Title: Take Me: Twelve Tales of Dark Possession Boxed Set
Authors: CD Reiss, Jenika Snow, Pepper Winters, Skye Warren
Kendall Ryan, Anna Zaires, Dima Zales, Shay Savage,
Amber Lin, Shari Slade, Pam Godwin, Lynda Chance, Gemma James
Publication date: February 3rd 2015
Genres: Adult, Romance
Summary:Surrender to desire with 12 books by the hottest names in dark romance, including bestselling authors Pepper Winters, Anna Zaires, and Lynda Chance.
CD Reiss – Spin
Jenika Snow – A Beautiful Prison
Pepper Winters – Destroyed
Skye Warren – Trust in Me
Kendall Ryan – Unravel Me
Anna Zaires & Dima Zales – Twist Me
Shay Savage – Otherwise Alone & Otherwise Occupied
Amber Lin & Shari Slade – Three Nights with a Rock Star
Pam Godwin – Deliver
Lynda Chance – Marco’s Redemption
Gemma James – Torrent
These e-books would cost over $40 if purchased separately. This set will only be 99 cents until release, so pre-order your copy now!
It was the best kiss I’d ever received, but also the worst. It sparked lust and need in every inch of me. My lips wanted more, my tongue wanted savagery. My skin wanted to bruise because he needed to touch me so badly.
All my thoughts disappeared as I nipped at his bottom lip. He flinched, but a second later he copied, his sharp canines piercing my oversensitive flesh.
I moaned.
I couldn’t take it.
My hands flew up and gripped his shirt. Yanking him toward me, fireworks whizzed in my fingertips; my heart galloped toward exploding with lust. I’d never been so drunk on someone before.
Then I landed flat on my back.
The crack of my skull jangled my teeth. The thick carpet did little to cushion me. My eyes flared wide and I grunted in pain. Fear, hot and terrible, swamped my lust in a dampening wave.
“Top rule. Unbreakable rule. Don’t. Ever. Touch. Me.” Fox kneeled on one knee beside my head, breathing hard. His hand noosed my throat, pressing my spine into the carpet. His eyes were cold and lifeless, looking like a hunter intent on blood.
Trust in Me by Skye Warren
Tyler sighed, resigned. “Okay. Come on.”
And really, isn’t that just what every girl wants to hear from a guy agreeing to fuck her? But I wasn’t like every girl. This was a job, that was all.
He led me to the bed and pulled me down with him. But I didn’t want him, not like this. I didn’t want him to have sex with me, not if he didn’t want me. I only remained here to protect those girls from forced sex, from rape. I couldn’t do the same thing to Tyler, not even to spare myself pain.
“Wait,” I said. “You don’t have to do this. Please don’t.”
“I have to,” he said, his teeth gritted.
This was all wrong. “You don’t want this,” I whispered.
He pulled my hand to his jeans where I felt his hardness pushing against the zipper. “Does this feel like I don’t want it?”
I already knew the body had nothing to do with the mind. “No,” I said. “I can tell you don’t. It doesn’t matter about me.”
He pushed me onto my back and loomed over me. “This is happening. Are you going to fight me?”
I shook my head. No, I wouldn’t—couldn’t—fight Tyler, not ever. No matter how I pledged my allegiance to Carlos, I couldn’t help but fight and resist every time he hurt me. With Tyler, it hurt just to be near him, but I’d endure it, if only to pretend a few minutes more.
He kissed me again, and it was almost real. Like a real kiss between two people having sex, as if I knew what that felt like. Both of us were doing this for business or to avoid pain or whatever reason, but none having to do with passion or pleasure. Still, I felt a long-buried stirring of passion. And, too, I felt pleasure as his lips molded over mine and his body lowered.
The weight of him, the heat of him, was delicious. Somehow I felt safe with him, which was a stupid error to make after working so hard and so long to be careful. He was working with Carlos—I couldn’t forget that. If Carlos ever found out I was double-crossing him, he wouldn’t kill me. He would keep me alive and make me wish I were dead.
Tyler’s hands found my breasts and easily slipped under the small halter top. He looked down at my breast in his hand. I knew I had beautiful breasts. Not because they looked beautiful to me—I hated the sight of them—but because I’d been told so. From very young, I’d been told how pretty they were—large, despite my lanky body, and pale with dark, hardened tips.
He groaned, just staring. “So beautiful.”
I hated that he said that, that he noticed what all the other men had noticed, that he was like them after all. At the same time, I almost preened. At least I had pleased him in some way. One of these days my contradictions would tear me apart.
His fingertip, blunt and rough, traced from the top of the slope to the tip.
“Why are you doing this?” he muttered, and it didn’t sound like he was talking to me but to himself.
Why was he doing this? Why did he need to get mixed up with Carlos? It would only end badly for Tyler. I had seen enough of Carlos’s business partners disappear to know that. God, but I didn’t want to think that Tyler would even want to be involved. Carlos had lots of different businesses, but they were all bad—drugs, guns. And my personal crusade, my curse, human trafficking. Which was Tyler involved in?
“You shouldn’t be here,” slipped out on a moan.
“I know,” he said, still mesmerized by my hated breasts.
“It isn’t right.” Why couldn’t he see? I wanted him to be good, but if he couldn’t do that, then at least I wanted him to be safe.
“I can’t stop,” he said.
Deliver by Pam Godwin
He stalked toward her, mirroring the tilt of her head, knees and shoulders loose, and his gaze
holding her prisoner. A breath away, he paused, soaking in the subtleties of her tipped-up chin,
parting lips, and glossy but resolute eyes.
With the next breath, he launched, hands on her jaw, fingers spread around the back of her
head.
His elbows dropped, shoulders raised, and he yanked her to him, lifting her on tiptoes, guiding
her mouth, taking it. His grip twisted through her hair as he drew in her upper lip and shoved her
against the fridge, following her with the weight of his body.
The kiss went fucking wild, their lips mashing in a frantic battle. His tongue plunged her mouth,
attacking, thrusting in and out, possessing her movements, owning her. Breath for breath, lick
after lick, he ate at her mouth, tasting, devouring.
He dropped his hands to her breasts, squeezing ruthlessly as he rolled his cock against her
cunt.
His tongue tingled, his skin burned, and his head swam. God, she was a drug, and he was so
fucking high.
She gripped his biceps, bit at his lips, and threw her arms over his shoulders, her fingers
scratching the fuck out his back. He shuddered, loving it, but he was in control.
Reaching back, he grabbed her wrists and slammed them above her head. Their bodies ground
together, his forearms pressing hers to the fridge, their tongues dancing and clashing. Chest-to-
chest, hips fused together, he flexed his ass, dry humping her like a horny teenager.
Jesus, fuck, he didn’t care. He wanted her.
He leaned back to study her face and found strong smoldering eyes, sharp breaths, and swollen
wet lips. Whatever she saw in his expression made her mouth chase his and her fingers curl
around his hands. They kissed endlessly, fueling the fire and pushing his control long past the
point of discomfort before pulling back and starting all over again.
When he broke the kiss with a hand on her jaw, they panted as one, mouths open and so close
their bottom lips brushed. She peered at him through lowered lashes, and he stared back in
awe. What trembled between them wasn’t an if? Or even a how hard? Those were foregone.
The question they shared was simple.
Ready?
Three Nights with a Rock Star by Amber Lin and Shari Slade
Hailey forced herself to stand still for his leisurely perusal. Even when he stood and stalked toward her, she managed to hold on to her dignity—whatever dregs she had left after donning these clothes and almost falling on her face. But his smile hit her like a blast of heat, blinding her, scalding her. He looked far too pleased with himself, like a man about to get everything he wanted. And her shaky insides warned she might just give it to him.
“What do you mean?” she asked, proud her voice didn’t quaver too much.
“You want to stay here while we’re in Chicago,” he said. “To stay here for three days, to blend in so that no one questions why you’re here. To ask questions, poke around.”
Yes, that was exactly what she wanted. So why did her nod feel like surrender? As if she’d agreed to his terms before she even knew them. But then maybe she did know what his terms would be. His eyes spoke the words his lips had yet to say. There were volumes of gold-flecked pages filled with all that sensual knowledge. They promised delight and, even better, a hard bite to the exchange. Where the men she had been with were a fresh spring breeze, he stood before her like the calm before the storm, his eyes darkening clouds.
“Can you…” She licked her lips. His gaze tracked the movement, making her feel hunted. “Can you help me?”
His expression softened. Just the slightest degree, but it was enough to slow the hammering of her heart. This was the same kind man she’d met in the lobby. Desire had given him a rough edge, turning his loping gait into a prowl, making his nostrils flare—scenting her. But he was still kind inside.
When he didn’t answer, she searched for whatever strength she might have found. You want… he’d said, listing her terms. Only his terms were left to be stated. A negotiation, then. But even as she thought the words, an image flashed through her mind, a gazelle caught from behind, the vicious beauty of her captor feasting in a National Geographic special.
“What do you want?” she whispered, and somehow the wall was at her back. He was at her front…crowding her…embracing her?
“You,” he snarled. “Under me. Over me. On your knees in front of me. I get full artistic license to your body for three days.”
His words pounded her like hail, leaving dents and then pooling in the hollows left behind. They drowned out the rest of the world and shook the floor. She began to shake too—but her gaze remained locked with his. The shaking was on the inside, fear and a strange longing warring inside her, a battle to the death. She stood frozen, caught in his sights and too terrified to run. Too curious to walk away.
He stepped back, sending a wash of crisp hotel air over her body. She sucked in a breath and immediately missed the earthy scent of him.
“And you,” he continued conversationally, “will have total access to play Nancy Drew in the hotel. That is, whenever I’m not using you.”
Her body lit up when he said the word using. It imploded on you, spoken with such self-assured possession. What was wrong with her that she wanted to be used? Maybe because she wanted to be free to enjoy sex, to really explore it, for the first time in her tame little life. Maybe because he would be the one using her, and he seemed like he would know just what to do with her.
This was a bad idea. For reasons that weren’t quite coming to her at the moment. But she knew it was bad. If she’d said it once, she’d said it a thousand times to her preschoolers: don’t make decisions when you’re angry. Though she wasn’t angry. She was concerned. And frustrated. And…
God, Chloe, why? After I worked so freaking hard so you could start college, why couldn’t you be more careful?
Okay, she might be angry.
She swallowed. So maybe this weekend could be for her too. She would find the baby’s father, but she’d also find something for herself.
With a deep breath, she struggled for levity. A lopsided tilt of her lips was all she could manage. “Where do I sign?” she joked.
His grin widened, revealing an even row of white teeth. The Cheshire cat had just such a smile. “I’m so glad you asked. I have blank copies of my contract in the side table. Right next to the lube.”
Twist Me by Anna Zaires
It’s evening now. With every minute that passes, I’m starting to get more and more anxious at the thought of seeing my captor again.
The novel that I’ve been reading can no longer hold my interest. I put it down and walk in circles around the room.
I am dressed in the clothes Beth had given me earlier. It’s not what I would’ve chosen to wear, but it’s better than a bathrobe. A sexy pair of white lacy panties and a matching bra for underwear. A pretty blue sundress that buttons in the front. Everything fits me suspiciously well. Has he been stalking me for a while? Learning everything about me, including my clothing size?
The thought makes me sick.
I am trying not to think about what’s to come, but it’s impossible. I don’t know why I’m so sure he’ll come to me tonight. It’s possible he has an entire harem of women stashed away on this island, and he visits each one only once a week, like sultans used to do.
Yet somehow I know he’ll be here soon. Last night had simply whetted his appetite. I know he’s not done with me, not by a long shot.
Finally, the door opens.
He walks in like he owns the place. Which, of course, he does.
I am again struck by his masculine beauty. He could’ve been a model or a movie star, with a face like his. If there was any fairness in the world, he would’ve been short or had some other imperfection to offset that face.
But he doesn’t. His body is tall and muscular, perfectly proportioned. I remember what it feels like to have him inside me, and I feel an unwelcome jolt of arousal.
He’s again wearing jeans and a T-shirt. A grey one this time. He seems to favor simple clothing, and he’s smart to do so. His looks don’t need any enhancement.
He smiles at me. It’s his fallen angel smile—dark and seductive at the same time. “Hello, Nora.”
I don’t know what to say to him, so I blurt out the first thing that pops into my head. “How long are you going to keep me here?”
He cocks his head slightly to the side. “Here in the room? Or on the island?”
“Both.”
“Beth will show you around tomorrow, take you swimming, if you’d like,” he says, approaching me. “You won’t be locked in, unless you do something foolish.”
“Such as?” I ask, my heart pounding in my chest as he stops next to me and lifts his hand to stroke my hair.
“Trying to harm Beth or yourself.” His voice is soft, his gaze hypnotic as he looks down on me. The way he’s touching my hair is oddly relaxing.
I blink, trying to break his spell. “And what about on the island? How long will you keep me here?”
His hand caresses my face now, curves around my cheek. I catch myself leaning into his touch, like a cat getting petted, and I immediately stiffen.
His lips curve into a knowing smile. The bastard knows the effect he has on me. “A long time, I hope,” he says.
For some reason, I’m not surprised. He wouldn’t have bothered bringing me all the way here if he just wanted to fuck me a few times. I’m terrified, but I’m not surprised.
I gather my courage and ask the next logical question. “Why did you kidnap me?”
The smile leaves his face. He doesn’t answer, just looks at me with an inscrutable blue gaze.
I begin to shake. “Are you going to kill me?”
“No, Nora, I won’t kill you.”
His denial reassures me, although he could obviously be lying. “Are you going to sell me?” I can barely get the words out. “Like to be a prostitute or something?”
“No,” he says softly. “Never. You’re mine and mine alone.”
I feel a tiny bit calmer, but there is one more thing I have to know. “Are you going to hurt me?”
For a moment, he doesn’t answer again. Something dark briefly flashes in his eyes. “Probably,” he says quietly.
And then he leans down and kisses me, his warm lips soft and gentle on mine.
For a second, I stand there frozen, unresponsive. I believe him. I know he’s telling the truth when he says he’ll hurt me. There’s something in him that scares me—that has scared me from the very beginning.
He’s nothing like the boys I’ve gone on dates with. He’s capable of anything.
And I’m completely at his mercy.
I think about trying to fight him again. That would be the normal thing to do in my situation. The brave thing to do.
And yet I don’t do it.
I can feel the darkness inside him. There’s something wrong with him. His outer beauty hides something monstrous underneath.
I don’t want to unleash that darkness. I don’t know what will happen if I do.
So I stand still in his embrace and let him kiss me. And when he picks me up again and takes me to bed, I don’t try to resist in any way.
Instead, I close my eyes and give in to the sensations.
Can you introduce yourself and tell us what kind of books you write?
I’m Skye Warren, the New York Times bestselling author of dark romance! Thank you so much for the opportunity to share my book in Take Me, which is TRUST IN ME. It explores taboo themes like captivity and redemption, overlayed with suspense. If you’re up for something dangerous, disturbing and erotic, take a look…
What inspired you to write the book included in Take Me?
One of the things I love about dark romance is how new it is, how nebulous the boundaries. With every book, I wonder what other barrier I can cross. What’s next?
That’s what happened while I was writing Trust in Me last year. All my books, at their blackened hearts, are romances after all. So there was a hero… and a villain. It was almost a love triangle, except the reader knew how the story would end. The good guy gets the girl, every time. Doesn’t he?
This is fiction, and dark erotica at that. If there’s any place a villain can find a happy ending, it’s here. And what does redemption mean anyway? When do you deserve a second chance? These are the questions explored in TRUST IN ME.
Who is your favorite character that you’ve written and why?
Ooh, that’s a tough one. I have a real soft spot for Mia in TRUST IN ME, because I felt her so strongly and so completely. Sometimes I have to dig for a character’s voice and backstory, but she showed up fully formed—and insisted on telling her story.
What is the hardest part of writing for you?
Nothing and everything. I love the actual writing, coming up with a story and falling in love with them. But reader expectation is such a tough thing—it’s tough in any genre but has particular challenges for dark books. Even the word dark means different things to different readers. But ultimately I can only write the books I love and hope that my readers enjoy them.
Tell us about your upcoming release!
I haven’t shared too much information about my upcoming release yet, but it’s the start of a new series. It’s dark, sexy, suspenseful—and with a sweeter edge that I’ve enjoyed writing.
Readers can sign up for my newsletter to get notified of my new release
JENIKA SNOW
Can you introduce yourself and tell us what kind of books you write?
My name is Jenika Snow, and I am a #1 Amazon bestselling author in several sub-genres of Erotic Roamnce. I live in the Northwest and have been published since 2009. I write erotic romance in the sub-genres of Contemporary, Dark, Paranormal, and Sci-Fi.
What inspired you to write the book included in Take Me?
I have been a dark romance reader for some time, absolutely love the genre, and have been an avid fan of the authors included. Having my story, A Beautiful Prison, amongst such great talent and stories is incredible.
Who is your favorite character that you’ve written and why?
I have to say I don’t really have a “favorite” character, but Gavin, the “hero” from A Beautiful Prison, is one of my top characters. He is ruthless and cold, but when he meets his love interest, Ruby, a part of him softens toward her. He won’t ever change, because he is who he is, but he also knows that there was someone out there for him that could warm his cold heart.
What is the hardest part of writing for you?
The hardest part for me is hoping readers like my stories. I stress every single time, even six years after being published, that readers will hate my books. I think that is normal for every writer though.
Tell us about your upcoming release!
My upcoming release is a darker MC read (the second book in The Soldiers of Wrath MC) with the talented Sam Crescent. I also have a couple other stories coming out this month with my publisher.
KENDALL RYAN
Can you introduce yourself and tell us what kind of books you write?
Hello! I’m Kendall and I write naughty books. There, I said it. I felt the need to get that off my chest. I have 14 novels published both indie and traditional and I’m drawn to forbidden romance.
What inspired you to write the book included in Take Me?
Unravel Me consumed me. I wrote it the fastest I’ve ever written a book… in just 16 days. It was INSANE! And I still love that story. It’s about a woman who’s a PhD student writing her thesis on amnesia… her subject is man with amnesia whose been admitted to a mental hospital.
Who is your favorite character that you’ve written and why?
Ah! I have no idea. I love troubled sex addict Knox, I love male model Ben with the filthiest mouth I’ve ever heard. I can’t chose!
What is the hardest part of writing for you?
Everything. Writing books is HARD and sometimes agonizing for me.
Tell us about your upcoming release!
My upcoming release is FILTHY BEAUTIFUL FOREVER, it’s the 4th and final book in the New York Times & USA Today bestselling FILTHY BEAUTIFUL LIES series, but can also be read as a standalone novel. It’s about 30-year old mega successful alpha male billionaire Collins Drake who made a promise to marry his best friend when he was 10 years old, and when she shows up at his door all these years later, his life gets completely knocked on its ass.
PAM GODWIN
Can you introduce yourself and tell us what kind of books you write?
I live in the Midwest with my husband and our two children. I’m a coffee-addicted, sleepless vegetarian with a love for writing the dark and suspenseful side of romance.
What inspired you to write the book included in Take Me?
A local news story about a sex-trafficking operation made me fearfully aware that this is happening in our own backyards, behind the gates of our own communities, in family-friendly suburbs. To raise awareness, I set Deliver in a Texas neighborhood with unsuspecting villains and a victim who could be your best friend, your brother, or your son.
Who is your favorite character that you’ve written and why?
Van Quiso (in Deliver and Vanquish) is a sex-trafficker, rapist, and all-around unsavory character. Peeling him apart and exposing his broken and poisoned insides was a delicate process, but one I thoroughly enjoyed and learned from.
What is the hardest part of writing for you?
Deadlines. The rush at the end, the caffeine-fueled all-nighters, and the second-guessing and self-criticizing that comes in the final lap are hell on my nerves. But ahhhh, when those final words are written, it’s an amazing feeling.
Tell us about your upcoming release!
Dirty Ties is a departure from my edgier writing. It’s a crime/action novel filled with illegal motorcycle racing, corporate corruption, lies, betrayal, torquey horsepower, and loads of steamy romance.
PEPPER WINTERS
Can you introduce yourself and tell us what kind of books you write?
Sure, my name is Pepper Winters. I speak with an English accent, have been lucky enough to live in a few countries around the world, and love to write dark, twisted love stories while in my PJ’s. I’m married to a French Canadian and have a house rabbit. That’s about it. With regards to my writing, I’ve always loved getting into the heads of people. I love to twist their darkest desire and confront their greatest fear. I find it brings a much deeper story into life. However, I’m about to release a Contemporary Romance that won’t be dark and I’m enjoying writing it immensely.
What inspired you to write the book included in Take Me?
Destroyed was, and still is to this day, the hardest book I’ve had to write. It took a lot out of me. The characters didn’t behave and the plot line went in a completely different direction than the one I intended. I fought it every step—which made it incredibly hard to write. However, the book went on to hit the USA Today Bestseller, Indie Choice, and earned me a publishing deal with Grand Central (Hachette) publishing. So even though it took so much out of me, it gave back so much more.
Who is your favorite character that you’ve written and why?
My favourite character to date. That’s an exceedingly hard question. Mainly because each book I write there is something I love about each character. However, if I have to pick, I’m going to break the rules a little and choose two. Q Mercer from Monsters in the Dark Series will always have a piece of my heart. He’s so damaged but so strong. So twisted but so loyal. I loved getting into his headspace. I’m also falling for Jethro Hawk from the Indebted Series. He has a lot beneath the surface and my heart breaks for him with what he has to deal with.
What is the hardest part of writing for you?
Hardest part is my eyesight currently. Before, I could stare at a screen for 18 hours a day with no problem. Now, I have to wear glasses and they get tired very quickly. I can write very fast when I’m in the zone (up to 13,000 words a day) but unless my eyes are focusing, it’s hard. I’m lucky that I don’t really deal with writer’s block. If I do, I’ll get my notepad and pen out and do some plotting. That always helps get me back on track.
Tell us about your upcoming release!
I have a few coming out. 2015 is going to be my busiest year yet. I have Second Debt (Indebted #3) coming out on the 26th Jan, followed by Third Debt (Indebted #4), Forbidden Flaws (Contemporary Romance), Ruin & Rule (MC Romance 28th July), Fourth Debt (Indebted #5), Je suis a toi (Monsters in the Dark Novella), Final Debt (Indebted #6). Busy year! The Indebted Series are a dark romance dealing with diamonds, debts, and unwavering loyalties.
SHARI SLADE AND AMBER LIN
Can you introduce yourself and tell us what kind of books you write?
Hi, I’m Shari Slade and I write contemporary erotic romance and new adult. I write gritty stories about people who make terrible choices in the name of love (or lust). Somehow it all works out in the end. People have described my work as passionate, bittersweet, and blisteringly hot. When I’m not writing, wrangling a handful of surly pets, or smooching my husband, I’m a worker bee in the nonprofit sector. I also spend entirely too much time on facebook, twitter, and tumblr.
*waves* I’m Amber Lin! I co-write the Half-Life rock star series with Shari Slade. I’m mostly along for the ride…
What inspired you to write the book included in Take Me?
Shari Slade: If I remember correctly, Amber Lin and I were tossing around story ideas for solo projects and somehow got on the subject of callused hands. As you do. Logically, those callused hands led us to a rock star and a Sunday school teacher and a sex contract. That isn’t logical? It is for us. It’s how we ended up with super-sexy Three Nights with a Rock Star.
Amber Lin: I looked through our old brainstorming emails. I won’t share the whooole thing, and it probably wouldn’t make sense to the general public anyway, but there was this part where I said: “God, callused hands are amazing. Really big ones. With nimble fingers.”
And then Shari replied with “Callused hands are an excellent place to start. So, yes!!! Let's do a rock star and a nerdy girl BECAUSE REASONS.”
So off we went!
Who is your favorite character that you’ve written and why?
Shari Slade: I hate to pick favorites and I’m pretty sure I give a different answer every time someone asks, but right now Lock is my favorite. Lock is the growly front-man of Half-Life, all charisma and animal sex appeal.
Amber Lin: I’m a bit partial to the heroines myself. I’m sure there’s a reason for that, but I can’t think what ;-)
What is the hardest part of writing for you?
Shari Slade: Making the time to write is so difficult. Between my day job, family demands, and the siren song of social media, there are never enough hours in the day. Sometimes I just have to unplug, put a “do not disturb unless on fire” sign on the door, and get it done.
Amber Lin: Carving out the space and time and mental focus to do it is definitely the hardest part. Having a co-writer makes it infinitely easier and harder ;-)
Tell us about your upcoming release!
Shari Slade: Up next in 2015 I’ll have another gritty rocker romance co-written with Amber Lin, Second Chance with a Rock Star. I’ll also be releasing a dark contemporary new adult romance, Finding Always.
Amber Lin: I’m super excited about the third book in the Half-Life series. Moe is a powerhouse! As for my personal releases, I have BIG plans for 2015, but you’ll have to hang around to find out. You can sign up for my newsletter at authoramberlin.com.
SHAY SAVAGE
Can you introduce yourself and tell us what kind of books you write?
Hello! I’m Shay Savage, and I write action-adventure romance/erotica novels, primarily from the male point of view. The men I write about are typically alpha males and very “manly men,” often violent, and usually somewhat emotionally screwed up. They’re hit men, alcoholics, and cavemen in a very literal sense! My books aren’t always pretty stories, but I guarantee you’ll end up feeling something!
What inspired you to write the book included in Take Me?
The character of Evan Arden was inspired by a lot of things, including many of my friends who have served overseas and come back different than they were before. Evan suffers from PTSD in a big way, and I’ve attempted to bring those feelings to the reader. The original inspiration was a simple request for a story about a man and his dog, and Evan’s Great Pyrenees, Odin, definitely plays a big part in the series.
Who is your favorite character that you’ve written and why?
I love to write about broken bad boys – they are so much more interesting than others! Evan is definitely my favorite. He’s wonderfully damaged and terribly violent. You may not like what he does, but you’ll feel for him. He has a sweet side for sure, but doesn’t show it often. He incredibly intelligent and insightful, but often can’t see the forest with all those trees in the way.
What is the hardest part of writing for you?
Developing auxiliary characters can always be a struggle. I want the focus to be on the main couple, but they usually have to interact with others at some point. From the standpoint of writing erotica specifically, it takes a lot of effort to keep sex scenes fresh and interesting.
Tell us about your upcoming release!
Though I do have a couple of books in the pipeline, including additional stories about Evan Arden, I don’t have a release scheduled just yet. My most recent release was Alarm – a story about a woman who gets pulled out of her humdrum life by a sexy and exciting man covered in tattoos, and ends up getting in over her head. It’s about learning to live, dealing with death, and what happens when we judge people based on their outward appearance. It’s a fun and sexy read – check it out!
GEMMA JAMES
Can you introduce yourself and tell us what kind of books you write?
My name is Gemma James, writer of a mixture of genres, including dark romance, erotica, new adult, and suspense. Most of my work is dark and erotic, though I’ve written one book that isn’t. I like to push boundaries in my books and make jaws drop.
What inspired you to write the book included in Take Me?
Torrent is the product of two ideas. I actually have Skye Warren to thank for the second. She put out a call for submissions for short stories about criminals. I wanted to write a story for that anthology, but the idea became too big for a short, so I merged it with an earlier story I’d begun, and thus, Torrent was born.
Who is your favorite character that you’ve written and why?
Tough question. I’d have to say Gage from the Devil’s Kiss series. He is so stubborn and set in his ways, and he won’t hesitate to go to extremes for what he wants. That whole series holds a special place in my heart because it was my first taste of writing anything that dark or erotic.
What is the hardest part of writing for you?
Working past my hang-ups. My need for perfectionism makes me freeze up a lot. I write with a maddening stop-and-go process, which drives me nuts.
Tell us about your upcoming release!
Currently, I’m working on the third book in the Condemned series (Torrent is the first book). It’s titled Fervent, and hopefully it’ll be the conclusion to the series. I say hopefully because I write by the seat of my pants, so I never really know where a book or series is going until I get there. The tentative release date is scheduled for late March.
CD REISS
Can you introduce yourself and tell us what kind of books you write?
My name is CD Reiss and I write erotic romance and romantic suspense. The books are about ambition and art, but also, there are lots of steamy scenes and boundary pushing.
What inspired you to write the book included in Take Me?
I wanted to write something high octane, with life or death stakes. I also wanted to take a nice girl and find out what would happen if she fell in love with a criminal. Who would affect who? Would she clean him up or would he desecrate her? The jury is still out.
Who is your favorite character that you’ve written and why?
I love Antonio from Spin. You know, he’s actually a good man. A decent man, but he was raised to be bad, and he just doesn’t know HOW to be good.
What is the hardest part of writing for you?
Uhm, there is no hard part. I have the best job in the world.
Tell us about your upcoming release!
Coda is the continuation of Jonathan and Monica’s story from The Submission Series. It’s book nine, so it’s really hard to talk about it without spoiling the first eight books….suffice it to say, Jonathan Drazen is back, and more Dominant, more demanding, more sexy than ever. If you haven’t read about him yet, you should check out Beg….book one is free everywhere.
ANNA ZAIRES
Can you introduce yourself and tell us what kind of books you write?
I’m Anna Zaires, and I write contemporary dark erotic romance and sci-fi erotic romance in collaboration with my husband, sci-fi and fantasy author Dima Zales.
What inspired you to write the book included in Take Me?
I’ve been fascinated by captivity-themed romances from an indecently young age. Old Harlequins, 80s bodice rippers – they were all an inspiration for this book. I wanted to explore a captivity story in a modern setting, with a heroine who was fully conscious of the wrongness of the situation—and thus, Twist Me was born.
Who is your favorite character that you’ve written and why?
Ooh, that’s a tough one. I’d say my current favorite is Nora, just because I’m deep into writing Hold Me (Twist Me #3). Truthfully, though, I tend to fall in love with all my heroines (and heroes!) while I’m writing their story.
What is the hardest part of writing for you?
I have trouble shutting up my inner critic while I’m writing the first draft. I end up editing each sentence as I go along, which slows me down quite a bit (but speeds up the subsequent editing process :)).
Tell us about your upcoming release!
The next book I intend to release is Hold Me, which is the third (and probably final) book in the Twist Me series. It’s my most emotionally complex story to date, and writing it is tearing me to pieces.
LYNDA CHANCE
Can you introduce yourself and tell us what kind of books you write?
My name is Lynda Chance and I live in Galveston County, Texas. I’ve been married for a whole crap ton of years and have two grown children who live in the Dallas area. I write erotic romances that contain an over-the-top alpha-male hero. The books I write aren’t ‘dark’ per se, but the hero is so obsessed that they might come off that way. One promise I’ve always made to my readers is that my heroes will never cheat.
What inspired you to write the book included in Take Me?
I really had no rhyme or reason for writing Marco’s Redemption—a scene came to me (the bathroom/dress scene toward the end of the book) and I just developed the characters around that scene.
Who is your favorite character that you’ve written and why?
I really couldn’t choose—Maybe Logan Crenshaw from ‘Pursuit’? I’ve loved him so much that I’ve written two short stories about his relationship with Lauren. He’s just so insanely protective and possessive about her—crazy with it. (The short stories are free and can stand-alone, wink, wink.)
What is the hardest part of writing for you?
That’s an easy question. Plotting. I hate plotting. I despise plotting—can’t do it and suck at it. –I always want to get straight to the meat of the story—which is when my alpha-male sees his woman for the first time and goes ape-shit crazy in territorial lust. Who has time for plotting when sex scenes are calling?
Tell us about your upcoming release!
The fourth book in the ‘House of Rule’ series is coming out soon. The first three books were about the Rule brothers and the empire they built together. This story is going to center around their business enemy who reaches out and basically just takes their younger sister for himself. Max and Erin’s story has been fun to write because I’m letting Max off his leash.
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