I always love having Raven on my
blog with one of her new releases, and today is no exception. In fact I pinned
her down for you to get the dirt on her latest release Dance To A Different
Beat. Well, I thought I had pinned her down, but dang that honorary Grandma of
my youngest, I should have known she'd get her own back.
*rolls eyes*
So, you're in for a treat. Make
yourself a cuppa and see what happened when I tried to interview Raven's
characters
(Raven here)
Damned If I didn't
know she'd get her own back. Come on my blog she sayd. Let's chat about Dance
to a Different Beat. You can cuddle Budda, and share chocolate kisses and I'll
ask you questions. I'll come up to yours it'll be a nice change.
I
should have known better than to let Raven coerce me into going to her place,
now I hadn't the foggiest idea where we were. And I still remember the last
time I let her lose with Budda. Chocolate everywhere. I found bits in the
strangest places. I swore then, I'd be on my guard, and make sure I've hidden the chocolate.
Yeah, that'll be right.
I should have remembered she can be devious. (Well with nine children she has
to be at times.) But hey I'm no slouch in that department, I used to work in
Schools, I've already hidden my stash
of chocolate.
Then I was getting giddy, Budda was giggling, and Raven was talking silly stuff to him.
It was all right for them; they had their
eyes open. I promised I wouldn't.
S'okay D, we’re
here you can look now.
And so we were...
I open my eyes to find the
building somewhat of a letdown. Just a big stone place, almost box like and with
a tarmac car park on two sides. We must be somewhere in the city. I can hear
cars on what must be a motorway judging by the noise, and there's a clock
chiming the hour. Then we go to one of two doors set into the wall, and Raven
presses a keypad. The door opens and I'm half expecting to hear the music from
The Twilight Zone, or The Omen or something.
Once inside we go up a wide
staircase and into a really bland foyer. Two people are waiting for us, which I
assume must be Sean and Jane, Raven's characters from Dance To A Different
Beat. Jane seems to have seen me look at
those boring walls because she smiles. "They're due to be painted next
week with a mural I believe."
I smile back at her and am
itching to ask some questions about that mural, because my imagination has just
gone into overdrive, but Sean choses that moment to kiss Raven—one can go off honorary
grandmas, you know—and we're taken next door. This lounge is amazing, and if I
squint through the large window into… Oooohh! It's a big dungeon sort of room
that I would love to explore, but sadly that's not what I'm here for.
"We'll let you look around
later, if you want?" Sean's deep voice drips like honey and I find myself
blushing like a school girl. I also have to fight the urge to sink to my knees,
which hubby would find very amusing I am sure. I must have managed to nod in
response, because he smiles at me. A clit clenching toe-curling kind of smile
that has me biting my lip to not drool. Jane is a very lucky woman.
Ha, Raven here. I
got Budda, and cuddles. Then we were shoved—shoved I tell you—out of the room.
She didn't want me; oh no she wanted Jane and Sean. They said okay why not, and
didn't even need me to hold their hands.
Ponders I do hope Doris
knows how to get chocolate out of hair, shirts, settees. Oh and off TV screens,
windows…I don’t think Sean has thought this through somehow. That settee is
cream for goodness sake.
See
what I had to put with. That got her out of my hair, though. Raven has
perfected her 'don't you diss with me and my characters' stare so well, there's
no way I can talk to Jane and Sean with her hovering, as long as I can ignore
the giggles and grandma more noises from the next room. I tell you the things I
do for you, dear readers… It's such a hardship after all, interviewing Sean…
*winks*
Okay, back to the interview:
I get my wayward hormones back
under control and shuffle my papers. Now, where are those questions? Ah, yes. I
smile at Sean and Jane.
"First things first, and I
have to ask. Why call the club a Dance Studio? Don't your … err … clients get
confused?"
The two of them look at each
other with such a look of love that I may as well not be in the room. I cough
discreetly and Sean settles his attention back on me. He kisses my hand and I
am so glad I'm sitting down.
*swoons*
"Ah I'm sorry Doris. So why
the Dance Studio? Well there's dancing and there's d a n c i n g."
He says the word very slowly and
my insides do the two step. I so get what the name means now.
"And I assure all our
clients know exactly what sort of dance they're going to do. It's a private
members club, and we all like certain types of…"
Dammit he winks at me.
*sighs to self*
"Dancing. You see sometimes
people want something that not everybody accepts or respects. To those of us
who enjoy a certain type of lifestyle it gives us a place to meet up. But also
a place to play in private." Jane sniggers and rolls her eyes at
this and I hide my smile, as Sean continues. "With or without an
interested and non-judgmental audience."
So what happens if you get
innocent queries?" I ask. "You know people who want to learn to
ballroom dance?"
Sean grins at me.
"We really do have a proper
dance studio. It's away from the rest of our, err, studios, and only open on
one night a week."
"Vanilla night?" I
can't help myself. I snigger a little and he nods.
"You could call it that,
although Josh, the instructor is qualified
in more than just the Waltz and the quickstep."
"Yeah just ask Ali…"
Jane interrupts and I hold my breath. Sean
did have rather a Sir stare then, one that I can't help but respond to, and
I've got a Sir of my own… Time to ask another question, me thinks.
"Sean, you’re a respected
Dom. When did you first realize your interest lay in things more than vanilla?"
Sean ponders this for such a long time, I'm beginning to think he is not going
to answer me, and then he shrugs and smiles. I tell you that smile could crack
ice and melt snow.
"Hell, woman, couldn't you
ask something easy like the formulae of integration or the number of grains of
rice needed to keep the salt in my salt cellar dry? How do you ever realize
something like that? Not consciously and not in a light bulb moment. I just knew
what I liked, found things I wanted to try, and sometimes people I wanted to
try them with. Then I well I supposed you could say I became disillusioned. I was knocked back by the
one woman I wanted to play with… no not play, much more like interact with and
be a partner to."
"And a Sir, Sir." Jane adds. Now he smiles at her. I swear he
would make a fortune if he bottled it. Makes me feel soooooo good.
*Note to self, remember hubby's
smile…*
Dammit now I'm even more hot and
bothered. Time to switch my attention to Jane.
"Jane, you seem most
reluctant to meet Sean again in his role as Dom at the start of the book. Can
you share with us why?"
"I knew if I did meet him
again, something would change between us, and I wasn't sure if I was ready for
it." Jane answers. "I'd got some hang ups—still have to be honest,
and I had no idea if they'd come between us again. I knew how I felt about
Sean, but not about all of his demands. He's a very masterful man, and although
I love it, and him…well, some things aren't easily accepted."
I love how open she is being with
me, and how Sean quietly encourages her.
"Sean, you waited some time
for her. How did you know she was the one?"
Sean shrugs again. Oh, I am
starting to love that shrug.
"How do you know anything? A
shiver when I saw her, a tingle and a need to touch? A determination to protect
and cherish her whatever? I just knew."
Oh lordy me, I am melting on the
spot here.
"Did you not get fed up
waiting?"
"I'd have waited forever. No
okay, stop rolling your eyes, both of you. I wouldn't, I'd've made a move even
if Ali… er sooner or later." I so know that wasn't what he was going to
say. I wonder who Ali is?
"Jane, can you tell us what
made you seek out Sean this time? Why didn't you do it before?"
"With hindsight, I don't
think I did seek him out. I'm sure there was a lot of prodding and coercion, of
the nicest kind. Some people decided for
me. But yeah, I'm glad they did."
I can tell that she really means
it, and I move onto my next question.
"What do you like most about
wax play?"
"I'll go first," says
Sean. There's a primeval sense of ownership. That each drop is making a
statement, and creating a pattern of beauty on a perfect surface for it. As
each bubble of wax touches, and the tiny hiss of breath passes between Jane's
lips, my body responds. And before you ask, it was never so intense for me
before."
"Aw… thank you sir."
Jane says. "To me, I look into Sean's eyes, when I can, and as each teardrop
touches me, I can see the love and need in him. For each little sting, I'm
sharing something so precious it is like a teardrop. A happy one. As the sting
flows into me so does our love."
*makes mental note to remind Sir
we we haven't played with wax in a while*
"Is there something that
wasn't in the book that you’d like to share with us? Sean?"
"I hate Banana's and the
crinkle of greaseproof paper," he replies.
Jane laughs. "My favorite
spice is Cinnamon and my favorite Muppet Miss Piggy."
I get it. They are not going to
give us spoilers.
"Ok quick fire questions for
both of you. Favorite body part of your partner?"
They reply in unison.
"His butt, oh god it’s
perfect."
"Her butt oh god it's perfect." They both burst out laughing, and I have to
join in.
"If it was vanilla or
nothing, could you?" I ask my next question and I am most curious as to
what they will say.
"Well, define vanilla?"
Sean counters, and I smile and decide to move on.
"Savory or sweet?"
"Sweet," Jane says.
"Both," is Sean's
reply.
"Ropes or chains?" I
ask. Jane goes white and I could bite my tongue out. Sean gives me such a look
it takes all my determination not to assume the position and wait for the flogger.
Wrong question, clearly.
"Hot or Cold?"
Jane relaxes and answers, "Hot."
"Yeah, oh definitely hot…"
Sean winks.
"Any last words to your
readers as to why they should check out your book?"
Jane replies. "Because it’s
a hot Romance on The Go. Long enough to get you all hot and bothered, to read
on the way to work or in the bath. And to think up ways of utilizing the info
on your other half maybe?"
I smile at that and look to Sean
for his answer.
"Now then, think of what
we've told you, and then think of all the things we haven't. They might just be
in the book."
Ah, good answer that.
"And, Doris honey, you night need
to invest in some extra strong child-cleaner, did you see the size of the bar
of chocolate Raven gave to her grandson?"
I
groan to myself and sure enough I can hear Raven's wicked evil giggles in my
mind. She did say she'd get her own back, because I wouldn't let her keep the
chauffeur.
****
So,
there you have it. See what I put myself through?
*grins*
Blurb:
Jane has a decision to make. Meet Sean and face her demons, or hide. Can she allow herself to let go enough to give this experienced Dom the submission he demands?
Jane has always made her own way in life, and the thought of giving up that control scared her away once. Sean is determined to show her that true submission is a joy, and not something to be feared. He is not prepared to lose her again.
As they face her fears, can they reach their full potential, or will those demons just prove too much to conquer?
Be Warned: BDSM, wax play
Excerpt:
As he watched under hooded
eyelids Jane ran her hand over the back of a leather chair, and caressed the
smooth shape as it swept in a dramatic curve and became the arm. Her fingers
splayed out over the wooden covered strength. She'd always been tactile, and
Sean could only wish her hands would touch him in the same erotic way. The
thought of her mouth on his cock, or himself buried deep inside her pussy, had
been the basis of more than one of his climaxes. He despaired of ever seeing if
his fantasies lived up to the reality. She looked at him. "So this is
vanilla?"
He nodded. Shit, I must seem like one of those stupid nodding dogs you win at the
fair. "So?"
"Oh nothing really,"
Jane smirked. "But a chair like a giant clit isn't what I'd call
vanilla."
He laughed. "You, my dear, are the other
person to recognize that, let alone remark on it."
"Really? So what does
everyone else see?" She sounded genuinely interested.
"Comfortable."
"What?" Jane sounded
incredulous as she let him seat her at a small round table carefully screened
from the wind, and prying eyes. "Nothing else? It's two-tone red leather,
for goodness sake."
He shrugged and went to a side
table where an array of fruit was set under muslin covers. "People only see
what they want to see Jane. And hear what they want to hear." He handed
her a bowl of fruit with everything Ryan had assured him she loved in it.
"Don't you agree?"
"Hmm." She ate a spoon
full of raspberries. As the deep red vied with the subtle hue of her lips
Sean's cock reacted and hardened. Damn, if he didn't wish it was his prick that
was being sucked into her mouth. "How d'you mean?" She swallowed and
filled her spoon again. "This is good. If I'd known I was coming for
breakfast, I'd have ditched the joggers and worn something tidier. So, you were
saying?"
"That people have selective
sight and hearing, and interpret things in their own way to suit
themselves." He paused. Should he?
Why not? It can't make things any worse. "Take yourself for instance. Your friend
wants to come to dance, you hear BDSM. Did you ever check with her to see what
she'd been told? Nope, you just jumped to conclusions. Why? Have you been to
see Ava and Ryan? No, not since she told you what had happened. You worry her
and Ry, you know, but does it bother you? Evidently not, you just see them as
threatening your safe sterile life and ignore them. And you set the whole thing
up, and I could have sworn not five minutes ago you were really happy for them,
but you haven't told them that. They both wonder what they've done to insult
you. And us? You ran. You saw how well we meshed, and ran. No questions to me,
no define what you mean, nothing. You just bottled. And now look at you? You
look like a bag lady. Your glow has gone. When are you going to open your eyes
and ears and see and hear what's going on? When are you going to give us a
chance? Or are you going to let yourself be sucked into apathy and sterility?
For fuck's sake remind yourself what you felt with me, tell yourself you deserve
more. And bloody well talk."
He slammed his hands on the table
so hard both the crockery and Jane jumped. Her spoon fell to the floor,
followed by three slices of apple and a grape.
Buy Links:
Nosy links…
Raven lives in Scotland, along
with her husband and their two cats—their children having flown the
nest—surrounded by beautiful scenery, which inspires a lot of the settings in
her books.
She is used to sharing her life
with the occasional deer, red squirrel, and lost tourist, to say nothing of the
scourge of Scotland—the midge.
A lover of reading, she
appreciates the history inside a book, and the chance to peek into the lives of
those from years ago. Raven admits that she enjoys the research for her books
almost as much as the writing; so much so, that sometimes she realizes she's
strayed way past the information she needs to know, and not a paragraph has
been added to her WIP.
Her lovely long-suffering husband
is learning to love the dust bunnies, work the Aga, and be on stand-by with a
glass of wine.
You can find out more about Raven
here…
