Crossfire of Love with Ella Jade

Hooray - today's an Ella Jade day! Here she is telling us about her new novel from Beachwalk Press, Crossfire of Love and why it was...

A Long Time Coming…

My new release Crossfire of Love was a real labor of love for me. It was a long time in the making. Like 22 years in the making. Now, of course I didn't know when I was 16, I'd eventually be an author. I'd always wanted to write, but I could never have dreamed back then that there would be something called the Internet and people would be able to read books on-line. If I had, I'd be in a whole other profession.

What am I talking about? Oh, yes, my new release. Let me go back to the beginning. I've always been intrigued by mob movies, books and real life history. I grew up in South Philadelphia in the early eighties. It was a tight-knit Italian community with lots of mafia activity. Naturally, being the curious girl that I was, I researched as much as I could on the topic. It wasn't as easy as it is today. Again, no Internet, and when a 16 year old girl walked into a library and asked for reference books on organized crime, a few eyebrows were raised. Hey, it was all in the name of research. The writer was born.

I lived for movies like The Godfather, GoodFellas and Once Upon a Time in America, to name a few. To this day, I'll watch anything Robert DeNiro is in. He was probably the first crush I had on a bad boy. And, Martin Scorsese is a genius. Just sayin'.

Here it is, 22 years later and I'm penning my first mafia themed story. There was a reason I was doing all that research, even if I didn't know why back then. Crossfire of Love is ultimately a love story, but it has a mob flair. The story begins when Gabriella is forced into an arranged marriage to Lorenzo, the son of a big NYC crime lord. It seems her father Ace has gotten himself into a bit of trouble with the Don and owes some big money. The head of the family offers him a way out. He'll forgive the debt if Ace's daughter agrees to marry his son. Hmm... I wonder how that will turn out?

I'll leave you with the blurb and excerpt…

Can an arranged marriage lead to love?

Recent college graduate Gabriella has finally married the man of her dreams, the older, charismatic attorney Lorenzo Martinez. She's had a crush on him for as long as she can remember and always imagined they'd one day find their happily ever after. Unfortunately, they enter into a union arranged by their fathers.

Lorenzo is charming, protective, and loyal to his crime lord father Carlo. When Carlo asks Lorenzo to marry Gabriella he jumps at the opportunity. He's been drawn to her for many years and knows by marrying her he's helping to protect her father.

Gabby is resentful and won't be Lorenzo's charity case. But sparks fly and the couple soon gives into their desire, realizing they were meant to be together.

What happens when Carlo's enemies threaten their future? Will someone get caught in the crossfire?

Excerpt

Lorenzo walked up the porch steps, turning to stare at her. "Are you coming, Gabriella?" No one but Lorenzo and his father called her by her full name. She liked when Lorenzo said it. He'd always made it sound so formal and sexy.

These were the first words he had spoken to her since they left the courthouse. They were married in the chambers of the prestigious Judge John Cartwright. He'd been a family friend of the Martinezes for many years. He was their go-to man whenever they needed something done fast and legally. Well, legal in her new father-in-law's eyes anyway.

She hurried up the steps and followed Lorenzo inside their new home. It was built within a matter of months after she'd agreed to marry him. Carlo wanted them to have their privacy, but he also wanted to keep them close. He didn't trust she'd hold up her end of the bargain, and keeping her on the property was the best way to ensure she wouldn't run.

It was silly, really. How could she run from a family like this? They had ties all over the world. There wasn't any place she could escape to that they wouldn't know about. She was a woman of her word. She said she would marry Lorenzo and she did. She'd find a way to cope. She always had.

Lorenzo pulled his jacket off, poured himself a scotch, and then loosened his tie. "Would you like a drink?"

"No, thank you," she said.

Most brides would be dancing the night away and drinking champagne by this point in their wedding night. She didn't think that was part of Lorenzo's plan.

"I didn't think you'd go through with it." He sipped the amber colored liquid as he looked her over.

"I said I would."

"I know, but when push actually came to shove, I thought you'd run."

"You don't know me that well," she said. "I don't run."

"Good." He smirked as he put the glass to his lips.

Gabby couldn't take her eyes away from those lips. She'd never had the pleasure of having them on her own. Judge Cartwright hadn't asked him to kiss his bride. She hated herself for thinking about him that way.

"You could've stopped this. Why didn't you?" she asked.

As they stood in front of the judge, she kept hoping he'd put an end to the charade and stop the wedding. It didn't make sense to her why he had agreed to marry her. She didn't have a choice. Her father's gambling debts made sure of that. But she didn't understand why he'd allowed things to get as far as they had.

"I was just as trapped as you were." He downed the rest of his scotch.

She didn't believe that. She knew he respected his dad, but she didn't get why he wouldn't have put his foot down and said no to such a life-altering decision.

"You could've told your father no from the beginning. Why would you agree to marry someone if you didn't have to?"

"Look." He shook his head. "It's done now. We're going to have to make the best of it."

"Make the best of it?" She plopped down on the leather sofa. "I'm twenty-two years old. I just graduated from college, and you want me to make the best of it?"

"I know this isn't what you might have wanted, but it is what it is. You agreed, and now it's done. You can't go back on it now. My father won't forgive that."

http://beachwalkpress.com/crossfire-of-love/

http://www.amazon.com/Crossfire-of-Love-ebook/dp/B007LO8JME/ref=pd_rhf_dp_p_t_1

Ella

http://ellajadeauthor.blogspot.com

The Cottage in The Woods

Fancy some lesbian paranormal romance? Thought so... well, why not have a look at Lucy's new release - be sure to watch the lovely book trailer too. T x

The Cottage in the Woods by Lucy Felthouse

Blurb:

Living in her remote cottage in the woods, Heidi doesn’t get many visitors. So when she spots a fox in her garden, she’s delighted. However, her joy quickly turns to dismay when she thinks the beautiful creature may be injured. Heading out to see how she can help, Heidi is astounded when something happens that makes her question her eyesight – not to mention her sanity. Once she gets over her shock and discovers the reason behind the peculiar encounter, Heidi is mighty glad that the fox chose her garden to visit.

Excerpt:

A movement in the garden caught Heidi’s attention immediately. She peered out into the dark, her hands still immersed in the washing up bowl as she tried to catch another glimpse of whatever was lurking in the darkness outside her kitchen window. She wasn’t frightened, merely curious. She lived so far out in the wilderness that it could only be an animal, and the last time she’d checked, they couldn’t open locked doors. So she was perfectly safe.

What made her nocturnal visitor so unusual was its proximity to the house. Animals were braver in the city, where they’d become used to humans. But out here, they were still timid and very wary of man. Heidi’s little cottage was practically screaming that it was occupied, with its smoking chimney and blazing lights and yet the creature – whatever it was – was almost outside the window. Heidi frowned. Something definitely wasn’t right.

Another flash of movement, and Heidi finally identified her visitor. The beautiful russet fur, big bushy tail with flecks of white – there was a fox in her garden.

Grinning, Heidi rushed to dry her hands on a tea towel and then moved across the room to flick off the light switch. She waited until her eyes became accustomed to the darkness, then made her way back to the window. She spied the fox immediately, crouched down beside the hedge surrounding her garden, as though it was hunting something. A life-long nature lover, Heidi smiled, truly appreciating the stunning beauty of the creature. But the longer Heidi watched the animal, the more confused she became.

The fox hadn’t moved for some time. If it was hunting, surely it would have pounced by now? A sinking feeling rolled through Heidi’s stomach. Perhaps it wasn’t stalking after all, but lying down because it was injured? She knew that out here, if the fox was hurt, it had been attacked by another predator, rather than had a run-in with a moving vehicle. After all, the only vehicle around these parts was hers, so unless her truck had gone all Christine, it certainly wasn’t that.

No, it had to be another animal. It was survival of the fittest, the food chain and all that. She knew how these things worked, but there was no way she could leave the poor creature suffering in her garden. Not if she could do something about it.

Heidi began to plan exactly what to do. She knew that if the fox was injured and couldn’t move, it could snap at her in self-defence, it having no idea that her intentions were good. She desperately wanted to help the vulnerable creature, but preferably without ending up needing stitches and a tetanus shot.

As Heidi gazed into the darkness, trying to work out a solution, she lost her mind. At least, that’s the conclusion she came to as her eyes relayed an image to her brain which couldn’t possibly be accurate.

Book trailer link: http://youtu.be/utJRVepZ6Mw

More info & buy links: http://lucyfelthouse.co.uk/published-works/the-cottage-in-the-woods/

*****

Lucy is a graduate of the University of Derby, where she studied Creative Writing. During her first year, she was dared to write an erotic story - so she did. It went down a storm and she's never looked back. Lucy has had stories published by Cleis Press, Constable and Robinson, House of Erotica, Noble Romance, Ravenous Romance, Resplendence Publishing, Summerhouse Publishing, Sweetmeats Press and Xcite Books. She is also the editor of Uniform Behaviour and Seducing the Myth. Find out more at http://www.lucyfelthouse.co.uk. Join her on Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to her newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/gMQb9

Fancy a Hot Aussie Weekend?

Well look no further than Liia Ann White's New release!

Hot Aussie Weekend

Blurb

Newlyweds Jaycee and Campbell are stressed. Constantly working, trying to set up a secure future for themselves, they rarely spend time alone, enjoying each other’s company.

So, to celebrate their first anniversary, Campbell whisks away his wife on a romantic getaway where he plans to pamper her and lure her into the ultimate relaxed state. But what is his ulterior motive? What secret has he been keeping from his new wife?

Whatever it is, it’s guaranteed to be a weekend full of eroticism, love, romance and some surprises on a Hot Aussie Weekend.

****

Excerpt

 Starting at her shoulders, Campbell worked his magic fingers down her body, massaging her tight, tense muscles until she felt like she would melt into mattress. He finished massaging her toes and ran his hands slowly up her legs.

Jaycee was unable to stop the moan that escaped her throat as she focussed on the movements he made. His fingers left behind a heated trail that aroused her again. Passed her knees, they made an intricate trail around her thighs and skipped to her hips and ass before moving up her back. Kneading the muscles on her shoulders once more, Campbell leaned down, his breath hot on her skin as he spoke.

“Roll over, beautiful,” he whispered into her ear.

With a small moan, she obeyed, her relaxed muscles protesting when she moved. Her eyes opened to find his deep blue ones gazing at her with adoration. Jaycee’s heart skipped a beat when she saw the love and lust he projected. Reaching up, she cradled his face in her hands and kissed him.

Their lips moved in leisurely movements, exploring each other’s mouths as Campbell’s hand roamed across her breast, cupping it before he rolled the nipple between his fingers. Jaycee’s mouth opened on a moan and Campbell took the opportunity to slip his tongue passed her lips.

Deepening the kiss, she tangled her fingers in his hair and pulled him closer. Arousal tore through her body like a wildfire, awakening muscles that moments earlier had been languid and relaxed. Campbell’s hand moved to her neglected breast and teased her nipple. Letting out a small moan, Jaycee brought her leg up, only for it to be pushed down and have Campbell break contact with her completely.

“You’re not finished with your massage yet.”

He grinned at her frustrated groan and moved off the bed to grab the massage oil again.

“You enjoying torturing me don’t you?” she whined when he returned and ran his oiled hands up her torso, settling them on her breasts.

“Yep,” he quipped. “Hands behind your head please. I know how impatient you are and I don’t want to trying to pleasure yourself before I’m ready to do it.”

Go on, treat yourself!

Buy Links

AllRomance eBooks –

Amazon

AmazonUK - 

Erotica and me

This post will probably never see the light of day - you see I have a strange problem - a kind of internet OCD. Anything I write or comment or submit to online, including emails, blog posts, letters, has been worried over, written, re-written - is it saying what I want it to say? Will it be taken in the spirit I intended? Could it be interpreted badly? Even clicking 'like' on a post sends my heart racing.

The only exception to this rule, is my actual story writing. That is where I am free and easy with everything I've got to say. It's like it comes from somewhere other than myself - I go into the realm of my own imagination and just let it all out. I can write over 60k words and not worry about it at all.

So why erotica?
When I was a teen I found some gentlemen's magazines and my world was complete - what fun I had, the things I was reading put into words the images I had in my head and wow, it was exciting! And then, I read My Secret Garden and Men In Love and Women on Top. Even better! These books with women's fantasies inside were amazing to me - some of the activities didn't ring my bell, but I feel richer for having read them, and some, well, I can close my eyes even now and read those beautifully put together words of erotic fantasy. And there's the word - fantasy.

Then, one day it somehow filtered into my mind through friends and the media that it was wrong to be titillated by such work. Porn was degrading to women and evil. I was horrified. I had never felt degraded, only extremely turned on, therefore, I must be evil - or worse, a bad feminist - or not a feminist at all. It really damaged me to feel like this. I really felt ashamed of my love of reading about sex - not the factual how to sex, but the explicit fantastical depictions in writing.

And so, I buried my love in a shameful grave, saving my exploration for my own mind and body with my partner. For a very long time.

And then, I started to write my own stories. And one day I submitted one to an Xcite anthology - and guess what? It got published and here I am over a year later with many more stories out, a novella and a soon to be novel. And yes, they are all about sex and erotica. I was worried my work would be too explicit - what with using such terms as the C word...

I needn't have worried at all - I started reading everything Xcite had to offer (well, that's an exaggeration - I'm a slow reader but you get my drift) - then Total E bound, Beachwalk, Ravenous and on and on. I filled myself up with the stories I'd craved for so many years. And the erotica community welcomed me. In all my life, I have never been made to feel part of something more than I have with the writers of romance and erotica - what a wonderful, lovely bunch of people.

But, something still lingers from my years of suppression. I do not shout loud and proud about what I do - close friends know - some think it's ace, others (strangely those I thought most open minded), visibly squirm and I have to assure them that no, I won't make you read it. As soon as someone hesitates with their response, I dive back into my shell.

I love that some of the erotica writers I have become friends with online have some really positive articles published in the news, really bigging up erotica to be the wonderful thing it is, thank you.

I think that sexual love is the most amazing thing you can share with another human - it heals, it bonds, it transcends, it thrills, it sets the relationship apart from all others. And to read and write about it is even better (well, not quite)!

So readers, if you have made it to the bottom of this post - thank you - this opening of myself has been pure torture for me and I may delete it by tomorrow, but for today, here I am.

Love T x x