Snippet Saturday – Lean on Me

It’s been a busy week so I’m keeping this post simple. How about a snippet from Submissive Beauty.

Excerpt:

Gabby turned her car down Franklin Street, and her anxiety soared to an all-new level.
She’d gotten dressed per instructions and rushed out the door. A glance at the dashboard clock said ten minutes until her deadline, and she still wondered what the hell she was doing. Every possible scenario she’d imagined led to nothing but more questions.

What would Thomas do to her if she went through with this?

Surely he would touch her, but how far did he intend to push her in one night? Her mind raced with myriad possibilities as fear gripped her so tight she found herself strangling the steering wheel.

Get a grip Gabby. This is what you’ve been waiting and wishing for, isn’t it? A gamut of emotions coursed through her; fear, excitement, arousal, curiosity, and…her arms trembled…more fear. A bark of nervous laughter pressed through her lips. Angel had assured her repeatedly that nothing bad would happen to her, and that Thomas could be trusted with her
safety.

She’d learned that he held a considerable position in the community and commanded a generous amount of respect from the members of the club. Those assurances had been enough for her to get this far, but as she searched the numbers on every mailbox, she considered giving up and returning home.

No one would think less of her if she wasn’t the right type for Thomas’s unorthodox demands. Who could blame her for wanting to get to know a man before letting him dominate her? Yeah, too late for that Gabby. Whether you like it or not, he’s been dominating you since you first heard his voice. Gabby sighed.

She spied the number three hundred and ten on a black mailbox encased in brick and quickly turned to the right into the drive. A wrought iron gate stood open as if awaiting her arrival. She slowly drove beyond it and up the winding drive. The house loomed in front of her, large and old. If this was indeed Thomas’s house, he had very expensive taste. She’d guess the
stately brick home was built in the late 1800s and had been restored sometime in the last decade.

The few gaslights that were lit out front did little other than cast shadows across the footpath that led to the front door. Compared to her modest uptown townhouse she was way out of her league. She parked her car close to the walkway and strained to see through the inky darkness. No other cars were in sight. She shook her head and banned the negativity from her
mind. Just because she didn’t see any other vehicles didn’t mean they weren’t there. These houses typically had hidden garages around back.

Gabby took a deep breath and rested her forehead on the steering wheel for a minute,releasing the air one short puff at a time. If she didn’t calm down, she’d be shaking like a leaf by the time she got inside.

Get a grip, Gabby. You decided you’re going to do this so buck up already.

She stepped from the car and carefully balanced herself, wondering once again why she’d worn ridiculously high-heeled shoes. Because they’re pretty, that’s why. She walked to the front door and automatically reached for the doorbell. Lucky for her, she caught herself in mid-air seconds before she pressed it. He’d said to enter the residence unannounced and proceed instead of waiting for an invitation to come in. She struggled with her social conditioning as she complied with his directions. Nerves jumped in her belly at the thought of walking into the wrong house and finding herself in more trouble than she could handle.

She opened it noiselessly and peeked through a crack in the door, afraid someone would catch her. Just inside she spied a long narrow foyer leading to what she presumed would be the living area. Gabby crept through the door and quietly closed it behind her. She tiptoed toward the back of the house, trying not to click her heels on the hardwood floor.

The room opened up into an inviting space filled with comfortable furniture and a large screen television as the focal point. Where she’d expected expensive antique furniture, she found a comfortable space that looked lived in, especially the large overstuffed couch that dominated the center of the room.

Gabby glanced at her watch and realized she had about thirty seconds to get in place, or she’d be late. She hustled over to the coffee table, set her purse and keys down and stepped to the end of the couch as instructed. Her body curved around the large rolled end as she wiggled into place—head down, ass up. Nervous didn’t begin to describe how she felt. She took a deep breath and lifted her skirt on the exhale. Cold air swept across her naked bottom causing goose flesh to erupt across her skin.

Gabby squeezed her eyes shut and tried not to be afraid. She’d followed his instructions to the letter despite the fact she was in a strange home with her bare butt and pussy exposed to anyone who walked into the room. She prayed it would indeed be Thomas who found her.

 

Be sure to follow the trail to more snippety goodness:

Megan Hart:Read in bed!
Leah Braemel
Mandy M Roth
Lissa Matthews
Mari Carr
McKenna Jeffries
Myla Jackson
Taige Crenshaw
HelenKay Dimon
Lauren Dane
TJ Michaels
Delilah Devlin
Jody Wallace

Authors After Dark 2012

I have just returned from the annual Authors After Dark Reader Convention which this year took place in New Orleans. This was my fourth AAD Convention and all I can say is WOW. At the gigantic welcome ceremony I sat awed by how much the event has grown and what a wonderful job Stella Price has done. Major kudos to her and her hard working staff.

Our hotel was right on Bourbon Street and I’m not even sure where to start when it comes to the oddities of Bourbon. The first night was interesting with neon lights, frozen daiquiris on every corner and strippers performing in doorways. But as the week progressed the nightlife got wilder until Saturday brought a lot of insanity. It was great catching up with good friends who I miss all the time.

Authors Mari Freeman, Samantha Kane and ME on Bourbon. (Cat Johnson was the photographer and Lissa Matthews is a bit camera shy.)

I arrived a day before the convention started so I got a chance to explore the french quarter and do some shopping. I mostly window shopped but I saw a lot of incredible things that would be fun to buy. Hello rockabilly dress!

The next day the convention started with a bang and the rest of the week became a whirlwind after that. I was fortunate to meet so many wonderful readers and bloggers that I couldn’t possibly name them all. I also participated in panels on topics such as BDSM, Erotica, Self Publishing and Shifters with some other amazing authors. I remember sitting on the shifter panel with Cynthia Eden and thinking “OMG It’s Cynthia Eden!” the whole time. She is one of my favorite shifter authors and listening to her speak about how she world builds fascinated me.

50 Shades of Grey was a hot topic on the BDSM panel and we authors got a chance to hear directly from readers about more of what they were looking for. Love that!

I also got the chance to conduct two field trip tours where I took readers to visit three voodoo shops, one witchcraft store and The Pirates Cafe olde absinthe house in Pirate’s Alley. Absinthe tastes like licorice and is not really for me. :) Curious if I bought anything? Of course I did. I got a Voobeanie for good health and a candle for the Spirit of Writing.

 

I can’t possibly go over every event or we’ll be here all day. So let me post a few of my pictures and let them give you an idea of the blast we had.

Author Ann Mayburn knows how to party. Love her!

 

Shopping at the French Market with LeighAnna Thomas, Cat Johnson, and Kallypso Masters (Cat Grant and Ann Mayburn in the background)

Enjoying some beignets at Cafe Beignet with Joy of Joyfully Reviewed, Cat Johnson, Kris Cook

I finally got my dragon tattoo finished! Having a tattoo artist at AAD is one of my favorite things!

If you follow me on Facebook or subscribe to my newsletter, look for more pictures to be posted soon! Now I can’t wait for Savannah in 2013.

Hot Summer Heroes Blog Hop

Hi all! Welcome to my stop of the Hot Summer Heroes Blog Hop hosted by Bella Media Management, Caris Roane and H.D. Thomson. The hop runs all week and you have a chance to win all kinds of fabulous prizes.

I’ve only just returned from the Authors After Dark Convention last night where hot heroes were on all our minds all the time.

It’s no secret that I love UBER alpha males. They may often come across as harsh while trying to be protective but it’s all part of the appeal for me. The more alpha they tend to be, the harder they fall when the right woman comes along. It gives me chills just thinking about it.

This kind of hero works really well in shifter romances and is very much part of why I love writing them so much. I’ll get to that gooey center eventually. *grins*

Can you sum up your favorite kind of hero in three words or less? Leave me a comment and you could win.

For my giveaway I am giving you reader’s choice of any shifter eBook from my backlist. Here is just a couple to choose from:

Lucas

Kira MacDonald is in trouble. Plagued by false visions and erotic dreams of a man she’s never met, she fears losing both her psychic powers and her sanity. The cure? Finding and bonding with her mate. The stubborn red-haired warrior might not want one, but fate has other plans, plans that include her rescuing Lucas Gunn.

As the Guardian of his shape-shifting clan, Lucas Gunn lived a quiet, solitary life. Until he was kidnapped, examined, and tortured. Now imprisoned, his only tie to the outside world is the memory of his dreams and the passionate woman who appears nightly in them. He thought she was nothing more than a vision. Then she came for him.

An uneasy alliance, a mating call that won’t be denied, rituals that must be honored, and unrelenting enemies who will stop at nothing to get what they want. It all comes together in the first of Eliza Gayle’s sensational Black Cougar Series. Passion and Pride. Duty and Danger. In the end, there’s really only one choice…for Lucas.

and

Frost Bitten

Resistance may be possible, but who are they kidding?

While on a search and rescue mission in the middle of a snowstorm, Seth and his twin Trent catch the scent of an unfamiliar shifter. Drawn to locate the source they hike deep into the woods to an abandoned cabin where they find an enticing little jaguar in the throes of heat.

Tired of being smothered by her five brothers and the pressure to mate, Daisy wanted nothing more than a week alone in the middle of freaking no where. The last thing she needed was a run in with two sexy as sin—and totally off limits—cougar shifters. Unfortunately, she’s not the kind of woman to leave them out in the cold.

Faced with the misery of unmet sexual desire or hot, no strings attached sex with two men… What’s a girl to do?

There are many more to choose from so please visit my books page for a full list of books available.

If you’ve enjoyed your stop on my blog please consider:

Signing up for my free newsletter at the top of this page.

Visiting me at Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/AuthorElizaGayle

Following me on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ElizaGaylebooks

Now keep hopping and visit the rest of the blog hop participants for more chances to win and discuss your favorite heroes!

August BDSM BlogHop

Welcome to my post in the BDSM BlogHop hosted by the always fabulous Scorching Book Reviews. I’m very happy you came by.

I’ve been writing BDSM Romance for many years now and I’m often asked why I write it. The plain truth is I write it because BDSM is near and dear to my heart. If you haven’t read any of my stories, I invite you to check out my books page so you can see what I have to offer. If you’ve read any or all of the books already, thank you from the bottom of my heart. It’s been a real privilege to write stories that others want to read.

Okay before I get lost in my mushy gushy center of love, I should get to the point of this post which is to point out one of my favorite BDSM books to read. Yep, I read them as often as I can. One of the great things about writing two genres is that when I am writing paranormal, I am reading BDSM books and when I am writing BDSM, I am reading paranormal. It’s a great way to read all the stories I love without distracting me from my current project.

I have to say that picking one is ridiculously hard and should be noted that it may or may not be my all time favorite. There are so many that I have enjoyed and many more I haven’t gotten a chance to read yet. So this ended up being a case of eeny meeny miney moe.

When I first picked up Learning to Drown by Sommer Marsden, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I ended up being hooked from the beginning and read long into the night until I finished this book. It’s been a while since I read it but I remember feeling connected to this story and characters, not to mention I have admitted many times that I tend to go for the harsher Doms. :)

Ember is into the whole abduction scenario. She tries and tries to coach her boyfriend Damien in the fine art of being her abductor and sexual tyrant. It’s not working. One night, while locked in his truck’s tool box, she’s towed from Damien’s property. Lucas Crow, freelance repo man and all around growly dominant, rescues her from her self-imposed prison. He even takes her home, feeds her and gets her cuffs off when it becomes evident that Damien is not coming to her rescue.

Taken with Ember and her story, Lucas gives her a choice. Stay in her unhappy relationship and play ‘games’ (basically dominating Damien by dictating his behavior) or stay with him as his ‘captive’ and learn what true surrender is. It’s like learning to drown, giving up to get where you want to be. Ember is eerily taken with this man and his quiet and sure ways. The more she discovers the more she wants to discover. Like his history, his back story, where that sexy scar in his eyebrow came from.

When Ember meets Matthew Crow, she’s not sure she can do what might be expected of her. Matthew’s everything his brother isn’t. He’s mouthy, petulant, younger and spoiled. And he informs her on the way to a repo job, that they share women–he and Lucas. And they’re going to share her–and he can’t wait to get his taste.

Ember is torn. Stay and get to experience more of the sexual talents of Lucas and Matthew Crow or leave. Does she stay and learn to drown and maybe experience the erotic levels she truly craves, or does she keep struggling and never learn the joy of submission and surrender?

To be entered to win my giveaway, leave me a comment and tell me when was the last time you read a BDSM romance.

For one commenter I will purchase a gift copy of Learning to Drown from All Romance eBooks. This will make it work for any format or any eReader, including international readers. In addition, you may choose the title of your choice from my backlist as listed on my books page.

For the overall hop giveaway, be sure to use the Rafflecopter form provided below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

As always with these super fun blog hops, be sure to visit all the participants for many chances to win some great prizes.