Jade and Malin at 50

Malin and I Talk Fifty Shades of Grey – in Stereo!

As you may well know, Malin James and I are the best of pals. We have a knack for chatter, laughter, and ridiculously good times. So for Valentine’s Day this year, we opted to take ourselves out to see the hugely hyped and widely discussed Fifty Shades of Grey. I mean, we do write erotica and all, so it made sense—and by golly, we were going to go into it open-minded and with the intent of making the best of it.

Here we are before the show:

Jade and Malin at 50

Pre-Fifty Shades in Our Super Shades

Since we’d both planned to write blog posts on the movie, we had some things to bounce around afterward. But when we found ourselves chatting over our usual Thai lunch with so very many things to say, we got to thinking…what if we just had this chat over a microphone and shared our thoughts in audio with all of you?

So, that’s exactly what we did. We ended up having a smashing good time (so much so that we should probably apologize in advance for how loud the cackling got), and we hope you enjoy our take on this highly debated erotica blockbuster.

Also, I should mention: outtakes. 🙂

And with that…

Malin and Jade Talk Fifty Shades of Grey:

Thank you so much for joining us!

XX,
Jade

Interviewed on Molly’s KissCast!

When I was nine years old, my mother took me to a modern art show. I don’t remember much about it other than a giant piece in the center of the room with bicycle wheels perched haphazardly all over what looked like a mound of clutter, but somewhere during my bewildered eyeing of the thing, a newscaster came over with a camera and mic and asked if I’d like to be interviewed about my thoughts on the display.

“You want to hear what I have to say?” I whispered.

I’d looked at my mom with huge eyes and a gaping mouth as she encouraged me to turn back and answer the gentleman’s questions, and while that interview was a short-lived, silly little thing, the honor of being asked what I thought about anything struck me as really damn special.

So, cut to many, many years later, when I was on Skype with the lovely Molly Moore of Molly’s Daily Kiss. I’ve been delighted to get to call Molly a friend for a little while now, because she’s as fantastic in her conversational charm as she is thoughtful and talented while writing or photographing for her many websites. Somewhere in our friendly conversation she asked if I might like to be on her new podcast, Molly’s KissCast.

KissCastLips

As we were on Skype, I got to see my own face in the corner of the monitor as I dropped my jaw in the very same way 9-year-old me did at that distant art show. Because Molly—sweet darling dear I adore—wanted to hear not only what I thought about certain aspects of the business, but also just about me, my history, and what and why I like to write.

Needless to say, I was completely honored—and I still am. I was quite nervous at first, but in her easy, sweet manner, Molly ended up getting me giggling so hard through most of the conversation I should probably listen one more time to make sure I didn’t snort or something in public. 🙂 Heck, she even got me talking about my recent book, my circus past and how much of my real life makes its way into my fiction (dun dun dun), plus a few other reveals I hope you’ll join us to hear. Molly previously interviewed Jane Gilbert of Behind the Chintz Curtain, and I suspect she will have many more fabulous guests—she is such a charismatic, intelligent, and warm woman, being on the interviewee end of any of her podcasts is a treat no one will want to miss!

For now, I am so grateful to have been a part of Molly’s KissCast. Please click here to give the episode a listen.

XX,
Jade

Cover of Rose Caraway's Dirty 30

Crazy Smokin’ Hot Cover Reveal: Rose Caraway’s Dirty 30!

Guys, guys, guys—roll out the red carpet. Pull back the curtains. I have a cover to show you…

In a second.

Look, before we do this, I have to be honest—while I often find many covers sexy in some fashion, I really don’t judge books by covers these days. There’s so much that goes into the cover that has absolutely nothing to do with the true beauty inside (metaphor much?), so I tend not to get too fired up over what a cover looks like. For a moment, I’ll ooh. Occasionally, I’ll ahh. And then I’ll open the damn thing and read, completely blocking out what I saw on the cover.

But this…holy fucking torpedo, Batman! This cover is, hands down, the sexiest cover I’ve ever seen.

Behold:

Cover of Rose Caraway's Dirty 30

It appears Rose and Big Daddy Caraway just took my “I don’t care about covers” spiel and tore it all up to shreds. I mean, just LOOK at this thing! I’m not sure if it’s that this gal’s attire reminds me of my clubbing days (*gazes out window in moment of naughty nostalgia*) or if it’s just that it’s so perfectly suggestive and provocative without in-your-face nudity or the nondescript tie plus heel combo that keeps appearing, like, everywhere—but this is superb!

So, suffice it to say (as if I wasn’t already excited enough), I am now crazy giddy to be part of Rose Caraway’s Dirty Thirty audiobook anthology. I’ll have more to share on “The Doll” and “The Bells”—my two stories in this one—in the near future, as well as a release date.

Until then, please scroll back up and look again. I mean it. And I encourage you to judge away, too, because this cover is clearly indicative of one seriously hot anthology!

I can’t wait!

XX,
Jade

Picture of firework spark

At the Year’s End

Picture of firework spark

Happy New Year’s!

I wasn’t going to write this post.

I’d settled in my head last week that I would not do the end-of-year recap, especially since my lovely Pillow Talk cohorts and I have a New Year’s edition coming to you in just a couple days (and we do so hope you enjoy it).

But here’s the thing—writing is not optional. It’s not an act we choose; more often than not, it’s a thing we must do. It’s in our heads, in our hearts, and in our veins. It fuels us, guides us, makes us. Sometimes, it takes us in a sweet embrace, stroking the sides of our faces as it whispers, “It’s time to write, love.”

So here I am.

A year ago, I had only recently launched this site with the release of The Big Book of Orgasms and the reading that followed. I had no idea what the year would bring, but I was excited to find out. And you know what? It’s been a seriously fantastic year. Sure, there were some major real-life hurdles for me—I went through a break-up, threatened to quit my job, experienced the worst bout of insomnia in my life, had a couple car breakdowns and multiple rounds of very sick kitties. I also got so overworked I had to force myself to learn to relax (still working on that).

Despite all this, one thing held true: I was thrilled to be writing erotica and thriving in the world that comes with it. The list of experiences that brought smiles to my face goes on forever, but there were some definite highlights. I finished writing a book. I wrote a bounty of short stories. I signed with an agent. I furthered my love of live readings while helping out on an awesome book tour. I swapped my site over to a self-hosted one and started a poetry page, then tried some audio, too. I almost finished writing another book. I met and got to know amazing people, through Twitter, Facebook, real-life readings, events, and experiences. I discovered tons of new writers that blew my mind, and cherished old ones that kept me reading well past my bed time (and others, before I crawled out of bed in the morning). I found brilliant and wonderful sisters and colleagues in my Pillow Talk pals. And—over and over again—I found myself incredibly content when I was writing.

So I guess I’d say I’m in the same place as last year, but now it’s better. I’m still excited, but this time around I’m even more certain—yes, this thing is in me. It’s the very thump of a beating heart that keeps me happy, dreaming, and continuing on.

As for 2015 goals? I’m keeping it simple: WRITE. (Okay, and maybe take a day off here and there.) 🙂

Wherever you are now, and whatever your goals, I wish you all the best in 2015.

Thanks for joining me!

XX,
Jade

My personal optimist motto pencils, a gift from Alison Tyler

You Win Some, You Lose Some (But Then You Win More)

It is finally October.

*Breathes enormous sigh of relief.*

My Sexy Optimist Pencils from Alison Tyler

Alison Tyler got me these pencils from Carbon Crusader as a participation prize—with my own personal motto on them!

To be clear, September was probably the most brutal month I’ve had in years. I had a gazillion things going on (no, really, a gazillion), and I felt more challenged than the proverbial hamster on a wheel. See, I was a runner on a treadmill asked to juggle fireballs, kittens, and jello with one hand tied behind my back, wearing a blindfold and chewing gum while also singing Christmas carols. It was nuts! My day job went full-tilt chaos; I had so many events scheduled I turned insomniac again; I had a jury duty run that, to be honest, was extremely emotional and brought up some old “stuff” for me (fortunately, I was dismissed after two days); and on top of all that, I wasn’t getting my words in. I’m an extremely fast writer, but when you don’t have the time, you don’t have the words. I also try not to write when I haven’t been sleeping, because bad things happen—I get forgetful. Plot points disappear. Characters lose important traits. Dialogue gets painful. And on and on…I mean heck, even outside the writing, I was so tired I had two conversations with a friend in one day and completely forgot it was her birthday. OMG. I don’t do that, like, ever—I’m the Keeper of the Birthdays! (Fortunately, she’s not a big birthday person. She laughed the whole thing off and told me to get some sleep.)

So all stressful things aside, here’s the deal—I’m generally a super optimist. I admit, I struggled to hang on to that as the month continued, and I had to keep reminding myself what a certain family member of mine always says: “How do you eat the elephant, honey? One bite at a time.

I would never eat the legendary Bertha, but you get the idea.

I would never eat the legendary Bertha, but you get the idea.

So I kept repeating that to myself…

One bite.

One bite.

One bite.

Come here, Bertha baby, you’re mine.

In truth, some of this figurative elephant eating was pretty kick-ass, and since there was so much goodness, I’m going to list it out for you:

♦ I got to join Rose Caraway in a bunch of readings for The Sexy Librarian’s Big Book of Erotica. It needs to be said I love reading out loud, plus, I got to read my girl Tamsin Flowers’s delightful story, “POW! It’s Shibari Girl!” Great story, great events, AND, as it turns out, reading with Rose is better than ice cream with brownies and fudge sauce on top. It’s so much fucking fun! It doesn’t hurt that she and her fabulous husband, Big Daddy, are like the nicest, sweetest people on the planet, so every event I attended and participated in was fantastic!

♦ I hung out with other amazing people at all these events, too! Of course there was the lovely Malin James (whom I’m so close to I’m convinced she is my twin separated at birth), the sassy and delightful social media guru Eva Gantz, and the charming and sweet Sinclair Sexsmith. I had so many incredible conversations with each of them!

♦ Malin James and I went to one of Rose Caraway’s events as viewers, and we ended up having drinks with Rose, Big Daddy, and the legend that is Rachel Kramer Bussel. Guys, seriously—I had drinks with Rose, Big Daddy, Rachel KB, and Malin! Holy smokes!

♦ I finished my edits for Coming Together: Among the Stars, a sci-fi erotica anthology edited by Lynn Townsend and coming soon to benefit International Still’s Disease Foundation. I’ll have details on the book and my story, “The Joy Ride,” in the near future!Cover of Among the Stars

♦ I joined a randy group of wild writers for an upcoming anthology called Chemical (Se)X. Details forthcoming, but for now I’ll just say chocolate and sex.

♦ I got to support my graphic memoirist friend, MariNaomi, in the release of her new book in San Francisco! Mari is a personal friend and mentor in many ways, so I loved seeing her celebrate the release of her book. So proud!

♦ I celebrated my soon-to-arrive niecey #2 or nephew #1 (to be determined!) at a baby shower. (I love being an auntie.) 🙂

♦ I wrote several erotic poems inspired by the challenge Tamsin Flowers issued at our last Pillow Talk Secrets session. This was fun and fabulous; I got to stir up my poetry roots while getting in some smutty words in seriously short time increments—and I even started a page for it! This was the bulk of the writing I did all month. You know what? It wasn’t a ton, but it still felt like a win. And speaking of wins…

♦ I shared more fabulous moments with my Pillow Talk girls. Malin James and Tamsin Flowers are, quite simply, the loveliest. I’m a happy camper having the both of them in my life. (MUAH to you both!)

♦ And then there was the ginormous feat…I completely transferred my website to a self-hosted space. This involved a whole heck of a lot of design and setup work behind the scenes that could not have been possible without my awesome teacher, DomSigns. When his dreamy wife, Molly Moore, initially offered to help, I had no idea what I was in for—namely, a bevy of delightful Skype sessions that resulted in (a) me learning a ton and (b) us laughing a lot (mostly at naughty jokes). I can now proudly say that this site is damn near done and censorship free. There are a few other little things I have planned and/or need to fix, but holy torpedo, Batman, transfer complete!

So basically, despite all the chaos, I came out smiling. I may be ragged and tired, but I’m happy and have time again—which means I can get back to the book I had half-written before The Attack of September. Yeah!

Now, I just have one more thing to say:

October, baby—you’re my bitch.

XX,
Jade

 

Cover of Just for Him edited by Alison Tyler

His and Hers…and Almost Yours!

Okay guys, you may have noticed I’ve been banging on and on about Alison Tyler over here lately. First, our Pillow Talk group reviewed her delicious novelette, Those Boys. Then, I excitedly hosted a stop on her Those Boys tour. And next week, I’ll be reviewing a couple of her simply incredible books. So, just to clear up any confusion, this is all happening because

I’m a diehard Alison Tyler fan.

That’s why today’s news is so fantastic. I’ve been waiting to tell you this for what seems like a lifetime, but it really hasn’t been all that long. It’s just been that exhilarating that keeping my lips sealed has been intense!

So…here it is: I’m delighted to announce that I have a story in both of Alison Tyler’s hot upcoming anthologies, Just for Him and Just for Her! Hurray!

To celebrate, how about a double cover reveal? Here’s the cover for Just for Him, which includes my story “73A”:

Just for Him Cover

And here’s the cover for Just for Her, in which you’ll find “The Other Prom”:

Just For Her Cover

Ooooooh! Sexy new covers!

While I’m brimming with squeals (seriously, be thankful you’re there and not here), I have to give you a little back story on both of these. See, I’d written a few things. Rachel Kramer Bussel had already popped my cherry with The Big Book of Orgasms and that was like 80 times the thrill of the double corkscrew on the Demon rollercoaster at Great America, but now I was really fucking excited to be doing this erotica writing thing, for real. And all the while, I kept stalking Alison Tyler’s site. She had some crazy good stuff out and I’d basically worshipped her since I read “It’s Not the Weather” in another gorgeous Rachel Kramer Bussel anthology, Bedding Down. So I just kept thinking, I must get into an Alison Tyler anthology.

It was kind of like eyeing a pair of super tall strappy stiletto heels knowing that one day, you must have those shoes, and when you do, they’re going to feel SO good. Of course, you’re eyeing the shoes having no idea if you can even stand in them, but dammit, you’re going to try.

So one day, I notice that Alison Tyler has a call for not one, but two second person anthologies—one aimed at him, and another aimed at her. She’d done something similar before with Thomas Roche and it was sexy, so I was intrigued. Plus, I love second person. But the call was over in…

*Record screech.* (That’s literally what happened in my head.)

One week! She’d actually extended the deadline for a week, and by the time I saw it, there were only six days left.

Still, I had to write something for the Just for Him call. I had to!

I couldn’t start writing for two days because my schedule was nuts, but on that second day, this random idea clanked me in the head like a 2’ x 4’. I barely made it through my work day before I got home and went for it, because this is the line I had stuck in my head:

You’re working on my fence right now, and all I can think about is sucking your cock.

Naturally, from that, “73A” was born!

The next day, I was all set to send “73A” off and call it done…but then, randomly, some other 2’ x 4’ came flying at my head, and I knew I had to write another piece for Just for Her. (If we’re running with the shoe analogy, this is where I’d say, “Why buy one pair when you can buy two?”) By the end of the day, I had “The Other Prom”…and lo and behold, Ms. Tyler ended up saying yes to both. Wow! On top of that, it needs to be stated that she wrote me such sweet acceptance notes, I drove my friends nuts with my giddiness. (I know, crazy, right? Me?! Excitable?)

Anyway, that’s my back story for “73A” and “The Other Prom.” I’m thrilled to be included in both Alison Tyler anthologies, which are set to release in early 2015. I’m going to save excerpts for later, but in the meantime, you can pre-order Just for Him and Just for Her right now on Amazon. I expect they’re going to be really damn good!

As for me, I’m off to go dance around again.

I might even do it in a pair of strappy stilettos.

XX,
Jade

 

Picture of panties around red shoes

Last Call for Entries, and Other Delights…

Holy smokes! Time is running out! Have you entered the Sexy Mad Libs game for your chance to win a copy of Violet Blue’s The Ultimate Guide to Sexual Fantasy? If not, please do! The deadline is today at 4 pm PST. You can play right here, so consider this your last call…and since you haven’t missed out yet, I hope you’ll play!

Speaking of not missing out…there have been a lot of fireworks going on over here this month. If you missed anything, here was the streak of sizzling excitement that set this place on fire!

  • First, the fabulous Rose Caraway narrated my story, “Soundscapes,” for the Kiss Me Quick’s Erotica Podcast. It was such an honor and a treat to hear her read my story! You can check out the back story here and listen to the podcast for free right here.
  • Next, the second episode of Pillow Talk Secrets revealed our fondness for Alison Tyler’s beautifully written Dom, Sandy, from Those Boys. We also talked a bit about how we write Doms in general. Want to know more? Check out the episode right here.
  • The next day, endlessly awesome A.M. Hartnett came by to reveal all sorts of dirty details about her three books on tour, Uncover Me and the first two books of The Carried Away series. Catch up on that interview right here to learn about the books as well as some fun facts about A.M. herself!
  • And finally, the amazing Alison Tyler madness continued on Sunday, when she gave me the honor of an exclusive interview with Sandy, the vibrant and incredibly sexy Dom in her new novelette, Those Boys, from Go Deeper Press! Sandy makes me a little giddy, but somehow, I made it through the interview. Please check it out to hear me swoon learn more about this divine character. You will not regret it!

Okay, I think that’s it! Don’t forget to enter the Sexy Mad Libs contest by 4 pm PST today. I’m crossing my fingers and toes for you if you’ve entered, and will announce the winner first thing tomorrow! XX, Jade

Red T-shirt with "Team Sandy" tagline

Team Sandy and the Those Boys Blog Tour!

Okay, everyone…I told you this month was packed full of fireworks, and today I’ve got some serious sizzle!

Why? Today is my lucky day—not only is it my stop on the Those Boys Blog Tour, but I have a very special guest. And no it’s not the brilliant author, the incredible Alison Tyler who wrote this delicious novelette. Nope, nope, nope. It’s someone else.

See, one of the main reasons Those Boys (and the novelette that preceded it, Those Girls) is so amazing is because of Alison Tyler’s authentic and rich portrayal of a true Dom. Did you catch us chattering about this on our Pillow Talk session on Tuesday? If not, here’s a recap—Tyler has made Sandy engaging, hot, and compassionate. She hasn’t made a two-dimensional stereotype of a Dom; instead she’s written someone who cares about his subs, and who is interested in exploring not just their bodies but their minds. Because of all of this, she’s done the number one most important thing that has made everyone stand up and take notice:

She’s made him real—so real in fact, that Sandy is who I have here today!

Yes, it’s true. And oh, am I excited to share this interview with you! So, please read on to hear Sandy’s thoughts on some very pressing questions…

The gorgeous Those Boys cover! Courtesy of Go Deeper Press

The gorgeous Those Boys cover! Courtesy of Go Deeper Press

 

The Exclusive Sandy Interview

Oh, Sandy, Sandy, Sandy…thank you so much for joining me, and for answering all my questions. Let us begin…with where you started. How long have you been a Dom, and how did you get into the lifestyle?

That’s like asking a person how he or she got to be tall. Or blue eyed. Or Irish. I am a Dom because I’m a Dom. That said… there is a story to the beginning. At least, to the time when I decided to embrace what I knew lived inside me rather than try to fight those intense desires. I surrendered. Perhaps most Doms won’t admit this, but that’s how it was for me. I gave in.

You’ll hear all about my beginning in Those Days [the prequel]. It started with a girl—the way these stories often do. She slid me an opener. I grabbed it in my fist.

So tell me—what about the lifestyle most appeals to you?

Honesty is everything. Participants in the BDSM lifestyle are honest about what they want, need, crave, require. I demand honesty from my partners. That’s the foundation on which I build.

And when you meet a new sub that you know you must connect with, what’s the first thing that goes through your mind?

“What can I do for you?” Perhaps, that has a submissive sound to the cadence. But that is how I think. How can I help you? And of course: How can I hurt you?

[Catching my breath.] Um, Sandy, do you prefer a switch or a pure sub? Or does it even matter?

Doesn’t matter. I want truth. I want to know what turns you on, what makes you hard or wet. I want to know. If you must exert your strength, your stamina, your power every so often, then so be it. I will bend. I will bow. I will be yours however you need me.

Let’s say you could freeze a moment of your connection with your subs, Vanessa and Rem, in a photograph. What would it be? And would it be in black and white or color, and why?

A Polaroid. You knew I was going to say that, didn’t you? But not just one Polaroid. A series. A strip-tease. Each click of the camera capturing a step forward. A kiss. A caress. A peeling back. Until we are undone and undressed. Naked in every sense of the word.

Wow. Your words are one of your greatest, most entrancing traits. Of all the things you’ve said to Vanessa, Jake, and Rem (or any other sub over the years), what have you said that has elicited the strongest response (in your opinion)?

Trust me.

[Gulping.] So…what’s your favorite: paddle, belt, flogger, quirt, crop, or…?

The situation decides the weapon. Sometimes the feel of a paddle in my hand sings to me like nothing else. Other times, I know I can’t go wrong with a flogger. But if I had to choose only one, I’d choose my belt. Utilitarian. Deceptively simple. With me at almost all times. For those hard-to-reach situations.

All right. You can take Rem and Vanessa anywhere for as long as you want. Where do you go, and why?

Dive bar on the corner with the neon sign in the window. Eleven o’clock tonight. Jukebox. Leather booth. Top-shelf tequila. Until last call.

I’m a simple man.

You rarely blush. What would make you blush, if anything?

I’ll admit to making mistakes. Rarely happens, but I won’t hide. The flush you’ll occasionally see along my jaw is my anger at myself, not embarrassment for fucking up. Disappointment in myself. I’m far more lenient on others than I am when I turn my attention inward. Isn’t it always that way?

True. Now, Vanessa and Rem would do anything to please you because you care so much for them. If you were to come home to the sweetest surprise from them—they anticipated exactly what you’d want without you needing to articulate it—what would it be?

A new playmate. Wrapped up in a silver ribbon.

Oh Sandy…I’m sorry to say it’s time for our final question. What is your deepest desire—in ten words or less?

I want to live inside your head. Invite me in.

***

Oh my goodness…I don’t know about all of you, but that last answer—wow. Sandy is, in my opinion, one of the greatest characters I’ve ever read. So in case it needs to be stated, this is 100% me:

Team Sandy t-shirt

Need a little more convincing? Here’s the official blurb:

What are the chances? Bisexual dom Sandy meets Rem in his local horse-and-tack store while shopping for a quirt. He’s instantly taken by Rem’s shocking good looks and the way he struts around in an old Western-style shirt. “A preening peacock” Sandy calls him, before announcing, in the hottest of ways, what narcissists like Rem deserve.

Sandy brings Rem home to Vanessa (Those Girls) where all three enjoy intensely erotic BDSM sex, with Sandy pushing everyone’s boundaries in ways they want and he knows they need.

But Rem proves to be a mystery that even Sandy can’t quite crack. What does the boy really desire? And if it isn’t Sandy and Vanessa, what will the consequences be?

This novelette is divine, everyone. Be sure to pick up your copy as soon as you can. It officially comes out tomorrow, but you can get it from Go Deeper Press right now!

Do not miss out!

XX,
Jade

About Alison Tyler:

Called a “Trollop with a Laptop” by East Bay Express, Alison Tyler is naughty and she knows it. Her sultry short stories have appeared in more than 100 anthologies including Coupling edited by Sommer Marsden and Sex for America edited by Stephen Elliott. She is the author of more than 25 erotic novels, most recently Dark Secret Love and The Delicious Torment, and Wrapped Around Your Finger (soon to be released). She is also the editor of more than 75 explicit anthologies, including Alison’s WonderlandNever Say Never, and 69. Visit www.alisontyler.com 24/7 as she’s a total insomniac.

 

 

Cover of A.M. Hartnett's Uncover Me

A.M. Hartnett is Here!

Exciting news, everyone! Today I have a special guest—the wonderful A.M. Hartnett!

A.M. Hartnett and I have been chattering for a few months now, and she’s someone I look up to in the erotica world—she’s cool, she’s clever, and she’s a damn good writer. She’s also sassy and funny as all hell, which basically wins me right over. 🙂

A.M. is on a wild tour right now for not one, but THREE books, and I’m delighted she’s here to talk with us about all of them. The first book is a standalone erotic romance called Uncover Me, for which she’s shared a smokin’ hot blurb, and the other books form the first two-thirds of her Carried Away series. Lucky for us, I managed to wrangle her into an interview to ask a few questions about the books, her process, and some other nifty facts about her.

Thanks for coming by today, A.M.!

So, let’s start with Uncover Me, which was just released last month. I love that the book has such a fun exhibitionist premise. Carrie Thorn is an exhibitionist with a capital E—she likes to take naughty photos and post them on a blog. What inspired her character?

One word: Tumblr. As I mentioned at my post over at Mischief, I had been alerted to the existence of Tumblr’s sex blog community by Rachel Kramer Bussel and became an instant fan. My favourites are the ones of real people showing off, and that’s where Carrie came from.

Tell us more about Carrie’s blog—is she no holds barred or constantly getting wilder with her pics? How did you come up with such an idea? (It’s fabulous.)

When we first meet Carrie, it’s a solo project. She likes frilly things and showing off her body, occasionally bringing toys into the mix. As the first line says, she doesn’t consider it porn. I wouldn’t say she’d consider it art or photography, either. That’s pretty reflective about my feeling about the sex blogs I follow. Yes, they’re visually stimulating, but oftentimes they’re more erotic than in-your-face and she’s doing it because it turns her on to do it. She likes the idea of her readers getting horny while they look at her pictures.

What is Carrie’s favorite photo posted on her blog?

I think if you were to ask Carrie, she would never be able to come up with one single picture, though after she meets Brendan she’d probably give the gold star to the picture that brought her to his blog

‘You weren’t completely naked. Your bra was pushed down to your ribs and your panties were twisted around your knees. You had your hand between your legs. It was like you were waiting for someone. I got so hard thinking about what came next I unzipped right there in my office and jerked off.’ He shook himself and looked at her. His smile turned mischievous. ‘You’re blushing.’

‘Of course.’

Hot. Brendan sounds like the perfect partner for Carrie’s kink. Can you tell us a little about the moment they meet (without giving it all away, of course)?

They have two meetings: the online meeting and then the face to face. Carrie indulges in her kink at work one day and accidentally gets a shot of a local landmark in the background. Oops. Brendan recognizes it immediately and sends her a hello, along with a naughty offering of his own, and manages to convince her to meet him somewhere public. It’s pretty unnerving for Carrie – she knows right from the start that Brendan is interested in being more than friends, and already knows her most intimate secret. As he points out after some back and forth, they’ve met for sex.

Now I’m curious…if Carrie met Brendan while speed dating, would she find him as intriguing as she does when he finds out her secret?

Probably not. Brendan is good looking, and she might take a second look, but as she puts it :

Close up, she could see the lines around his mouth and a few flecks of grey in his hair. He was about her age, maybe a couple of years older, and definitely someone she would have given a second glance if they had passed one another on the street.

She’s never look at him and think, ‘This is the man who will breathe life back into me,” because before Brendan, she refuses to think that way about any man.

Thanks for sharing about Uncover Me! But, I also want to know more about the Carried Away series. In the first book, the protagonist, Grace, is all about misbehaving around the office—until she finds out that her boss, Taureau, has been watching her on hidden cameras. He asks her to give him a show and she says yes—what about him makes her willing to do it?

She definitely likes to hear him talk lol. As soon as he makes his presence known, he uses the only thing in his arsenal, his voice, to twist her into knots. Aside from the sexy voice, he also manages to convey a potent amount of confidence for someone who has been scarred physically and emotionally, and at the same time Grace recognizes his loneliness: he’s reaching out not just because he liked to watch her but because he likes her and wants to get to know her at a safe distance.

‘You’re not married.’ It was a statement, not a question.

She shrugged. ‘I prefer my independence.’

‘As do I. Some people just don’t get it, do they? Like the mother you were talking to earlier. She doesn’t understand why someone would choose to be alone.’

‘I don’t –’ She caught herself before she could tell him she didn’t choose to be alone. She simply was alone, because that was the life she had made. She had very few regrets, and when she did they were fleeting.

‘I have people in my life like that,’ he said, and laughed. It was a cynical sound he seemed to cover up after a moment. ‘Though I suppose it would be absurd to compare our situations, wouldn’t it? There’s a big difference between thriving on constant activity like you do and . . . well, me. Still, there’s something to be said for solitude, isn’t there, Miss Neely?’

I’m a sucker for a good voice, so this is right up my alley. 🙂 I’m also tickled that Taureau sends a stand-in man while he’s away (Grace is one lucky girl). Can you tell us more about Simon? Has he always been such a great…um…assist for his boss?

Oh, Simon. Le sigh. He’s the guy who made the series a series. I couldn’t just let him get away. *I* wanted to know more. There’s so much going on with Simon that the reader won’t get more than a hint at until the final book when I tell his story. He’s Taureau’s oldest friend in addition to being his stand-in (in and out of Grace’s bed) and seems content to do so, but there’s so much more to him than I show in the first two books.

Love that! Also, I noticed this series has alternate POVs in each book—but at the same location. Did you plan this from the start? I remember seeing on Facebook that you weren’t originally planning a series—what made you choose this route rather than a progression?

The Deep End, the first book, was supposed to be a one-shot deal. Grace and Taureau’s story began and ended in that book, but as I was writing Quinn and Molly’s story next, guess who crashed the party? Simon Reeve. Rather than chase him off, I just let him in on the fun (and what fun it is …)

So, in short, I chased Simon through three books. I grabbed him and shook him and asked “WHO ARE YOOOOOUUU AND WHAT DO YOU WANT WITH MEEEEE?” Apparently the answer is that he wanted his happy ending, too.

Apparently! So…what was the most exciting part of writing this series?

Definitely revisiting old characters. The thrill started when Simon appeared in Holding My Breath, and continued as I said hello to Taureau and Grace again in Breaking Through. The latter was quite special, as I was able to delve a little deeper into Taureau and Simon’s bromance and look at how they supported one another beyond what Grace observes in The Deep End. As well, readers get a glimpse of where Quinn and Molly ended up after their HEA.

Of all of these characters, who was your favorite to write, and why?

While Simon is my special little pet, Jacques was definitely my favourite to write. For one, I had no idea who he was when I started The Deep End, I only knew that I was writing a book and also the most alpha male I’d ever conceived. I discovered how strong he was and how sensitive he could be. It was so interesting to watch him through Grace’s eyes and watch him struggle and conquer over and over again, and coming back to him in Breaking Through to see how he’s doing was a treat for me.

I heard you had awesome photos for real places in The Deep End. When can we see them?

The Deep End takes place in the fictional Convent House, not far from Shediac, New Brunswick. Technically 😉 I picked this location primarily because I love driving through it, but as for the actual Convent House, it’s a few hours away in Avondale, Nova Scotia, and it’s really The Mission House. Check out this link to see the inspiration the hideaway Jacques brings to when their digital affair ends and things get physical between them.

That is gorgeous! Wow! Okay…now I think it’s time for everyone to learn a little more about you! Let’s talk process—do you tend to work on one story at a time, or do you have your hands dirtied (heh) with many projects all at once?

If I’m not contracted on anything, I’m usually plotting about five potential projects, but once I settle on something and it’s on, it’s on. I don’t write linear, but I wouldn’t say I’m all over the place, either. I kind of look upon my writing process as a jigsaw puzzle: I work in chunks until I get a tidy square to work in, and then I just put the picture together wherever I see a connection.

And the ever-important writer drink question: coffee or something stronger while you work?

No coffee while writing. The only time I do coffee these days is first thing in the morning (and you will pry my morning coffee from my cold, dead hands). While I’m writing, it’s going to be good old black tea.

You just won a ticket to fly wherever you want to write for a month, all expenses paid! Where do you go?

Nope, nope, nope, nope. No writing on vacation. This is one of my rules: if I go away, all work ceases. Why waste a perfectly good vacation on work? So give me your money and send me to the south of France, and damn well expect me to come back with a tan and a twenty year-old toy boy named Pascal.

Please be sure to tell me all about that. In the meantime, what are you reading right now, and what do you prefer to read?

I’m on a non-fiction kick right now, which is the first time this has happened in a long time. I’m reading all about the public enemies of the depression era South & Midwest – Bonnie and Clyde, Dillinger, Pretty Boy Floyd, etc. I also just finished the absolutely wonderful Alias Hook by Lisa Jensen, about Captain Hook in Neverland. Highly recommended!

I never know what’s going to catch my eye, or what’s going to surprise me, so I’ll pretty much give anything a shot.

Fair enough. Now, final question—because I’m a fiend—what’s your favorite candy?

Reese’s Peanut Butter cups (do people actually pick something other than Reese when asked this question?). Actually, put peanut butter and chocolate together in any scenario and I’m happy. Ice cream? Bring it. Cheesecake? Oh yeah. Slathered all over Nick Youngquest’s naked body? Come to meeeee.

*Snort.* Okay, do you all see why I love A.M. Hartnett? I’m just so happy to have had her here. And now, she’s passed along a sexy excerpt and blurb for Uncover Me!

Cover of Uncover Me by A.M. Hartnett

Excerpt

Fuckable, he’d said.

She felt fuckable. The insides of her thighs were slicker than ever and her clit throbbed with need. She wanted to bring the house down with him pounding her.

Once inside she led the way, following the orange glow to her bedroom where she had left the light on. He nudged her over the threshold and, as she shrugged out of her coat, she heard the click of the bedroom door locking.

Such a strange thing to do, she thought, and then she realised that the small sound represented her willing captivity. The closed door barred them from the outside world. In this room, in this tidy little box with its white walls and splashes of colour, with the imposing bed beckoning her, she was his fantasy and he was hers.

She turned and found Brendan leaning against the door. His dark eyes glittered beneath his heavy lids. ‘Take it all off. Slowly.’

‘No cameras?’

‘Maybe later. Right now I don’t particularly feel like sharing.’ He reached up and loosened his tie. ‘Strip.’

Carrie turned her back on him. The descent of her zipper from the middle of her back to her ass seemed to take for ever. Goose flesh rose as she wriggled out of it. Behind her came the sinful whisper of his clothes being peeled away from his body, then the crinkle of a condom wrapper.

The urge to turn around and look at him made her ache as she unhooked her bra. She tossed it aside and placed her hands on her hips, waiting.

He came up behind her and from the corner of her eye she saw the flash of red. He had her paddle in his hand. She suppressed a shudder.

‘I want you on the bench at the end of the bed. On your knees, grasping the footboard. Show me your ass.’

‘Brendan?’

He scraped his teeth against the curve of her shoulder. ‘Carrie.’

‘Remember what I said about pain.’

‘I remember.’ His fingertips dug in. ‘But you want a little, don’t you? You bought this. I won’t hurt you. Trust me. Go on.’

Trust me.

In her head, she heard his voice chant this over and over as she did what she had been told.

*

Blurb

There’s a heart inside every fantasy.

The photos are becoming a compulsion for Carrie. As soon as she wakes up, she feels the need to engage with the readers of her erotic website, Dirty Pictures. No matter how hard she tries to focus on her real life the need is always there. The high is knowing that men desire her.

One day a comment on her erotic website makes Carrie go cold: one of her readers, Brendan, has recognised a landmark in the window of one of her pictures. Brendan knows where to find her and has sent a tantalising private message. His invitation to play was so tempting in no time at all, in a variety of settings, their sensual adventures become wild. Her sexual and emotional reawakening reaches peaks she never imagined possible.

But Carrie finds it difficult to treat their relationship as casual. Terrified of heartbreak, she breaks off her affair with Brendan. Her previous relationship left her in tatters and she’s too scared to take such a chance again. Brendan endured a broken marriage so she’s not alone in her confusion and reticence. But can Carrie ever hope to be more than his fantasy girl?

Buy Links

Uncover Me

The Deep End (Book 1 of the Carried Away Series)

Holding My Breath ( Book 2 of the Carried Away Series)

Want to know more about AM Hartnett?

You can find her at : www.amhartnett.com

Thanks so much for joining us and sharing, Annemarie! I encourage everyone to check out all three of these books!

XX,
Jade

Picture of firework spark

Let There Be Fireworks!

Happy July, everyone!

I am excited to share that this month is going to be one smokin’ month on my site! There will be fireworks, fireworks, and more fireworks. It’s going to be hot!

Picture of fireworks sparking

A month of fireworks!

So where do we start? Well, first off, there’s one huge thing I’ve been dying to tell you about. And it’s coming. It’s so close. Oh my god I can practically feel it. You know when you send a bouncy ball flying in a house, and it whips off every wall, the floor, and then back around? Yeah. That’s me! I don’t have a precise date yet, but I’m going to give you an enormous hint:

Pic of Rose Caraway's Status, 6/30/14

Rose Caraway’s Facebook Status, 6/30/14

Did you hear my big squeal?

And more importantly—have you checked out The Kiss Me Quick’sIf you haven’t, please do. It’s a fantastic broadcast all narrated by the lovely and talented Rose Caraway. I’m tickled and honored that very soon, we’ll get to hear her narrate a little something from me as part of the KMQ’s!

*Bouncy ball goes flying.*

But wait, I have more fireworks. July is extra happening because I have some sexy guests and tour spots on the way! I’m thrilled to tell you that I will be hosting a stop on Violet Blue’s The Ultimate Guide to Sexual Fantasy blog tour, A.M. Hartnett’s delicious summer release tour, and also Alison Tyler’s Those Boys tour. Wow!

*Bouncy ball goes flying.*

As if that’s not enough fun over here, we’ll also have the next Pillow Talk Secrets coming out, and of course, the release of The Big Book of Submission (which, by the way, was mentioned in Self Magazinecheck it out!)Oh, and did I mention something about a game and a giveaway involved with one of the aforementioned July posts? Yes, oh yes, there will be a game and a giveaway!

*Bouncy ball goes super flying.*

Okay. I have to pull myself together. As I tend to do, I’ve teased a tad here…so sorry. That’s me—big ole tease. Nonetheless, I promise the wait will bring you many sweet rewards…

It’s going to be a hot month, folks!

XX,
Jade