing her attention back to him.

He was too handsome. She wanted to both kiss him and avoid him. A tingle in her belly spread up to her nipples.

When Jack smiled his devilish smile, Emma felt as though she would turn into a puddle at his feet. Her mouth went dry as she stood there, frozen.

“Why didn’t you ever write to me?”

The question rattled her, bringing her back to her senses. “I sent you a letter, but I never received one from you.”

He quietly chuckled. “I sent you a letter, hoping you’d respond.”

“I never received any correspondence from you,” she said.

“Hmm, I never got yours either.” His low drawl reached inside, soothing her. “But,” he continued, “I believe you owe me a kiss.”

She opened her mouth, but not a sound came out.

***

            Jack stood still. She fidgeted. The silk dress clung to her breasts and her narrow waist. Her cage crinoline maintained a respectable space between them, regardless of how much he wanted her closer. He put his hands at the waist of her skirt and felt her tremble. She bit her lower lip. Oh, how he wanted to soothe that lip.

With a gentle tug, he pulled her closer. The motion unbalanced her, and her hands sought his arms. When she still didn’t lean up to kiss him, he brought her even closer, his eyes fixed on her lower lip as her teeth released it.

He wouldn’t meet her halfway. This could be the only time he’d have the advantage, and he didn’t want to waste it. Because Emma’s feet were slightly lifted from the floor, she gripped his arms tightly.

He brought her to him. As he kissed Emma, his tongue traced her lower lip before his mouth enveloped hers. He wanted her to open her mouth, and he prodded the crease between her lips, coaxing her with his tongue. She parted her lips but pulled her head back as his tongue invaded her mouth.

BIO –