Another Web Hunt Sneak Peek!

I promised to share another excerpt from one of the books I've contributed to the Night Owl Reviews Spring Fling Web Hunt.


This is one of my personal favorites, which is understandable since I've been carrying it around in my head and my files for over thirty years. Mattie Lawrence and Bryce Halsey were introduced in my first published novel, Santa's Elf.


I hope you enjoy it.
Qwillia
(PS-- word of warning this excerpt is Rated NC-17!!)
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“After the binding comes the toys. Not just because I like using them on my lovers, but it'll be necessary.” One hand slipped away from the soft stroking of her nipple to cup first one butt cheek, then the other. “Although you've read the books” -- his grin was wry -- “I'm not seeing you let one of your boyfriends drill your ass, so I'm sure your tight little rose will need a bit of stretching.”


Involuntarily, the muscles in her backside tightened, and Bryce's chuckle grew throaty and raw as he pressed a finger into the crease, rubbing against the strap of her thong, with the soft silk of her dress the only barrier between her flesh and his hand.


“You like that idea, don't you?”


Mattie didn't know how to respond. Yes, she had to admit to liking the sting of the small plug she'd purchased for herself a few years earlier, but to actually allow him to enter her body there…her fingers became difficult to control. She clenched them into fists to keep from reaching for him.


“Then you'll enjoy the next step. After I've stretched you and spent some time enjoying your new territory, Richard will join us on occasion.”


Swallowing, Mattie forced away the new images bombarding her. “You act as if I've agreed to these things already.”


His hand stroked over her bottom before slipping under her skirt to slide over her wet underwear. “Your body seems to find the idea arousing.”


“That I won't deny, but what my mind and my body decide are often two different things.” She wasn't sure she could make herself step away from Bryce, so she was relieved when he chose to do it himself. The temptation to groan at the loss of his touch was stifled, barely.


“If you aren't interested in submission, then why bring it up?” He didn't sound annoyed or angry at her halting of his teasing -- more curious than anything.


“Because I need to know if I can take on the role of a submissive.” She stopped herself from adding, and if you can accept me as one.


Arms crossed over his chest, Bryce watched her. “I assure you, our marriage won't suffer if I don't indulge in the lifestyle.”


Mattie matched his stance. “And I think it would. It's hard enough when two people love each other and they marry. We're going into this without that connection. If we have to spend the next few years together, we should at least agree that keeping each other content will go a long way toward making sure the marriage lasts.” With a shrug, she added, “And it'll go a long way in convincing the board that you have settled.”


“So what are you suggesting?”


“To give you two weeks to show me what it would be like to be your sub.”


“And then what?” His hands settled on his hips.


“We can begin making the wedding plans.”


The light of battle darkened his green eyes to emerald. Ignoring the unnerving flutters building in her lower belly, she waited for his response.


It wasn't long in coming. “Too long. Dad's retirement party is in just over a month. I want to be married by that time. Giving you two weeks would delay things, and I don't trust the board not to act, especially once the Makepeaces learn we're engaged.”


“Twelve days, then.”


“Three.”


Again, Mattie shook her head. “You've implied that you won't have any problem doing without the BDSM lifestyle, but you've had years to understand it. Three days doesn't give me enough time to figure out what it could represent in our marriage, let alone the rest of my life. What about ten days?”


It was Bryce's turn to shake his head. “Still too long. Five days.”


“Let's split the difference and make it a week,” Mattie offered.


Bryce thought about it and began to nod, but Mattie continued, knowing her next words would either piss him off or amuse him. “And no sex.”

Core Stories

I am an author of erotic romances and I tend to incorporate elements of the Dominant/submissive lifestyle into my stories. The choice isn't one based on popular trends, marketing, or monetary goals. It's organic to my characters and how they live.

I also spiral around a story. You know those cool shots in movies -- the kind that almost make you dizzy -- where the image is far away and the camera slowly zooms in as it circles around the person or spot. From all those angles and distances you can get a pretty good idea of where the person is standing, what direction they're headed for, and, if the shot is meant to foreshadow coming events, what obstacles the character is bound to face. That's how I work through problems. How I get to a story or an idea. I spiral in -- sometimes I spiral out -- but this often results in lots and lots of talking AROUND the problem instead of addressing it head on.

With that in mind I was discussing some issues I've run into with my writing with a friend of mine the other night. The subject of core stories came up. And when I say core I'm not talking the plot or genre, I'm talking about the type of story that is at the center of an author's work. Some examples -- and please keep in mind, I'm not touting myself as any expert of specific writing genres, this is merely my observation and opinion: If you look at the works of Shakespeare -- his tragedies are often about secrets and revenge; his comedies about mistaken or hidden identities and secret plans. Which means, at the core, his plays were focused around secrets. JR Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood primary focus (in my mind) is family and keeping it alive. Many of Edgar Allan Poe's short stories and poems were focused on death but deeper down you could say (again, my opinion) that he related in his stories the impact of death and grieving upon those around the victim and his/her killer (a lot of the stories I've read by him dealt with murders).

Keeping this in mind, I examined my own writing. At the core  I write about relationships. It doesn't matter if the characters indulge in the D/s lifestyle or not, their behaviors towards one another will tend to take on that mannerism based on who and what they are at their essence. I also discovered and accepted (and that was the hardest part -- the accepting) that I will always write erotic (unless I'm writing Young Adult) since the sex is a key communication device between my characters. By doing this, I've empowered myself to write what I want the way I want without feeling like I have to chase some elusive "style" or "subgenre" to gain an audience. If I stick with my core story and put on the page the story my characters tell me, I'm being true to the writer I am. And that's the most important thing, at least in my eyes.